No sooner than when sudden losses occur do we discover that life is a journey

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

We have good friends who prepared a year in advance for their climb to the top of half dome. They did this because they knew that their climb to the top would be made easier with such rigorous preparation. I remember watching these friends as they joined a local climbing club and going weekly to practice their skills. They did this with the understanding that their trip to half dome would be a much more enjoyable experience if they were prepared for the climb.

As much as we try to prepare for everything that life gives us I cannot find a life instructional manual that helps us to prepare for the sudden tragedies of life. There is no magic 'cure all' that will take away the pain that inflicts those who have endured life's unfair moments. There is no magic formula that will allow you to 'lift' the pain of your children who are traveling their own journey when the sudden tragedy occurs. There is no magic 'pill' to erase the mental images left behind by the tragedy There are no magic wands one can wave to restore the lost equilibrium of life. The magic of 'Disney' simply doesn't work in these circumstances.

In my own experience with sudden loss that turning to God was the only 'cure all' that help me navigate the peaks and valleys of my grief. God's instructional manual, other wise known as the bible, was the only source to help me on this journey.

The first Sunday after our loss when my son asked me if he could stay home from church because he didn't feel like going I looked directly at him with the right amount of inflection and reminded him that his mom didn't feel like going to church and I knew I didn't feel like going to church, but if we all stayed home we would neglect the opportunity of being blessed with a kind word of encouragement from our friends that day.

My son learned from that day that his faith was not based on 'feelings', .

Sudden losses  are troubling because there are no warning signs and nothing you can do can prepare for them. No amount of dialectical dialog with God to answer the 'Why's will bring relief to the loneliness and quiet suffering that comes with this loss.

Life is a journey. It requires us to place our faith and trust in a living Savior, Jesus Christ to help us get through the daily reminders of our loss. It requires us learn to put one foot in front of the other trusting our Savior that he knows what he is doing with our lives.

 It requires us to keep up with our daily biological requirements of water, eating healthy food, not the comfort foods that in the end make us feel worse, and keeping a daily record of our journey of feelings and reflections of things you might have read in your personal bible.It requires us to find a good Christian book store for encouraging books to help you on your journey.It requires you to discover good artists of Christian songs and listen to Christian radio.

Life is a journey that requires that you find good listeners who are willing to sit in the muck an mire of your grief. As this journey continues God will bring those to you who you will later find had travel similar journeys of loss. You may hear stories from fellow friends at Church who now are free to share their own inner pain; whereas, before your loss you never would have guess that their pain ever existed.

Life is a journey.  As you lean into your Savior walking behind him things will get better.  The words of Jesus are reminders that He will never let you down.

So go ahead and prepare for this journey by getting your bible, your personal journal and learn to listen to the living Savior who promises to never leave you or forsake you. Things will get better at a timetable that is as unique to you.

When tragedy strikes there is always hope

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a]and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

It is amazing how despite the presence of so many television shows glorify death, but when death personally touches our lives we are at a loss as to how to handle it.

 It seems we have this idea that death is something that happens to other people, but never us.  We live in this world of make believe of Disney characters, redundant happy songs bouncing in our heads with this perpetual smile on or faces. 

 We take trips to Disney and all of the other copy cat theme parks in hopes that the happiness they give to us remains in us; yet, all it takes is a phone call at an hour we least expect it to take those happy feelings away. We understand intellectually what death means, but when the real thing happens we try to bury it with busyness and Disney movies.

 I remember from my own grief journey reading how there are so many ways that a person can die. Life, it seems, is uncertain, unpredictable, fragile and surprisingly short. At some point in our time line all of our lives will end,but that isn't the end. Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross followed by his resurrection and his ascension, life for us continues when the natural course of our lives on earth is completed

All it takes is a simple decision to say

"yes Lord"

and invite your Savior

to come into your life.

When Jesus took his final breath and exclaimed "it is finished" he provided a passage way to heaven, one gold plated brick at at time. When he died he not only escorted your loved one home but he made a promise to walk with each of us through the fiery furnace of grief.

Jesus is only a prayer call away

All you have to do is call him

out of the pain of your grief, call him

through the tear filled eyes, call him
though your body visibly shakes,

call him

In this video presented by Billy Graham you will meet several people who know grief first hand and through their pain you will experience their losses and you will experience how the loving Savior came beside each of them to help them heal from this pain.

As you watch this video ask Jesus to come along side you. Jesus wants to come into your life and be your guide on this journey. Death does not have to be the end. It can be your defining moment in this life where greater things, yet to be shown, will come.  The amazing thing about grief and sorrow that as you draw nearer to your Lord and Savior you will have the beautiful fragrance of Christ that will draw others near  to hear the gift of eternal life!

When catastrophic events occur that takes our loved one we must remind ourselves that life is still worth living

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3

How often when we lose a loved one we ask God to allow us to switch places with them? How often do we bury ourselves in restless sleep thinking our sleep will draw us nearer to our loved one? How often do we stop living when a loved one dies?  Whatever it was that claimed your loved one you must tell yourself that life is worth living.

Life is worth living for the fatherless girl on your street who needs to see that your faith really is relevant and that there is a loving father in heaven who loves and died for her and your faith may be worth claiming when life without a father seems so painful.

Life is worth living for the teenager on your  block struggling from the fresh wounds of watching his best friend  killed in a car accident.  The way you handle your sudden loss and watching your faith become like perfume might be the thing that helps him recover from his friends death and gives him a reason to keep living.

Life is worth living to the burned out business man who after the loss of his wife and  catastrophic losses to his 401k account while asking himself, "is this it" and watching you transverse through your own grievous journey with 'the hope of Christ' just may be the thing that keeps him from drowning in alcohol and eventual death.

Life is worth living to the family who lost a child and hearing about your faith through this painful time just may be enough help them recover from their own pain and give them a new life purpose.

Life is worth living to the co-worker who is reeling from  multiple catastrophic deaths, but no faith to see those events through just may be helped as he senses the 'unseen' things in your life which are helping you  heal  may prevent him from pulling the trigger to escape his own personal tyranny.

Life is worth living to your newly laid off neighbor feeling the effects of helplessness and purposelessness and it may be the conversations he has with you that helps him find new meaning for his life.

Life is worth living to the Somalia family down the street feeling the effects of post traumatic effects of their home land and it may be the conversations he has with your that convinces them that Jesus Christ is very real and worth claiming for their own lives. 

In the aftermath of grief and loss there are so many 'what if' scenarios we can bring up, but regardless of what caused your loved one to die we must convince ourselves that for everyone we come in contact with from this day forth we must stand and be willing to tell them that it is possible to recover from grief pf any kind and  because of how Jesus personally walked with you on your journey they too can find a reason to keep living

Life, is in deed worth living!