After my husband’s death, I quickly discovered people had a lot to say about grief. Sometimes they would share their opinions in hopes of offering comfort. I realized oftentimes these comments were driven by myths about grief that get passed around, rather than a deeper understanding. Through my grief journey, I have learned how vital it is to [...] Keep Reading
compassion
Book Review: A Grace Disguised
We are moving in a week. As I’ve been preparing for the move, I’ve been sorting through boxes upon boxes of books. This is an almost torturous task for me – a book lover who would much rather be reading books than tossing books to the donation pile. The other day I happened upon a copy of the book A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser. This book was [...] Keep Reading
If God wills: How to pray when healing doesn’t come
On the day my husband received a stage four cancer diagnosis, a group of our closest friends and family gathered at our house to pray. They all crowded in our bedroom and circled around my husband, our three daughters, and me. On one of the scariest days of my life, I was strengthened by the fervent prayers of those in our community. We cried [...] Keep Reading
Unexpected friendship in a cup of cold water
The sun blazed and dust swirled. Sweat dripped in every crevice of my body. My belly swelled announcing my third baby, expected to appear sometime that winter. My unexpected assignment that summer: to help start a jewelry business employing women in the mountains of Haiti. I arrived in Haiti, excited and nervous. I knew I had to start by [...] Keep Reading
{Summer Blog Swap} Letting go of control and looking for the miracle
Welcome to my Summer Blog Swap. Over the next four weeks I am inviting four of my blogger friends over to this space to share some of their posts and perspectives. It's a fun way to introduce some of my favorite people to all of you. This week I'd like you to meet my friend Lea Turner. We met through a writing group called Hope*writers. Lea lives [...] Keep Reading
International Widows Day: Why reaching out a hand can make all the difference
A few years ago, I attended a writer's conference and met a pastor from another state. We chatted for about 15 minutes, and I briefly shared my story of being widowed in 2014. I could see he was filled with great compassion. He asked me how he could support my work sharing about grief and imparting courage to widows. We exchanged contact [...] Keep Reading
