“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” — John 16:20 NIV The things that excite this world are not the same as what inspires a follower of Jesus Christ. The world may celebrate immorality, knowingly promote a lie, and applaud when truth is … Continue reading →
Sitting with families who are hearing the bad news of a loved one’s death was a nearly daily occurrence for me when I worked as a hospital chaplain at a trauma center. The way people respond to a physician’s death notification varies so greatly that I began to wonder why and if there is something to be learned about such … Continue reading →
There are three things that I hear as a chaplain from people who are counting down the days of their lives. I’ve heard these things as both a hospital chaplain and as a hospice chaplain. These patients have the same common denominator and that is that they are dying and they know it. Here are the three things that I … Continue reading →
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and university professor at the Stanford School of Medicine who offers YouTube videos and podcasts on the neuroscience behind human wellness. Not long ago I listened to a two-hour explanation by him on the neuroscience behind why we grieve after a loss of a loved one. I found it to be absolutely fascinating and thought … Continue reading →
I’ve written several posts on various aspects of grief and I have written on the value of using Scripture in pastoral care ministry and visitation. So here I simply want to share some passages from the Bible that can be helpful to encourage those in grief. You can also find other verses at the Topical Verse Finder‘s page on Grief. … Continue reading →
Most of us have heard it said, “When it’s your turn to go, it’s your turn to go” or “When your number comes up, there’s nothing you can do about it” or “We all have an appointed time to go.” I think there is a lot of truth to these statements because I’ve seen otherwise perfectly healthy people not respond … Continue reading →
Somewhere on social media I saw a quote that expressed the idea that grief is an ocean. I don’t know where I saw it, who said it or how it was originally said, but I remember it being put like this: Grief is like the ocean, you can’t stop it, you can only learn to swim in it. That’s a … Continue reading →
There is a popular adage that goes, “Time heals all things.” While there is some truth to that, it doesn’t mean that healing from our loss will automatically occur with the passage of time. It may be more accurate to say, “Time helps the healing of all things.” I believe it was Billy Graham who once said, “It’s not time … Continue reading →
I want to address the issue of children in grief and how adults can best help them cope and process their feelings through their journey of grief. So here I am going to share 8 tips or principles and insights to consider when you are in a role of guiding a child through their grief. Know that grieving is unique … Continue reading →