| First comes Grief ~ Oh, please tell me Lord, how I can go on? My soul has been crushed into fine silt, sifting through the mangled pieces of my broken heart as it departs from me. What morsel of strength is left inside this empty shell? How can life go on? How can I dream that I will ever feel, breathe, or smile again? Am I lost forever in this tunnel of anguish, destined to wander aimlessly with no hope of escaping this wretched pain in my soul? "Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; My eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief." ~Psalm 31:9 Then comes Hope ~ Life is so full of wonder. Each spirit so unique. Into each and every heart springs joy, hope, faith, trust, and elation with events that happen throughout a lifetime. A wondrous birth. A child's wedding. A faithful love. Anniversaries. Grandchildren. Different measures of each for different folks, based on our own individual circumstances. That's what makes us so unique. What draws us together into a bond of "sameness" is that at some point, the strength of our hearts are tested with despair, grief and dark, painful agony. For no matter how our lives begin, or whose life happens to touch ours during a lifetime, at some point, every one of us will have to face a death of someone very dear to us. Our souls cry out in pain when a loved one is wrenched from our life. Here one day. Gone the next. We sit with empty hearts and empty hands and tears wash down our face, shocked by the finality of it. Death is a part of life. No one is immune to the pain of losing a loved one. Whether it be a mother or father, a brother, sister or friend, a neighbor, co-worker or an old faithful pet. The void is there. The pain and shock are there. The anger. The despair. We are left behind, struggling to find our way on this huge planet, once death has struck in our homes and in our hearts. The mystery is complicated by the fact that the sun still comes up in the morning whether we want it to or not. The birds still sing. The clock still chimes at every hour on the hour. The pages of the calendar still flip by one by one, albeit maybe slower than before. But the old saying still holds true: "Life DOES go on." How long will the pain last? That depends. How long will you continue to love them? You will always love them and cherish their memories, so no, the pain will never completely go away. But it will fade in time to a tolerable level. One day peace will be restored to your soul. The poems, essays and miscellany within these pages were written from the bottom of my heart, and from my spirit to yours. It's my prayer that they will bring hope to those who are in despair, courage to those feeling the intense vulnerability that comes with grief, and faith to those wandering without direction or purpose. There is STILL meaning and purpose to your life. Joy WILL come again. May God bless you and bring you Peace. ~ Ferna |
|
|
 |
| A Christian Grief Ministry |
Good Grief! There IS Life After Death |
 |
 |
 |