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This Lent, we’re preaching a series called “Tell Me Something Good.” Lent is a time of preparation and discipline leading up to Easter, so this series strips Jesus’ life and ministry down to their root as a way to remind us how we’re called to live. At their core, Jesus’ teachings are full of love, liberation, mercy, and grace. Despite how they’ve been weaponized, they are meant to be good news for all. If you’d like to follow along with this series outside of just the sermons on Sunday mornings, you can find poetry, a daily devotional, visual art, and more at the “Lent” tab on our website or app.

Here is this week’s Lenten poem:

For the Sake of Tiny Resurrections
We took the kids to the beach, a herd of children lathered in sunscreen.
We spent most of the day building sandcastles, swimming in the shallows,
wiping sand off their eyelashes and noses.
Things changed when a small fish washed up on shore.
The children saw it first— a little body gasping to survive.
They cried out— Quick! We have to save it!
We grabbed our buckets. We sprinted to the waterline.
We scooped up the dying fish and returned it to the waves.
The kids sagged with relief as the fish jolted to life,
a tiny resurrection in front of our very eyes.
Full of pride, I said to them— You did something good. Today, you saved a life.
A seven-year-old with sun-kissed cheeks
took the bucket from my hands and said, I’d like to save some more.
He spent the afternoon patrolling the waves,
hoping to dole out mercy to any shore-washed fish.
He carried his bucket around all day, because love inspires love.
Love will make you want to patrol the shoreline, sing Hosanna,
witness a resurrection, save some more— one bucket of water at a time.

This week, may we live lives of love that inspire more love.

-Pastor Julia

Poem by Rev. Sarah A. Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

We hope to see you there!