Advice for a Better Tomorrow

 

When Father's Day Changes...

 Pancreatic cancer has taught us many lessons, not the least of which is how quickly our days can change... there is a fragile strength in accepting the uncertainty of our tomorrows.  And the richness of knowing how precious our todays are...

Last year I couldn't even post a Father's Day tribute.  Our loss was still too fresh.  Father's Day brought memories that were held captive by the isolation of a Covid-19 quarantine.  No arms to hold us, no gatherings to share stories, laughter and tears together... just memories that deafened. And hearts that ached.

Time softens the memories.  Hearts warm as stories from the past tickle our funny bone bringing easy smiles and deep joy.  Dad's legacy lives on in our little ones.  Their carefree celebrations tug us into our today.  Fishing from the banks of Brushy Creek, squealing with delight on the wild gator rides, and hugging necks, oh, so hard.

We are learning that honoring a Father can change with the seasons ...  And there is beauty in this season.  Dad would want nothing less than to see his family celebrate a day with steaks on the grill, laughter on our lips... and love in our hearts.

He is still so missed.  And that will never change, but he and mom taught us to live life well and that moves us through the grief into joy.  

And I know that not every one will find joy in this day.  You may be in a season of grief and loss that is just too fresh, too sharp.  Your story may not have room for forgiveness yet, hearts may be sorely tested and near broken.  There is pain in this life that words cannot free.  Only Love can do that. 

May you feel held close this day, for you are loved deeply no matter where you find yourself on this journey.  Praying that you will be encouraged with an eternal Hope in brighter tomorrows. 

My Love, Always,

Jane

Be the Tree, Not the Rock...

 

Healing Hurts

 One of the blessings of this journey is meeting amazing and inspiring people.

Linda Kennedy is one of those people!  She is a friend, an encourager, a fellow grief traveler and a gifted author.

I just finished her latest book, Healing Hurts, and have found myself holding the truths close long after the last page was read.

Linda shares her story with a raw and vulnerable honesty.  She knows pain and hurt.

She understands the heart that is grieving loss... as a teenager she experienced the loss of her father when he disappeared from their lives and sent her into years of self-harm.  Finally getting her life back together, she and her husband had 3 beautiful boys...

But grief seemed to be stalking their joy when they lost the smallest twin and then their oldest son just 5 months apart.  There is no agony that can compare to a mother's loss.

Linda understands the pain you are feeling.  And passionately calls us all to trust the God who walks right beside us and will use each moment of our pain to mold us, refine us, and give us power to hope.

In Healing Hurts she gently weaves stories of her life and struggles with the hard and the grief into the hope of a God who is carrying us through it all.  Stories from the Bible come alive as she shares how the trials these biblical saints endured shaped them, giving us a roadmap to follow when all seems lost...

The biblical accounts of Joseph and Job and Jonah mingle with modern day stories from Joni Erickson Tada, Grace Gonzalez and Sallie Saxon.

Each chapter examines suffering from a very human place of hurt and anguish... 

Why Me?
Has God Forgotten Me?
Raising Beauty from Ashes
Forgiveness Even When You Don't Deserve It
Get Better, Not Bitter

Linda leads us through a beautifully practical guide to living a life of hope in the midst of the hopelessness.  Questions at the end of each chapter help us to reflect and process the stories journeyed and how they relate to our own life and struggles.  She tenderly explores the many reasons God may allow us to experience such difficult trials, not the least of which is to draw us closer to Him and focus our eyes on eternity...

Even in the depths of brokenness, Linda's words become a gift to each one of us.  

Heartfelt and honest, Linda's encouragement will help change the way we look at our circumstances and help move us forward into the healing that awaits us all in the arms of Christ.

Thank you Linda for sharing your heart with such grace and hope.  It is a light when all seems dark. 

You are a Blessing today! 

The Keys to Strength and Courage