Listening
In the spring of 2022, my world was shattered when my husband of 32 years died unexpectedly of cancer. The messages on this page are lifted from times of listening to God. They have helped me to heal in my grief journey. If you’re going through grief or other hardship, I hope these posts comfort you as you consider God’s kindness and love.
God’s Presence in Life’s Dark Moments
Look for the joy in the thunderstorm and the colors in the dry desert. Look for song in barren trees and for life under a cold boulder. I am found in the hidden places. Tune your eyes to see my hand in places you don’t expect. Be alert to my presence because I am...
When You’re Too Tired to Go On
Can you see me? Can you hear my heartbeat? Can you feel the thundering of my coming?I am sending an army to you, an army of renewal and newness.You are tired, my love, carrying a heavy burden of tasks.Please let me assist you.Others are coming to serve you, and you...
When Grief Feels Like a Swamp: God’s Ever-Present Help
Sometimes you march confidently on my smooth path. Sometimes you tiptoe through the tangled weeds. You let yourself get distracted and your toe hits a rock you didn’t expect. Try this instead: recognize your fatigue and frustration. Rest when you’re tired. But even on...
Grief’s Harsh Notes
God's Sweet Melody About a year after my husband, Matt, died, memories of his hospitalization flooded my mind one morning. I wrote to God: "Lord, today I feel the heaviness of grief and loss. Tears prickle my eyes. Please help me. I’m not even sure what to ask for,...
You Do Not Walk Alone
As you walk forward, feel the smooth path beneath your feet. Smell the fragrance of new grass. Taste the dewy air that settles around you like a warm hug. Listen to the songs, the birds, and crickets and shuffling of small animals in the grass. You do not walk alone....
A Day in God’s Embrace
Plan a day to walk in my sunshine. The days lengthen, and the sun sends warmth. Winter’s snow is gone and buds pop in bright colors. Today, the air wraps around you like a tender embrace. Walk in the sunshine and sing our songs together. Sing of love and mercy and...
Finding Purpose in Small Moments: A Sparrow’s Lesson
My child, you often think that your purpose fled when your loved one passed away. You assume new purpose must be grand to mirror what your loved one gave you. But … don’t my sparrows have a purpose? They sing with joy. They protect their young. They fly freely. Does...
Walking Through Grief’s Mist
The mist before you swirls and obscures your path. You can’t push it aside, but you can walk through it. This mist of grief hides the path which you’re on, but it thins as you take more steps. I have never left you, as I promised from the start. You never walk alone....
In-Between Day Offers Hope
Note: this post is a little different from the usual Listening Project posts because it’s from my perspective. But I think God directed these words and maybe they will give you hope in your grief. For Christians, today is often overlooked–the day after Jesus’...
Photographs by Kathy Brasby. More can be seen at this site.