Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy | Mark Vroegop

This is one of those books on suffering and lamenting that’s written from the trenches, rather than the philosophers’ armchair.

Vroegop is someone familiar with the heartache of deep sadness, and so writes with sensitivity but also clarity about the grace found in the art of lamenting. How good is God to give us the language and tools to express our pain to him, and a way to experience his grace and mercy in our time of trials! This book will give you some of those tools.

In the first section he teaches us how to lament, using the structure of lament psalms. He reminds us to turn to God in prayer, to bring our complaints to him, to ask boldly and to trust our unfailing God.  The second section is a deep dive into Lamentations and explores the different things that we can learn from lament. The final section has some practical suggestions at both a personal and community level for how to lament.

If you are in the depths of suffering, or know someone who is, read this book. Read it slowly, and savour Vroegop’s insights from God’s word and find the mercy that God offers. 

To coincide with our annual conference, EQUIP Picks are 10 great reads, chosen and reviewed by the EQUIP Women Team for women.

EQUIP22 Picks will be available for a limited time online via our ministry partner, Reformers Bookshop.

A percentage of the sales from books bought via the above link will support our CMS missionary, M.


Meet Karen Lawson-Smith

Karen serves as an assistant minister at Guildford Anglican, where she gets to share Jesus with women, youth and kids. Her job on EQUIP changes each year.