Endurance: The Encourager Magazine

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Encourager: Growing Through Grief

Articles

Growing Through Grief

When cancer invades our lives, we need to learn how to face and grieve our losses. I'm not referring only to the loss of life that some cancer patients and their families face. I am referring to the whole gamut of losses-the loss of financial security, the loss of leisure time, the loss of dignity, the loss of career, the loss of relationships-the list could go on and on.

Loss is an inevitable part of life with cancer, and the grieving process-as difficult and painful as it is-is the... (continued)

The Truth About Grief

Grief is a bit like the elephant in the living room that no one will talk about. We'll tiptoe around it, politely look the other way, act as if nothing is amiss, but none of that changes the fact that it's there, that it's big, and that we don't know what to do with it.

Yet the Bible is very clear that grieving is part of life. The book of Ecclesiastes, which speaks to the meaning of life says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Yes, it ... (continued)

From the Outside Looking In - Accepting a Friend's Grief

Grief is perhaps the most deeply personal and mystifying of all human emotions. Some of us seem to express our grief easily, while others struggle intensely to express it at all. Sometimes grief manifests itself as an explosion, but at other times it is nearly invisible-tucked away, safely hidden from view. Grief can appear out of nowhere and, like an unwelcome guest, linger on center stage-prompting feelings of uneasiness and discomfort. And for the person on the outside looking in, the per... (continued)

Grief Denied - You Can Run But You Cannot Hide

We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

"Jan, don't cry, you know your mother is in heaven. The Bible tells us that we don't grieve as people who have no hope. Come on Jan, you need to uphold your Christian witness."

Despite the overwhelming losses I experienced during the years surrounding Dave's cancer battle, these were my marching orders, given to me by well-intenti... (continued)

The Beauty of Tears

A good cry is not a sign of weakness or frailty, but can be more satisfying than a candy bar, less expensive than a counseling session and-get this-may lengthen your life and strengthen your character.

Consider the facts about tears, the body's feel-good pill, as reported by Dr. William Frey, author of Crying: The Mystery of Tears:

- Tears carry hormones from the brain that release calming endorphins and flush toxins from the bloodstream.

- The immediate resu... (continued)

Embracing the Pain - A Transforming Journey Into Grief

A terrible accident on a lonely road in Idaho killed three members of Gerald Sittser's family. He shares his journey through the overwhelming grief that followed in his book, "A Grace Disguised."

Darkness descended on me shortly after the accident, on the day of internment. I chose to bury my mother Grace, my wife Lynda, and my daughter Diana Jane together. That morning I visited the funeral home and stared in disbelief at three open coffins before me. At that moment I fel... (continued)

The Sob Story in Numbers

The Sob Story in Numbers

- Babies wail about 2.5 hours a day.

- Girls and boys age 12 and younger both cry about 4 times a month.

- Adult women cry about 5.3 times a month.

- Adult men weep about 1.4 times a month.

- Most emotional tears stem from interpersonal/relational matters.

- Women are more likely to cry when angry.

- Anger inhibits crying in men.

- Only 6% of women say they never cry.

- 45% of men say the... (continued)

The Face of Hope

Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you wil rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. A Promise of Jesus, John 16:22

This wonderful promise that Jesus made to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion reveals the ultimate hope of every Christian believer: our grief does not last forever. No matter how great our sadness today, there is a joy ahead that cannot be denied. I had the privilege for a moment in time to literally see the difference... (continued)

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