And in the middle of being thankful, the most important fact that we’ll be grateful for is that this separation is completely temporary. We know how this story ends! One day, in the not-so-distant future, we won’t have to miss him anymore.

May it be said of us that when trouble, heartache, and suffering came to us that we “prayed earnestly to the Lord” and trusted Him. Then we will see that God will be faithful to those He created and loves — you and me.

Music has a way of touching our hearts, doesn’t it? When we are walking the journey of grief because of the loss of someone dear, music can be a gift, bringing comfort, hope, and peace.

If you are a bereaved parent, then I’m guessing that nearly every day something in your life spurs a memory of your sweet child. Last week, a winter storm dropped several inches of snow, to our usually mild-weathered state of Virginia. The breathtaking view out my window took my mind back to previous years.

If you’re not a bereaved parent but have a friend who has lost a child, you might wonder how you can be a comfort and blessing to them. Honestly, it’s not the “big” things that really help the most, it’s the little things. (This post includes a downloadable booklet.)

In today’s post, we want to veer from the usual blog topics to take a few moments to share with you about all that is happening with Our Hearts Are Home. We also want to present three ways that you can become involved if you would like: help us spread the word, partner in prayer, and/or help support the ministry financially. 

Have you experienced earth-shattering, beyond belief storms yet in your life? If not, you will. The longer you live, the more you will experience these times of hardship, heartache, illness, pain, death, and overwhelming grief. The storms of earthly life unleash with great fury.

After losing a child, how do you deal with the memories like these that are so vividly recorded in your brain? If you are new to this journey, then every picture, every memory, every reminder may bring waves of grief and tears. But I want to encourage you that there will be a day when those remembrances no longer cause such a painful response.

The fear I’ve experienced is not from the Lord, and I’ve come to believe that it’s the opposite of trusting Him. You see, of the more than five hundred times that the Bible discusses fear, the instructions to us over and over are to NOT fear.

I missed you today. Not that I don’t miss you every day, because I do. But today, it was especially strong.

Which side of the aisle are you on today? Regardless of where you sit, I assure you that Jesus is there with you. Cry out to Him when you are grieving and troubled and you’ll find comfort that surpasses what you’ve ever known before.

Virginia’s spring this year reminds me of the fluctuating emotions of grief, especially in the first year or two, where you experience a back and forth roller-coaster ride between feeling like you can survive the moment, to despondency and despair.

When the storms of earthly life rage against me and you, and they will, let us keep our hands confidently placed in our Lord’s. We are safe; we are protected; we are His. “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Are you a bereaved mom? Then you already know that every day is a day that you miss your sweet child, but Mother’s Day, and perhaps the anticipation of Mother’s Day, can be even harder.

I recently found several pictures of us playing games and recalled the closeness those times created. Lots of laughter…lots of intimacy. From the beginning of time, God’s design included close relationships within a family.

Two weeks from now we’ll gather online for our first Our Hearts Are Home conference, and we hope you might join us there. If you are a bereaved parent or someone who would like to better understand how to minister to a grieving friend, come share this time with us.

What would the Church look like if each of us demonstrated simple active kindness to someone every day? Let’s see!

Knowing that God is in control of the world and the future, brings me comfort. It remains to be seen what 2021 will bring. But whatever is ahead of us will come as no surprise to Him.