to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praiseinstead of a spirit of despair – Isaiah 6:2, 3, NIV When I read this scripture verse, I think of this other verse, “And… Read More Beauty For Ashes
Weeks had passed since he went to that quiet, peaceful place where he met her. Why hadn’t he gone there? Why had he stayed away even though he wanted to be there? Why was he avoiding her? What was he afraid of? Of feeling again? Of living again? Of moving on? Why should he be… Read More Not A Chance Meeting
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted – Psalm 25:16, NASB At some point in our lives, we may have experienced loneliness. I experienced after losing both my parents and my son within months of each other in 2019. Although I had loved ones and friends who sent… Read More Loneliness
He was going to miss coming here to this spot where he spent hours reflecting, praying and enjoying his surroundings. Hopefully, there will be places of solitude in Cotonou where he could spend time alone with God and nature. He had been a pastor since he was twenty-five and now he was fifty. People were… Read More Hank’s Last Day in Portland
Someone had left a newspaper clipping on the floor outside of his office. Father Kiesler picked it up and read the newspaper article on Father Schmidt. It spoke of all he had done for the community and for St. Albertus Magnus, the co-ed boarding school where students were taught by both resident priests and nuns.… Read More A Curious Discovery
Father Kiesler stood there watching as the church sanctuary quickly filled up. It seemed like the entire community was there to pay their respects to Father Schmidt who had suffered a heart attack a few days ago and died. It was Sister Augustin who found him slumped over his desk in the office. She had… Read More A Fitting Farewell
As Countess Adriana stood beside the coffin of Jean-Louis Marquis, the french lieutenant, the crestfallen curvature of her body was a dead giveaway of the weight of her grief… Kate set aside the book when she realized that she had read that sentence more than once. She just couldn’t concentrate. Her mind was on Sally.… Read More The Green-Eyed Monster
“Which is worse?” Annie asked Not being able to have children or having a child and then losing that child to an illness or to some tragedy?” “I think not being able to have children is worse,” Robyn replied. Annie stared at her. “So, you would rather have a child and go through the pain… Read More Which is Worse?
Imelda was a cold and calculating woman. Everyone pitied her husband, Henry who was a quiet and unassuming man. So, when he suddenly took ill and died shortly after they married and Imelda put on a grand histrionic display of grief at his funeral, mourners became very suspicious. 48 Words This was written for… Read More The Grieving Widow
When you’re comforting someone, do you say, “I know how you feel”? I recently realized that a person really doesn’t know how another person feels when my sister told me of the sad story of a mother whose two sons were among the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 which crashed and burned in… Read More It’s Not the Same
Notes to Women 