For The Grieving Soul

Today is my mother’s 58th birthday.  Never in my wildest dream would I imagine her not being here.  It is a daily struggle becasue sometimes the waves of grief can be so strong you can seem to be drowning.  She departed this earthly life on April 12, 2013.  Although my heart is broken I know she is running around heaven celebrating her birthday in her glorified body.  Just the other day I was devastated thinking I had let her down because in my mind she died in the nursing home and that is something she said she didn’t want to happen.  God sent my friend Jennifer to comfort me and she told me, “Mariette, your mom did not die in the nursing home although her body was there.  Jesus himself came down and got your mother and she left this earth in his arms.”  That gave me so much comfort because I know my mother had a relationship with Jesus so I know where she is and I know I will see her again.

Sometimes the waves of grief and pain are so great it seems to just take your breath away.  But God let me know when I was crying out to him that he is my breath.  He is the very air you breathe. Isaiah 43:1-3 says“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.   Now it is our natural instinct to try to avoid or stay ahead of the waves not knowing that that this is the very place you encounter God and experience His presence. It is in those waters, rivers and fire that you experience God’s provision, love, protection and all that He is and desires to be for us.

Right now as I try to navigate through this process by faith I have handing over the steering wheel to my Heavenly Father.  This is by far is the hardest thing I have ever had to endure.  It is a step by step, day by day and sometimes minute by minute process.  I can honestly say that without God, I could not make it not even one day. As God leads me I will be sharing with you all that God gives me regarding this grieving process.