NEW BEGINNINGS: Life After LossSample

HOPE FOR THE POSSIBLE

Is it possible to experience life after loss? Have you ever experienced grief and wondered how on earth it could work together for good? Grief of a loved one... or a season... can be present in various forms. Regardless of the loss (person, position, thing), life can seem blurry amid the process. While writing this, I'm reminded of two situations where experiencing loss took me for a loop: Losing my voice of authority in my children's lives (when they left the nest and began making their own way) and losing my parents (the hardest of all). Although I knew those things were inevitable... I still underestimated my response when it happened in real time.

My parents' passing and becoming an empty nester happened around the same time. I have no words to describe the emptiness I felt daily. However, through the nuances of grieving, I unveiled some hidden aspects of myself. I truly understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by its harsh reality, but I want to encourage you that God will use what's left of our lives to fill the void that we once thought was not fillable. While loss can be excruciatingly painful, it also holds the potential to be a powerful teacher. If we allow ourselves to be open to its lessons, we unlock the door for something greater than ourselves to emerge from the ashes. Our heavenly Father promises never to leave or forsake us, which is a hope-reviving promise. We serve a merciful God, who is the source of comfort in every season of our lives. His Word says that as He comforts us, we can do the same for others. There is a message and a ministry within every season of loss.