How do some people take the raw material of a deck stacked against them & make a winning hand out of it? How do people forge meaning from their failures, disabilities, diseases, and deepest losses and actually grow stronger in those broken places? How do some people turn tragedy into triumph when those very same realities also undo, devastate, and destroy the lives of so many others? Come join us as we begin a new series called: Strong in the Broken Places and seek answers to those very questions.

Faithful God, you draw near to us
in our joy and in our grief,
in our hope and in our despair.
When we are bowed down, you raise us anew.
We turn to you now in search of your healing touch.
God of compassion and love,
move among us this hour.
Open our eyes, dispel our fears,
and show us the real life you have to offer.
We pray this in the name of the Risen One,
Jesus the Christ.  Amen.