Laws in America may protect those who help, but for Christ followers, compassion isn't optional; it's our calling.

When tragedy stacks up—cancer, violence, injustice, suffering close to home and across the world—it can feel like despair is the only logical response. In a world scarred by sin and loss, we’re tempted either to be crushed by the weight of it all or to numb ourselves just to survive. But neither path leads to flourishing.

The Christian story offers something deeper. It teaches us to name brokenness honestly—to call evil what it is, to grieve what was lost in the Fall, and to refuse cheap optimism. Yet it also anchors that lament in hope. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we do not grieve as those without a future. The resurrection of Jesus is the declaration that death and despair do not get the final word.

Whatever chapter of sorrow we find ourselves in, it is not the end of the story. Christ was crushed so that we would not be—and his resurrection promises that our tears, our faithfulness, and our labor are not in vain. Brokenness is real, but it does not have the final say.

Join us this Sunday as we explore The Sweet Seriousness of Lent; how the sorrow of our sin deepens the resurrection Easter joy.

Lent is a season of paradox—a time to press down and be lifted up. In this episode, we explore the “sweet seriousness” of Lent: how confession leads to freedom, mourning gives way to comfort, and sorrow and joy mingle at the Lord’s Table. Through vivid stories—from a simple home repair lesson to the hallowed shores of Omaha Beach—we reflect on how costly sacrifice deepens our gratitude and makes joy more radiant. We consider how Lent invites us into a devout sobriety marked by sweetness—a holy rhythm of glad gravity and serious joy.

Join us on the first Sunday of Lent as we (re)discover fasting as Jesus intended it, as opposed to ow it's often practiced. 

Feasts Amid Fasting reflects on the unique rhythm of Lent—forty days of reflection and repentance, interrupted each week by the joy of Sunday. Even in seasons marked by sorrow, uncertainty, or suffering, God gives us glimpses of grace—moments of laughter, beauty, worship, and hope. Through a powerful personal story of illness and unexpected joy, this episode reminds us that life is layered with both loss and love, and that Jesus never leaves us. On the Sundays of Lent, we set aside fasting to feast in His presence—because even in the valley, the Bridegroom is with us.

In today’s episode, we reflect on what happens when we feel like we don’t have enough; enough strength, enough resources, enough faith. Looking at Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and the miracle of feeding 5,000 people, this devotional reminds us that scarcity doesn’t limit God’s provision. When we’re weary, anxious, or running on empty, we’re invited to remember: we are dust, and we are deeply known. In our hunger and weakness, Jesus meets us and becomes our true sustainer.

Join us as we begin our Lenten journey, reminded that the resurrection hope of Jesus is already here, and that through fasting, the ever-approaching light of Christ can guide us in the places where fear now rules. 

Enrich this season of Lent with the weekly devotional and podcast, Ever Approaching Dawn. Follow along with us as we explore what Lent is truly about. Pick up your copy of the devotional at church this Sunday and follow along with us all season long.

We continue our discussion of how fear shapes us, but shouldn't guide us. Join us as we journey with Jesus into the wilderness and see how He modeled living by faith, not fear.