“Even in healing grief never fades.” The words above came from a friend of a friend who recently walked through a great loss. This has been a heavy week. I have run into grief from loss multiple times. Its something you never get used to as a pastor. I wish I had a cookie-cutter answer for grief and loss, but I just don’t. What I do know is grief is something that Jesus walked through many times and I imagine His Spirit walks through often when it comes to this world. The hard thing I learned about grief this week is its something that never fades in this world. I have learned that grief can be packaged in different ways, from laughter to tears, to anger, pain, and many other things. Grief can be accompanied even with joy. Grief can be so many things. In fact, at the beginning of the greatest message on the Mount Jesus talks about those who are in grief being blessed; not because they have grief, but even in grief they can be blessed. It doesn’t say you will be blessed and grief will just disappear. My wife Mindi has a way with words. Here is an invitation to the grief that she deals with from the loss of a mother even in the midst of joy.
mindileew
Grief is such an indescribable thing. Today the kids and I began our annual Christmas baking- a tradition passed down to me by my Mom. The recipe is in her handwriting and I love that. It brings me great joy and yet at the same time great sadness. Today the kids were asking me about her and the grief hit me. A lot of you, and my friends and family not on social media have experienced a great loss in this season and my heart hurts with you. If you ever want to cry, need a hug, or prayer please message me. Your not alone. #romans1215 #matthew5:4 #job511 #mournwiththosewhomourn
If you are a person who has grief there is a community of Hope not too far away of people willing to sit, hug, cry with you and pray with you, not fix you.
See you Sunday and come even if you don’t feel like it,
Michael