Good Grief
Do you know anyone who has died recently? Covid has taken away some friends and a couple of relatives of ours. It’s real and it hurts.
And it actually doesn’t matter how they died or if these folks died in the past few days (like my friend, Milo) or many years ago. Love is a strong bond and it can last forever.
https://www.opentohope.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAkNiMBhCxARIsAIDDKNWpyY8_4ilF7Jz4nEFskCd1wlVCe6rhyLbunaZY1E7WtJG3NBnn2xwaAlYJEALw_wcB
While looking for stories about overcoming grief I came across the (above…copy and paste) link called “Open To Hope”.
There are many stories there about folks who have thoughts on the subject and the one that most resonated with me was…”The greatest gift you can receive after a loss is hope.”
I listened to a podcast with Jonathan Pitts, a pastor, father, speaker, and now, author, who wrote a book about his young wife “ Wynter” who died of a cardiac arrest ,leaving him and their four young daughters. The book is called ,” My Wynter Season : Seeing God’s Faithfulness in the Shadow of Grief.”
He spoke about a month of sleep loss, depression and despair. But when asked by the hosts if he lost his faith during that time he was able to realize that he never did. He grieved for his loss but in his heart and mind he KNEW he would see her again.
Jonathan said that on our best day we are only stewards of our loved ones. We are not in control. It’s important, he said, to reconcile with who you are and what you believe.
What’s true? We will see them again.
What’s right? We loved them and they were wonderful.
What’s beautiful? There is eternal life ahead of us and our life on earth is not our forever home.
What do the bereaved need? They need to talk and process. They need someone to listen to their story.
I was painting and listening to one of my favourite albums by Steven Curtis Chapman. (He lost his little girl when his own teenage son hit her with the car when she excitedly ran in front of it to welcome him back! ) How do you get over the loss of a child and comfort your other child who is feeling overwhelming grief? In Steven’s Album, “Beauty Will Rise”, each song was written to help find release from his grief and find hope through the process. Every single song is gorgeous and heart wrenching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCmMWO_XFX0
(Copy and paste the above link to hear “Spring is Coming”.)
We have started the journey once again into our season of winter. But we know without failing that spring IS coming. We can count on it. In the same way we count on the promises of Christ who said that Heaven is real and someday it awaits for those of us who believe.
Believe it. Find peace.
If we live long enough here in our temporary home we will experience grief. Let’s try and remember in our darkest times that we have the hope of Heaven where ‘every tear will be wiped away.’
Let’s pray for those who have gone before us and pray for each other too. We all need friends.
Peace, my friends.
