When Grief Is Also Trauma
I keep a snow globe in my mind for every grieving person I have ever sat with. Early on, the snow never settles. The globe stays shaken, whiteout conditions, and…
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The Grief That Comes After Betrayal
Nobody died. That’s what makes this grief so lonely. There’s no funeral, no casseroles on the porch, no card in the mail. Just you, mourning something the people around you…
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Boundaries With Grief
Grief needs boundaries too. That may sound strange, because grief already feels so heavy. But when you are grieving, your heart is tender, your energy runs short, your body moves…
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Hope Can Begin in a Broken Place
Hope does not always begin in a bright, easy place. Sometimes hope begins in the broken place. It begins after the loss, after the tears, after the disappointment, after the…
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The Grief of Being Strong for Too Long
Being strong can become its own kind of grief. At first, strength may be necessary. You do what has to be done. You make the calls. You handle the crisis….
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My New Book Is Now Available: Nobody Told Me: The Honest Truth About Grief
Today’s post feels like the right place to share something deeply personal. My new book, Nobody Told Me: The Honest Truth About Grief, is now available on Amazon. This book…
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When Grief Changes Your Faith
Grief can change the way you pray. It can change the way you read Scripture. It can change the way you worship, trust, hope, and understand God’s nearness. Loss can…
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When Grief Makes You Feel Like a Different Person
There is a strange part of grief that people do not always talk about. It is not just that you miss someone. It is not just that you cry, or…
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The Grief of Missing Who You Used to Be
Grief is not always about missing another person. Sometimes grief is about missing yourself. You may miss who you were before the loss. Before the illness. Before the betrayal. Before…
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When Memories Hurt and Heal at the Same Time
Memories can be complicated after loss. A memory can make you smile and ache in the same breath. It can bring warmth to your heart and tears to your eyes….
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Finding Balance and Purpose: Moving Forward After Loss
For widows and widowers who are past the earliest shock, life after loss can feel like a daily tug-of-war between sorrow and the first flickers of possibility. Grief still arrives…
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When Grief Feels Heavy Before You Even Understand Why
Sometimes grief arrives before you have words for it.
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The Loneliness Grief Leaves Behind
Grief can make a room full of people feel empty. You may have people around you. You may have family, friends, coworkers, church members, or acquaintances who care. You may…
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When Grief Makes You Tired
Grief is exhausting. Not just emotionally. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually. Grief can make your body feel heavy. It can make your thoughts foggy. It can make decisions feel impossible. Grief can…
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The Grief No One Sees
Not all grief is obvious. Some grief does not come with a funeral, a casserole, a sympathy card, or people checking in. Grief happens quietly inside a person who is…
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When Grief Feels Heavier in the Morning
There is something about morning grief that can feel especially cruel. Before the day has even started, before your feet touch the floor, before you have had coffee or answered…
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When Grief Changes the Shape of Your Days
Grief does not only show up at funerals, anniversaries, holidays, or in the moments when everyone expects you to cry. Sometimes grief shows up in the ordinary. It shows up…
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Learning to Live With Loss Without Losing Yourself
Grief Changes You There is no honest way around that. Loss can change how you see the world, how safe you feel, how you trust, how you love, how you…
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The Quiet Grief of Life Changing
Not All Grief Comes From One Big Loss Not all grief comes from one big loss. Sometimes grief comes from life slowly changing. Children grow up. Parents age. Friendships shift….
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When Grief Comes in Waves
Grief Does Not Move in a Straight Line Grief does not follow a straight line. It comes in waves. Some days, the water feels calm. You breathe easier. You laugh…