Here are seven practical ways to minister to your grieving friends this Christmas.

It's normal that Dominic is less and less a part of his friends lives over time. But it still hurts...

Oh how I love you! Your brother’s untimely departure has opened my heart in a whole new way to the glory that is your presence.

So much of this battle has been fought in my mind. Really, even more than my heart. What I dwell on makes a difference.

I don't have to meet a timetable or get anyone's approval. It's my journey and baby steps count!

Parents look forward to marking milestones in their child's life. They never plan to have to mark the milestone of their death.

Since Dominic ran ahead to Heaven, I find I need even more alone time than before. But I take care that solitude doesn’t become isolation.

Marriage is hard work under the best of circumstances. Child loss makes it harder. But there are ways to create space and to extend grace.

I am learning to take anxious thoughts captive, learning to make them live in only a corner of my mind instead of taking it over completely.

Do I have any control over whether or not this burden gets lighter?

Shame tells us we are unworthy of love and belonging and that is simply a lie.

I and several other seasoned bereaved parents will share a bit about how to navigate this difficult time of year.

I’m learning to let go of offense. Not only because it is too heavy to carry in addition to my grief, but because the Lord commanded it.

When taking care of others means NOT taking care of myself, then in the end, I’m of no use to anyone

Child loss is hard. Child loss is not "curable" or "solvable" and it's not helpful to pretend it is.

Every time I fall and get back up I prove to my heart it's possible.

Child loss is lonely. But you don’t have to be alone. An isolated heart is especially vulnerable to discouragement and despair.

Truth is, unless I face my feelings, give my heart time to experience them and work toward processing them, I cannot even begin to heal.

I walked around like a giant nerve for the first weeks and months after Dominic left us. It didn’t take much for me to burst into tears.

Sleep is important. I can’t do the work grief requires if I go too long without it.