An Undivided Heart
Read: Psalm 86:8-13 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. (v. 11 NIV) When I dwell on this passage, I never fail to be enriched. It begins with praise. “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours” (v. 8 NIV). Our God is unique, who […]
Like a Tree
Read: Psalm 1 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water. (v. 3 NIV) For some years now, I have lived every day in the Psalms. I read regularly from the Old and New Testaments also, but the Psalms are my spiritual homeland. Along with millions of other believers, I find them always […]
The Hope of Your Story
Read: 1 Peter 3:8-17 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (v. 15 NIV) If I’m honest, I didn’t want my baby’s death to be a part of my story. I struggled with feelings of shame, disappointment, failure, and my first […]
Doubting Hope
Read: John 20:19-31 Unless I see . . . I will never believe. (v. 25) Have you ever felt like Thomas? Especially in my miscarriage grief, I resonated immensely with the disciple nicknamed “Doubting Thomas.” It can be hard to hope. For very logical reasons you might be afraid to hope for fear of being let down. The phrase […]
Grieving with Hope
Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. (v. 13) After my baby died, I spent months feeling hopeless. This felt especially challenging when I remembered that as a follower of Jesus, I did not have to grieve without hope. Hope was available even in my pain, yet […]
Jesus Felt Alone
Read: Mark 15:33-41 Why have you forsaken me? (v. 34) The prophet Isaiah’s characterization of Jesus as “a man of sorrows . . . acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3) is undeniable as the events of Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion unfolded after the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus experienced betrayal by his closest friends as he cried out to God in […]
Jesus Felt Betrayed
Read: Matthew 26:40-46 Could you not watch with me one hour? (v. 40) When I experienced my miscarriage, I was the first in my group of family or friends to wade through this unique type of grief. Pregnancy and infant loss give way to a grief that is commonly misunderstood, even by loved ones. Particularly in […]
What to Say (and not say) When Someone You Love Has a Miscarriage
Infant loss is a complex form of both loss and grief. It is also frequent, affecting 1 in 4 pregnancies. However, very few of us feel equipped with the “right words” to say when someone we love experiences miscarriage. Let me be the first to say—there will never be a response to miscarriage that feels […]
Jesus Felt Grief
Read: Isaiah 53:1-12 He was . . . acquainted with grief. (v. 3) Reflecting on Jesus’ sorrowful heart in the garden of Gethsemane may provide space for you to ponder the emotional experience of Jesus, perhaps for the first time. For years, I imagined Jesus as a happy, peace-loving hippie. This was reinforced by the positivity of the worship […]