Beauty from Ashes!!

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.

Beauty from Ashes!!

One of my favorite fall activities is a good bonfire.  I love sitting around a good fire and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  Sometimes at our bigger parties Kirk would get out his guitar and would serenade us with all types of music.  Since he has been gone, I haven't had the heart to do a big bonfire party.  I did purchase a small fire bowl and we have had small fires for birthday parties and small gatherings.  I love sitting out and watching the embers fly up toward a beautiful starry sky while bundled up watching the flicker of orange. 

Then comes the morning after; the ash and remnants of the firewood. What was once a beautiful glow of warmth is now a dark gray pile of ash and muck.  Doesn't this sound like the journey that we find ourselves on today?  What was once a warm glow of our lives with our husbands now feels like a heap of ash, gray and scattered.  How do you begin to clean up such a mess?  Where do you begin to sweep up the dust of the life you had?  I began with having faith and trust that Jesus would pick me up out of that nasty heap and clean me up and set me on my path of healing. 

We read in Isaiah 61:1-3,"The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."  Jesus is right there with us in our mourning and is wanting to bring beauty out of the ashes that we find ourselves. 

One day at church during our music worship, they sang a song that brought tears to my eyes immediately.  I had never heard this song but after I left church I bought it.  The song is called Beautiful Things and it's by Gungor.  If you have not heard this song, I strongly encourage you to read the lyrics and listen to the song.  Here is a sample of the lyrics.

All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust

Sisters, He does make beautiful things out of the dust and ash.  He is in the process of making my life and yours into a garden that will glorify Him.  Do you believe this?  Do you trust Him to do this for you?  I sure hope you do!!

This song goes on and says:

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You!!

I love this song because it describes so many of our lives!!  Not only for us widows, but for all the broken people we all know.  No matter what situation you find yourself in right here and right now, life can be find in Him!! 

Lord I pray for beautiful gardens to spring out of all our ashes.  The path is long for us Lord and dust covers us but there is a beautiful garden waiting for us that You have personalized for each of us. Lord I pray that we each have the patience and trust to follow that path to our gardens.  Thank You Lord Jesus for those gardens of love.  In Your Precious Name I pray..Amen!!

Changes

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.

Changes? Ughh...

Have you said this to yourself?  Since I have been a widow, I have said this a lot.  I have never been a fan of changes and I have found the older I get the worse I feel.  Widowhood throws you in a world of constant changes.  Everything from daily routines, jobs, friends, school, finances, and sometimes our church/spiritual life.  Oh and one more thing about this, all of these changes happen all at once.  When a loved one leaves us, their loss is felt in every aspect of our lives.  For some of us, this will affect our health and sleep patterns. 

If you lost your beloved over a period of time, then you probably experienced changes several times a day.  You had to "go with the flow" on a day to day basis.  This will still not help with that final big change of the passing of your loved one.  With me, Kirk passed suddenly in an accident.  Our changes were chaotic and unexpected.  Either way, life isn't or will never be the same for any of us.  We must learn to not only roll with the changes, we have to LIVE with them as well. 

However, we can always count on our Heavenly Father because He never changes.  His love for us will remain the same throughout eternity.  James 1:17 NIV says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows."  Whenever you get overwhelmed about all the changes you are experiencing, just take a step back, breathe, and whisper Jesus.  Jesus will never change, He is always right there waiting for you.  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 NIV

As we go along on this path, we must allow ourselves to believe that not all changes are bad.  Some changes are for our good, and are God willed.  These changes will maybe even give us joy and hope.  My heart song for all of you is to let the changes happen and surrender them to Jesus.  He will see all of us through the good and bad, the pretty and the ugly.  Changes that will bring us sorrow and joy will also flex our trust muscles.  He is there waiting to hear your heart.  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV tells us, "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  FUTURE!!!  Yes sisters, Jesus promises us hope AND a future!! 

Lord, please help me in accepting every change that comes my way on this path.  I pray that everyone reading this also can handle the many changes this journey takes.  Thank you for the promises of hope, a future, but most importantly You will always be there!!  In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen!!

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!!