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This week marks the beginning of Lent, a season of preparation. A season of emptying out the old in anticipation of being filled with something new. It is a time for confession when we admit our sins and wrestle with our vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It is a season to prepare us for the journey to the Cross and, ultimately, the empty tomb. In this season of Lent, we are called to reflect on our relationship with God and realize that we are nothing more than dust.

How many of you have encountered dust storms in your lives?

I observed a dust storm in Arizona a few years ago. We were driving on the highway in the desert when we spotted a massive cloud approaching us from the west. The wall of dust was probably a mile high and many miles wide. And it was moving toward us quickly. Little by little, the daylight turned to darkness. There was no way for us to outrun the storm. We couldn’t go around it. We couldn’t get over it. We were afraid to go through it. So, we pulled over to the side of the road and decided to wait it out.

Have you ever found yourself waiting out a storm?

While the winds are howling and the dust particles are stinging our skin, something inside us is whispering a cautionary message. It’s saying, “Maybe it’s time to pull off to the side of the road and sit in the quiet presence of God while you regain your bearings.”

The Season of Lent invites us to open up our hearts and minds to new revelations. It is a time to recall all the ways that God has brought us safely through our last storm and the one before that. It’s time to renew our faith that God will bring us through the present storm and the one that follows. You see, there’s always another storm brewing on the horizon.

While we wait for the dust to settle, we should remember that God is always with us, even in the midst of our most turbulent storms. In God’s presence, we begin to see clearly again. As we watch and wait for God’s deliverance, we begin to lean into God’s love. We start to remember all the times God has stepped in and moved things around for our good and God’s glory.

We remember that God’s liberating love sides with the poor, lifts the lowly, fills the hungry, heals the sick, makes the lame to walk not just in the moment, but throughout the generations from everlasting to everlasting.

During our time of fasting and prayer, stillness and quiet, we should be saying to each other: “Look at what God can do with a little dust, a long-range plan, and the spiritual breath of holy purpose.

So, don’t be dismayed while we’re in the throes of life’s dust storms. Keep watching, remembering, waiting, and praying that God will give us the courage to answer the call when it comes, the clarity to see the larger context, and the stamina to endure until the dust settles.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on Hannah, the main character of Deep River Crossings. She made me recall the generations of Black women who have labored diligently, often in silence, their worth overlooked. In them, I see a beautiful tapestry woven from struggle and resilience.  When they felt lost and burdened by the weight of this world, I wonder if they embraced the wisdom found in Luke 6:20-22 (NKJV):

“Then [Jesus] lifted up His eyes toward His disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil….'”

This scripture is a source of comfort. In this passage, Jesus speaks directly to those who find themselves in the margins—those who are poor, hungry, grieving, and scorned. Their experience has value, for Jesus refers to them as blessed. He affirms that the kingdom of God belongs to those who are often dismissed. Their struggles are seen and cherished by the Divine.

Hannah’s experience mirrors this teaching. She carries the legacy of women who labored tirelessly, their dreams often sacrificed at the altar of survival. Yet, their resilience laid the foundations for future generations—like a tree whose roots grow deep, providing shade and shelter for those who come after. Each act of service and each moment of endurance contributed to a narrative of hope that we, too, are a part of.

Even today, these words are a promise and a balm for the weary soul. They remind us that even in our pain, there is a divine assurance of hope. Like the river murmurs in the twilight, their stories flow through time, reminding us that we are never alone.

So, let us take heart. Let us hold onto the truth that we are blessed, even in our trials. Hope is not a distant whisper; it is the powerful current that runs through our veins, a reminder that our stories matter, that we are part of a grand narrative woven by the hands of a loving Creator.

Inspiration: Deep River Crossings, Chapter 1, p. 12

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