Grief Support
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This page about grief is in memory of my friend Sheila D and my aunt Barbara B, who are with the angels looking down,
There will be days, and there will be moments
I’ll be outside, and the wind will be blowing
the sun will be bright, and the sky will be blue
and I’ll look to up to heaven, and I’ll be thinking of you.
For all you’ve taught me, for all the laughter you’ve given me,
I thankyou. You were a sister, you were a mother,
you were a friend who was true.
You were a hero too, because you brought me to a God,
and Christ who is true through your faith which was true.
SheiIa and Barbara, I love you, and as I look to the skies,
I will see the skies painted in a beautiful hue,
God helped you paint for us to see through to you.
Grief is not an enemy or a sign of weakness. It is a sign of being human. Grief is the cost of loving someone.When your heart is breaking, you can place your hope and trust in the Lord. "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD" (Psalm 31:24) . Grief's unexpected turns will throw you again and again. You may feel that for every step forward, you take at least one step back. The grieving process generally takes longer than you ever imagined. Please don't rush this process. Remember, what you are feeling is not only normal; it is necessary. The unpredictable timing and odd combinations of emotions that hit you during grief can leave you confused and despairing. Your emotions not only hit hard, but they can also occur at unexpected moments, which makes the impact seem even worse. Being aware of the unpredictable nature of your emotions will help you stand firm during each new barrage. God's promises in the Bible will also help you to persevere. In Matthew 5:4 Jesus promises comfort and a blessing for those who go through the process of grief and mourning: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
The Lord will carry you if you ask Him. When you are feeling so weak you cannot take another step, ask Him to lift you high into His loving arms. Then rest in Him with an open and listening heart. This does not mean your problems will disappear, but it does mean you will have Someone to share them with. "If you are someone who does not know Jesus Christ as your Savior and you have just been widowed or bereaved, you have a tremendous burden," says Elisabeth Elliot. "You are tired, and it is too big a burden to carry. The Lord says, 'Come to me, you who are tired and overburdened, and I will give you rest.'"
Grief affects everything you do. It can disrupt every aspect of your life in ways you might not expect. One reason grief disrupts so many aspects of your life is because your loss is not one isolated loss. You will miss so many qualities and facets of the person you lost that each will become an opportunity to experience grief. The range of things you need to grieve for may surprise you. Identify your losses and be prepared to grieve for each one. Your encourager, your entertainer, your source of delight, the one who always cheers you, your friend, your shoulder on which to cry, or the one who knows you well. Your list will go on and on. Say your losses out loud to God; speak until you run out of words to say. He knows your deepest needs, and He alone can provide. "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
It does get better; you will experience joy again. God is the source of your hope and joy. Believe these words of Jesus in John 16: "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy" (v. 20). Jesus continued: "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy" (vv. 21-22).
So joy will come again, just as the sun will rise again after the darkness of night to the dawn of a new day, it just takes faith and hope and belief….peace be with you this day and always…..
About Grief
https://www.youtube.com/embed/gsYL4PC0hyk
Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something that’s important to you. You may feel a variety of emotions, like sadness or loneliness. And you might experience it for a number of different reasons. Maybe a loved one died, a relationship ended, or you lost your job. Other life changes, like chronic illness or a move to a new home, can also lead to grief. PTSD survivors may experience grief as a result of a loss of security or identity.
The stages of grief are outlined below:
* Denial: When you first learn of a loss, it’s normal to think, “This isn’t happening.” You may feel shocked or numb. This is a temporary way to deal with the rush of overwhelming emotion. It’s a defense mechanism.
* Anger: As reality sets in, you’re faced with the pain of your loss. You may feel frustrated and helpless. These feelings later turn into anger. You might direct it toward other people, a higher power, or life in general. To be angry with a loved one who died and left you alone is natural, too.
*Bargaining: During this stage, you dwell on what you could’ve done to prevent the loss. Common thoughts are “If only…” and “What if…” You may also try to strike a deal with a higher power.
* Depression: Sadness sets in as you begin to understand the loss and its effect on your life. Signs of depression include crying, sleep issues, and a decreased appetite. You may feel overwhelmed, regretful, and lonely.
*Acceptance: In this final stage of grief, you accept the reality of your loss. It can’t be changed. Although you still feel sad, you’re able to start moving forward with your life.
Everyone grieves in a different way. There is no normal and expected period of time for grieving. It can take much longer when the death or loss is traumatic or unexpected. How long you grieve can depend on how much the loss meant to you and how prepared you were for the loss.
You may experience:
*Physical reactions, including being short of breath, being very tired, and feeling restless.
*Emotional reactions, including shock, fear, anxiety, guilt, and anger.
*Social reactions, including avoiding other people and overreacting to others.
*Spiritual reactions, including wondering why pain and suffering exist and why the loss happened to you.
You also may be confused and have a hard time making decisions. You may blame yourself or others for the loss.
During the grieving process, you can:
*Take care of your health.
*Let others help you.
*Exercise to release stress.
*Join a support group.
*Talk to a friend.
*Remember the loved one.
*Express how you feel.
*Rest.
Don't give yourself a timetable for getting over it. For some it takes longer than others.
Online grief support sites:
https://griefincommon.com/ Dealing with grief, death, online bereavement-grief support: loss of spouse, parent, child, infant, baby, son, daughter, mother, father, partner, husband, wife.
http://www.healthfulchat.org/bereavement-chat-room.html Bereavement and Grief Peer Support Community. Includes: bereavement and grief chat room, bereavement and grief forums, bereavement and grief social networking. Free online support group for bereavement and grief.
http://www.mygriefangels.org/ My Grief Angels ("MGA"), a 501 (c) (3) public charity, is an online grief support community of people coping with loss and helping each other by leveraging new technologies
http://www.griefhealing.com/discussion-group.htm About Grief Healing Discussion Groups. Experience teaches us that, when facing life-threatening health concerns or the gut-wrenching grief that accompanies significant loss, we respond well to the information, comfort and support available to us on the Internet, provided that it is valid and reliable.