27 results for tag: Megan

Better Than Laughter?

"Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad." Ecclesiastes 7:3 READ: The world tells us that laughter is the best medicine. But this worldly point of view is incomplete according to what God teaches us through His Word. While a joyful heart is indeed good medicine (Proverbs 17:22), Ecclesiastes 7:3 also teaches us that, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.” Many believe it was King Solomon who penned this book after earnestly praying for godly wisdom. Many of Solomon’s teachings, found in Ecclesiastes, turn worldly thinking on its head. How is ...

Rest in the Lord

Paul reminds us in his letter to the church in Thessalonica that we do "not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). But what exactly does that mean? In this series, we explore what it looks like to honor God in our grief and examine the ways we can choose to grieve with hope. The word “rest” for grieving moms can be such a hard one to hear. If you are deep in trenches of sorrow, rest can seem unattainable. You lay down to rest, but you can’t shut down your brain, and you find yourself spinning the reels of every moment with your precious little one. The nights last forever, and you might wonder ...

Wrestle Humbly

Paul reminds us in his letter to the church in Thessalonica that we do "not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). But what exactly does that mean? In this series, we explore what it looks like to honor God in our grief and examine the ways we can choose to grieve with hope. Two pink lines appear and instantly your world changes forever. You begin dreaming of this new life, the precious tiny clothes, the new laughter, and the joy that will fill your home. Your heart swells with love for this child. In an instant your world is brighter.  But then, in another instant your world becomes dark. ...

I Wish You Knew: Don’t Stay Away

Often in our grief, those closest to us do not know how to comfort and encourage us. Sometimes they stay away or don’t say anything at all because they are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. In this series, we hope to better equip those around us to come alongside a grieving mother—to enter their hurt and offer hope and encouragement, or simply grieve with them. As a bereaved mother, I often times had no clue what I wanted or needed from my friends and family. As I reflect on the past few years I can now recognize things that people did that were incredibly meaningful, and things that I wish people had known. One of the best ...

A Garden of Hope

I am an artist and I love to garden, so it should come as no surprise that I’m constantly finding inspiration in the outdoors. God blessed me with the ability to find beauty in the seemingly mundane. Every sunset, every flower, every texture and color is a source to pull from and a reminder of how complex, and beautifully awesome our Heavenly Father is. I feel that every season has its own unique beauty, but over the last three years, Spring has taken on a deeper significance. Perhaps it has something to do with my son’s birthday landing in the middle of it, or maybe it’s because the celebration of Easter has a more profound meaning for me now. ...

Fulfilled in God’s Purposes

After months of doctor appointments, countless ultrasounds, and many tests, we could no longer deny my son’s diagnosis. It seemed his life would be short, and the doctors didn’t offer much hope for his situation to change. I knew my God was bigger than any doctor or chromosome issue. I prayed like I had never prayed before. I begged God to spare my son. He had already taken several of my babies home to heaven, and I wanted Him to grant me this one request. Late one night, when I awoke from a dream, I sensed God telling me in the silent darkness that He had other plans for my sweet boy—he would not be healed on this side of heaven. My heart was ...

The Comfort of God’s Counsel

I remember that night like it was yesterday. I was seven months pregnant with our second boy and we had been praying constantly for a miracle. Each appointment provided further evidence supporting his diagnosis, but we continued to pray for God to intervene. That night began like so many nights before. I prayed once again for God to spare my son’s life and drifted off to sleep. This night, however, I had a vivid dream about Thatcher and his death. I awoke sweating and screaming, one of those guttural screams that only comes with deep anguish. In that moment I heard Satan whispering that it was okay to hate God, but I refused. I sat there in the ...

Discussions in Grief: Loneliness

Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.  It was late at night and everyone had grown tired from the anticipation and excitement of the Passover celebration. They trudged on as their Teacher led them to the grove of olive trees called Gesthsemane. His heart was filled with anguish and sorrow as He considered all that was about to take place. ...

Discussions in Grief: Timeline

Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.  Imagine setting out on a road trip all alone without a map. There is a destination, but it isn’t clear where. There are deep canyons, detours, and road blocks along the way, but without a map or GPS the route will be dangerous, time-consuming, and there is no way of knowing when you will arrive. ...

Discussions in Grief: Tears

Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.  Tears are a natural part of the grieving process. They are an outward expression of internal pain, anxiety, sadness, stress and frustration. They can come on suddenly while making a meal, talking to friends, or sitting alone in the stillness of night. For me, it came on when I was driving down the road ...