In fall, nature transforms with vibrant beauty—leaves turn brilliant shades of red and gold, then gently fall, making way for new growth. The air grows crisp, and days shorten, signaling a season of change. Fall’s transformation can be a picture of the metamorphosis occurring in the life of a widow, who in the same manner is changing, evolving and at the same time renewing.
The sixth anniversary of my husband’s move to Heaven is fast approaching. I was looking at a picture I bought soon after he was gone. It has the verse from Nehemiah 8: 10 printed on it. I remember being compelled to purchase it because I wanted the grief to go away and to once again feel the joy of the Lord.
Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8: 10 ESV
This verse holds a profound message about finding strength and resilience in the presence of the Lord’s joy. The joy this is referring to is not simple happiness or a fleeting emotion. It is a deep-rooted sense of fulfillment and peace that comes from our relationship with God. This joy was significant because it represented a new beginning for the Israelites. It is compelling for us as widows because we too face a new beginning, a turning point in our life taking us in a new direction.
It reminds us our source of true strength doesn’t come from our own abilities or circumstances, but from the joy found in a close relationship with God. We can tap into a wellspring of inner strength to help us navigate life’s challenges and obstacles with hope and courage by experiencing and embracing the joy of the Lord. This joy is a divine gift to sustain us through every season. It isn’t tied to circumstances but flows from God’s presence and promises.
As fall sweeps across the earth, nature transforms with breathtaking beauty—leaves blaze in reds, oranges, and golds, then gently fall, having run their course, preparing the earth for new seasons. The crisp air carries whispers of change, and the harvest yields pumpkins, apples, and abundance. This season mirrors God’s richly layered work in our life, revealing His gift of joy even amidst the grief of loss. As a widow, fall’s changes echo the shifts in our heart—sorrow giving way to glimmers of hope.
Consider the worries and cares in your life falling away like the leaves that have run their course. In Matthew 6: 34, Jesus says:
Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Matthew 6: 34 TPT
Just as trees release their leaves to make way for new growth, God invites you to cast your burdens on Him.
Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you. 1 Peter 5: 7 TPT
He is your Abba, (“Abba” is a term of endearment that signifies a close, intimate relationship with God, reflecting both affection and respect), ready to carry your fears, loneliness, or uncertainties, freeing you to embrace the joy He offers. As His beloved daughter, you are chosen and treasured. God reveals this joy in unexpected ways—through a comforting verse, a shared laugh during fellowship, or a quiet moment under fall’s golden skies.
Fall’s transformation reminds us God is not done writing our story. As leaves fall to enrich the soil, our experiences—though painful—prepare us for new growth.
Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy in every breakthrough You bring to me. Hold me close to You with a willing spirit that obeys whatever You say. Psalm 51: 12 TPT
Psalm 51: 12 prays a plea for God to renew our heart. We can choose right now to release worries like falling leaves and find assurance in God’s promise of a hopeful future, trusting Him to shape us into His handiwork.
We become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!
Ephesians 2: 10 TPT
As the seasons change from summer’s warmth to fall’s crisp beauty, we see God’s hand at work, transforming the world with purpose and promise. Just as leaves fall and new colors emerge, God is revealing a renewed identity for you in Christ.
Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.
2 Corinthians 5: 17 TPT
Heavenly Father, our Abba, thank You for the gift of Your joy, which shines like fall’s vibrant colors in our lives. You see us, as You saw Hagar, and You draw near as our defender. Restore to us the joy of our salvation, and give us assurance You are writing a story of hope. Help us embrace our identity as Your beloved daughter, finding strength in Your presence. Guide us to reflect Your love and joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Consider taking a few moments each morning to pray, “Lord, fill me with Your joy today,” and note one thing—big or small—that brings you closer to Him, like a fall sunset or a Scripture.
Closing Thought
Just as the God created each season to have its special purpose and beauty, He orchestrates the seasons in our lives to showcase unique and beautiful wonders. As fall transforms the world, let God’s joy transform your heart. You are His handiwork, created for purpose, and His joy is a gift that carries you forward. Seek this joy, trusting God’s richly layered plan to renew and strengthen us.
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.