Kathy Yoder

The Iowa sky can change so quickly. Sometimes it's blue and clear without a cloud in sight. Other times the sky is heavy—gray clouds pressing low, the kind that make the fields feel quieter, waiting. Sometimes, even the wind has hushed, as if holding its breath. It reminds me of that Friday long ago when the sky itself darkened at noon, and the earth shook. Good Friday. We call it good, yet nothing about it felt good in the moment.

YODER: Sometimes lines simply come to me, as if someone takes a spoon and gently pours the words into my mind. They don’t splash. They’re not loud or insistent. They simply arrive, lightly, mildly, like old friends who know me well, and sit quietly beside me.

YODER: Life often feels the same. We think one thing is going to happen, and then a big wind of change arrives out of nowhere and upends everything. It might be life-changing news that darkens a sunny day, or it might be a small crack in the foundation that we barely notice at first.

KATHY YODER: KATHY YODER: I'm writing these words on an early morning when some are still sleeping soundly, unaware of the growling

YODER: If this day brings joy, celebrate it fully. If it brings sorrow—because of loss, distance, or a broken relationship—please know that the God who sees every tear is near.

YODER: When I was young, I had my future all planned out—until I didn’t. There were setbacks and opportunities that seemed promising at the time but proved to be detours.

YODER: As we remember the sacrifices made for our earthly freedom, let us worship and thank the Lamb of God whose sacrifice gives us eternal freedom. Let us live as people of hope, prayer, and repentance.

YODER: May we all take a moment to reflect on our own journeys. Are there areas in our lives where we seek forgiveness or where we can extend grace to others? In this sacred space, let us remember: no one is beyond redemption, while they are still alive.

KATHY YODER My dear friend Connie invited me to a hymn sing at her house last week. I've known Connie for many years, and I believe our friendship was divinely arranged.

YODER: My acre of wildflowers is still mostly a dream. Some seasons it feels farther away than ever. But I am learning to plant anyway—to scatter seeds in the actual ground I have, however small the patch.