Happy 2019 to all of you.
Well, I made it through another holiday season and year. December was rough, but God was with me every step of the way and I am here to rejoice and be glad in each day that He blesses me with this coming year.
Near the end of last year, sometime in October, I found out about and decided to become a part of a Grief Share session. I highly recommend this program for anyone who has lost a loved one. I couldn’t have done this in the beginning, but the time was right for me to do so now.
It was good for me to ‘share’ with others. A lot of people do not ‘get’ how people feel, what they are going through, if they have not lost a loved one themselves. As a widow who has gone through 6 years of this phase of my life’s journey I could share not only the sorrows but the joys. I could share how God has been my strength through each and every day. He has promised to never leave or forsake us.
With this new year, I am going to another session of Grief Share, not only for myself to glean more from, but I’d like to be a comfort to others. We aren’t in this alone. As a fresh widow in 2013, (my dear husband went to be with Jesus 9 Dec. 2012), the following verses were brought to my attention. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
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I love these thoughts found in Lamentations 3:22-26 (NKJV)
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
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Another verse just came to mind, Psalms 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good:
blessed is the man (or woman) that trusteth in him.
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Dear broken hearted ones, be of good cheer. God is the Restorer of broken hearts. He is the Healer who brings us back to life.
Our lives have changed greatly with the loss of our loved ones, but, we are still alive, and they would want us to not just survive, but to thrive. We thrive through the love and tender mercies of our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Each day we are blessed with is a gift, a gift from our Heavenly Father. May we rejoice and be glad in each one. May we keep our focus on Him. He is our Peace, our Strength, our Joy.
May this new year be filled with growth as we trust in Jesus, the only one who can meet all of our needs. He has a plan for each of us, one that only we can fill, one that He made before we were even born.
God’s blessings on each of you ~ FlowerLady
After my Dad died, I donated his outdoor bowls to the club where he had been Secretary and then President.Somewhere I had found the words that went something like this ( I have searched so many times and cannot find them)"" When I have left you, do not sit in despair and do nothing, but continue to do each what we would have done together, and speak of me with love and remember the times we were together."" It seemed fitting to say them, and afterwards many came up to me and thanked me for coming and speaking. My Dad was a loving gentle man and was so respected and a valuable member there.This was at the season's closing day about 2 months after he left us.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to be able to share our grief at the right time. I'm glad you found the group and it was helpful, as well as you being a blessing and encouragement to others along the journey.
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