By Sarah Christy

I am someone who knows grief and desires to live in the light. I am a writer and a close friend of God who prompts me to Keep Going.

I have always enjoyed words and stories and have used journaling as a way of processing my life.

My husband of 58 years died in June. He had Alzheimer’s; I cared for him as he slowly faded away. When we had his services, I wanted to tell the story of this good man who had lived life well––I believe I did.

In addition to writing a good story, I wanted to speak without wavering and without tears. I did. I was proud of myself.

The punchline comes next…relieved to have accomplished my goal, I turned quickly…unaware of a step down and crashed to the ground. My friend said you were there, then you weren’t; everyone gasped. I waved my hand, yelling, “I’m OK.” I got up and carefully walked to my seat. This is what grief does to us, one minute you are strong and feeling together, and the next you are lying on the ground needing to get back up on this journey of life. The challenge of getting up and continuing to live life fully is often hard.

While my Christian faith has supported me throughout my life, my husband’s diagnosis caused me to spend several years mad at God. I struggled to pray, read the Bible, or engage with others as part of the Christian community. I told God that I was a good person, I had already suffered the deaths of two sons, and I didn’t deserve to watch my husband die of this awful disease.

I didn’t get a direct answer from God, nor any life-changing insight. I did receive the strength to continue to go forward. I often sat looking at the sky, reminding myself of God’s love that I couldn’t feel. At bedtime, I would take out my little dog. While waiting, I developed the habit of gazing at the sky, standing alone, and feeling the fresh air on my skin. I felt comfort. This little ritual helped my soul. While I gazed at the moon, I hadn’t thought much about it. Now the ongoing changes fascinated me: a reminder of God’s omnipresent world.

I have continued to stand alone, looking at the night sky. Thankful for this big, beautiful world and knowing God is with me. I began sharing pictures of the sky, hoping to encourage others. Walking a grief journey is hard, and often we struggle to see anything good. Mr. Rogers told the children to look for the helpers around them. In grief, we need to look around for all the little things that can help us keep going.

https://www.keepgoingbysarah.net/

Her book is available on Amazon. Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Going-Story-Resilience-Faith/dp/1982216026

‘‘Grateful Yet Grieving’’

FREE ebook by Pam Luschei | Click HERE To Download

By Tracie Lobstein

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.”
(Romans 15:13 NIV)

In Mark 5:25-34, we read the story of a woman filled with hope—a hope for healing. She had experienced a medical life event 12 years prior and had been hemorrhaging ever since. We didn’t get to see the level of vibrancy she had before the bleeding began. But her condition would have left her in a physically weak state, shaped her lifestyle, and placed limits on her. With no home remedy to heal herself, she put her hope in others and went broke.

Like the hemorrhaging woman, many women experience a sudden life event that brings about unwelcome change. For me, it was when I found myself alone. I didn’t have a physical ailment challenging me, but every day revolved around how I would face the daunting alone time each evening. I had never lived alone before and had always come home to someone to tend to, serve, and communicate with—to a relationship.

My struggle was emotional. It doesn’t seem to compare to the hemorrhaging woman’s condition, but out of hope, I, too, began reaching to others. She reached out to doctors because of a medical need. That made sense. I reached out to friends, hoping to find a substitute for the relationship I lacked. At the time, that made sense, too.

The expenses I incurred by constantly meeting friends for dinner, movies, and entertainment forced me to stop my pursuit. Being broke, the hemorrhaging woman’s pursuit also came to a stop. Still alone in despair, she heard Jesus was nearby. Fueled by the hope of being whole, she moved into action again. But this time, in a different direction. She put forth all her strength to reach through the force of a crowd to touch Jesus’s clothes. At the end of her reach was the Spirit.

I, too, shifted the direction of my reach from active friendships to Jesus. My friendships remained valuable and didn’t cease, but I no longer put my hope in them. My hope was in the Lord, and my relationship with Him began to flourish.

Hope moves us forward, keeps us connected, strengthens our weariness, and opens the door for God’s power. The God of hope has the power to provide the experience we yearn for—the desire to be whole after being broken.

Pause and consider the direction in which you extend your reach.