Hope On The Road Less Traveled
As we drove away from what felt like the millionth doctor’s appointment for our son, the new prescriptions and prospective treatments felt more like a set up for disappointment than a prospect of future hope. We had lived in this space for twelve years, ever since the realization that our son’s challenges were far beyond… Continue reading Frozen in Grief – the Pain of Ambiguous Loss
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. (Job 1 v 20-22) When loss comes, grief is often not far behind. Though the shock of pain or the adrenalin of the survival instinct may make us appear strong for a time, grief—“the inward desolation that… Continue reading Grief is Not a Sign of Unbelief – Walking Through Loss in Marriage
"Put your trust in the Lord." Psalm 4:5 Lord, there is so much to fear as sickness and chaos loom all around us. Earthly security is as stable as the shifting winds, and the unknowns that lie ahead are unsettling at best and paralyzing at their worst. We know all things are under your control.… Continue reading A Prayer For Anxious Times
As we suddenly find ourselves isolated, battling worry and fear, and watching our lives come to a jarring halt, it's easy for fear, despair, and a sense of hopelessness to seep into our shrinking walls of isolation. Do we pretend that we don't feel these conflicting emotions as believers because "we know that we can… Continue reading Three Things to Remember in the Disorienting Days Ahead
It’s been eight weeks since I went in for my fifth ankle surgery, uncertain of whether it would restore my ability to walk. As I remain couchbound, waiting to see what walking ability I will be left with, I’ve been wrestling with doubts and fears over all the seemingly impossible circumstances that God continues to… Continue reading Each Day Is More Impossible – Hope on the Long Road of Suffering
Recently we drove past our old house for the first time since downsizing. Immediately, our four children began rehearsing memories, noting every part of the house that they missed. Once again, they struggled to understand why we had to give it all up. As hard as I tried to respond with confidence that it was… Continue reading What If God Takes It All Away? Trusting Him Through Financial Struggles
“Why did God make me this way? I’ve asked him to change me every day, but he never does. My life is hopeless — there’s no point to trying anymore.” My child curled up in a heap on the floor and sobbed. I sat down next to him, empty of words and fighting my own… Continue reading The Waves of Grief Will Give Way
[Update - this is reposted from two years ago, as the reminders are helpful to me again. While, by God's kindness, we have an income once again, I now find myself unable to walk this Christmas due to an increasing ankle defect. These lessons often need to be re-learned, whatever the specific trials may be.]… Continue reading When Christmas is a Fresh Reminder of What You’ve Lost
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.’ The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’” Job 1:20-22 When loss comes, grief… Continue reading Grief is Not a Sign of Unbelief
My dear friend sat across from me at our kitchen table. Despite the sun illuminating the room, a heaviness had settled upon both of us. Though our stories differed, similar threads wove our hearts together — threads of grief, loss, waiting, and hope in something beyond our pain. Only eight months prior, we shared in… Continue reading When Suffering Falls on Our Children (and Parenting)
