The following is part of a blog series called “All Things New: Learning to Flourish After Loss.” I am sharing this month about my journey learning to flourish after my husband’s death in 2014. Be sure to check out some of the other posts in the series, including a few by guest writers. We stood at Yosemite National Park’s most famous lookout, [...] Keep Reading
brave
{A blog series} All Things New: My new normal
The following is a guest post written by my widow friend, Danell teNyenhuis. I met her through a young widows group in Fresno, California called G.I.G. (Gals in Growth) facilitated by grief counselor Patty Behrens. I hope her story gives you a glimpse of what life after loss can look like. I love the way Danell has embraced her "new normal" and [...] Keep Reading
Book Review: Daring to Hope
I still remember reading Katie’s Davis’ first book Kisses From Katie. I was sitting under a mosquito net in the stifling heat of a Haiti summer. My husband and I were operating a non-profit at the time. We had three daughters chasing each other through the mission house and a host of Haitian children playing in the yard. Reading about Katie’s life [...] Keep Reading
The uninvited guests: Battling guilt and shame after loss
After my husband died, we had many friends and family who came to visit. People brought us meals, cards, and abundant gifts for my girls. But there were two uninvited guests who kept showing up at my door at the most inopportune times. Their names were Guilt and Shame. After an intense and harrowing four-month cancer journey, I was especially [...] Keep Reading
Book Review: And Still She Laughs
I remember the weekend after my husband died I took my girls to a concert. It was just the healing balm we needed. The music washed over me and somehow helped me breathe. My girls jumped and danced with their friends. Laughter rang out in the aisles. After the concert, we saw a friend who used to attend our church. She rushed down the row and [...] Keep Reading
Running therapy: how grief crashes like ocean waves
The ocean has always been my happy place. Ever since I was a little girl I have found refuge near the water’s edge. There’s something about the crash of the waves, the salty air tickling my tongue and the breathtaking sunsets that draws poetry out of me. I have run over a diversity of terrains these last few years but Saturday was my first time [...] Keep Reading
