Life is hard. While no one would deny this, Pastor Mark Vroegop’s familial tragedy led him to experience this truth firsthand. A few days before her due date, his wife Sarah, nine months pregnant, went in for a check-up concerned that her baby hadn’t moved. Pastor Vroegop records his desperate prayer from that day in 2004: “No, Lord! Please not this!” (15). Soon after, as baby Sylvia was held by her loving parents, “Her fully developed body looked completely normal. But there was no breathing” (17).  

This tragic loss led Pastor Vroegop down a path of grief he struggled to navigate. Through his journey, he recognized that few people in his congregation, or in his life broadly, knew how to handle a loss of this magnitude using God-pleasing language. It was through the book of Lamentations that he found a minor-key language for his new gloomy life. This realization serves as the core premise for Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy. 

Structure 

The book is divided into three parts which move from biblical themes to personal applications.  

Part 1: “Learning to Lament” focuses on different aspects of lament across four Psalms. Pastor Vroegop establishes a fundamental four-step pattern: turn to prayer (Psalm 77), bring your complaints (Psalm 10), ask boldly (Psalm 22), and choose to trust (Psalm 13). This pattern, “turn, complain, ask, trust,” is fundamental to the whole book. 

Part 2: “Learning from Lament” is a metacommentary on the book of Lamentations, which offers biblical advice for navigating a broken world. Pastor Vroegop pulls lessons on a holy God from chapters 1-2, explores how hope springs from truth rehearsed in chapter 3, unearths idols in chapter 4, and maps out a road to grace in chapter 5.  

Part 3: “Living with Lament” focuses on the personal and communal applications of lament within the Christian life. 

Commendations 

As a whole, this is a fantastic book that reads easily and gives pastors many thoughts for how to lead those who are hurting to the cross and empty tomb. To highlight a few “aha” moments: 

Part 2 is really well put together. Particularly, chapter 7 “Unearthing Idols” stands out. How often do we or other Christians find ourselves in dark places because we have placed our hope in the wrong people, institutions, or even spiritual leaders? Pastor Vroegop is not afraid to call out idols that many would rather keep hidden. The only God is God; anything or anyone else will not be able to give us what we need.  

Chapter 4, “Choose to Trust,” has some critical advice. There is power in the words “but” or “yet” and Psalm 13 speaks this truth loudly. When tragedy strikes and it seems as if God is far from us, yet we can remember the God who has always been faithful to his people. The present circumstances do not change the nature of God. And thus, we can trust God because he saves us. This is where a pastor can lead a hurting soul (or himself) to the cross and empty tomb and see how God uses even the injustice of what Jesus endured to be the tool which redeems the lost.  

Cautions 

Despite the book’s strengths, a discerning reader should note a few subtle theological issues. 

With the influx of reader-response theory in theological studies, a careful reader might pause at some of Pastor Vroegop’s wording. While it is true that our experiences are meaningful and can impact the way we view and hear Scripture, not every experience should be read into Scripture. Such phrases are subtle and found throughout the book. For example, he writes, “By reading the Scriptures through the lens of lament, you’ll begin to discover the variety of circumstances and personalities that are a vital part of this historical song of sorrow” (192). In context, his goal is to allow lament to awaken a grieving Christian to the different language, expressions, and prayers recorded throughout Scripture that we could use for ourselves or to help others. The thought is great; the wording is regrettable.  

A second caution would be with the lack of absolution in this book. Multiple times Pastor Vroegop speaks of the power lament has to be able to draw out the seriousness of sin. Just because we have sinned or we are dealing with the effects of sin in a broken world, does not mean we have to deal with it in ungodly ways. Lament gives us language to see how broken we are and the world is. This is commendable. But what is missing is that definitive “You are forgiven,” when confession is offered. Before recommending this book to a layperson dealing with strife, I would want them to know where they stand eternally when they confess their sins (1 John 1:8-9).  

Recommendation 

These cautions do not outweigh the incredible wealth of wisdom and love this book has for those going through immense grief and trauma. I believe Pastor Vroegop successfully prevents his personal trauma from overriding what Scripture says. Instead, he allows scriptural truth to lead him to new discoveries about himself, his God, and the power of the Word, so he may share his experience and possibly bring deep mercy to Christians under dark clouds. He consistently points readers to the cross and resurrection as the ultimate place of respite. 

The final two chapters of the book give wonderful examples of how one might use this book, even if they are not going through their own trying times. I would like to draw attention to three of these uses.  

The first is the section “Grieving” (162-164). It is perfectly acceptable in the Christian church and life to not go around saying “I’m fine” when tragedy strikes. Especially at church, where the broken come for eternal restoration, “fine” doesn’t allow the body of Christ to lift up the broken.  

Second is the section “Battling Loneliness” (169-170). Not everyone is going through the same pain as you. Still, do not be afraid to go to God alone in your grief, so that you know he alone is the one who can mend the soul. Do not place hope in small groups, worship services, or people; place your trust in the God who keeps you trusting (85).  

A third example is as a pastor to use lament in your congregational prayers (178-179). Let the issues of your community go to God. Complain about the effects of the issues, ask God to be who he is, and trust that in the end God will use this issue for his glory.  

Pastor Vroegop has a powerful story to share. His personal pain has led to intense struggle and sorrow. But the Lord has led him through so that he may share how in times of dark clouds, deep mercy awaits through the language recorded for Christians in lament.