We’re all looking for the best way to handle our grief, especially at those trigger heavy times when holidays, special days, and anniversaries come. On Tuesday it will be what should have been our 41st wedding anniversary. It’s right smack in the middle of the biggest holiday season because this was our favorite time of the year.

Even though my dear husband has been gone just over four years, I’m now winding my way through my fifth cycle of facing all these events once again without him. I’ve made progress in handling the grief because of God’s healing hand on my battered heart. I couldn’t do this without God. I decided this is a good time to share a little bit of how God uses His Word to help me navigate the tough times.

Psalm 42 is a great one to read and ponder when your heart is so full to overflowing with the sorrow of grief or when the troubles of this world seem insurmountable. I think of the enemy referred here as the real enemy of mankind here on the earth—the forever loser cast out of Heaven for his rebellion and thinking he was or could be greater than our creator God. He is always lurking with thoughts and temptations to get our eyes off our loving God, to make us question God’s love for us, and for trying to bring us into despair.

There are so many times as we learn to keep pressing forward through this dance with grief when the sorrow feels like it will swallow us. I needed to find comfort and relief through God’s Word to express the pain I felt. There are many Psalms, the Book of Lamentations, the Book of Job, and other books as well, where, as I searched God’s Word, I found passages that seemed to speak my heart. The beauty of God’s Word is He allows us to feel and express those pain filled thoughts and feelings. Almost always His Word then circles back with reminders He is with us in our pain, or letting us know this is only temporary, or reminds us how the forever loser seeks to twist truth, or allows us to transition to a hope filled declaration of God’s triumph over anything life here may throw at us.

God’s Word keeps me grounded and with a measure of hope. Yes, that measure is bigger sometimes and so tiny other times I need to keep reading and searching until it is built up enough to get me through the next minute, hour, day, or whatever God has in store. I thank God for giving us His Word. It is always relevant and timeless. It speaks to me one way on one occasion and can give me a whole different perspective another time. It is His living Word. Here is Psalm 42.

I long to drink of you, O God, to drink deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from Your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of you! My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God. I want to come and see the face of God. Day and night my tears keep falling and my heart keeps crying for Your help, while my enemies mock me over and over, saying, “Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t He help you?”

So I speak over my heartbroken soul, “Take courage. Remember when you used to be right out front leading the procession of praise when the great crowd of worshipers gathered to go into the presence of the Lord? You shouted with joy as the sound of passionate celebration filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers honored the feast of the Lord!”

So then, my soul, why would you be depressed? Why would you sink into despair? Just keep hoping and waiting on God, Your Savior. For no matter what, I will still sing with praise, for You are my saving grace!

Here I am depressed and downcast. Yet I will still remember You as I ponder the place where Your glory streams down from the mighty mountaintops, lofty and majestic—the mountains of Your awesome presence.

My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of Your love. Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow over my soul, carrying me away, cascading over me like a thundering cataract. All through the day YAHWEH commanded His endless love to pour over me. Through the night I sing His songs and my praises to the living God.

I will say to God, “You are my mountain of strength; how could You forget me? Why must I suffer this vile oppression of my enemies—these heartless tormentors who are out to kill me?” Their wounding words pierce my heart over and over while they say, “Where is this God of yours?”

So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise Him all over again. Yes, He is my saving grace!

Psalm 42: 1-11 TPT

God bless you, my friend. May God strengthen you with His love and grace when life is tugging you down. May you feel His wraparound presence each day and night through this holiday season. May His joy and His peace fill your heart just like it did the shepherds when the angels of God filled the sky and proclaimed the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord YAHWEH, the Messiah. You will recognize Him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!”

Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”

When the choir of angels disappeared and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word who is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord revealed to us.”

Luke 2: 10-15 TPT

 

Our rescuer will never leave us or forsake us. We will not be afraid. Glory to God in the Highest!

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Do you know someone ready to make a meaningful impact this holiday season? Join us in embracing the true spirit of giving by getting involved in the Hope for Widows Foundation’s ‘Bring Hope Holiday Assistance Program’ virtual initiative, now in its third year. This program directly supports widows who may be struggling to provide gifts and essentials for their children during the holiday season.

For many widows facing financial challenges, the choice between keeping the lights on, putting food on the table, and buying presents can be heart-wrenching. When you add the responsibilities of solo parenting, the weight of grief, and the toll it takes emotionally and physically, the burden becomes even greater.

To become a sponsor and access more information, and details visit the following link: https://bit.ly/3ZROBWo

For our widows/hope sisters in the community, please stay tuned as we’ll be sending out widow applications for sponsorship this holiday season very soon.

Let’s come together and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

 

About 

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.

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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.

All Posts by Teri Miner