Grief
How to Experience More Life and Light and Peace in a Broken World
Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little? Our imaginations are always active and continually influenced by things around us. As we grow older, we can forget how powerful they can be. We learn in Romans 8:6, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” In our broken world, it is easy to imagine that we are alone when we are afraid or angry…
More Meaningful Together
“Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!” – Matthew 5:4 GNT This verse from Jesus’ sermon on the mount sounds like an oxymoron. Right? Can the path to God’s comfort and joy really begin with mourning? Can joy and sorrow even co-exist? My experience has been that they cannot only co-exist, but they are more meaningful together. I was terrified the first few times I attended GriefShare and know how hard it can be to push through feelings…
Dealing with Grief
November is one of my favorite months of the year, as it ushers in a season of reflection; most needed moments to pause and count our blessings during Thanksgiving before the frenzy of the Christmas season. It always seems to be a month filled with nostalgia for me. As I watch the leaves fall from the trees, I tend to slow down a bit more and think about the fact that those leaves were once the source of nourishment for…
Suicide and Teens
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 If you’re a parent of a teenager, you are faced with innumerable challenges every day. Parenting a teen in the age of smartphones, social media, and internet is incredibly difficult and downright terrifying. Bullies, harmful internet content, and comparison-driven social media can now reach…
Suicide-Who Is At Risk?
Suicide – Who is at risk? The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 Robin Williams. Anthony Bourdain. Kate Spade. Ernest Hemingway. Virginia Woolf. More than likely, you recognize at least one or two of those names. If not, you would surely recognize some of the dozens of others that appear after a quick Google search of two words: “celebrity suicide.” Celebrity suicides garner national attention, many express heartbreak over the…
Tears Answered In Jesus
My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” – Psalm 42:3 ESV What do your tears say to you? What questions do they ask? What do you do with them? Do you swallow them down or pour them out? We have cried many tears since the death of our 20 year old son. The first question our tears asked was, “Does God understand how much this…