Opposition will always greet you at the door of transition. But God is greater!
When my husband went to Heaven I felt like I was trapped in a snow globe. The world was outside my sphere of residence, continuing on in all it’s chaos with utterly no regard for the catastrophic change in my existence. Sometimes I could see the outside world, just as though I was looking through the glass. Sometimes it feels like someone picked me up and is shaking me—just like you would a snow globe to see the sparkles and flakes stir up and swirl back down again.
Life is all about transition. We progress through our existence facing many kinds of change… some expected and anticipated with excitement or fear… but much more comes without warning. Emotions run rampant in transitions: fear, anxiety, excitement, sadness, relief, loneliness, stress, joy.
Widows lose so much when their husband goes home to Heaven. When we are forced to face something so big like this, it’s important to honor the moments by stopping and adjusting, before plowing blindly forward. This transition is consumed with more change and turmoil than we can sometimes process.
A measure of pandemonium will continue as we take each new step and tackle each new day. I choose to release my cares and uncertainties to God. We don’t have to be subject to it, or let it derail us. We can choose to lean on others who are willing and able to step in and help where we need it. We can learn to let go of things that aren’t so important so we can invest our energy in what really matters. Most importantly, we can dedicate a day of rest like God tells us in the Bible.
As we enter God’s rest, we can have greater vision and clarity. We need to focus on God. Greater clarity will help us see things hindering our walk and getting in the way of our relationships.
Remove things stealing your peace. Peace is too costly to give away. Take stock of your relationships and weigh them. Do they have what it takes to endure this next season with you?
I encourage you to take time to rest and reset as we get ready to go into 2023. Rest will release the revelation and wisdom you need as you journey forward in a new chapter. Find your rest in God. Do not be afraid. 
Rest in God. Find your peace in Him. God is still the God of peace. He casts out fear. Look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and enter into the rest found only in Him. Choose today to rest in God.
How can you do that? Attend a church with family or friends. Set aside specific time for rest, such as on Sunday.
Make time for family. Eat meals together and then spend time doing things you enjoy that help you relax and unwind. Read out loud to each other, work on a jigsaw puzzle, invent family trivia games about each other (how well do you know your immediate family members), go for a walk, or create a family outing that doesn’t involve electronics but does include being in nature.
Acknowledge God is Lord of the Sabbath, and choose to honor His commandment to take time to rest. It doesn’t have to be Sunday… set a time that works well with your life. Dedicate the time to be refreshed and renewed as you honor God’s command.
Meditate on Scriptures about rest, peace, and God’s provision. A great one is Psalm 91, often the favorite of soldiers and first responders who dedicate their lives to serving their fellow man and face life threatening uncertainties and circumstances on a daily basis.
When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,
you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.
He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me,
the only God for me, and my great confidence.
He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,
and He will protect you from false accusation
and any deadly curse.
His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.
You can run under His covering of majesty and hide.
His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.
You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night
nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.
Don’t fear a thing!
Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you,
nor will the powers of evil launched against you.
Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed,
you will remain unscathed and unharmed.
you will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment,
for they will be paid back for what they have done!
When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High,
our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm.
How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?
God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go,
defending you from all harm.
If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you
and keep you from stumbling.
You’ll even walk unharmed among the fiercest powers of darkness,
trampling every one of them beneath your feet!
For here is what the Lord has spoken to me:
“Because you delighted in Me as my great lover,
I will greatly protect you.
I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before My face.
I will answer your cry for help every time you pray,
and you will find and feel My presence
even in your time of pressure and trouble.
I will be your glorious hero and give you a feast.
You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you.
For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!”
Psalm 91, The Passion Translation
The other side of transition and chaos is rest and peace. Some reach that stage sooner than others. Try to let yourself find peace in the midst of the transition as much as you can. Jesus loves you and cares about the things you have on your mind right now. Turn those burdens over to Him and let Him help you find the solutions you so desperately need. God bless you.
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Looking for a way you can make a difference and give back this holiday season? Embrace the spirit of giving by participating in Hope for Widows Foundation’s third annual ‘Bring Hope’ virtual program that directly assists a widow’s family who cannot provide gifts for their children or other necessities during this holiday season. Some widows who are struggling to make ends meet during this time simply do not have the luxury of purchasing gifts when their finances require them to choose between keeping the lights on and food on the table or purchasing presents. Add in the factors of solo parenting, grief, and the emotional and physical toll it takes. If you would like more details on how you can support a widow and her family, please EMAIL US directly for questions at info@hopeforwidows.org or to sponsor, go here for details and to fill out the application: https://linktr.ee/hopeforwidows
About Teri Miner
Teri’s dance with grief actually began over five years before she watched her beloved husband of almost 37 years take his last breath and enter Heaven’s door on October 6, 2019. A terminal degenerative neurological disease steadily and increasingly attacked nearly every major system of his body and transformed him from a vibrant, brilliant, strong and caring man to a bedfast invalid at the end. She was devoted to caring for him and doing her best to make the most of every minute they had left, to love him and pray for a miracle.
She thought she knew what her future held, but she had no idea. Losing him was the first time she experienced a close and personal loss. He was the love of her life. The onslaught of the pandemic with its reign of fear-mongering, forced isolation and separation entering the scene and disrupting or destroying whatever sense of “normal” that remained, just added insult to injury.
Her faith in God is the sustaining force keeping her fighting spirit to find and share hope in a bright future. Her heart’s desire is to walk beside her fellow widows toward a path of promise and healing. She wants to offer encouragement and hope so others can find the strength to take that next breath or next step. She recently started her own blog, https://widowwhispers.blogspot.com/, to share with other widows not only the struggles and hardships of widowhood, but the triumphs. Her hope is found in leaning on the Lord Jesus to enjoy a God inspired future anchored in expectation He will bring us to a fulfilling and meaningful life.