I’ve often thought that grief can feel like a heavy shadow that refuses to lift. In the early days of loss, it may seem impossible to imagine a future where happiness could exist again. Every breath feels weighted, every step exhausting. Yet even in the deepest valleys, God plants something that has the power to keep us moving forward: hope.

Time does not erase the ache of losing a child—it only teaches us how to carry it differently. Yet even in the darkest seasons, I have seen how God begins to move a heart from sorrow to strength, gently leading us toward hope we never thought possible.

Most people think the grieving period is over after the funeral and we should simply pick up the pieces and move on, forgetting our loved ones who are no longer with us. Kind of like “out of sight, out of mind.” But for those walking the journey we know all too well this is just the beginning of a journey filled with many ups and downs. Even if our loved ones are no longer in our sight, they will forever be in our hearts and mind.

Memorial Day is traditionally a time to honor those who gave their lives in military service. But for many, this day holds a deeper, more personal weight. It’s a reminder of every kind of loss—the child gone too soon, the sibling who never came home, the friend whose laughter now only lives in memory.