Author: Marci Norum

Holy Lament

2024 Lenten Devotions
Ezekiel Lutheran Church

Front cover artwork by Meredith Tille.

About the Front Cover Artwork
The person in this picture is Jesus as a child. At this time he doesn’t know that he is the child of God. The hands of golden light are those of an angel comforting him. The feathers are from the angel’s wings and the brass iron crown is wrapped in thorns for foreshadowing. The red string being pulled by many phantom hands shows that at this time he was consumed with depression, greed, sorrow, self-hate, and loss just like any other person at the time. However, he embraces the angel because of his love and his will to forgive his grievances. The Hebrew word above translates to salvation which is what is said to be received if we also accept our grievances. We must always remain steadfast, humble, and have an open heart even when the going gets tough.
Meredith Tille

Greetings from the One who is, who was, and who is to come, Jesus Christ.
I am honored to join in the tradition of assembling a devotional booklet for the Season of Lent. I look forward to learning more about you from the words that you share on the following pages. I hope this devotion book can be an inspiration for us all and that it will help draw us all closer to Christ.
Lament may seem like a place where we can get stuck but we have a God who can take our grief and disappointment and turn them into hope and joy. The season of Lent leads us to the cross and to Christ’s death. And it is in Christ’s death and Christ’s descent into hell where we receive the promise that there is no place on, below, or above the earth that Jesus has not been and more importantly has not redeemed. This is one of the reasons why we do not mourn as those without hope. Our hope is found in Jesus Christ.
God’s Peace, Pastor Steve
The following from sundaysandseasons.com helps us understand what biblical lament means:
What is lament? The Bible is filled with examples of faithful people of God offering up sorrowful or even angry prayers to God. Even Jesus laments over Jerusalem and weeps at the death of a friend. Often we are too quick to push aside the uncomfortable feelings of grief and loss. We have lost, in some ways, the spiritual discipline of lament: acknowledging the grief that is part of everyday life, holding it, and then placing it gently (or forcefully!) in God’s hands. This Lent we will explore the laments found in scripture and relearn the discipline and the gift of holy lament.

Ash Wednesday, February 14 Pastor Steve

February 15 Kathy Knott

How do we recharge?
The gloomy days of January left me and many others wondering where is the sun? Just as we plug in our cell phones every day to be in touch, we need to plug into God and make gratitude a part of our day!
When I get home from work, I am so happy for my safe and cozy home, my comfy chair, Sudoku, and the crossword puzzle. Things that I have, not want or need. Things that make me smile and are familiar.
I can do nothing about the gloominess but I can be content and spiritually recharged. Each of us has that in us. Take time each day to plug into God and the things that he has planned for us. Praise Him and Thank Him. Smile, God is good.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

February 16 Jeff Lueck

Fear thou not; For I with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the Right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
The Creator’s Hand
Life Has Beauty…It Was Formed By The Creator’s Hand
Pasture and Fields Are Nourished By Rain From The Creator’s Hand
The Brook Flows Quietly and Steady…
Designed By The Creator’s Hand
From Morning Light To Evening Dusk…
Each Moment A Gift From The Creator’s Hand
FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE Are Actions Lived And Shared…
Guided Only By The Creator’s Hand
With Bended Knee And Bowed Head, I Thank The Creator’s Hand
For Time HE Gave To You To Live Faith, Have Hope,
…and Be Loved By Us…
And Feel HIS Love Held Tightly Only…By The Creator’s Hand
Dear Lord, Let us always come freely to you in all our needs and troubles. For you feel the heaviness in our hearts at times that all we can do is hold fast to Your Love and Hope. In Jesus Name, Amen.

February 17 Dick Seebach

A lament is an expression of grief or sorrow. To more fully understand this concept, I turned to the Old Testament book of Lamentations. This book was written by a prophet, perhaps Jeremiah, and mourns the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. by Babylon. Reading the book, I can feel the author's anguish at what happened to that great city, and his questioning of why God allowed the event to happen.
Moving forward 2,500 years, we see that man's inhumanity to man, through warfare, has not ceased. Seeing nightly images of death and destruction in the Middle East and Ukraine, I lament the loss of life, breakup of families, and destruction of cities in God's world. When will it stop? When will peace come to the world?
A lament voices a grief to God, asks for God's help, and declares our trust that God will listen to us. A lament can be embodied in a prayer. The following Prayer for Peace is taken from the Lutheran Book of Prayer:
Heavenly Father, God of peace and harmony, You would have Your children on earth live together in peace and quietness. Frustrate the plans of all evil men who would stir up violence and strife; spoil the weapons of those who delight in war and bloodshed; and according to Your will, end all wars in the world. Lead us to confess the truth of Your Word that from the lusts of our own hearts come wars and fighting among us. Help me by Your Word and Spirit to crucify my sinful flesh and to root out the evil that would lead to strife and discord, so that to the best of my ability, I may be at peace with my neighbor. Mercifully hear my prayer and grant us peace in our days. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

February 19 Monica Reid

Grief is hard. It’s difficult to experience and difficult to put meaningful words to. We all endure loss and great sadness differently, and for reasons not all might understand. The passing of a loved one, the life changes that occur with a devastating illness, or the overwhelming and suffocating blanket of depression. Grief is the deepest, darkest sadness we might experience, and in the midst of this pain, I would imagine we might all wish for immunity. After all, what is the purpose of grief? What is its value? Why must it be part of our existence?
There are opposites to every extreme - how can we experience great joy without understanding the loss of that which brings us joy? It’s a difficult truth, knowing that what makes me laugh and love also has the potential to make me weep with sorrow. What is it inside me that aches so horribly, that can make me angry and hopeful in equal turns, that makes me feel like my brain is betraying me?
Mary Frances O’Connor, a clinical psychologist at the University of Arizona, studies what happens in our brains when we grieve. She says grieving is a form of learning - that it teaches us how to be in the world without someone we love in it. Adjusting to life after…grieving is that process of carrying an absence forward.
I’ve always been one to trust the ‘bigger picture.’ For me, God sees everything, everywhere, in all time. He knows all the points of my life, and has been there with me. Only after a trying experience can I look back objectively and see the moments that prepared me for the present. And it always makes sense after, if not during, the hardship. So I have to trust the grieving process, and trust that God is there with me. I can wish for a past without grief, or I can hope for a future of acceptance and growth.

February 20 Sarah Schaffner

Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? Luke 15:4
These past months, oh how I’ve wandered: alone, scared, into deep, dark spaces, wondering if I’d ever find my way out again. I’ve always been an introvert, but this depression took loneliness and solitude to a whole new level. I don’t know how many times I cried out, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why have you left me here all alone, left to claw my way out, left to search for my own escape? Why, God? Why?”
Here’s the thing, however, which I simply could not see while in it. I was never alone. Never. God was searching for me the whole time. And, not only that, but I had 99 of you, pointing in my direction. In my amateur interpretation of this parable, the 99 sheep know exactly where the one has gone. They lead the shepherd right to her…because they know she tends to withdraw and think she’s alone; they know she turns on herself and needs encouragement while she doubts and questions; her friends know what she needs and directs the shepherd to her hiding places.
Lament may feel like something done while lost and alone, but our feelings are not always reality. Because in truth, we are loved and supported by a community of our fellow sheep-pen dwellers; in truth we are prayed for and never abandoned; in truth the shepherd is always seeking us out even when we think we’ve picked the perfect hiding space. In truth, we are never alone.
Imagine that…never truly being alone and not only that, but when we allow ourselves to finally be found, imagine the celebration we all get to have… “because what once was lost has now been found!” Now, that’s a party I’d love an invitation to!
Life-giving God, you promise that we are never alone. You’ve given us friends, a community, fellow pen-dwellers to encourage us when we wander. And, you’ve given us your very self…for you promise to always find us, no matter how much we try to hide. Keep looking for us, O God, and keep opening our hearts to let you in. Because when the lost are found, the celebration will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen. In your child’s name, we pray. Amen.

February 21 Rich Kuss

We are flawed individuals, often quite limited in our thinking as we make our way in an uncertain world. In our struggles, at times we may face the turmoil, the deep despair of feeling utterly abandoned.
In such circumstances, we cry out:
Here I am again
in the corner, in the shadows
Here I am again
stuck in my head still on my knees
Lord, I do not understand Where are You now?
Come into my lonely heart O God

Give me Your perfect peace that I can own
I don’t want to feel alone anymore
Come into my lonely heart O God

Take me by the hand so I will know what my little life is for
Enter in my mind Mighty God

February 22 Mary Ashbach

Comfort
Listen to what I am saying; that is all the comfort I ask from you. Job 21:1-2
When we listen to others, that in itself is comforting. When someone is frustrated, scared, confused, sad, angry, shocked or feeling alone they can be comforted simply by someone who is willing to listen. I think about how we can find comfort for all situations by listening to the readings in the Bible. We can find comfort in listening to a well written sermon, or beautifully written song. We can also find comfort in prayer and listening to how God responds. We can find comfort when we let ourselves listen to the messages God puts in our thoughts as well as the messages we can see in the world and people around us.
Dear Lord, help us all to listen to those that need us. Help us to listen for you and to be comforted with your presence and guidance. Amen
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2020 Lenten Devotional.

February 23 Ed Schramm

Sorrow Into Joy!
He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. Isaiah 61:3 NLT
He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever. Revelation 21:4 LB
Lament is biblically defined as a prayer expressing sorrow, pain or confusion. We lament when we experience death in the family or serious health problems. This usually only lasts for a period of time. God tells us that He will give us the oil of joy instead of mourning and a joyous blessing instead of despair and He says He will wipe away all tears from our eyes and there shall be no more death.
As we lament, we need to remember to bring our sorrows to God for this produces the fruit of hope in a future in which lament has no place.
When I experienced my stroke, cancer and lung disease, faced the death of loved ones or encountered unexpected life changes I cried out to God asking, “Why?” I was filled with grief, sorrow, uncertainty. God took my sorrow and tears and answered my prayers as well as those of others and brought healing and joy. He is a God who listens and cares. He is just waiting for us to ask.
Dear God, we pray for those who are lamenting for whatever reason and ask that you bring peace, joy, and healing to each one. May they experience the great love that you have for them. Amen.

February 24 Max Van Overbeke (grade 5)

There is no fear in love. 1 Peter 4:8
God’s love struck me when my grandma went to a nursing home. I realized that she was dying. Then before you know it, she is dead.
Now I know what you are thinking, she is dead and it is over. It wasn’t over because God spoke to me and gave me love. Without His love I could not have survived because my grandma loved me and I love her. So thank you God for love. Now I know that she is in heaven with You looking down on me.
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2019 Lenten Devotional.

February 26 Roger Hammond

Lament \la-`ment\ to express sorrow, to mourn aloud, crying out in grief, a complaint
When do we generally cry out or mourn? When we feel a loss – usually the loss of someone or something very dear to us. Sometimes we lament the loss of a great person or a noble idea.
My oldest son has remarked that people live too short a life; therefore, they find it difficult to hold onto the lessons of the past or see how we impact the future – we do not appreciate the long-term effects of our actions. Ordinary people are too busy living their short lives hand-to-mouth. At the end of the day, many are too weary to ponder how the choices made long before our time are widening or narrowing our choices today. And we do not always weigh our actions against the grand scale of tomorrow. We are fallible, we are limited, we are human. We make small gains in daily living while we lose some lessons from the past.
I guess I am trying to say that I think loss of lessons from the lives of those who went before us is lamentable as is our own casualness about the choices we ourselves make. And like you, I grieve that I seem helpless in the crush of living.
Today, as we face challenges to make right decisions as people of God, and to take unselfish actions for the good of all, for the preservation of the gift of Earth, and for the blessing of living in a republic. I fear we are losing our ability to determine and accept facts, especially if they seem to contradict our personal viewpoint. How can I know what is right and true?
There are forces at work in society that want to confound us; want to turn us away from the “truth.” Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Jesus proclaimed, “I am the truth.” Sometimes in my complaint – my lament – I have to remind myself to put all my trust in Christ.

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Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 2 John 7
Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2 John 11
Dear Jesus, reveal the true meaning of your life, death, and resurrection to each of us. Reassure those who express sorrow. Comfort those who grieve. Give us Christlike eyes to see through the fog of deception that some create to confound us. Give us clarity. Keep us in your truth. Amen.

February 27 Jeremy Odegard

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
When I was younger, I didn’t like to wait. I always looked forward to whatever was on the horizon. Summer vacation, a birthday celebration, Christmas Eve, earning a driver’s license – I was too excited to wait.
As I grew older, I came to appreciate the value of waiting. Anticipation and patience sweeten the experience of life. I’ve learned to treasure quiet mornings with a cup of coffee and peaceful time to just be still.
Waiting is also important during times of trial. The Bible is filled with examples of people who experienced extreme hardship and found themselves thrust into a period of waiting. David in the cave, Joseph in the pit, Esther in her suffering, Paul in prison, Jonah in the belly of the fish, Moses in the wilderness…the list is long.
In each of these examples, the central characters used their time of solitude and reflection to process their circumstances and seek God’s will through faithful lament. They expressed their sorrow openly and honestly, but they also demonstrated sincere trust while they wrestled through feelings of confusion and injustice. They modeled patience and humility, resting in the assurance of God’s divine sovereignty and grace. They found ways to praise, even in the midst of deep despair. They took time to heal and regain perspective. They chose to be still.
Waiting can be difficult, especially in an age that values action over contemplation. When we experience unexpected challenges or even devastating circumstances, we are called to create time and space for centering. We must embrace the waiting and surrender to God’s guidance in order to transition toward a state of restoration and maturity.
Sara Groves is a gifted Christian singer and songwriter from St. Paul. The following lyrics from “Less Like Scars” capture the beauty of transformative waiting during times of trial.

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Her words have inspired me and provided insightful perspective during challenging times in my life. I hope they encourage you in a similar way today.
It's been a hard year
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it's
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like haunting, more like remember
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like character
https://www.saragroves.com/
Sara Groves
Sara Groves is a 20+ year veteran singer/songwriter and recording artist with a passion for justice. Since 2005 she has been an artist advocate with International Justice Mission, a global organization that works to protect the poor from violence.

February 28 Ellie Richards

A Time to Grieve
There hangs on the wall of our family room, compliments of my nephew, a framed photo of my sister and me sitting shoulder to shoulder on a rock ledge, overlooking the beauty of one of Utah’s national parks. The other day, as I walked past it, I was struck with a wash of sadness; it’s been a year since cancer claimed her life, and I miss her terribly.
That very same evening my daughter-in-law posted a poem on Facebook:
when we see a grieving heart
shattered into a million pieces
and we know we cannot
put it back together
or carry every piece
we can at least pick up a few
and hold them in our hands
with warmth and care.
this pain is not meant
to be held alone.
it takes a village
to grieve.
by sara rian

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The poem reminded me that mine is a shared grief. Her children arranged a beautiful Christian burial service, and together we, her family and friends, heard the scriptures and sang the songs that give us hope and peace. Our family loves music, and the service was heavy on song: “Blessed Assurance,” “In the Garden,” “Just as I Am,” “How Great Thou Art,” “My Life Flows on in Endless Song,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” At a later point in time we gathered, her children, grandchildren and siblings, and took turns spreading her ashes in a place that holds meaning for us all. And we knew that while she is not with us, God is.

February 29 Jeanette Juetten

Can you imagine a cancer-free world?
All types have a cure
No one lives without a loved one
Cause the suffering has ended
Entrust God, and
Reimage a world without cancer!
In the lengthy lineage of cancer within my family, grief has woven its thread. My father succumbed to brain cancer two decades ago, and my mother triumphed over cancer when I was just 10. Uncles, aunts, grandparents, and friends have faced the battles, some emerging as cancer-surviving heroes, while others lost their fight. I bear the weight of the cancer gene, a hereditary burden. I think I’ve navigated these challenges with resilience. However, in recent times, my mother's second cancer diagnosis, this time lung cancer, has left its mark. The injustice cuts deep—she, an active and healthy 70-year-old who has never smoked, is my best friend.
The initial shock was overwhelming, facing a formidable 10x9x4 cm tumor within her body. We grappled with emotions, made plans, consulted with doctors, engaged in conversations, embarked on journeys, but above all, we sought strength and healing through fervent prayers. Amidst the shadows, guided by a skilled medical team, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, the tumor has receded by 50%. As we approach the Lenten period, she is set to undergo radiation treatments. The prospect of hearing the words "cancer-free" may elude us, but there is a collective belief that she has more life to experience, and her destiny lies securely in God's hands.
In my distress I cried to the Lord, And He heard me. Psalm 120:1

March 1 Judy & Ron Pierson

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He Lives, All fear is gone;
The above is the chorus of a song written by Gloria Gaither after her father died. Her book was given to me as a gift from a good friend and mentor along with a CD of songs written by Bill and Gloria Gaither.
In my childhood, talking about death was “taboo.” I guess it was difficult for our parents to understand that we were old enough to understand. My grandfather died in our house when I was 12 years old. When I think about it now, our parents did not know how to explain death to us kids. Times were much different then.
Our most difficult death was when our daughter, Rhonda died. She was such a joy to know. Everyone loved her and enjoyed her. She had a great sense of humor. When she became ill with Alzheimer’s (the last two years of her life). We had a lot of people praying for her. She ended up in the hospital on March 18, 2013. It was determined through tests that she had a massive heart attack. On March 21, Rhonda went back to her home in Baldwin with hospice care. On March 22, we had a staff meeting at 9:30 a.m. at her home. When we arrived, the staff told us she had just passed. Our final thought was this is a blessing as she was not suffering anymore. She was in Jesus’ arms of comfort, joy, and peace. The gift of peace from our loving God can comfort us in the most difficult times in our lives.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Dear Jesus, thank you. Amen.
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2019 Lenten Devotional.

Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.

March 2 Jan Ingersoll

Google says lament is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. Many times I have lamented when losing someone to death. I surely felt it when Jim (husband), Karen (daughter), and Steve (son-in-law) passed away, but now feel it in different ways also. This message is about my relationship with two friends I have had for over 80 years.
I grieve for my friend who is still physically alive, but is unable to function with everyday life because of dementia. We used to talk, laugh, shop, and drink coffee. But now when her family brings her to visit me, we usually just watch TV, as conversation is difficult. Sometimes we can talk about the good ole days, but nothing about current events. I grieve over the good times we had and thank God for those memories! I feel very helpless that I can do nothing to help her, but want to keep in contact because she has been an important part of my life. I am grateful that she is surrounded by a loving, understanding family.
Another dear friend is in the nursing home and we talk nearly every day. Much of the conversation is the same each time. She tells me how she is getting more forgetful. I listen and assure her the same thing happens to most of us at our age! Her niece tells me she is getting more confused every day. I am sad that there is nothing I can do to change these situations and I feel like I am losing these friendships. However, I am so thankful for the memories.
We can and should cherish all the things that were and are no more and enjoy what we do have now. That includes our church family and our blood family. We all need each other. I am so thankful for my ‘kids’ and seven grandchildren. They are all thoughtful and helpful as I am older and needing assistance with more things!

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Writing this has me thinking of long time friends I may never see again because of distance and my inability to get around now. So, I have made an attempt to make phone calls and send notes to these people to keep in contact. It is wonderful, and I have found that most of them have the same thoughts!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
GOD BLESS

March 3 Curt Larson

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
At this point in my life I have been on my faith journey for quite some time, a journey that has been blessed to be relatively free of major problems. However, it’s very rare that anyone can escape experiencing loss because for all of us, our journey on earth has an end. Sometimes the end comes in the normal scheme of things and is easier to bear, but sometimes it is harder. During 1978 to 1981, I lost to death, my brother at the age of 37 who left behind a wife and four children (ages 6-10), a cousin who was 42, a brother-in-law, both of my parents, and both of my wife Dee’s parents. For us, this three-year period was a time of funerals and grief that never seemed to end. However, it was also a time for a lot of prayer and thought. I can remember thinking then that people of faith are really blessed to have two journeys. Our journey on earth ends with our physical death, but because Jesus died for us, our resurrection with him is just the beginning of our second and eternal journey. All of our loved ones were believers and it was the hope of having this second journey with them that got us through this difficult time of loss. It was truly God’s love that surrounded us, upheld us, and assured us in our grief.
Heavenly Father, Because of your love, you sent your Son, Jesus, to die for us, giving us the promise of eternal life. We thank you for your love and assurance in our times of grief and loss. Amen.
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2019 Lenten Devotional.

March 4 Submitted by Katelyn Asmus

The Surgeon
You bring me low, it’s lower than I've ever been
Oh how I know the weight of your heavy hand
Under now, soul! Only one sovereign here
You bring me low, under now soul, my God he keeps me low
Every day I'm learning how to die
In every way and I'm crushed on every side
It's God the surgeon and he's come to save my life
I'm finding mercy cuts like a sharpened knife
Oh I've been aching, how personal is pain
If I'm not mistaken you like to give and take
In this affliction, yet still you give me joy
The bones you're breaking, the bones they will rejoice!
You bring me low, it’s lower than I've ever been (Lord, I’m so low)
Oh how I know the weight of your heavy hand
Under now, soul! Only one sovereign here
You bring me low, under now soul, my God he keeps me low
Low, please keep me low
He keeps me low, my God my God
He keeps me low, please keep me low
My God my God, he keeps me low
The Surgeon from
The Ways and Means by Sarah Sparks

March 5 Amy Nelson

April 30th will forever be a date we as a family now celebrate. Approaching nearly 11 years ago I received a phone call no parent ever wanted to receive. Our son was being transferred to Children’s Hospital via ambulance for what we later were told was a traumatic brain injury. As I drove as fast as my brain could comprehend to meet our then 5 month old Hunter, so many questions filled my brain, but somehow (actually I probably know how) I made it safely to the place we’d call “home” for the next two weeks. Multitudes of tests, investigations, and surgery followed as doctors worked to save our Hunter. The best way to describe the feelings of terrified parents is numb, yet we met a Chaplin in those early days, who had no words and asked if she could just sit and cry with us. Before she left his room, she gave us each a rock reminding us Jesus is our rock and to cling to that. It’s amazing what something so overlooked as a simple rock can do for your spirit along with the power of prayer from so many family, friends, and strangers.
I found a sign in the gift shop that I knew only was a gift from God, it states:
“Just when the caterpillar thought life was over it became a beautiful butterfly.”
This sign proudly hangs in our home as a reminder that miracles do happen, as our son was given a second chance at life. A true testament of where our grief turned into celebration on April 30th instead of dread. We call it “Hunter Day” as it was when God gave him back to us for a second time. We may never understand the why, but we do know all the glory goes to God for he placed all the right people in our path to do his work and perform a miracle before our eyes.
I will never forget the day we got to bring Hunter home. The sun was shining and as we looked up in the parking ramp there was a burst of snow right in front of our car. Allan noticed it first and as he brought it to my attention I looked up and said “ I see you and THANK YOU.”
“Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

March 6

Looking to Jesus
As we lament, we must remember Jesus. He is not only a model of lament, He is the center of all our lamenting.
Our greatest hope in every lament is that one day lament will be no more. This is no exaggeration—in the new Jerusalem, we read that God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
What Jesus secured for His people through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension is the complete reversal of the Genesis 3 curse. As that curse vanishes, and as God’s people gather around the throne to worship the victorious Son, our need for lament will fade away.
Godly lament produces the fruit of hope in a future in which lament will have no place. So, Christian, gather your sorrows, bring them to your Father, and pour out your heart in lament. He knows, He cares, and He is eager for you to trust Him in your sadness.
From the book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop.

March 7 Marci Norum

Some of us are natural planners. Others, maybe not so much. I think of myself as a planner. Always trying to stay a step ahead, knowing what will come next. Over the last decade or so, I have come to realize that my life isn’t in my control.
I haven’t had a lot of death in my family. I feel that I’m pretty lucky in that respect. I still have my mom, dad, sister, brother, sons, and nieces to call when I want to say hello or hug when they’ll let me. But this doesn’t mean that I haven’t felt what it is to lose something.
Back to me being a planner. In 2010, my husband and I decided to have another baby. We planned for a pregnancy in May so that I could stay home with the baby and then go back to teaching in August. Well, our due date was May! We planned that perfectly! Fast forward a few months, my then husband’s company closed their doors in April of 2011, we had our sweet baby in May, and we moved out of state in June. I was lost and felt so much sorrow for what I had to leave behind. My wonderful doctor couldn’t have said it better. She said, “Marci, you’ve had three life changes all at the same time! You stopped teaching after 15 years, had a baby, and uprooted your family and moved across the United States.”
It took me some time to realize that even though I thought I was planning for this sweet baby boy, I didn’t have anything to do with it. It was God. He knew that I would need this baby in my life at just the right time. God knew that I needed Coulter after I dropped Turner off at school. He knew that I needed him to go on walks with, take shopping, have playdates and meet other moms, take naps with, and play with. My boys are what helped me through some of my darkest days back then.
Fast forward a few years and I find myself newly divorced. This was another loss that I never thought would happen to me. But you know what? I’m okay! I never thought I would change a car

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battery or replace fuses in my car. I can do things that I never thought I would do! God knew I could do it. He’s always known. I know that He has a plan and I should trust Him.
Loss is such a sad feeling and it’s an emotion that can tear at your soul. The scripture below is what gave me a sense of peace and helped me get through some of the saddest times in my life. It also reminds me that God is in control.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

March 8 Ellie Richards

There I was, busy and happy raising our four kids and a foster kid while also teaching ESL part-time at Greenwood School. Suddenly, an unforeseen family crisis pulled the rug from beneath my feet, and plunged me into a new experience: clinical depression. I was overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, as each day seemed to get crazier than the preceding. The only thing I felt sure of was that God was standing with me, as He surely was.
My prayers for help did not go unanswered.
First, I was immediately surrounded and supported by family and friends who were available to listen and encourage me. Even in the dead of winter my walking buddies made sure we were out for our regular walks, which were in themselves therapeutic. I had just started that ESL job, and it was amazingly beneficial too, because it forced me to focus on someone else, and got me out of my own head for at least a time every day. It took several stabs and failed attempts, but I finally connected with an excellent therapist, and weekly sessions not only helped me regain my footing, but, I think, left me emotionally healthier than I had been before.
In church the Sunday after the crisis hit, we sang the words, “…and though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” Those words have stuck in my mind, because eventually, with God’s help, my world righted itself, thanks to God’s steadfast love.
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2019 Lenten Devotional.

March 9 Jeff Lueck

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16
Love Is A Treasure
Love Is A Treasure…
Like A Snowflake, So Intricately Woven Together…
By Nature’s Wonder,
The Sun Transforms It To A Tiny Drop Of Water, So Pure
We Know The Lord’s Word Will Endure…
His Blessings Of Love From Above,
Come With Full Measure
Moments Spent With You So Sweet and Tender
For You Gave Us Love,
And Showed Us The True Gift From The Lord Was Love
And Now,
Like A Tear Drop From The Heart So Clear…
You Showed Us Love Is A Treasure
Dear Jesus, Thank you for the people in our lives that have loved us and shown us Your Love that has helped shape our Faith Journey with You. Amen.

March 11 Allison Klein

Growing up in Iowa is not something many people take pride in. Although nowhere near the size of large metropolitans like the Twin Cities or Chicago, I grew up in the second largest city in Iowa. Cedar Rapids is not a glamorous city, but I have a deep love for my hometown because of the integrity of the people, beauty of the mighty Cedar River, and the five smells of the city (you have you look it up).
In 2008, the Cedar River crested at 31.12' - topping the earlier record of 20'. More than 10 square miles of the city were covered by floodwaters. Nearly 6,000 homes were flooded - 1,300 of those were demolished. My family was lucky enough to not be directly affected by the flood, but many of my friends were forced to live in FEMA trailers, hotels, or stay with relatives. Kids my age were forced to switch schools and my friends' parents lost their jobs. We had clean water shortages and the bridges connecting west and east were closed, disconnecting the city.
Several months later, Taylor Swift played a sold-out concert in Cedar Rapids (something I heavily regret missing). She ended up donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to restore the community. Local churches worked on relief efforts, although many members lost their homes and some churches were even destroyed. The way our community came together was incredible. This was the first time in my life I knew people affected by a disaster, and my heart was ripped open.
In 2020, a storm called a derecho hit Eastern Iowa with 140 mph winds, it was the most destructive severe thunderstorm in American history. 669,00 trees were destroyed, there were city-wide power outages lasting over a week, roads were shut down, and again many people were displaced. This time around Taylor Swift

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didn’t make any large donations, but the community came together and worked for months on restoring homes and businesses.
In times of disaster, it’s easy to ask why God would let this happen. Why would a loving and just God allow disasters to cause so much damage? Psalm 74 reflects on this idea of communal lament. The people of Jerusalem are questioning God why their sanctuary has been destroyed. Later in Psalm 74, the speaker acknowledges God’s great power and remembering all God has created and destroyed over time. I don’t expect to understand why everything happens, but knowing we can rely on others and lean on them in times of disaster and confusion is powerful. We are not meant to live on this earth alone, so even when I question God, knowing I have community to rely on is comforting.

March 12 Leslie Benoy

Give it to God
Life is filled with a myriad of emotions. God has blessed us with the full spectrum of emotions: grief, joy, depression, extasy, anger, pleasure, admiration, adoration, amusement, anxiety, awe, awkwardness, boredom, calmness, confusion, craving, disgust, empathy, excitement, fear, horror, relief, sadness, satisfaction, surprise. (I’m sure there may be a few more too.)
Lament is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow, a way to place our hurts in God’s hands.
In 2014 my mother was battling cancer for the second time. She spent 5 weeks in the hospital, then she came home for a little over 2 weeks with hospice care. She died on June 27, 2014. The night before she died, she was in a lot of pain. My sister and I tried whatever we could to make her comfortable, but nothing seemed to work. Towards morning our mom became very calm; she seemed to be sleeping. As dawn broke, her breathing became slower and slower until her breathing stopped.
I have never experienced such deep sorrow…a deep numbing emptiness. My mother was gone.
Later that evening, I took paper and pen in hand and began to write about my mom. I recounted many special moments that I had spent with her and thought about the wonderful qualities she possessed. I thought about her strong faith and how her example along with my dad’s, had shaped the way my faith in Jesus had been formed. Psalm 118:24, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” was her favorite Bible verse. That is the way she lived each day. Would I ever feel “normal” again? Let alone “joyful”. I needed to come before the Lord and give him my hurt, my grief, my emptiness. And that is what I did. I poured my heart out to God.

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Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30 5b
11: You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12: so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

March 13 Submitted by Katelyn Asmus

The Gardener
You tilled up my heart and then planted a seed
With time it watered and sprouted a dream
Granted me sight so I could see a need
But why let me see it then take it from me?
Oh why let me see it then take it from me?
And in this sad hour at the end of each day
My fingers remember well how to point blame
So I look at the sky and again I will say
Why let me taste it then take it away?
Oh why let me taste it then take it away?
Now in the harvest my soul you will reap
Dying and living in the dichotomy
Of a violent type love as it crucifies me
But I know you better when I am in need
Oh I know you better when I am in need
God the gardener when the autumn comes I will not seasons fear
With the pruning a branch is stronger, I will learn to love the shears
God the gardener when the autumn comes I will not seasons fear
With the pruning a branch is stronger, I will learn to love the shears
The Gardener from
The Ways and Means by Sarah Sparks

March 14 Fern Tomaszewski

Early on in my life, I always look at life as a positive. That life was going to be full of promises and good things. My childhood influences were as a result of my mother’s strong belief and background in the Lutheran faith. My father came from a Christian background also, but was not active in the church. When my parents married, my father, for his own reasons did not want mom to follow her Lutheran church attendance. Therefore my sister and I attended Sunday School and church at a Free Evangelical Church. Later we moved onto the Methodist Church. It was at the Methodist Church that I married my first husband. It was Bernard that brought me to the Lutheran church. It was my church family at the Holmen Lutheran Church that saw me through the pain and grief I endured after the accidental death of my husband. My faith remained strong and I moved forward with my four children into the next chapter of my life.
I met and married my second husband, Roger. I feel he shaped my life into what it is today. I am sure there are not many men brave enough to take on a widow with four young children, but he did. We combined our families, his with five grown children and my four. Marrying him involved moving from Holmen, Wisconsin to River Falls and thus my introduction to Ezekiel Lutheran Church. This wonderful chapter of my life came abruptly to an end with his death from a heart attack after not quite seven years together. At that point, my faith in God crashed. I questioned WHY ME? WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? I never entered Ezekiel again until 20 some years later. I had remarried and my husband was suffering the effects of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chemotherapy. My very best friend, Eileen, talked to both George and me. Suggesting perhaps George who was a non-practicing Catholic think about returning to church. George, I believe, really felt the need for this. We discussed our options and it was his desire to attend Ezekiel with me. I feel that the Holy Spirit was there all along guiding me through those different chapters of life. With my renewed faith, I have found peace and complete confidence that God is watching over me and guiding me each and every day.
There are three things that will endure – faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Reprinted from Ezekiel’s 2018 Lenten Devotional.

March 15 Ruth Emerson

I’m not going to lie - this was a difficult topic and maybe not for the reasons you may think. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but for days I lamented about what I was going to lament about! So, I started by making a list of all the people I have lost to death in my life. It is a considerable list, more than the average I would venture to say. I took note of what each of my loved ones had died from. It wasn’t a pretty picture. Lung cancer, brain tumor, heroin addiction, suicide - to name a few. But the interesting thing was that through it all, as devastating as it was at the time - God walked with me! I believed in the resurrection and that death was not the end for my loved ones. They continued to have a purpose in life and one day they would rise and together we would meet our Savior. It was never easy, but I could make sense of it. So, here’s the kicker. My grief is not over a physical death. It’s about the loss of friendship.
Unforgiveness is the Devil’s Best
I remember so many good times, full of laughter, wit, and fun.
There were others who had failed you, but me, not ever. Until the time came-
One thoughtless request.
Falling from the sky, I can't catch my breath, tearing to pieces what I thought was steadfast. Now the weeks and months have passed by, and this loss drags on in endless time, and to this day I still wonder why. Why can’t “I’m sorry” be enough?
What has happened to our loving past? I was there for you through thick and thin,
I helped you without a second thought, now all is lost, it was for naught.
I have lost my friend, the struggle is real, I’m angry and lost.
The friendship was right, why would you give up this fight?

(continued) Ruth Emerson

Silence is now what our conversations consist of, just me and my brain going over and over.
I would rather be screaming and shouting than all this emptiness. How could it be so easy to forget? I needed you the other day, how tragic this is for me.
Then I think, tomorrow will be the day, I re-run lines of what I think I will say.
So much hurt, for what? One little request...the timing was wrong,
Unforgiveness is the devil's best.
So, Lord, I tried all the things I could think of, now is the time to turn it over. You’ve always been there for me before; this time will be no different, I’m sure. You know what is best, I will trust your answer. I tried giving it forcefully, now I will be gentle.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

March 16 Sandy Tauferner

I always feel great sadness when someone I know dies. My parents died one month apart. They were both in their 90s and their health had been declining so it wasn’t totally unexpected. But that was a big load of grief. I know that my parents’ spirits left their earthly body and they entered their heavenly home, a place of complete love. But the sorrow still needed processing.
In processing my grief, I was aided by my mom’s funeral service and my dad’s memorial service. These services had people gathering and sharing the stories of my parents’ connection to their lives. These were stories of joy, sharing, laughter, warmth, kindness, and love. The sharing of memories helps me see how my parents were part of many people’s lives besides my own. They each enriched so many other people just in who they were. Maya Angelo wrote the poem “When Great Trees Fall” in honor and respect for Martin Luther King, Jr. The last few lines are:
They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be Better. For they existed.
I can move forward and manage the sorrow remembering the joy of someone’s existence in my life.

March 18 Sandy Schramm

Good Grief
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalms 30:5 NKJV
“Good grief”—an expression used by our parents in an era when more “colorful” language was unacceptable. The phrase became popularized by the Peanuts comic strip where Lucy’s “good grief” to Charlie Brown conveyed dismay and even condemnation. So what is good about grief?
I admit I was dismayed when I learned that grief was the theme of this year’s Lenten devotional. Grief has torn at our hearts in recent years with the loss of loved ones and our own life-threatening health issues. I did not want to revisit those dark places or rejoin my dismal companions of sorrow, loss, fear, helplessness, loneliness, fatigue. Yet, looking back, we saw that even in the darkest times, our God was holding our hands. Teaching us to trust Him. Growing our faith. And into our shadowy hours, He sent bright, joyful rays of sunshine: a cozy home, the exquisite beauty of His creation, a supportive family, kind friends, a praying church, His precious Word, amazing answers to prayer, and the Holy Spirit’s comforting presence. Our God has never deserted us nor stopped loving us.
So every day we grasp His hands in both need and praise, and open our hearts to joy, a joy made possible by the grief Jesus endured on the cross. There is no dismay or condemnation in that grief; Jesus bore it all. Good Grief became Good Friday and the darkness of death became the resurrection light of Easter morning. Yes grief can be good! Brilliance of Your living Presence. Amen.
Dearest Lord, Thank You for holding our hands in the harsh darkness of grief as well as the bubbling light of joy. This day, and every day, open our hands and hearts to the Easter morning brilliance of Your living Presence. Amen

March 19 Steve Jelinski

Encountering God's Presence in Our Laments: A Journey Through Grief
In the tapestry of our faith, personal lament is a thread that weaves authenticity, vulnerability, and hope into the fabric of our relationship with God. The Psalms, particularly Psalm 42, provide a rich resource for expressing individual lamentations. Let us explore how, in times of personal grief, we can encounter God's comforting presence through the honest expression of our hearts.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 42:1-11
1. The Cry of Personal Lament: Psalm 42 begins with an intimate cry from the depths of the psalmist's soul: As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God (Psalm 42:1, ESV). In times of personal sorrow, our hearts echo this longing for God's presence. Personal lament allows us to bring our raw emotions before God, acknowledging our need for His comfort and understanding.
2. Honest Dialogue with God: The psalmist engages in a sincere dialogue with God, expressing the weight of despair. My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, 'Where is your God?' (Psalm 42:3, ESV). Personal lament invites us to be authentic in our communication with God, sharing our tears, questions, and doubts without fear of judgment.
3. Finding God in the Depths: In the midst of personal lament, there is a recognition of God's presence, even in the depths of despair. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8, ESV). As we pour out our hearts, we discover that God is intimately acquainted with our sorrows and responds with His steadfast love.

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4. Choosing Hope Amidst Grief: The psalmist, despite the heaviness of the heart, makes a deliberate choice to hope in God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God (Psalm 42:11, ESV). Personal lament is not devoid of hope; it is a pathway to renewed trust in God's faithfulness and a declaration that praise will once again resound.
In the solitude of personal lament, we encounter the unwavering presence of our mighty God. Through honest dialogue, we find solace in His love, even in the depths of our grief. May our grieving become a sacred space where God's comforting hand is felt, leading us to choose hope amidst sorrow. As we journey through the valleys, may our hearts be drawn closer to the One who is our salvation and our Lord and Savior.

March 20 Dee Larson

When I think of the word lament, I think of times when I wish I had or hadn’t said or done something. Perhaps I should have called a friend to see how they were doing, but didn’t. Thinking about it makes me feel bad, but it helps to turn it over to Jesus asking, “What can I do now?” Often His answer comes to me loud and clear, and I can feel redeemed if I respond accordingly. I think that as we all go through life, God has His hands full. I thank Him for all the help we get from Him. His Son Jesus is with us always to smooth our path, having given His life to be our Savior.
… and lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
Dear Jesus, We are humbled by your love for us. Amen.

March 21 Ali Massa

When you look at the definition of lament, you can find words like grief, sorrow, and mourn. It is easy to get lost in the sadness and negative emotions that can follow these words. The words can take you to a place of reflection, regret, and loss in your life and your memories. I guess that is kind of the point right? To lament is to give a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. To lament is to FEEL and to express those feelings.
God has given us the ability to lament and express our grief. God has also given us the ability to GIVE these feelings up to Him. I think the most important step is not that act of expression, it is the final stage of letting go and letting God. We need to allow ourselves the grace to know that we are not able to control our world. We are not able to shelter ourselves, our families, and other loved ones from the hard realty and pain in the world. We are able to control our response, our intentions and our actions when faced with grief and hard times.
When we just have no other words or actions, we must lament to find God’s peace. We must lay all of our worries, troubles, and sadness at his feet. We must allow God to hear our inner most prayers and thoughts. We must be willing to ask for his help and allow him in. We must trust that he has our back and our hearts at all times. He will protect us, even when we feel all is lost.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in our salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 12:5-6
Each day I will end my day giving my concerns, sorrows, worry, grief, and sadness to God and ask for him to release me while I sleep. I will wake up in the morning knowing that today is a new day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

March 22 Anne Waxon

One of the most painful times in my life happened almost twenty-four years ago. Our family was shaken by the stillbirth of our first grandchild. God was with us. I asked a close friend to alert our prayer chain at church and Bible study group. She prayed with me and advised me to read Psalms and Proverbs – knowing our hearts were breaking for our daughter, her husband, and our families. I turned to a book of Psalms and Proverbs in paperback form. Underlining all the scriptures that spoke to me and comforted me including:
I cried unto the Lord…and he heard me. Psalm 3:4
The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I trust. Psalm 18:2
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Psalm 92:1-2
I opened our hymnal and it fell open to “Children of the Heavenly Father” – God again spoke to me. Great is thy faithfulness.

March 23 Cindy Nolen

Jesus wept. John 11:35
Grief is something we all have in common and all experience differently on the spectrum that it is. Throughout the majority of my life, the death of loved ones, pets, family, (and indeed all forms of ambiguous loss) has been difficult and often life changing. But I have always emerged from them a more whole person; every dose of humility can do that. I have always believed in God but felt more of a relationship with Jesus as a teen (my “Jesus movement” years). I never really prayed much more than the goodnight prayer mom taught us or the dinner prayer. We went to our local Lutheran church on Easter Sunday because it’s the only time of year she put her foot down and made all of us go. I was always more focused on the chocolate eggs I snuck in with me than the service itself. We watched a lot of Biblical movies and for quite some time I believed that Charlton Heston was both Moses and Jesus. I was just always a happy kid.
As our daughter Marissa grew up and I witnessed the tragedies in the world happening to parents who lost children. I used to always say, “if anything ever happened to her, I know I could not go on,” I believed that with all my fiber. I also have always believed in the Lord’s promise that we are saved by His Grace. But as an unevolved Christian, I took that for granted for a great number of years and did little (in MY mind) to glorify Him and His work in my life. I wasn’t praying very often and hadn’t picked up my Bible in years, but continued to attend church on Easter (without the eggs).
We joined another Lutheran church in town and that is where Marissa was baptized and grew up for several years (still, not attending weekly). I introduced her to Charlton Heston via movies from the library, but she did learn more about the real Jesus than I ever did growing up.

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On July 4, 2020, our 32 year old only child dove into a shallow lake while on vacation with her fiancé and friends in Northern Wisconsin. Air lifted to Regions, I was able to see her for an hour (during Covid) and we talked. She couldn’t feel anything from the waist down. She had swelling on the brain. I watched the clock, knowing they would make me leave after my hour was up. She slept and I laid over her and just whispered in her ear, “please don’t leave me.” I had not cried; I had not prayed. The next day, Sunday, I was waiting to see her while they did an x-ray of her shoulder (I could hear her talking to the tech). When I went into see her she was asleep and didn’t wake up. They took her downstairs and made me leave. They would not allow more than one visitor so her dad couldn’t be there. At 5 p.m. they called to tell us she was brain-dead. They allowed her dad and I to come together that night to say goodbye as they would be harvesting some of her organs for donation. We returned home late that night and I called my best friend and sister in Christ. She came over for hours to sit with me and help with phone conversations with doctors. I finally cried, I wept, I howled, I fell into that pit. I did not know at the time, or feel, or imagine, that Jesus was right next to me the entire time. I know now that He was there in the community and sacrifice my friend provided by being there. I KNOW, and I KNEW then, that SHE was doing all the praying, and I know NOW they were ALL answered.
Ups and downs, I would “burn and crash” for days at a time. The struggles continued until February 23, 2021. I had been doing my own Bible Study, looking for survival strategies, and started to pray more, though I felt inadequate in the process.
Before bed that night I read Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

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So, I didn’t “pray” that night, I simply talked to my Lord as I would the most perfect Father and I told Him I was trying, I wanted to feel joy for all the blessings that continue in my life: a wonderful and loving husband and loyal and loving friends, but my heart was broken. I told Him I felt as though my soul was decaying, slowly, like a small pond inward from the edges, yet with a depth of despair, darkness, and misery so deep it became terrifying. So, I literally out-stretched my arm up into the darkness of the air and asked Him to take my hand and help me. The morning of the 23rd I had a vision, a gift that was so compelling I couldn’t speak of it for days to anyone. The first person I did share it with was the friend who sat with me for so many countless hours and days. There was Light. I felt Joy. I was amazed.
I felt as though I needed to be doing more, something to serve, something useful. I wanted to join the church again but decided to wait until Ezekiel had a seated pastor. I joined a Bible study group I had wanted to join for years. I felt Hunger and Thirst for more of Him. I began listening to a spiritual radio station in the car at ALL TIMES (the hunger and thirst). One day a song came on that just grabbed me, melody and words, and I had to pull the car over. It was Jenn Johnson’s “Goodness of God.” I wept, I prayed, I laughed at the JOY. Every day of prayer (they are now conversations), Bible study, and reflection combined with the MUSIC has more than quenched my hunger and thirst. It’s empowered me and “grief” is now a reminder of the love and how it remains.
There are certain lines of songs that just jump out and grab me. In the song “What are you waiting for?” is the line, “Be a light that no one can ignore.” My “friend” informed me at one point that some of our other friends were inquiring as to “what is going on with Cindy, she is just so joyful all the time?” I believe we kind of chuckled when talking about this, as I responded, “if they ASK me where my Joy comes from, I WILL tell them.” So often our actions and energy speak volumes that words can never capture. I will strive to always be an example of the Love of Christ Jesus.

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Then I found this quote in my studies (no less guided by Him):
When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit.
The words of a hymn represent the body, while the melody represents the soul. Words represent humanity, and melody represents divinity. Thus in a beautiful hymn, in which words and melody are perfectly matched, body and soul, humanity and divinity, are brought into unity. Hildegard of Bingen
Again, guidance and inspiration for continued and evolving worship.
Grief is here, it’s part of life for us all. I never forget now the grief of His mother, friends, followers, and all those who walked with Him. Oh yes, He understands GRIEF. I did not believe at one point not so long ago that I could go on without her. I have gone over and over in my heart and mind why I did not pray in her hospital room and just ask Him to leave her with me. I feel now that at the time I didn’t feel I was worthy of asking Him for anything after not recognizing Him in all His works and for giving me her to begin with. I feel I also believed my words were not poetic enough to reach Him.
I never felt anger. I never said “why me?” but I didn’t get on my knees either. I know better now. I do not believe in my heart and soul that my prayers would have stayed here. I guess without realizing it at the time, I just left it in His hands. I believe she was here as long as He needed her to be. I did not however, feel comfortable with that until the morning of February 23, 2021, when He answered me with a gift I would never expect twice.
On September 17, 2023 I attended service at Ezekiel to hear the new Pastor’s service. Another day of Glory.

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I told him as I left that church that day and shook his hand that he had completed checking off all the boxes on my list and now I wanted to become part of this wonderful community in Christ.
I wanted to be doing something to make my life worthwhile after losing THE most significant being in my life. And then He showed me that I haven’t lost her at all and I am a light that some folks are a wee bit confused about. Praise you oh Lord and thank You. I now have an awesome community of people that just give me joy when I see them, all sharing in the Glory. Praise be to God and prayers continue for those who don’t know Him.
The “humanity and divinity” of the worship music that intoxicates me, the daily conversation (seldom “poetic”) with my Father, His jabs at me in humor directing me always on the right path, the COMMUNITY of my church (such fresh air for the soul), and my Bible study “Tribe” of the most spectacular women who humble me, teach me, enlighten me, and just SHINE.

Grief slips in at times and the “pond” appears (like a Stephen King movie) when I am lazy in my discipline taking things for granted (again); when I feel so comfortable and “sure” that I don’t open a conversation with Him, or turn on my MUSIC, or open the Book. I have learned that that is when the dark one sends his minions to grab me and pull me away. But then I remember I have homework for Bible study, I have a reading to do next week, and CHILI to make. I have other areas I would like to serve in, the list goes on, and that LIGHT overpowers ANY fear or darkness that challenges my love for the Father.
One line from song that comes into my head constantly.
“My fear doesn’t stand a chance, when I stand in Your Love”
Stand In Your Love - Josh Baldwin | Heaven Come 2018
I am no longer terrified. Thank You Jesus and this Chistian community.

March 25 Leah Gavin

He careth for you! Peter 5:7
This is the bible verse my aunt always put on every card she sent me.
In July I had an accident. I was going home from work. I had ridden my scooter that morning and left too quickly to put on my helmet—no excuse. All I remember is starting the scooter. I woke up in the hospital the next day. God made sure I was unconscious through most of my hospital stay. My blood pressure was so low that they couldn’t find me any pain meds and I had a concussion, head stitches, broken finger on my right hand, broken left wrist, and many bruises. Ben stayed with me and advocated for me. I am still recovering.
My husband and sons were very supportive and caring. Ron took exceptional care of me. When God matched us up he knew he had made a good match. My church family sent up prayers of healing for me and God listened and healed me. My work family and friends all sent cards and prayers.
We had just hired a new pharmacist at the store because I had planned on going into semi-retirement. This was another God intervention.
God is always in my life and I can talk to him anytime. I may not realize his presence at the time but looking back I know that he was there.
Dear God, Thank you for all of your care and healing powers, and for all the people who have helped me these past seven months. Amen.

God is here.

March 26 Anonymous

Oh Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; For you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1
As I understand this assignment it is the “acknowledging the grief that is a part of everyday life,” big, little, and everything in between. I call all of them hard times. We have all experienced unpleasant situations, a loss, disappointments, hard times.
Where was I in my faith walk when one of these hit me? For some, I was young and, although I knew there was a God, I kept asking why and where are you. I figured I got through it the best I could. But God was there.
As I entered my 50’s, my world fell apart. So I put it on autopilot and started doing my thing. I was invited to Ezekiel and to Alpha. Although I was resistant at first, I slowly began to let go and let God. I began to have a relationship with Jesus. My friends remarked that I just kept getting happier and happier. And I was!
No big story here, but it was and is big for me. Obviously, I still experience hard times and set backs and they still are not pleasant. But I have a helper, a counselor now.

March 27 Megan Franklin

I personally have benefitted a lot from my Cultivate What Matters–Write the Word ® Journal. You receive a verse each day and write it out along with your thoughts, prayers, gratitude, and anything else on your heart. You can have fun and get creative and God can reveal His heart as we write His life-giving word together.

Today is

I’m grateful for

Psalm 13

On my heart today

My word for today

Maundy Thursday, March 28 Pastor Steve Dow

Their descendants shall serve the Lord, whom they shall proclaim to generations to come. They shall proclaim God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying to them, “The Lord has acted.” V. 30-31
Gracious and loving God, we have our moments when we too want to cry out in despair. Help us to remember that your promise is to be with us. Your promise is that we will not be forsaken or abandoned. Turn us from despair to the hope we have in you. In your Son’s name we pray, Amen.

Good Friday, March 29

At the Cross
I wait, And time ticks past.
I gaze, Made silent by the sight.
I watch, As soldiers meticulously move Executing each terrible, torturous task.
I gasp, Still life lingers in His fragile, broken form.
I flinch, As blow by blow, Nails bite deep through flesh to find wood.
I stand As He is lifted high, Silhouetted 'gainst the sky which He has made.
I weep As His cry echoes deep in my hardened, calloused heart.
I wail, As He screams 'it is complete, Finished, final, said and done.'
I fall, As the sky turns inky black And the sun and moon and stars forget to shine.

I kneel, As worlds collide, And time ticks by; What once bound, no longer seems to hold.
I bow, For part of me is gone, Kept forever on Calvary's painful peak.
I wait, At the foot of the cross, to begin my journey home.
Pastor Andy Stinson

Easter Eve, March 30

O Lord Jesus Christ, for our sins you endured the cross and the grave, and on the third day you rose again from the tomb. Just as you have cleansed us from our sin by your blood, and as we are buried with you in baptism, so by your grace, let us share in your resurrection; through your mercy, O our God, you are blessed, and live and govern all things, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 25 #3
“cleansed us from our sin by your blood” is a reference to 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 7:14
“buried with you in baptism” is a reference to Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12

An Easter Eve Prayer

I always say that we have the benefit of knowing the rest of the story. We know that death leads to life. We know that we can have hope amid the darkest moments of life. We know that we are not forsaken but beloved by God. The Psalmist knows it too. What began with despair ends in hope:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress. Psalm 22:1

Psalm 22 is a familiar Psalm of lament. When we hear the opening line, we are drawn to Jesus’ words from the cross when he quotes this Psalm in both Matthew and Mark’s Gospel. We can not only hear but feel the despair in these words. It is why these words are so often spoken or sung as the altar is stripped bare at the end of the Maundy Thursday service. We are left with nowhere to go but to the cross on Good Friday.

The stripping of the altar has always been striking to me. I have watched the care and gentleness as each piece is removed. The supper has ended, feet may or may not have been washed, Jesus’ betrayal is at hand. It is in these moments where the lament in Psalm 22 continues on, “But as for me, I am a worm and no man, scorned by all and despised by the people.” V. 6

Gracious and loving God, we have our moments when we too want to cry out in despair. Help us to remember that your promise is to be with us. Your promise is that we will not be forsaken or abandoned. Turn us from despair to the hope we have in you. In your Son’s name we pray, Amen.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Why, O God, why? Why are we forced to reckon with our mortality? I have placed an ashen cross on the forehead of many people over the years. I accept the reality that we are mortal. We have a life span. But it doesn’t make it easy. As people come forward to receive their cross, I am reminded of their loved ones who have died, some within the past year. I am reminded of the loss felt within the community of gathered believers.

The most difficult crosses to mark are the ones on the heads of children. This is especially true when marking the foreheads of my own children. I can accept that I am mortal, but I don’t want to consider their mortality. Looking into a child’s eyes, I can imagine a full future. There is no room for an alternate reality.

The Season of Lent takes us from the reality of our own death on Ash Wednesday, to Jesus’ own death on the cross on Good Friday. But thanks be to God that this isn’t the place where the story ends. We aren’t left with death. Instead, we are raised to new life. Just as Jesus was raised on Easter morn.

But even knowing where we are headed, we can’t avoid the reality along the way. We are dust, and to dust we will return. But now we live! Each breath we take laughs in the face of death. Each breath is a reminder of the new life we have in Christ Jesus. Our identity is always found in Christ. Paul writes in Romans Chapter 14 verse 8, “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” You belong to the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Gracious God, out of your love and mercy you breathed into dust the breath of life, creating us to serve you and our neighbors. Call forth our prayers and acts of kindness, and strengthen us to face our mortality with confidence in the mercy of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen. --from Evangelical Lutheran Worship