Everything widows want to know about living as a spiritual being.
Ruth is a book about not one widow, but three, and the different roads they took. Think of how desperate they must have felt in this ancient male dominant culture. They had to think that “fate” was against them. Actually Naomi says that, “the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” (Ruth 1:13)
You’ve got to be kidding me. Those may have been your words. When people remind you the Bible says: “In everything give thanks…” (I Thessalonians 5:18), you may have wondered how in the world can I be thankful for losing my husband? It goes against our thinking. It isn’t natural. It seems even cruel. Knowing
I was thinking, what was the one thing widows needed the most. I don’t know what you would think of when you broach that subject. But, I came up with kindness. As I pondered this more, this is also what I think the world needs sorely. The world is in need of kindness. Bombings, shootings, bullying, vandalism,
We can’t live without hope. It’s essential. It’s the air we breathe. It’s what keeps us going. In Paul’s first letter to the people of Thessalonica, he encouraged them ~ don’t have sorrow like those who have no hope. (4:13) The point was we will have sorrow, but we can live with them with hope.
The small book of Ruth buried in the Old Testament is a treasure when a widow finds it. It is a book, however small (it’s only 4 chapters), bout 3 widows. I first studied this book with 2 other widows. Carolyn James wrote a book on this (The Gospel of Ruth), and she led us
During my work with thousands of people I discovered a hiding place. Yes I did. This hiding place is situated right outside of the life we must leave behind after loss. We go there thinking it’s the new life. We go there to wait, wait to feel better. After all… you have been told that time is
Did you know the Hebrew word for widow (almanah) comes from the root word alem, which means “unable to speak.” (from Carolyn James’ book, The Gospel of Ruth, page 62) Isn’t that the way you feel? Like someone hit the mute button. Or, you are unable to articulate how you feel or what you are
“When will the pain stop?” Every time I am asked this question, it always saddens me to say, “It won’t.” I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but it is true. The pain never ends, but life does go on. You learn to live with the pain, you learn to manage the loss you feel. You
I discovered something unexpected in my years of helping others. Something you might not like to hear. I must say it took me a while to see this. Primarily because it is hard to believe. So here it goes. The people who I could never help, the people who stayed in grief, sorrow and loss were the people who
The great writer Oswald Chambers said (in My Utmost for His Highest): “The life of faith is not a life of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting.” Soren Kierkegaard said, “Faith is holding onto uncertainties with passionate conviction.” Dan Allender in his book The Healing Path, said: “Faith is the