A Release from Remembering
November arrives and as the holidays come within reach, I feel a near physical ache. Holidays have a built in nostalgia—have you ever noticed that? Reflection is inherent in the joy of a holiday celebration.
We look back on the year and remember its highs and lows; we take pictures to capture our family and friends as they are right now, so we can remember in years to come. We reflect and remember, and for grievers there is an inescapable wondering that happens at the holidays. We remember what we have lost. What would she have wanted for Christmas this year? How big ...
To Gaze on the Christ-Child
One silent night, over 2,000 years ago, God came to the earth as a baby. Immanuel. God with us. A baby who came to live so he could die, and would die so we could live.
This is the hope of Christmas.
This is the hope of Christ.
But when your heart is broken and bleeding and the sting of commercial holiday cheer intensifies it all, that hope may not bring much comfort. Not because the Christ-child is not enough, but because we push what is offered away.
The lights glisten on the tree. The stockings hang over the fire. Familiar tunes are sung about joy and being ...
In the Word: Mighty God
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different names of God found in Scripture, and how these different aspects of who He is offer us hope in the midst of our grief. As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us!
“And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty ...
What to do When Your Friend Loses a Baby
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.
This past summer I was experiencing the most intense and sudden pain I've ever had. After an hour where I was just trying to bear it, Nate overruled and we went to the ER. After all night in the ...
Light in the Darkness
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shown.”
Isaiah 9:2
Does it feel as though God is silent or distant? Does it seem like the Christmas season only reminds you of the ache in your heart for the ones you wished were with you? Do you wonder if God will breathe life into the broken places of your heart, or if there will ever be a day where it won’t feel so dark?
You are not alone in those questions, fears, and silent cries for God to not feel so silent. In fact, for 400 years the ...
Stand Firm: 2024 Retreat
Losing a child is something most consider unimaginable, yet it’s our reality every morning when we open our eyes. This suffering and grief can tempt us to not trust God. It can be hard to believe His character is still good. We can wonder if He is keeping His promises to see and care for us. We may even doubt that He wants to and will protect us. We have a lot of questions. Questions that may never be answered this side of Heaven; and I pray that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to believe what God says about Himself, because the devil loves to use the things we’ve ...
I Wish You Knew: What Really Helps
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.
“Let me know if you need anything, I’d love to help.”
It’s the phrase I heard most often after I lost my first two daughters. A well meaning statement, but a difficult one to know how to ...
Grieving With A Grateful Heart
All of the pumpkin spice lattes in the world couldn't warm me that first November. It wasn't just the air that was cold, it was my heart. When my son went Home just two months earlier it was as if a part of me had died with him. And there I was, surrounded by family and what seemed like hundreds of platters of food, and fear instilled in me as we gathered around the table.
Before dinner, it was customary to say grace followed by each member of the family saying one thing they were thankful for. But this year—this year, I was struggling under the weight of my grief ...
In the Word: Wonderful Counselor
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different names of God found in Scripture, and how these different aspects of who He is offer us hope in the midst of our grief. As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us!
“And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselo...
