grieving

When you’re so tired that you can’t see “it”…

/ bethanyfranceblog / 7 Comments

When was the last time you were exhausted? The tired body, the overactive mind, the stress or anxiety behind it all…for some of us it’s far too often. Whether it’s everyday life, grief or a particular battle we are facing, it can be overwhelming. Our minds can get clouded by the clutter and we need a sign of relief.

I have a friend who has been actively caring for her husband for years. He has had major health battles that they have won but the battle continues and they need a miracle. She selflessly works to improve and prolong his health.  She has a great faith in God and is a warrior for the truth.  She is amazing and, yet, she is also tired. She won’t give up, and yet, she needs some rest and some hope. 

She posted a photo on social media the other day of one of her houseplants. Instead of the green leaf and stems standing tall, they were collectively drooping to one side and resting on the edge of the pot. They were still beautifully created but they were tired. They needed some major tender loving care to be able to stand again.  She posted the unfiltered photo below with a comment of, “When your plant reflects how you are doing…”

Used by permission – courtesy of DT

What she didn’t see initially, I saw immediately. In the photo there is clearly a rainbow covering the pot and plant. A rainbow, the sign of God’s promise to his people. If you believe in God, you are his people. Yes, love, you may be tired, you may need rest, you may feel like it’s going to be really hard to stand again. But God is covering you in His promises – whether you can see it right now or not.  We see it, we know it and we feel it. We’re not insisting that you need to see it but we want to promise you it’s there. Share your fears, worries and troubles with your friends and the Lord. There is power in prayer – and God hears us.  Tomorrow may be another hard day – maybe the next one will be, too. But God’s with you and he won’t desert you – even when you’re tired and can’t see signs of hope.  He will bring others near you to care for you. Friends, please say a prayer for “D” and the many others that need rest and hope today. 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. (Psalm 62:5 NIV)

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A miniseries you won’t want to miss…

/ bethanyfranceblog / 4 Comments

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(Photo credit toolakeacreage dot com)

Recently, I’ve known of three people close to me or friends of mine, that have passed away suddenly and unexpectedly….all three were in their 40’s or early 50’s. Way too young. Who are you thinking of that passed away too soon?

We all know life is “short.” But most of us assume we will live into our 80’s or longer. When we know of people that seem to be healthy and alive one day and gone the next, we are left shocked, confused, scared, and dumbfounded. It just feels wrong. We are sad for the loss of that person, sad for the spouse or family and friends that are left to live with this void. But we also think of ourselves, our spouse, our friends and family…could it happen to me? To us? To my friend? To my sibling?  We hope and pray not.

I’m working on a large project that isn’t quite ready yet, so I’m going to be doing a BLOG mini-series in the meantime, that I really hope readers will find helpful.  It’s coming soon! I don’t want you to miss it. I promise you will be able to put the lessons learned into practice, albeit in unfortunate situations. But you could be the blessing to someone that desperately needs it. 

That is, I believe, what we are called to do. Whatever life experience you have, whatever your passion….share it with others. Whatever you’ve lived through, the tough situation, the devastating loss, the growing pains….why not help someone else going through it so they might experience a little less pain?

If you haven’t gone through anything really hard…yet…well, then, Hallelujah!  You are probably young. 🙂   Because as wonderful as life is, you will face trials, and possibly a tragedy here and there. (Let’s hope those are few and far between).

I recently saw a post (author unknown) that said, “Be the person you needed when you were younger.”  This.

I have to say, I was lucky in that when I suffered the loss of my husband, I did have many good friends around me, some that had experienced the death of a spouse. But I still want to be the person that I needed back then. I want to support, help, educate and inspire others to be there for someone else who is grieving.

For the next several blog posts, I will be tackling some of the important issues surrounding grief – specifically the sudden death of a loved one….though even people that experience an “expected” death (illness, old age/natural causes) can, hopefully, relate to or be inspired by the readings as well.

Thank you for reading this. It tells me that you care. Maybe you can relate to grieving a sudden loss, and don’t want to feel alone in what you’ve gone through. Or maybe you’ve seen others go through a sudden loss and you want to know how you can truly help someone who is grieving. This world needs you! Thank you for caring. Stay tuned.