Eight Ways to Improve Your Church “Care Plan”

Loss is hard. Although everyone handles grief differently, I’m convinced that nobody handles it easily. One of the ways that Christ comforts His children is through His body –the church. Romans 12:15 reminds us to “weep with those who weep.” After all, that’s what Jesus did. When His friend Lazarus died, He wept with Mary and Martha …

Seven Years Later

Seven years ago today, my wife passed away. Early in the morning of November 2, 2008, the doctor informed me that after approximately twelve hours of surgeries, there was nothing more the medical personnel could do to save Jill’s life. The day before, on November 1, Jill and I were traveling with our three month …

Be Careful How You Console

I experienced the greatest pain of my life in the loss of my wife. I have mourned and I have grieved. At times, I continue to mourn and grieve. Loss is not something you “get over.” Instead, you must learn to live with it. Of course, the most intense time of struggle occurs in the weeks …

Caught in the Middle

Everyone experiences loss at some time in life -from the second grader whose classmate didn’t return to school after suddenly contracting spinal meningitis, to the elderly man whose life-time neighbor dies of natural causes. In between, is a difficult range of scenarios including parents left grieving in the delivery room, children left standing by the …