Recently, I had the honor of spending time with some of the strongest people I’ve ever met- US Military Widows. The event was the American Widow Project Getaway in the Great Smoky Mountains.
As I heard stories about the womens’ hero husbands, I was reminded of the unthinkable sacrifice military families make every day.
One theme from our time together was finding ways to get unstuck through a dark season after loss.
Here are a few ideas from the AWP event that might help you or someone you know who is missing someone they love:
1) Memories, funny stories and photos of the person I’m missing are pure gold. If you have one to share, please send it to me!
2) Say their name. Hearing the name of my loved one is music to my ears; and a sweet reminder of the difference they made in your life, too.
3) I might need to drop off the social media grid for a while, but please keep calling and texting me.
4) If an anniversary, birthday or other difficult day is coming up, please let my family know you’re thinking about us.
5) It’s OK to always miss someone we love! Remember: closure is for bank accounts. Not love accounts!
And, here are three resources we discussed during our time together:
* Esther Fleece’s brilliant new book, No More Faking Fine. Esther’s gripping story gives you permission not only to be honest when your heart’s been broken, but also to cry out to God in your deepest times of pain.
*An outstanding organization committed to serving military families, veterans and their spouses, (creatively named!) WhenLifeSucks.org. Their PTSD Survival School is excellent, and free of charge to veterans and military spouses.
* A free resource for grief support groups: the Grief Survivor 6 Week Group Study Guide.
Thank you, ladies for showing me what true courage looks like. May your darkness one day be turned to dancing.
God’s peace, my friends.
