Thank you all for you loving support and encouragement with my last post. I prayed and cried on the way home from work yesterday and started thinking about this project and just doing it as much as I can, when I can, unless something else comes my way. I even woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep and tossed and turned for quite awhile, praying and trusting God to work out even this mundane part of my life.
I’m still able to do things, I’m slower and not as strong as I once was, but I can still do quite a lot, so I’m not going to give up. I’ve just hit a discouraging snag, but God is my strength and with Him by my side I can do quite a lot yet.
This is all still pretty new and raw for me. Some may think ‘oh you should be getting on with it’, well I am, but a widow’s life gets turned topsy-turvy and she just has to go with what is dealt her each and every day. We are not all created the same, we are different personalities and deal with things uniquely to ourselves.
I visit different widows websites, by widows. They all inspire and encourage me on my journey. Earlier this week I got notification of this post A Prayer for All Widows by Ferree Hardy. I asked her permission to post it here, as it touched my heart and she kindly gave it. May it help you who as you pray for widows you know or come in contact with in the future.
Besides her blog, she has also written a book for widows that was a blessing in my life. The book is: “Postcards from the Widows’ Path—gleaning hope and purpose from the Book of Ruth”.
Here is the prayer.
A Prayer for All Widows
Dear God,
When I bring widows to you in prayer, I know that you hold them close to your heart and are intimately acquainted with all their ways. Would you please help them to know and experience that truth, too? Help each widow to know that you have numbered her days. Death comes as no surprise to you. You knew she would be widowed---and you also know this is not the end of her story. Help her to see that too.
Fill her with hope and help her look forward to the day when she will once again see the good work you began in her. Help her believe that you will faithfully complete her and the work you are doing in her life. It's not over yet.
I pray that her love will rise from the ashes of loss and begin to abound more and more in knowledge, spiritual depth and insight. That she'll be able to discern what is best. In the midst of this sad and confusing time keep her pure and blameless. Fill her with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior. May she grow in you to the glory and praise of God. May she truly live with passion and purpose, showing the world that to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Show her your kindness and rest, Lord. Open fields of opportunity for her. Surprise her with your joy, peace, mercy, generous provision and lavish grace.
May she stand on tiptoe to watch for your work in her life and eagerly look forward to the day of your return. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
In Your name, for Your sake, and by Your Word,
Amen
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Love and hugs to all of you ~ FlowerLady
11 comments:
As best I can,I am reaching out to you with a simple hug as we cry together. God is good and He alone will see us THROUGH this.Don't push yourself beyond what is good for you.The work will eventually get done.Having said that,I still have times where it all seems so overwhelming.Let's just keep on trusting God to work
This makes me cry. I cannot imagine living one day without George ---yet I may be faced with that someday. HOPE NOT --but who knows...
I think you have done GREAT Lorraine.. You have done much much better than many others.. God Bless You --and keep you in the palm of his hand.
Hugs,
Betsy
I have a friend who has been widowed for almost 2 years now, and there are still stretches of time that are really hard. Any crisis, whether family, financial, or any holiday - all are events she has to muster the courage to get through. She is lucky to have a big family and a lot of friends nearby so she has a big support system, but no one person or group can make up for the loss. I'm sure you know what I mean. I'd love to share that poem with her. She is a lot like you, you both amaze me with your determination to carry on, when at times I'm sure you both don't want to.
[hug]
Hope you get some restful sleep. Be well.
Lorraine, I feel positive that something will happen, and the back 40, will be sorted for you. Tears and prayers, share with us, comfort from unseen friends is part of our blog lives, and words can mean so much when written with love, care, and thoughtfulness. The comments on your " Bag and Ugly" show this to be so very true.
Little by little, it will last for another day when you have strength to tackle a small part. Lovely words from Ferree, and we do not know when we will read them for ourselves. Fondest greetings, Jean.
Hi Rainey... I'm just popping in as I try to catch up on some of my blog reading... I hope you are having a good summer... you "back 40" is lovely, but I totally understand about it getting out of hand... there is only so much we can do and have time for, so I understand your dilemma! My garden has been complete weeds, and I am trying to get a handle on it this summer! Wishing you well. Cheers~
Good Monday morning, Lorraine. Just dropping by to wish you a good week, a hug and another rung up the ladder.
What a beautiful, beautiful, prayer she wrote! You are so right too when you say that each one is an individual and will deal with THEIR grief, in THEIR way. I suppose sometimes through this journey there will be days when all we see is the clouds, and then other days, the sun. Thankful we can always remember though that the sun is behind those clouds...always.
Sending you a huge Hug! Hang in there. Time makes it easier and it is a major adjustment. We understand and love you. :) Kit
Today is another day and I pray that you are feeling a bit more at peace...
Hugs,
Skeeter
There is no such thing as getting on with it, moving on or getting over - each thing you think, every memory you hold, they tell a story - they are the story, and they are your life. I think sometimes people forget that even when we aren't dealing with massive grief we still have good days and bad days, happy day days and days that just aren't...
Each day, you are where you are - there is no timetable. Grief keeps memory fresh and memories can be a comfort and it all turns round and round...
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