One of my earliest memories is going on a “bear hunt” with my Kindergarten teacher. We’d all march in place as we chanted: Going on a bear hunt.I’m not scared.Gonna […]
You Should’ve Been Here
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 […]
How Christmas Feels to the Grieving
I suppose most would rather not think about death and loss at this time of year, but for the valley-walker, there is no escaping reality. Mistletoe mocks. Once-tinseled trees lay […]
Go Ahead and Scream
The year our daughter died, I had to stop watching the news. I remember every time there was a big news story about a tragedy, I could hardly keep the […]
Grieving Well
“Grieve well,” they say. But what does that even mean? By those standards, I’m a terrible griever. So was David. And Job. And Jeremiah.And—dare I say—Jesus? But what if “grieving […]
That Which Appears to be Dead
Self Portrait “I took this picture today. Looking at it later it dawned on me, this is a picture of widowhood. See that tree, unnoticeable at first, in the middle?? […]
Leighann McCoy Podcast
Don’t miss this podcast episode with Audra Smith, The Pastor’s Widow. She has so much to share! https://www.prayerclinic.com/podcasts/the-leighann-mccoy-podcast/episodes/2149010337
Birth, Death and Adoption
Exactly 8 days before our little girl went to Heaven, on February 28th, our little boy was born. We just didn’t know it yet.  God knew. He knew I’d […]
Anorexia vs Faith
Not many years before we lost Jeremy, we almost lost our 14-year-old daughter. We helplessly watched as she slowly and painfully tried to take her own life. The diagnosis was […]
When We Can’t Understand
In times when it feels like we’ve been forgotten—forsaken even—we must trust what we know to be true. He is with me.He is for me.He loves me.He is good. Thoughts […]
God’s Plan for Suffering
My valley-walk was not wasted, for ‘twas there I met the Shepherd. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for […]
Just Be Quiet
Walking with others through the valley of suffering is a sacred privilege. May we learn to steward it well. More thoughts from the book of Job(Job 14-16)