First Step

Sisterhood of Widows S.O.W.  Psalm 126:5-6  Please share on your Facebook so that others can see my blogs and maybe help them through their grief.

The first step after a major life change is very difficult.  That first step to start on your path is full of unknowns and fear.  Taking that first step shows strength, courage, determination and trust.  What we must remember is that we are not alone when we do decide to take that step.  We have family and friends that will offer love and support. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is right there holding our right hand ready to lead us toward healing and restoration.

What we must do to prepare ourselves is trust that we can do this; we can conquer this storm.  This storm does not own you and it will not define who you are.  Only Jesus can define you; He doesn't make mistakes since he is the only perfect person ever to have lived on this earth.  Trust that He will see you through your storm.  Proverbs 3:5 NIV says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  Remember this storm is not bigger than our God.  Our Lord Jesus conquered more than a storm, He conquered death; he conquered the grave.  "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God!  He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NIV.

This journey was never meant to be a sprint, it's a marathon.  And with any marathon, we must train so we can perform at a peak level. Train with God's Word because you will find stories of hope and encouragement; truth and trust.  You will find people who went through similar circumstances and came out on the other side intact and ready to face any trial.  We are told to give thanks while we are in the middle of our storms.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV tells us, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."   Weird right? To thank Jesus for the current trial you are enduring?  I thought so too and then I learned that thanking Him always you are showing trust.  Whatever your circumstances, just trust and thank Jesus.  Jesus knows your outcome already, He knows that your trial today will be used for His glory tomorrow.  Our story of our journey will one day be someone else's blessing. 

My prayer for all of you is that you trust that your outcome will be glorious.  This storm will not define you, but it will make you a person that learns to trust Jesus.  The testimony of your path will glorify God and will draw those far from God back into His glorious Kingdom.  I pray that you take that first step of healing and lean on Jesus.  He is always right there by your side ready to lead you.  All you need to do is trust, surrender, and walk!!!

THANK YOU LORD JESUS!!!  MY CHAINS ARE GONE I'VE BEEN SET FREE!!

I am holding onto You!!

Sisterhood of Widows S.O.W.  Psalm 126:5-6  Please share on your Facebook so that others can see my blogs and maybe help them through their grief.

Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.  Psalm 28:6-7 NIV

The holidays are over and the soft glow of Christmas lights have turned to darkness.  This can also describe how must of us feel after we go back to our routine lives after a long deserved Christmas break.  January has always been a tough month for me; even before my husband Kirk suddenly passed.  But now four and a half years out, winter seems even longer and darker. 

But even in our darkest winter night, we are all promised a bright light that shines for all the world.  Jesus is that light and He came to shine in each of our hearts all year.  Jesus tells us in John 8:12 NIV, "When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."  So when we are at a low point and the long winter nights get you down, just remember Jesus is the light.  Grab your Bible and read the Psalms, they are full of hope, love, and encouragement.  Psalm 119:105 NIV says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."  Jesus is not only our Light for our lives, His Word will guide us toward Him.

Storms will come and go in our lives; none of us are immune.  Our Lord and Savior will always be with us in the storm that threatens to engulf us.  Remember that Jesus is your shield against the howling winds of your storm.  Psalm 28:6-7 NIV states, "Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."  I know it's hard to trust Him in the middle of your struggles and cries, but keep trusting Him.  I promise you He will hold you up and sit your feet on solid ground.  It will take time, patience, tears and joy but it will happen!! 

Lord I pray for everyone that is holding on to you as tight as they can.  Lord please show them love, compassion and mercy as they trust You to deliver them out of their storm.  You are our Redeemer and Counselor that will never betray or forsake us.  We are holding on to You!!  In Your precious name I pray.  Amen

Happy 2016!!

Sisterhood of Widows S.O.W.  Psalm 126:5-6  Please share on your Facebook so that others can see my blogs and maybe help them through their grief.

2016 is just hours away!!

How are you spending tonight?  With your family?  With new/old friends?  With a new love?  With your puppy dogs or kitties?   There are all kinds of ways to spend this night, but please do not spend it alone. 

A new year can bring a flood of emotions and thoughts; a sea of regrets or a new hope of a better future.  Do you make resolutions?  I do sometimes but not a big fan of them.  I did have one that I did finally get to do.  It was fun and worth the wait since I had made it a couple of years ago. 

If you do resolutions there is one that I hope you decide to make and keep this year.  That one special resolution and hope I have for you is to spend more time in God's word.  You will find love, faith, trust, and hope for a better future and for your eternity.  I know all too well the feeling of being heartbroken and feeling despair after losing Kirk.  But I made a promise to myself that I would keep reading God's word and keep trusting Him.  I kept myself tethered to His love and promises.  Hebrews 6:17-20 NIV says, "Because God wanted to make sure the unchanging nature of his purpose was very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed with an oath.  God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.  He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. 

You may feel overwhelmed by a flood of emotions and feel as though you are drowning.  Please do not lose hope and trust.  Just know that our Lord Jesus Christ is there for you holding out His hand to you.  Remember that He is our Savior that has walked on water. He will reach down and pull you out of that lake of despair.  Peter and the disciples witnessed first hand Jesus walking toward them on a lake that was swirling around Him.  Matthew 14:29-31 NIV we read, "When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'  'Lord if it's you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.'  'Come,' he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt."   The point I'm trying to make is that even Peter lost faith and Jesus was right there in front of him.  It's human to lose hope and faith, but just don't stay there.  Reach your hand out and call on Jesus.  He will be there every single time; waiting to pull you out of that lake of despair and hopelessness!! 

I pray that this year you will find courage and strength through Jesus to start a fresh new year.  If you haven't put your faith in Jesus, He is waiting to renew your heart and spirit.  He will extend grace and love to you!!  I want to wish every single one of you a very Happy New Year and I pray that this year you will stand tall and keep your eyes on Jesus.  I pray you keep looking up and start living the life Jesus wants you to live.  Share love, laughs, tears, and compassion with everyone you love and ones that need you!!!!

Lord I pray that this year we will become more like you every day.  I pray that we all keep our minds filled with You.  You are love and we all need more of You every single day.  In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen!!

Happy 2016!!! 

Merry Christmas!!

Immanuel = God With Us!!!

Merry Christmas!!

What a bittersweet time of year this can be for many of us.  On one hand we want to celebrate the birthday of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and on the other hand we are missing our loved ones.  Grief can be magnified during the holidays and shadow the glow of the month of December.  I know my first Christmas and New Year was hard.  I wanted to put on my festive face and enjoy the celebrations as I always had, but it wasn't in my heart to do so.  I didn't want to disappoint my family and friends, and especially my daughter Emily.  I wanted her first holiday season to go as close to tradition as possible.  Christmas morning was so hard but together her and I went on with opening gifts and eating a good breakfast.  We went to the cemetery and took a small drag car for Kirk.  He loved drag racing.  When Christmas night finally came, I was mentally and physically exhausted. 

Is this your first Christmas without your beloved?  One piece of advice I want to give you and your family and friends; give yourself permission to grieve and to take it easy.  Don't push yourself into uncomfortable or hard situations.  Maybe this is your fifth Christmas without your loved one like me, or maybe it's your 50th year!!  Whatever year or whatever situation you are in, give yourself permission to breathe and be easy on yourself.

I am also directing this advice towards divorced or single parents.  Loneliness hits all of us in different situations.  You could be grieving for a parent or a child this Christmas season.  Many of us are missing siblings, grandparents, or aunts and uncles.  Not only do I grieve for Kirk this time of year, but also for grandparents and aunts and uncles. 

My thoughts always turn to Mary this time of year for obvious reasons.  Can you imagine giving birth to Jesus, the Savior of mankind?  Matthew 1:23 NIV says, "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means God with us."  God is with us always, never forget that.  We are never alone on this journey of grief.  I know you feel that way sometimes, I myself have felt like I have been dropped in the middle of the desert this past week.  I remind myself that God is with me, He is with all of us.  He never changes, we do.  He never strays from our side, we choose to ignore Him. 

Jesus is THE ultimate gift that we can ever receive.  What He offers us cannot be bought or bartered.  There is no negotiation or gray area when it comes to Jesus.  You either accept Him or not; either for or against.  Jesus became flesh to live among us.  He was born as human to ultimately sacrifice Himself as the perfect lamb on that cross for our sins.  He bought us with His blood so we can be saved and spend eternity with Him in heaven.  Romans 6:23 NIV tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Will you give yourself the best gift you will ever receive?  Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus?  If not, will you think about how you want to spend your eternity?  The Bible tells us we will either spend it in heaven with Jesus or in hell where there is torment and torture.  Do you realize that for some of us this will be as close to hell as we will get here on Earth; and for some this will be as close to heaven as you will get?  Take some time and let that sink in and open a Bible and read God's word.  Start with the Book of John, most pastors will tell you to start there.  If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, give yourself the greatest gift ever and just read, learn, and ask questions. 

I will leave you a passage from Luke 1:46-50 NIV and they call it's Mary's song.  Mary didn't understand why God choose her to be the one to carry and birth Jesus, but with faith and trust in her heart she walked that path with God and wow what a journey she was blessed to walk.  I try to use that same faith and trust in my walk on this path God has me on.  Different paths but same faith and trust in Him, our Almighty.

And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation."

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to earth as a humble baby born in a manger.  You are God's word that walked this earth in flesh.  Your sacrifice and my acceptance assures me of an eternity with you and all of my loved ones that have gone before me.  I pray Lord that my family and friends that have not yet taken that step to accept you will consider, read, and pray about taking that most important first step.  You are the BEST GIFT I ever received and I pray others will accept your gift also.  Happy Birthday Jesus!!  In Your precious name I pray Amen!!

I will keep all of you in my prayers during this most difficult time of year.  If you have no where to go, ask around your family and friends.  They probably don't know you are alone this holiday.  If you know of anyone that will be alone, invite them along.  I am telling you that you will feel way more blessed than the person you invite. 

Merry Christmas!! 

Happy December!!

Sisterhood of Widows S.O.W.  Psalm 126:5-6  Please share on your Facebook so that others can see my blogs and maybe help them through their grief.

Happy December!!

It's December which means for a lot of us family and friend gatherings.  December is so great with all  the lights and sounds of joy.  I have always enjoyed seeing all the pretty lights that brighten up the dark of winter.  Decorating for Christmas is great, but it's a lot of hard work.  But once we have everything done and in place, it is worth the time.  We enjoy the glow from our big pretty Christmas tree.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  I enjoy celebrating the birth of Jesus.  Such a precious baby that started from humble beginnings in a manger.  This baby came to rescue us; He came to be our Savior.  Can you imagine today thinking about a baby being on a rescue mission?  I can only imagine what was going through Mary's mind as she looked at her precious baby boy knowing that her beautiful child came to SAVE mankind. 

Luke 2:11-12 NIV says, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  As the Angel was saying this to the shepherds it is written that a great company of the heavenly host appeared with this angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on Earth peace to those on whom his favor rest." Luke 2:13-14 NIV.

I, for one, am ecstatic that Jesus came to Earth to rescue us.  I am happy that 25 years ago I accepted Jesus into my heart.  The day I was saved I could not have imagined how much I would need that special moment.  I can tell you that without that moment, I don't know how far I would have walked this path that I find myself on today.  I know every day that Jesus walks beside me. I know I am not alone.  Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV says, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  If you take away one thing from this post, remember this verse.  He will never leave or forsake you. 

I am living proof.  I could not find joy every day or want to look for happiness.  Just knowing that He is in my corner every single second of the day encourages me to get up, brush myself off, look up and give thanks, and put one foot in front of the other. 

Will you join Jesus in His rescue mission?  I encourage you to at least think about it if you are not saved.  Jesus took the nails for all of us; He took that crown of thorns while pouring His love out to us.  He wants to have a relationship with YOU!!  YES YOU!!  He takes us just the way we are...broken and bruised with exposed scars of life. 

Something I want to suggest to the ones reading this that aren't widows or widowers.  If you know a widow or widower please check on them during the holiday season.  This time of year isn't joyful for some.  I can tell you that it's nice when people just drop a line to make sure we have stuff going on during this time of year.  It can mean so much to anyone that is hurting. 

Lord, thank You for Your rescue mission. Thank you for coming to us in human form and delivering us from our sins.  The greatest gift of all is Your grace that You poured out for me on Calvary.  Please bless everyone that is reading this and for all my family and friends.  I pray that those of us that have a hard time with this beautiful Christmas season can find joy.  In Your precious name I pray. Amen!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sisterhood of Widows S.O.W.  Psalm 126:5-6  Please share on your Facebook so that others can see my blogs and maybe help them through their grief.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I can't believe it's time for another Thanksgiving holiday.  I can tell you it feels like this year has flown by.  I guess it's true what they say, the older you get the faster time flies!!

Today marks four years and four months since Kirk passed away.  This will be our fifth Thanksgiving without him.  As I sit here enjoying the smell of freshly baked pies and bread, it's just another reminder of another holiday without him.  He always enjoyed my pumpkin bread and pies that I make every year.  I wish I would have told him every day how thankful I was for him.  It's too late to tell him so I have decided on this Thanksgiving Eve to tell every one that I love and care for just how much I love and appreciate them.

I am so thankful for all my family and friends that were there for me and Emily during our darkest hours.  There are no words to describe how thankful we are for your love, support, and prayers that we have received over the past four years.  There were days I didn't think I was going to make it one more second and then I would get a simple text that would say, "I love you".  It's amazing how those three simple one syllable words can fill your heart with love and encouragement.  I am so thankful and grateful for each and every one of you!! Your love, support, compassion, and most importantly your prayers mean more than you will ever know!!

I am so thankful for Emily.  She inspires me to continue on and to enjoy life to the fullest.  She inherited the best qualities of me and Kirk.  She is an amazing young lady that is so vibrant and compassionate.  I am so thankful that Kirk and I were able to experience being parents.  God truly blessed us when we sure didn't deserve it.  I am grateful for the nine years that we got to share raising a beautiful little girl.  I am thankful God blessed me with a man like Kirk and we were blessed as parents.

Most of all, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Without Jesus, I wouldn't have all the other blessings.  Without His love for me, I wouldn't be able to love so many people that have touched my life.  God blessed us with the greatest gift of all, Jesus.  In 2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV we read, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"  That Gift is Jesus.  I am so thankful that Jesus came down to earth as a human man and sacrificed His life for us.  There is no better blessing than the grace and love He showed us when He was nailed to that cross.  His blood covers us, covers our sins so that we can be  reconciled with our Heavenly Father when our time on Earth is complete.  If you believe that Jesus is your Savior, then death is not the end for you. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NIV tells us, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  I am so incredibly thankful for Jesus!!  Jesus is the reason I get up every morning and face another day as a widow and single mother.  Jesus is the reason I write to all of you.  I just want to spread the word about how wonderful and beautiful Jesus is to me.  Without Him, I don't know how far I would be in this journey that was unexpected and unwanted.

I know it's hard to be thankful in your darkest hours.  I have been there and know that deep heart pain.  I just ask that you take a minute and count a couple of your blessings that you are thankful for.  I promise that once you count one or two, tomorrow you might be able to add a couple more.  Day by day the counting and praising will get easier.  We find in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Lord I pray that anyone reading this and is having a hard time this holiday will just cry out to you for comfort and healing. Lord I pray that they will find someone or something to be thankful for and they will start to count their blessings.  Lord I know there are so many hurting this Thanksgiving and I pray that you cover them in Your love and grace and surround them with loving and compassionate people that will reach out and love on them.  Thank you Lord for loving and blessing me even when I don't deserve it.  In Your Precious Name..Amen!!

Incredible Group of Women

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. Proverbs 27:9 NLT

A year ago, I had the privilege and pleasure to meet all of these incredible women.  We came together as strangers from all over the country, and a couple from outside of the United States.  We arrived on Friday not knowing what the weekend would bring.  We came from all backgrounds, but one thing we had in common: we are all widows.  We tearfully left on Sunday, all united as sisters in widowhood.  It was such an amazing experience and a hug blessing to me. 

One thing I have realized on this journey is that you must connect with others that are like you.  This path was not meant to walk alone.  Before I found A Widow's Might, I felt just like that, ALONE!!  Once I connected with the writers and then decided to head out to Myrtle Beach to meet women that were in the same situation as me, I felt part of a sisterhood.  I felt like I found others who got me and know exactly my thoughts and emotions.  I was so glad that I decided to attend this conference and Jesus was with us the entire time.  From the moment I decided to go until my plane touched down in Indianapolis, I felt His presence throughout this experience. 

Finding a group of people that are experiencing or have experienced your similar situation is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  From finding one friend, or a grief group, or connecting online, there are ways to find people that will help you, and you can help in return.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." 

Have you found yourself alone and feel like there is no one that understands your circumstance?  We are not meant to tackle this journey alone. There are others that would love to listen and help you. I am available to help anyone that feels alone and just needs someone to listen. What I have found so comforting is that the Greatest Counselor is just a whisper away.  He will listen and answer your cries.  Isaiah 9:6 NIV "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Just call out to Jesus and let Him know and hear your heart.  He hears you and will answer you.  I asked Him a couple of days ago to send me a friend that will counsel me on a couple of issues and sure enough, He heard me. He didn't only send me one, He sent me several.  God is Good!!  He is just a whisper away!!

Lord Father, I pray that my family and friends that are hurting will just whisper Your name and have faith that You will deliver, because You will Lord.  You are the Wonderful Counselor that is always there when we cry out to You.  Lord thank you so much for all the precious sisters that I met last year and continue to communicate through social media.  They are so special Lord.  In Your Precious Name I pray.  Amen!!