Grief Support

When the Silence is Deafening: The Grief of Silent Saturday

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Sometimes, silence screams. She harangues us with intrusive thoughts: You’re alone. You’ll always be alone. Nobody sees you. Nobody understands. Nobody cares. And for a valley-walker, the relentless shriek can […]

Grief Support

Last Words

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My husband’s last words to me were, “Not goodbye.” We were on a very brief video call with him before he was put on a ventilator. We hadn’t seen him […]

Grief Support

Feeling Cheated by Death: Wedding Anniversary Thoughts

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Sunday is my wedding anniversary. We should be celebrating 29 years as Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We were supposed to grow old together. We were just getting started. Soon, my […]

devotional / Easter / faith / Grief / Grief Support / Holidays / Resurrection

Palm Sunday and My Fickle Heart

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Today, my daughter and I got to celebrate Palm Sunday with a beautiful congregation in Costa Rica. It was almost transcendent to stand in that space, worshiping one Savior in […]

Grief Support

When Grief is Loud

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When you’re faced with an unwanted new life—devastated by loss—and you become overwhelmed by sorrow, Seek the face of the Savior. He knows the agony of separation and the anguish […]

Child Loss / Grief / Grief Support / Widowhood

The Valley Between Gardens

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Grief and joy, coexisting. So much pain and loss; so much for which to be thankful. Living in that juxtaposition is just part of life between the gardens, isn’t it? […]

Devotional / faith / Grief / Grief Support / Post-Traumatic Growth / Surrender / Widowhood

Drop Your Nets and Follow Me

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Change is hard—especially when it’s not my idea. Especially when it leads to the unknown. Especially when it means letting go. “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” With […]

Devotional / faith / Grief / Grief Support

You Can Do Hard Things

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Sometimes, God requires us to do hard things. Really. hard. things. I don’t know about you, but I have to admit that when He called me to some of these […]

Bible Study / Devotional / Grief Support

But God Saw…

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For many years, she was confined to widow garb, waiting for her father-in-law to do the right thing. Yet, in all those years, God did not forget about her. For […]

Bible Study / Devotional / Grief Support

Faith Grows Best in the Dark

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Joseph had a dream that he knew was from God. There was a distinct calling on his life and a good plan for his future. He lived a life of […]

Child Loss / faith / Grief / Grief Support / New Year / Widowhood

Prayer for a New Year

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A Valley-Walker’s Prayer for a New Year Dear God, as we step into a brand new year, we lift up this honest and heartfelt prayer. Our hearts are full of […]

child loss / Christmas / Devotional / faith / Grief Support / Holidays / New Year / poetry / Widowhood

You Should’ve Been Here

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This is a poem I wrote to Jeremy over the past two weeks. I wanted to share it here, in hopes that it makes you feel:1) seen2) not alone in […]