Reflect on the Holy Tension of Lament and Hope

Our culture wants you to be happy. It rewards those who smile through the pain, who pretend everything's fine, who compartmentalize grief and get on with life. But everything's not fine. And God does not expect us to pretend it is. He wants all of us—including our pain.

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Discussion Guide

Perhaps nowhere in Scripture do we get as full a picture of the heights and depths of the human experience as in the Psalms. The outpourings of emotion never shy away from the darkest moments of life, and yet they also point toward the light—toward the God in whom we place our hope.

Inspired by Psalm 37, Voices of Lament is a powerful collection of reflections from Black, Indigenous Women of Color on themes of injustice, heartache, and deep suffering. Their essays, prayers, poems, and liturgies lay bare the experiences of the oppressed even as they draw us into deeper intimacy with God and a more fulsome understanding of each other.

  • “Natasha Sistrunk Robinson has brought a collection to the forefront that shows the beauty and depth of Women of Color voices and shared experiences. . . . This book is for anyone who is broken, longing for justice, and trusting that ‘Jesus is a rock in a weary land.’ These insights invite you to feast, fellowship, listen, and learn at the table of the marginalized.”

    Latasha Morrison, founder of Be the Bridge and author of Be the Bridge, from the foreword

  • “You will not read Psalm 37 the same again after you’ve immersed yourself in this rich collection of poems, reflections, essays, and prayers. The contributors bear honest, life-grounded witness to God’s faithful and just response to wickedness. They also honor their ancestors, who have committed themselves to the way of the Lord. The book sings like an anthem through which lament and longing break forth and breathe life. It will embolden you to cry out, wage peace, and cultivate real abundance in solidarity and prayer with Women of Color.”

    Janette H. Ok, associate professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary

  • “The collective voice reflected in these Women of Color not only teaches the truths of Psalm 37 but provides an embodied and lived hope that the Western church is longing for. The poems, liturgies, litanies, devotions, and historical biographies remind us that the Spirit has always been moving in the marginalized, if only we would pay attention. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson has curated a deeply meaningful handbook for prayer and worship by meditating on a central tenet of our faith: from mourning comes the morning. If you want to grow your faith in a global context, this is a must-read!”

    Mike Ahn, PhD, MDiv, assistant dean of Chapels & Worship, Biola University

  • “Voices of Lament illuminates the power, wisdom, and inspiration that Women of Color bring to their families, communities, and society. Through stories, art, poetry, and prose, this book leads us through a journey of reflection, connection, and hope. Here you will find a call to stand for justice, to lead with faith, and to be guided by the wisdom from the stories of Women of Color, elders, and ancestors who have gone before us.”

    Kimberly R. Daniel, co-author of A Way Out of No Way: An Approach to Christian Innovation and senior director of communications, Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE)

  • “Voices of Lament is a book for our time. To those who are weary from the ongoing onslaught of unjust policies and practices by those in positions of power comes a fresh word from our sisters who remind us to look to the Psalms for hope and words of life. This is an invitation to bring our full selves, our lament, anger, and hope to a God who is able to hold it all and invites us to join in the healing work of justice in a broken world.”

    Darryl Answer, pastor at New Community Church, Kansas City, MO

  • “As a brown woman pastor, I have hungered for liturgy, poetry, and biblical reflection by other women of color. Not just for my own spiritual formation, but also for that of my sacred community. Voices of Lament is not only a beautiful and thoughtful offering; it is also a healing balm for our souls. It is a resource I can find solidarity and comfort in personally, while also sharing with those in my community. I am so grateful for the important voices and stories that are represented in this project.”

    Rev. Aurelia Dávila Pratt, author of A Brown Girl’s Epiphany: Reclaim Your Intuition and Step Into Your Power. Named by Sojourners Magazine as one of “Ten Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2022

About the Editor

Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is the president of T3 Leadership Solutions, Inc., and the visionary founder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Leadership LINKS, Inc. She is is an author, host of A Sojourner’s Truth podcast, speaker, consultant, and coach who equips people to live and lead on purpose.

About the Contributors

The 29 extraordinary contributors of Voices of Lament include both well-known and new voices from various ethnic and people groups and different generations, putting God's faithfulness on full and glorious display. The collection is edited by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, who is the author of several books and a sought-after international speaker, leadership consultant, and executive leadership and mentoring coach.