partsofspeaking

12  So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews [ d ] arrested Jesus and bound him. 13  First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14  It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. 15  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16  but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17  The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18  Now the servants [ e ] and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Pete...

Excerpt from https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/march/secularity-political-christianity-and-covid-19-sovereign-co.html How many of us, listing our new year’s resolutions a couple of months back, thought to include, “be a blessing to my neighborhood in the midst of a global pandemic?” None. And yet, here we are—smack in the middle of a history-defining event that few saw coming. COVID-19 now rolls off our tongues as easy as baseball (remember that?) or apple pie. And, just like the plagues of old, a deep sense of fear and insecurity has gripped the globe. And for good reason. But Christ-followers remind themselves that although everything that we have known and depended upon seems wholly insecure, none of it has caught their King unaware. Nor has the emerging culture of secularity where friends, neighbors, and colleagues are on a quest for a belief system that makes their lives whole. Our King saw that coming, too.. . And now these three streams conve...

This phrase is batted around a lot now as we look forward to what life will be like after we can de-quantarine ourselves, meet in public groups, but hopeful not stop being clean. Some say we will have more careers in public  health; some say we'll have "socialized" medicine. Some say folks who are already OC or germophobic will have ammunition and some say we will become suspicious of others. I told my son today that this would be the defining event of his generation's life (he's 31). He said we've already had a bunch--fall of Soviet Union (although most too young for that), 9/11, rise of terrorism, the Great Recession, the first black president, Donald Trump, a too-long war in Iraq. (he didn't mention all, but I saw his point and added mine). Maybe we should stop harassing the millennials and realize what they have had to deal with. For me, I think about the after-future a lot. I plan to make some changes; one, be more frugal, get rid of clutter, an...

Ok, this is my blog, so I can use it for advertising. Check out books by Barbara Graham Tucker or Barbara G. Tucker on Amazon and other outlets. Traveling Through Cross Road/Legacy The Unexpected Christmas Visitors (my favorite) Bringing Abundance Back (hardest to write) Long Lost Family (most popular and a fun read) Long Lost Promise (saddest) I have Bible studies too. All are available in Kindle and paperback.

This posted on FB by a friend who pastors in Illinois.  "One Shining Moment"; that is the theme of the annual March Madness Tournament. Except for this year. The tournament is cancelled, of course. But there can still be a shining moment. I believe the church has so much to offer during this time of distress and uncertainty. We can fulfill Jesus' words to be a light to the world. Or, as Paul put it, to "shine like stars" in a night sky. (Phil. 2:15) Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center, wrote: "While frightening, this virus represents a rare window for the church. Whether due to politicization or cultural trends, the phrase “evangelical Christian” has seen better days. Throughout it all, I have always maintained that when the chips are down, evangelicals will lead the way in serving and caring for others in the moments of crisis....We have reached that time when we are either going to live up to our words or we must st...

T he Gospel According to the Samaritan Woman: A study of John 4 , will be available in a couple of days in paperback and Kindle. Less than $5.00 paperback and $1.99 Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086H2C815/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+gospel+according+to+the+samaritan+woman&qid=1585354009&sr=8-2

1. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2  Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3  So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4  Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5  They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” [ a ] Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6  When Jesus [ b ] said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7  So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8  Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9  This was to fulfill the word that he had spoke...

The Illusion of Spectacles by Skye Jethani Mar 23, 2020 In the Old Testament, we read about Moses ascending the mountain to meet with the Lord. When he returned and gathered the people, they were terrified because Moses’ appearance had been transformed. His face radiated the glory of God, so Moses wore a veil to hide his transfigured appearance. In the New Testament, however, the Apostle Paul adds one important detail to the story. He says Moses wore a veil because he didn’t want the people to see that the glory was fading away. His transformation was only temporary. Paul uses this story to illustrate the difference between the old covenant given through Moses and the new covenant in Christ. The old way required climbing mountains or entering a temple to meet with God. And the transformation, while genuine, was only temporary. Unfortunately, many of us still hold to the model of Moses because we believe transformation will happen through external events. We assume we ...

Yesterday I had two online meetings. I went to my office for two hours and didn't see a living soul on campus. I'm staying with my husband, rather than my apartment, in case one of us gets sick or I need to help someone at church. This is wearisome. So what could give us joy in this time? I could say something like the rate of the increase of deaths in the US seems to be slowing. The Death-o-meter says 19 died yesterday. But those are 19 grieving families. I could say it's not raining here today and my phone predicts little sun icons this afternoon. I could say we have technology now to continue work and education in many sectors, almost as effectively as normal (that's a big almost). I could say no one I know has the virus, and I know a lot of people. It seems not to have taken much of a hold in my region. And all these things I could say would be true except they have nothing to do with joy. Hebrews 12: Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so grea...

Interesting article: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/atheists-are-sometimes-more-religious-than-christians?utm_source=pocket-newtab I'll summarize. People who say they are unaffiliated religiously or even agnostic/atheists still desire the trappings of religious faith: ritual, beauty, purpose, community, music, transcendence. Who would have thought it? (kind of a duh) Yet they are also (probably don't want) a concept of sin, accountability, authority, and the possibility/requirement to change over their lives (my take). Can we have it both ways? Well, sure, is this "plane of existence," this life. If you are reading this it's because (probably) you recognize we can't have it both ways. Fortunately, there is great freedom of expression and being in following Jesus: "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you..."

I got this through David French on The Dispatch media, and it is written by Curtis Chang For myself, I'm realizing how much I still don't fully internalize the fundamental Christian message that we are supposed to preparing for in this season of Lent: that Christ has conquered death and we who follow him participate in the hope of resurrection. I'm trying to take every flare of anxiety within me as another part of my heart that hasn't quite been converted to that truth. I want to live this life truly anchored in that truth—to love, serve, lead, speak, communicate, care with that confidence. May God have mercy on me as I seek this. The medievals—who lived through multiple plagues—had this artistic tradition for centuries. In almost every portrait, the artist would sneak in some small symbol of death (usually a skull tucked into the corner). It was called "Memento Mori"—"Think on death."  These portraits were usually commissioned by w...

Matthew 6: 9  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11  Give us this day our daily bread. 12  And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. [ a ] For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. I know, I know. Not a rote prayer, a model; repeating it frequently goes against what Jesus was teaching in the context. Please. Just read the prayer.   Lord, deliver us from evil and the evil one, whatever forms those may take. That includes this disease we are daily confronted with, or at least news and warnings and laws and restrictions about it. But also deliver us from the evil of fear that is being spread, the evil of our own tendency to  hunker down and not think of our neighbor, the evil of letting the habits of ...

 Why blogs are stupid. I wrote this in late March 2020. Little did we know.....Many died with this disease. Some died because of it. Its insidiousness lay in how it affected people individually. The Spanish flu pandemic had similar symptoms for everyone, and was more deadly due to poorer health care. (I just wrote a novel about it.)  Anyway, I read this with some embarrassment and some sense that I still have some agreements with it. I'll always feel we overreacted, but at the time it was hard to know what to do. Notice I say "feel;" in my vocabulary that is different from "think." https://medium.com/six-four-six-nine/evidence-over-hysteria-covid-19-1b767def5894 I tend to agree with this writer. According to the John Hopkins website, .0003 out of 100 on the planet have died with COVID-19, there have been .004 deaths per 100 cases. There are no confirmed cases in my county, Catoosa, in North Georgia, or in Dade, Walker, Gilmer, Murray or several others. Georgi...

Coronavirus has distracted us from Lent or more truthfully, from our journey towards the Black Day and the Glorious Day. Perhaps now that a week of extreme isolation has passed, we can get our bearings and realize how the media (mostly social media) and our own propensities have enslaved us in fear. Admonitions not to fear are as rampant in the Bible as this virus is. Do not fear. Fear puts us in a state that is the opposite of a sound mind. It makes us start thinking every headache is the start of a hospital stay. It makes us irrationally buy more toilet paper than we will need for two years (not me; I'm still trying to figure the toilet paper thing out). It made me make sure I had a lot of cash on hand. Fear makes us think our needs are greater than they are.  I've learned the government is going to send me some money. I really wish they wouldn't. All of us who have good jobs don't need an extra $1,000 right now, especially in an effort that will add to financ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=232&v=82nXadBexCU&feature=emb_title I confess to appropriating this link from Christianity Today. Check out the words: You taught me the courage of stars before you left.   How light carries on endlessly, even after death.   With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite.   How rare and beautiful it is to even exist. If these words are minimally true (and probably secularly based) how much more is it rare and beautiful to know our Lord Jesus? 

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.William Blake, Proverbs from Hell Let me start by saying that my quotation here of this work by Blake is not a recommendation of its philosophy, although it is an interesting set of "poems" about the Romantic movement for a literary person. I only quote it here because of its connection to this disquieting and surreal moment we are living through. People are social animals, Aristotle said (sort of). We do not do isolation well. We need each other, we need physical presence. In a time of fear, we need each other more, and that is what the experts are demanding we neglect. The last time of national emergency, 9/11/2001, we flocked to each other. I have gone to my office three days this week and will go in a bit. I just want to see if there are other humans. I had an online video meeting this morning. It's just not the same. So it is Lent and Easter is upon us, and we will be warned not to worship as believers have for ...

Talking to my husband about AirBnB, since I stayed at one on my recent trip to unnamed city in the mountains known for its funky culture. All good, not a criticism. However, I think they are misnamed. In my three stays, there was no breakfast involved. (second B). My husband says that's where the Air part comes in. The breakfast is air. I am reminded of Eddie Murphy's remarks on being awarded the Mark Twain Prize for Humor. "There was no money involved. It was really the Mark Twain Surprise."

I saw Emma. (period not optional) yesterday. Just as the period is unnecessary, I think the film was. Was anyone asking for another version of this story? Of course, it's beautiful and colorful. Not realistic, but pretty to look at. Some very good performances, in a sense. Some of Austen's irony works. But I left the theater. . . I don't know, disappointed.  The flaws I found: 1. Just too long and slow. There isn't enough story there for a film over two hours. 2. Interesting but anachronistic or culturally misplaced bursts of music and singing between scenes. I love "How Firm a Foundation" --been singing it for years--but what in the world did it have to do with the film? 3. While the sets and costumes are beautiful, people back then didn't have that many clothes. In every scene Emma. wears a different gown and hat. OK, she's rich. But Miss Bates is poor, and also wears a different dress in every scene (this actress is quite good). The house of...

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.  Compare those words to any other religious or philosophical leader, and one sees the superiority of the Christ.

Is that not what Lent is--waiting for the saddest day of the year, and then waiting three days for the happiest? Although one might argue he wasn't a total orthodox Christian in his time (which may or may not be meaningless), John Milton said it best: When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days in this dark world and wide And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present    My true account, lest he returning chide;    “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”    I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need    Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best    Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed    And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:    They also serve who only stand...

Why is prayer so hard? Shouldn't it be the easiest thing in the world, if we make it less a ritual, a duty, and more a celebration of communicating with God? We have put so many restrictions on it: 1. Don't pray about X (some subject, some need, some desire) 2. Pray about everything 3. Pray for certain amounts of time. 4. Pray all the time, without ceasing 5. Pray with others 6. Pray by yourself, in secret 7. Don't ask for anything until you've confessed your sins. 8. Pray by a formula. 9. Don't use formulas. My head hurts just thinking about it. At my stage of life I've gotten past these rules that may have some indirect basis in Scripture but are really taken out of context. Just talk to God!

It's the Lord's Day. I believe I will practice silence, which means more time to listen. God speaks all the time; we just don't hear because we can't or won't be silent and listen. Not a profound message, but a needful one in this noisy culture. A missionary couple I've known since college days were in town and we met for breakfast Saturday (at a half-full-at-10:00 a.m. Cracker Barrel). The husband told two stories of answered prayers that followed periods of silence and waiting--one sort of a cute personal anecdote from their dating years, and the other about his decision to go to the mission field.  We are all in the midst of self- or authority-imposed quarantine. Plus, it's raining and gray at my home (as it has been for several months). We are practicing quiet and silence. It is sweet, once you get used to it. 

I saw a wonderful cartoon the other day. A man is sitting at his computer, and says to his wife, "Last month all my friend were political scientists. This month they are infectious disease specialists." This morning I paused to question whether all the coronavirus closings, cancellations, precautions, and travel bans from Europe for thirty days was (1) wise (2) feasible (3) political smart for Trump or (4) necessary. My first response was no to all four and that in general, this whole coronavirus thing is overblown and the overblownness is economically devastating. Then I got some sense. All these steps will at least slow down the rate of infections to prepare the health professions to deal with it. I think it will do more. Last time I checked, I do not have a doctorate in epidemiology or a medical degree. Fortunately, I also am not in charge. Humility. Staying in your lane, spiritually, intellectually, psychologically, financially, and physically. Staying in your lane ...

I'm watching, in parts, Gary Habermas' lecture on the resurrection. Fascinating. I post it today, although I recommend taking longer than a day to watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M

Lent, it seems to me, should be a reflection leading to repentance and renewal. Instead of generic repentance, weneed specific repentance. Name sins and failures. I'm not sure we cn repent of generic sins, only ones we recognize and name. I won't do that here for myself, but I will name one that I think we all would see in ourselves. Presumption that leads to ingratitude. Over the last two days a friend and I took a mini-vacation to a nearby city. I rented a car (footnote below) and therefore did the driving, which was fine. I can take or leave driving. I drove about 500 miles. My speeds ranged from 40 (in torrential rain) to 80 (flat, dry surfaces, trying to pass trucks). I have often thought how someone like the Apostle Paul from the first century would have reacted to those kinds of speeds! We take them for granted; our bodies have acclimated to moving through space encased in bullets of glass and steel at much higher rates than 80. At any moment we could have been kil...

"Now is this winter of our discontent been made glorious summer by this son of York." A famous line from Richard III. Richard III is a fascinating play, although a tad campy. He is so bad, so villainous, so slimy in Shakespeare's portrayal that he's hard to believe. And this line is not without irony, of course; while the first eleven words paint a beautiful picture, ascribing any good to "this son of York" is winking at the audience who knows what's going to happen. This has been my winter of discontentment. I can say I am a different person because of the events of this winter, since October, really. No need to get into what and why. It is glorious spring now. The light will be with us today until almost 8 p.m. There is hope. Zacharias, when he got his voice back, said, at the end of his song/prophecy to his newborn son (Luke 1:76): “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prep...

One of the part-time faculty in my department teaches a screenwriting course. As I was supposed to observe him teach (he is very experienced, so it was just a pro forma e xercise for the accrediting body), I visited his class when he was screening Chinatown because the textbook he uses touts it as an epitome of screenwriting. Yeah. Of course, it is brilliant in many ways. So many iconic scenes and moments and lines, and exquisitely photographed. Still. 1. I can't divorce the movie from its director, Polanski. This was just a handful of years after his wife's and child's murder. He is the actor in the movie who slices Gittis' nose (yikes). He has directed some pretty dark stuff and, well, he's a pedophile kicked out of this country. The work of the artist reflects the world view of the artist. 2. It is an entirely misogynistic film. No woman is good or sympathetic in any way. Even the victimized women are complicit in their victimization (except maybe Kather...

This Sunday we sang this chorus of a worship song: Not for a minute Was I forsaken The Lord is in this place The Lord is in this place  I sang it with gusto; that was okay between spring break, coronavirus, and the time change, there was a pretty minimal crowd at the 10:00 service. Also due to the coronavirus scare, people were sitting far away from each other! I can sing these words in full conviction because of these words: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?"

Article link: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-strongest-predictor-of-men-s-well-being-isn-t-family-or-health?utm_source=pocket-newtab I figured from the clickbait wordingt that it would "Men need above all, mean need a sense of purpose." It essentially does. That said, I don't know how anyone thrives without purpose.

Typically, traditionally, Lent is a time of fasting, from something. Our pastor preached on fasting this morning. I have to say it is one of very few sermons I have ever heard on the subject. Baptists like to eat, myself included. We tend to be heavy. Irrelevant story sidetrack: Three weeks ago I visited another church to see friends who are missionaries to Japan. We took group pictures: the missionaries, in the middle, slender like those of their host country, surrounded by some, well, not so slender middle-aged women. Yikes. I was at least wearing black! That day I started a fast from sugar and it has gone well; the cravings are gone. I recognize that food is a comfort to me, a type of security. I have inklings of why, but no matter. That's not an entirely healthy way to think about food. Back to point: Fasting doesn't have to be from food; it is giving up something good to pursue intimacy with Christ. In the days of the Bible, there was less "good" to give up...

John the Forerunner is not really a Lenten character, but I've been studying him, so I see connections. Matthew 11 holds a poignant incident at the end of John's life. He is in prison for speaking the truth about the king's adultery (a sordid story I'd rather not recount here). He has the same response anyone thrown in prison for doing his job would: 1. Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2  And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he [ a ] sent two of his disciples 3  and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 4  Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5  The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6  And blessed is he who is not offended because ...

I just finished walking my dog about three miles. She's let me know she's exhausted. I listened to a podcast called The Disrupters , which is led by Esau McCaulley. He is a New Testament professor at Wheaton. I'm hooked now, after listening to an interview with N.T. Wright and Tish Harrison Warren. Much to be challenged by there; in my seventh decade I'm less impressed with the evangelical party line and wish to have more of a connection to historical Christianity rather than the mode of this moment.  All three of these writers/speakers/scholars are Anglican. It is a rich tradition that spawned the Puritans, C.S. Lewis, and many others whom we looked to for wisdom, although I am not attracted to it myself. Perhaps that is self-serving: I'll read its books and feast on its ideas but reject itself. Something about its ties to a state church bothers me. Perhaps I'll get over it.  But I bring all this up because of the discussion on the podcasts about liturgic...

For this week I am scheduled to teach on John the Forerunner (to get away from calling him a Baptist or that revision, Baptizer). This is more challenging the LifeWay literature would have us think. Who exactly was this fellow, and what was the point of his existence and ministry? I remind myself that not all of the Bible was written directly for me, an almost senior citizen in 2020 living in the technologized Gentile United States. I use the analogy we are flies on the wall hearing one side of a telephone conversation, sometimes, when it comes to totally entering into the message of the Bible. John was the first real prophet in over 400 years. He is a towering character as the proclaimer of the coming Messiah. Jesus had some strong things to say about him, and he himself put himself in perspective: He must increase, and I must decrease. That is a good sentence to reflect on during this eighth day of a Lenten journey.

Last night I watched The Farewell on Amazon Prime; quite interesting. For some reason they chose to use this song (only the first three stanzas given) at the resolution point.  Come Healing by Leonard Cohen O gather up the brokenness And bring it to me now The fragrance of those promises You never dared to vow The splinters that you carry The cross you left behind Come healing of the body Come healing of the mind And let the heavens hear it The penitential hymn Come healing of the spirit Come healing of the limb The person who wrote this is not a Christian, but I like to apply the first stanzas to where we are in Lent. Jesus says, "gather up your brokenness and bring it to me now."  (Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matthew 12:28) "The fragrance of those promises you never dared to vow." What a line--those plans that you wanted to make, those commitments to God or others you thought about did no...

It has become popular to refer to ourselves as broken in evangelistic messaging. My pastor uses it a lot. To me, the jury is still out on whether this is a preferable or appropriate word to use. Like the expressions, "the image of God in humankind is marred due to the fall," the expression serves a person but also has limitations. In fact, all metaphors have limitations. Metaphors usually only work in one or two ways. Jesus Christ was the lamb who was slain, but that metaphor only fits in a couple of ways (sacrifice without push-back; spotless in character). I sense the same with "broken." Broken, in its use of the past participle, means something did this broken status to us. So are we victims in our brokennesss, or responsible for it? If we are the recipient of brokenness, whose fault is it? Broken implies something needs to be fixed. What, then? Broken implies, to me, that we are not meeting our purpose. If  a toaster is broken, it's not going to meet...

Jerry Brooks is an elementary school principal in Kentucky who has a brilliant sense of irony and creates satirical videos for YouTube. Here's one about the insanity of state assessments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAtUGNzOgi0

I was a college debate coach for many years. Because I didn't debate myself, I was a terrible coach but had some very good debaters on the team. Competitive debate is an amazing learning tool. I learned to think thanks to all those debates. (I was in my twenties at the time.) However, that experience leads me to total frustration with the use of the term debates now. Because I prefer not to watch adults act like children, I read the transcript of the debate last week by the Democratic Party candidates in Charleston, South Carolina, in the lead-up to the primary there, the first real one, in my opinion. South Carolina, for all its problems, looks more like the rest of the country than Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada (that is, it has black people, for one thing, and a varied economic infrastructure). Bernie lost handily, (thank goodness for the good sense of the South Carolinians, and of course, I'm being facetious because they elected Mark Sanford to the Senate.) Bernie may ...

Actors trained in improv are taught not to use "but" when responding to a partner, but to use "and." "And" is additive; it allows for possibilities and building on what was said. "But" becomes immediately contradictory. Something that was said was incorrect, not enough, faulty. I notice how much I use "but" in my writing, or somehow tried to hide it with "nevertheless," "however," "although," or "yet." I wonder why I'm so agonistic, so conflicting. Yet (there we go!) "But" in the New Testament holds a wonderful place. As in Ephesians 2: 4  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  that in the ages to come He might show the exceed...

Words to a worship song from this morning: So I will praise You on the mountain And I will praise You when the mountain's in my way You're the summit where my feet are So I will praise You in the valleys all the same No less God within the shadows No less faithful when the night leads me astray You're the heaven where my heart is In the highlands and the heartache all the same   This is from a HillSong piece called Song of Ascent.  What is its connection to Lent? Those central words, No less God within the shadows, no less faithful when the night leads me astray. These remind me of the journey to the cross, of our journey to the valley of shadow of death. Lent is not about foolish happiness and mindless celebration, but of mindful awareness of sin and why the cross was needed.