I have nothing but respect for single parents. My journey into single parenting didn’t come through planning or choice. I was widowed into it. One day, we were a team. We made decisions together.We balanced each other out.We checked each other’s blind spots. We whispered, “What do you think?”across kitchen counters and car rides. Then […]

A conversation on navigating grief and loss during the holidays with guest panelists Robert Thomas and Gina Lissone

Opening Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1– To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven Reflection: Trina Paulus’s children’s book, “Hope for the Flowers” tells of a caterpillar seeking morefrom life. Guided by an older caterpillar, it learns that every caterpillar has the potentialto become a butterfly. The transformation requires letting go of […]

Opening Scripture: Isaiah 26: 3– You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You Reflection– There is a childbirth technique known as the Lamaze method that continues to be usedtoday. In this approach, women in labor, with the support of their partners, are guided toengage in […]

This verse offers reassurance that no one experiencing deep sorrow or despair isalone. God is right there, ready to provide comfort, healing, and hope. It is also a call totrust God as he promises to actively intervene and save and restore those who feelbroken or defeated in spirit.  This scripture encourages us to be honest and […]

Healing through words, one page at a time It’s funny how we evolve. I started journaling in college, mostly pouring my heart out after breakups or hurt feelings—writing was how I handled pain. Recently, I went back through those old journals. Some entries still carried the sting. Others stood as reminders. And a few made […]

Finding God’s renewal in the midst of sorrow One might think that this five-letter word carries only one meaning, but it is as complex as it is simple. Fresh can mean unspoiled, as in a fresh loaf of bread. It can mean clean and crisp, like a fresh set of sheets. It can even describe […]

An honest reflection on grief, loss, and the long invisible waiting that follows When someone you love dies, the world shifts in an instant. Nothing feels steady, and the waiting that follows can be just as painful as the loss itself. This is a glimpse into my own waiting room of grief, and what helped […]

Moving Through with God’s Presence Scripture“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” —Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) ReflectionLoss is common to most; the loss of a job, a limb, the loss of a pet or the loss of a loved […]

Sometimes “I can’t” just means “I haven’t yet.” One of the first thoughts I had early in my grief was, What will I do now? The answers that echoed back were heavy and absolute: I can’t do anything anymore. My whole world ended. I will be sad forever. There is no more hope… nothing is […]