Stories of Grace | Lenten Worship - March 4, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble.

In moments of profound loss and uncertainty, it can feel as if the ground has given way beneath your feet. The winter of life is long and the path forward is obscured. Yet, even in the deepest sorrow, God reveals Himself as a steadfast shelter and a source of unyielding power. He is not a distant observer but a very present help, intimately acquainted with our grief and ready to shoulder our burdens. His presence is the anchor that holds fast when every other support seems to fail. [16:05]

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1, ESV)

Reflection: When you recall a past season of deep personal struggle, what specific memory reminds you that God was your refuge and strength in the midst of it?

Day 2: God provides community as a tangible expression of His care.

The Lord’s provision often arrives not through miraculous signs in the sky, but through the faithful hands and willing hearts of people He places around us. These individuals become His hands and feet, offering practical help in our time of need. They are the neighbors who go out of their way, the friends who become family, and the mentors who guide us. In their selfless acts, we see a clear reflection of God’s attentive love and His commitment to ensure we are not alone on the journey. [16:30]

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Who has been a "Vernelda" in your life—someone who went out of their way to provide practical help or spiritual guidance? How can you express gratitude for them this week?

Day 3: God’s strength empowers us to endure life’s hardest seasons.

Some challenges arrive early and weigh heavily, requiring a resilience that feels beyond our years. In these moments, our own strength is insufficient, and we learn to lean not on our understanding but on His everlasting arms. The Lord stands with us, imparting a fortitude that can only come from Him. This divine strength enables us to face grief, financial pressure, and overwhelming responsibility, not with a spirit of fear, but with a courageous heart that trusts in His faithful presence. [18:13]

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me. (2 Timothy 4:17a, ESV)

Reflection: What is one current or recent hardship where you have most acutely felt the need to rely on God's strength rather than your own?

Day 4: Divine intervention is a real and present evidence of God’s love.

Our Heavenly Father is actively involved in the details of our lives, orchestrating protection in ways we may not even perceive in the moment. There are times when circumstances defy logical explanation, pointing instead to a loving hand guiding, guarding, and redirecting. These moments, whether dramatic or subtle, are personal reminders that we are seen and cherished. They are miracles that affirm God’s sovereign care and His power to alter the natural course of events for our good and His glory. [23:03]

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a time in your life where you experienced something you can only explain as God's divine intervention or protection?

Day 5: We are saved by Christ’s work and placed in a spiritual family.

Our standing before God is not based on our own merit or good works, but solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This truth liberates us from performance and fills us with gratitude. Furthermore, God does not save us to be isolated individuals; He places us within a vibrant family of faith. This community is a gift where we grow, serve, and encourage one another, sharing the same heavenly Father and the same eternal hope. It is here we find belonging and see the evidence of His goodness. [26:20]

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding that your salvation is entirely based on what Jesus did for you, and not who you are or what you have done, change the way you view yourself and others in God's family?

Sermon Summary

A faith narrative recounts life raised on a farm as the youngest of five children, marked early by a father’s death in 1968 and a mother left to raise the family alone. Neighbors and extended family provided practical help—rides to church, groceries, and mentorship—so faith and community became the steady supports during hardship. Young marriage and sudden losses continued: a father-in-law’s fatal heart attack, the pressures of farm life through the eighties and nineties, and the demands of raising five children in a two‑bedroom trailer. Work outside the farm, canning, gardens, and shared labor helped sustain the household amid economic strain.

Grief and caregiving returned in the early nineties when a mother-in-law faced terminal cancer, experienced a late conversion, and died surrounded by family; those moments underscored the role of spiritual care and pastoral visits in shaping final days. Practical decisions followed: selling the cows, changing jobs, and moving into extended family housing as the family adapted. A later near‑miss car incident invites reflection on everyday providence and gratitude for protection. A move of worship communities in 2010 opened a season of renewal; attending a new congregation brought a fresh sense of belonging, renewed Bible reading, and deeper involvement in prayer, evangelism, and service.

Mentors within the faith community taught compassion, discernment, and the discipline of praying before decisions. Long friendships provided mutual encouragement, sacrificial service for the hungry, and modeled spiritual readiness for eternal life. The account emphasizes salvation as grounded not in personal merit but in what Jesus accomplished, and it names family and church as visible evidence of God’s ongoing goodness. A closing devotion draws from First John 1:7, urging believers to live in God’s light, cultivate meaningful fellowship, and rejoice in the spiritual family that shapes growth toward heaven. The narrative leaves a testimony of resilience, communal faithfulness, and a life shaped by ordinary people who embody divine provision.

Key Takeaways

1. God provides through ordinary people Neighbors, friends, and family acted as tangible channels of divine provision—driving children to church, sharing food, and offering practical aid. Such ordinary kindnesses form the architecture of spiritual survival during loss and scarcity. Recognizing God’s work often means noticing steady, faithful neighbors who refuse to let a family fall apart. Gratitude for these people cultivates a theology of everyday grace. [16:30]
2. Trials refine trust and gratitude Repeated losses and economic hardship stripped away self-reliance and exposed dependence on God and community. Enduring grief and financial strain forced choices that clarified priorities: presence over prestige, service over comfort. When hardship narrows options, the soul learns to trust the permanence of God’s care rather than the stability of circumstances. That refinement produces a deepened gratitude that persists after relief arrives. [15:32]
3. Faith grows in shared community A change of congregation sparked renewed commitment to Scripture, prayer, and service, showing that spiritual growth thrives in corporate life. Shared practices—Bible reading, volunteering, and prayer—translate private belief into public formation. Community both corrects and encourages, making faith a lived, mutual work rather than an isolated possession. Persistent fellowship shapes character more than fleeting emotional experiences. [24:07]
4. Discernment arises from prayerful friendship Close friends who prayed before decisions modeled a deliberative, spirit-led way of living rather than impulsive reaction. Spiritual discernment developed in the crucible of relationships that practiced accountability, compassion, and listening for God together. Such friendships teach humility: decisions formed in prayer resist self-deception and honor shared wisdom. Cultivating these bonds yields decisions anchored in gospel wisdom. [25:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:32] - Early family loss and hope
[16:05] - Neighbors, rides, and church
[17:10] - Young marriage and children
[18:13] - Sudden bereavement on the farm
[18:54] - Farm crisis and outside work
[19:58] - Conversion and final moments
[21:20] - Selling cows and job changes
[23:03] - Near-miss and providence
[24:07] - Finding a new church home
[24:48] - Mentors, service, discernment
[27:06] - Devotion: living in God’s light

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
1 John 1:7 (ESV) - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Observation questions

According to 1 John 1:7, what are the two results of walking in God's light?
In the personal account, who were some of the "ordinary people" God used to provide practical help and spiritual support during times of loss? [16:30]
What significant change occurred in 2010 that led to a renewed commitment to Scripture, prayer, and service? [24:07]
How did the practice of praying before making decisions with a close friend shape the way important choices were approached? [25:28]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think walking in God's light naturally leads to deeper fellowship with other people, as stated in 1 John 1:7?
The narrative describes hardship as something that "stripped away self-reliance and exposed dependence on God and community." [15:32] Why can suffering often be a catalyst for this kind of spiritual clarity?
How can a change in one's church community, as described, [24:07] serve to re-ignite and deepen personal faith?
What is the value of seeking counsel and praying with trusted friends before making significant decisions, rather than relying solely on one's own judgment? [25:28]

Application questions

Who are the "Lauren and Vernelda Homburgs" in your life—the ordinary people God has used to support you? How can you express gratitude to them this week? [16:30]
Reflect on a past trial that refined your trust in God. How did that experience shape your current perspective on hardship and God's provision? [15:32]
In what practical way can you engage more deeply in your spiritual community this month, moving from being a spectator to a participant in shared life and service? [24:07]
Is there a decision you are currently facing that you should bring before God in prayer with a trusted friend, rather than deciding on your own? Who could that friend be? [25:28]
The testimony concludes that salvation is grounded not in personal merit but in what Jesus accomplished. How does this truth free you from performance anxiety and allow you to rest in God's grace today?
Think about your daily routine. Where do you see evidence of "everyday providence"—God's protection and care in ordinary moments? How can you become more aware of it? [23:03]
Who in your circle of influence might need the kind of practical help or spiritual mentorship you have received? What is one step you can take to be God's ordinary provision in their life this week?

Sermon Clips

I have learned that it's not because of who I am that I will be saved, but because of what Jesus did for me. The Lord has always caught me when I was falling, and he always will be. I thank God for all the mentors in my life, to teach all the people he has blessed me with. I'm thankful for Bruce, my husband of fifty one years, my five kids, four son in laws, one daughter-in-law, my eight grandkids. [00:25:55] (25 seconds) #SavedByGraceAndMentors

I had gotten a letter from Sylvia before she passed, and she told me if we don't see each other anywhere in this earth, I will be waiting with you in open arms in heaven, and I know she will be. I have learned that it's not because of who I am that I will be saved, but because of what Jesus did for me. The Lord has always caught me when I was falling, and he always will be. [00:25:33] (32 seconds) #WaitingInHeavenPromise

We we knew this was gonna be our church home. The half the pastors have been such a blessing to us, and we have grown so much in our faith through sermons, prayers, bible studies, and the friends here. Some of the friends at living word that broadened my life are no longer with us, but they taught me so much. Like Al Holland, he taught me compassion for others. We were on the evangelism committee together, especially the lost and the hungry. [00:24:28] (30 seconds) #GrowingInFaithAtLivingWord

There was a semi behind me, and I lost control of my car when I was supposed to turn. And I do believe in divine intervention because it was like somebody who put blinders on my eyes. The next thing I knew, I was facing west, completely straight, ready to take a right turn instead of a left turn. And that semi was, like, at a standstill. I'd like to know what he looked what he saw, but I was just so thankful because I know miracles happen. [00:22:56] (35 seconds) #DivineDrivingMiracle

Like Al Holland, he taught me compassion for others. We were on the evangelism committee together, especially the lost and the hungry. He was one of the reasons that Marshall Food for Kids was started because he knew of the hunger in in the town. Whenever we had a meeting, it seemed like he always had some new cause that we had to help. And then there's my dear friend Sylvia Friedel. [00:24:48] (26 seconds) #CompassionLeadsToAction

Right away, Bruce and I knew this was a different feeling. We could feel that holy spirit. We knew the peer the pastors were being led, and it was a wonderful experience. I truly felt like coming home. We stood here bringing your bibles to church with us and actually reading them at home. We we knew this was gonna be our church home. The half the pastors have been such a blessing to us, [00:24:07] (27 seconds) #HolySpiritHomecoming

Pastor Holmes from Christ Lutheran came to visit her in the hospital, and god changed her heart with those visits. She accepted god as her god as her Jesus as her savior, and then she was ready to go. In fact, I remember visiting with her at the hospital, and she said, why won't god take me? She came home on a Friday, first Friday in December, and on that Sunday, I was I was sitting with her at her house. [00:19:50] (32 seconds) #AcceptedAndReadyForHeaven

I spent that Sunday afternoon before she passed, telling her how much she meant to me, how much I loved her, and how thankful all she had done for me in my life and my kids' lives. I went into the kitchen, and I heard the deep breath, and she was gone. Her soul had went to heaven. After her passing, we moved into Bruce's parents' house. [00:20:36] (22 seconds) #AHeartfeltFarewell

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Stories of Grace | Lenten Worship - March 4, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble.

Day 2: God provides community as a tangible expression of His care.

Day 3: God’s strength empowers us to endure life’s hardest seasons.

Day 4: Divine intervention is a real and present evidence of God’s love.

Day 5: We are saved by Christ’s work and placed in a spiritual family.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Stories of Grace | Lenten Worship - March 4, 2026

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