Suffering is hard but it won’t last forever. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NIV

One of the greatest challenges I faced this side of child loss was finding a space where I could speak honestly and openly about my feelings toward God and about my faith. So many times I was shut down at the point of transparency by someone shooting off a Bible verse or hymn chorus or just a chipper, “God’s in control!” They had NO IDEA how believing that (and I do!) God is in control was both comforting and utterly devastating at the very same time.

I no longer feel betrayed.   I still don’t like this life. I would never have chosen this life.   But I will trust the One Who made me to carry me through it.

We enter this world when we leave our mother’s womb. That is the beginning. But our lives never end.  We are eternal beings, created in the image of God, destined to spend forever with Him-IF we receive the gift of redemption made possible by the blood of Christ Jesus.

One of the most devastating questions I had to face after Dominic ran ahead to heaven was, “What difference does prayer make?”   I had prayed-diligently prayed-for every one of my children since before they were born. Even Dominic’s name, which means “belonging to God” was chosen carefully to reflect my heart’s desire that this child follow hard after Jesus. So why didn’t prayer “work”?  Why did my son die in an accident when others live?

When my heart was shattered, my hope hanging on by a thread, the Spirit of God brought truth to mind and gave me the strength to hold on.

God is for us. REALLY for us. So who can be against us? No one.

All those things that are outside the perfect will of God-the pain, the heartache-aren’t outside His power of redemption.

The glory to come must be some kind of wonderful it if makes the pain of child loss so small there’s no comparison. Will I trust Him?

A pastor friend says, “Your misery is your ministry.” I think he’s right.

Join me for a month of exploring what the Bible says about grief. It's a great way to begin a new year & to feed hope to your heart.

Christ came for the broken.  It’s the broken and breathless who long for the Spirit to blow life across their wounded hearts.

God's existence, and His character does not depend on my understanding.  To be frank, a God I comprehend wouldn’t be much of a God at all.

When I swallow my doubts instead of speaking them all I do is poison my own heart. Lament is a biblical response to deep pain.

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains." ~C.S. Lewis