Vulnerability and Truth
September 11, 2022 — Laura House
Grief makes a person vulnerable. The desperation that a parent feels after losing a child is overwhelming, and we struggle to think logically. In the immediate aftermath of the death, we would give anything to have one last conversation, one last hug, and the visible assurance that they are okay. And therein lies a problem; grieving parents are vulnerable to believing the lies of new-age thinking that is so prevalent in our world, and antithetical to God’s promises.
If you’ve lost a child and searched for help online, then you’ve seen what I’m referring to. Scores of people claiming the ability to “hear” from your child and pass that message on to you; promises that you’ll be able to communicate directly with your child; teachings in interpreting signs, like a butterfly or feather floating in the air, and directions for interpreting your dreams. There are so many deceitful promises dangled before grieving parents who are desperately missing their children.
Scrolling through my Facebook feed tonight, I saw a new conference for bereaved parents that I had not heard of before. The title sounded perfect and the quote on Facebook from one of the speakers looked excellent. I excitedly hoped that this conference would be different from the others that we had found; that the conference would direct grieving parents to find comfort and encouragement from the Lord. But after downloading the session schedule and reading the titles, my heart sank. Not another one.
The other two large conferences that I have seen online each year since Nathan died, offer what appears to be some very good sessions on loss, but also have a few breakout sessions to “help parents communicate with their children in the afterlife” or to “interpret signs and dreams.” It breaks my heart to think of hurting, vulnerable parents attending these sessions and believing these empty lies, and missing the true and lasting comfort that comes from God alone.
But at the new conference that I found tonight, nearly every session reflects these lies. Likely the speakers and leaders are compassionate people who have lost children themselves, but they are grieving without the hope of Jesus and the clearly delineated truths of Scripture regarding the passing of our children.
Here are a few of the session titles:
Communicating with Your Child; Enriching Mediumship Moments; Awaken to Spirit Meditation Workshop; How Mediumship Works; Facilitated After Death Communication; Divine Guidance From Beings of Light & the Afterlife; Guided Connections; The Afterlife & Continued Connections; Shared Crossings with Our Beloved Children; Recognizing the Signs & Synchronicities the Kids Send; Sacred Numerology; Learning to Trust the Signs, The Healing Power of Interdimensional Communication; Medium Gallery Readings.
Even after these conferences are over, the information remains online for parents to find, to read workshop descriptions, and to locate the speakers to follow their podcasts and read their books that make false promises to desperate parents, when what they need is to find a way to trust Jesus during the darkest days of their lives.
If you are a believer, then hopefully you recognize the truth. Our true comfort and source of strength is found wholly in trusting God. His Word is full of the help that we need and the Holy Spirit is with us, comforting us and carrying us through each step that we can’t take on our own. We can cry out to Him and know that He hears and is holding us.
The Bible is clear that turning to mediums and divination is wrong. Our children are with Him, and what is conjured up by a medium is not our child, and is not from God.
One focus of Our Hearts Are Home for the remainder of this year and throughout 2023 is to create online content that will easily be found by bereaved parents when they are searching the Internet. There are several facets to this plan, and one of those is to hold an in-person conference for grieving parents. The information for this National Conference for Bereaved Parents will remain online permanently afterward, where parents will find information directing them to a variety of ministries and resources that will provide truth, and challenge them to trust Jesus through this journey of grief.
Here is a sneak peek at some of the sessions already planned.
Ten Truths About Child Loss: Finding Hope in the Midst of Grief
The Truth About Suffering: The Path to Trusting God
Fighting the Battle: Discerning Truth
Where Do We Go From Here?
Honoring Our Children: A Memorial Service
Mini-Gatherings: Parents Meet in Groups According to Loss
Variety of Breakout Sessions
Everything we do at Our Hearts Are Home, whether in person or online, is free for parents to attend. However, by necessity, this National Conference is a bit different, as there will be a minimal cost for lodging and meals. We can accommodate up to two hundred parents. There are also immediate costs with reserving the facility, etc. and we are hoping there will be people who would like to help with these needs. If you’d like to make a tax-deductible gift, you can do that here.
If you are a grieving parent, keep your focus on the truths in God’s Word. Trust Jesus for your comfort, and remember that He created your child and loves them more than you can even imagine.
If you have not lost a child but know a grieving parent, try to recognize the vulnerability and grief they are experiencing. Encourage them through your words and actions. Let them know about communities of grieving parents who are trusting Jesus in their grief, like ourheartsarehome.org and whilewerewaiting.org. Pray for them. Send cards, texts, or flowers. If you have a photo of their child or a memory that you can share, that is gold.
Truth is not really hard to recognize when we stick close to Jesus. Recognize your vulnerability, and stay close to Him.
