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“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
Isaiah 58:6-7
Dear Savior Family,
Today marks the beginning of our 40–day journey through Lent toward Easter — a season when Christians around the world choose to slow down, reflect and turn their hearts more intentionally toward Jesus. This season invites all of us into a posture of humility and spiritual renewal.
On Ash Wednesday, we remember that we are dust — fragile, temporary and dependent on grace. As the ashes are placed on our foreheads tonight as a symbol, I invite you to also stand in solidarity with millions of families for whom dust is not symbolic but painfully literal — the dust of bombed neighborhoods, burned villages and long roads walked in search of safety. May this journey toward Easter turn our hearts toward compassion for all who wander, seeking refuge.
This year, Savior is joining a 40–day experience created by World Relief called On the Move to Easter: Walking Toward Easter Alongside People Forced to Flee. It’s a simple, biblically grounded journey that weaves together Scripture, stories, silence and prayer — helping us walk with Jesus and with those experiencing displacement today.
In a world crowded with noise, hurry and overwhelming need, many of us long for deeper connection with God. We desire space to lament honestly, listen quietly and engage the world’s suffering — not ignore it or feel crushed by it. This journey is meant to help us slow down. To sit with God in silence. To open our hearts to the pain of our neighbors — both near and far. To remember displaced families and see them through God’s compassionate eyes. And to discover the strength that comes from trusting a Savior who meets us in suffering and leads us into resurrection hope.
By Easter, our prayer is that we will rediscover courage rooted in Christ, deeper compassion for a hurting world and renewed hope that carries us well beyond this season.
How to Begin Today
To start this journey, I invite you to take two simple steps:
1. Watch & Pray
Watch the Forced to Flee video and take a moment to pray and lament for families displaced by conflict, persecution and poverty. Please note: This video depicts a refugee family fleeing violence and may be upsetting for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
2. Sit in Silence & Discern
Spend a few quiet minutes asking God: What might you want me to give up and what do you want me to give back in this season of Lent? This helps us not only relinquish something but become generous and attentive to others as we walk toward Easter.
I look forward to walking this meaningful journey together — following Jesus toward the cross, and toward those who suffer.
Grace and peace,
Mother Sarah