by Karen Cleeton January 27, 1978. A normal day at my nurse’s job; no hint of calamity. Separated from my first husband at the time, I had left my 22-month-old son, David, with my sister-in-law, Evelyn, that morning. But when I left work to pick up David later in the day, my whole life…
Read moreYear: 2010
Miscarried Hopes
Learning to trust God again. by Karen Foster “Lord, why did You let me get pregnant? You knew my baby would die within me. What can I learn from this miscarriage that I haven’t learned from the others?” Grief overwhelmed me knowing I would never hold this baby, but the tears wouldn’t come. I…
Read moreMiscarriage: A Secret Sorrow
by Virginia A. Johnson “Ten, nine, eight . . . ,” recited the dispassionate voice. What’s ahead for me? Could all this be a mistake? What if the baby . . . the baby. . . . The questions screamed inside me. My frightened thoughts tried to hold on to something safe, trusting, and…
Read moreLooking for Comforters
The do’s and don’ts of helping the hurting. by Virginia Jelinek “I looked for . . . comforters, but I found none” (Psalm 69:20). The day my husband, John, and I traveled homeward from a trip, our car lost traction on a slippery road. We were hit by an oncoming van. My life forever…
Read moreLinks in God’s Chain of Compassion
Do’s and don’ts when dealing with another’s grief. by PeggySue Wells Three days after our daughter died, my sister-in-law telephoned from out of state. “I’ve been trying to get your brother to call,” she apologized, “but he doesn’t know what to say.” My brother’s discomfort is common. Loss and its accompanying deep grief make…
Read moreWhat Not to Do
When we come in contact with a person who is suffering, do we leave her feeling enCOURAGEd or more wounded? That depends on what we say or do. Below is a list of what to watch for. Avoid clichés. To say, “God must have needed another flower in His garden” reduces our great God to…
Read moreLaid to Rest
When a sad fairy tale comes true. by Sandra Carpenter Death was Grandma’s hobby. To her, funerals were a celebration of life — heavy on the word celebration. White bun pinned tight, she attended every funeral for every associate she’d ever known, and some she didn’t. I recall being dragged along to a distant…
Read moreGifts for the Griever
by Lauraine Snelling “How are you doing — really?” my pastor-friend asked. “It’s been three years since your daughter died, hasn’t it?” I nodded. It would have been easy to say, “Oh, I’m fine,” but I had promised to be honest with him when he admitted needing help in his ministry to the grieving….
Read moreFaith and Farewells
How one family discovered the presenceof God in personal loss. by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress The doctor’s silence thundered through the telephone wires. My husband’s first biopsy results were negative, so we had assumed the secondary testing would also reveal nothing. When I heard Dr. Coleman’s voice, I cheerfully responded, “Well, do we have good news?”…
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