One of the hidden challenges of grief is learning to trust life again after loss. Loss has a way of changing us. It teaches us that life can change in an instant. That the people we love can be here one moment and gone the next. That nothing is guaranteed. After experiencing a significant loss, many of us begin to live more cautiously. We hesitate to make plans. We guard our hearts. We become reluctant to dream too far into the future. Not because we don't want joy. But becau

Just when we think we've found our footing, grief has a way of catching us by surprise. It can happen anywhere. A song playing in a restaurant. A familiar perfume drifting through a store. A favorite food. A holiday tradition. A stranger who looks remarkably like someone we love. Without warning, a memory surfaces and suddenly we find ourselves overwhelmed with emotion. Why Unexpected Grief Triggers Happen Many grieving people become frustrated when this happens. We wonder wh

I imagine many of you think, “Phew, we made it! We managed to survive the holiday season.” As each Christmas passes, I realize I’m still standing. Still breathing. Still holding tight to the One who continues to hold me. Jesus is the cornerstone of each and every day of my life. I don’t know whereContinue reading “New Year’s Resolutions for the Bereaved”

When we think of those who are grieving, we tend to lean more toward the negative. After all, what do grief and loss bring? Intense sadness, anxiety, depression, fear, and even anger. But hold on. If we take a moment to look closely at a person who is walking the grief journey, I believe weContinue reading “Grievers are Survivors”