Grief Comes Calling

by Ruben Daggett and Marzetta Neal


There are times in our lives when loss is so profound, so sudden, and so unexpected, that our tears are the only things that give voice to our pain.

I felt as if I had no voice-only deep pain and crying as my only release.

The death of my husband plunged me into a gray sea of emotions and I found myself standing with my heart in a thousand pieces before the creator of the universe asking, “How can I take the next step? How can I walk through this darkness? How can I survive this brokenness?”

Death, as we know it, is a natural part of life. We are born… we die. What we experience in between those two events is called life. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that there is a time to live and a time to die. We embrace the living part of life, but we are shattered and fragmented when someone we love dies.

I felt totally unprepared to deal with the death of my husband. It was so sudden! I did not expect it nor did I have anytime to prepare for it. But it happened! One moment I was kissing him and telling him to trust God to heal him. The next moment I was being told that his heart had stopped and all efforts to revive him had failed! Then, and only then did I learn what it means to lean on God!

I walked through the gray murky days of funeral preparation and burial with the love and support of family and friends. A little later, I began to write notes and journal my feelings. A true healing began. Something as simple as pen to paper began the healing process.

My tears gave voice to my pain and the writing was a healthy outlet that allowed me to hold tight to God and His promises; “that one day He will wipe every tear from my eyes.” There will be no more death, no more sorrow and no more crying. All of that has gone forever.” Rev 21:4. (The Recovery Bible; NLT)

I’ve come to know and understand that every person’s journey is unique and individual. No road map, no Map Quest! But, rest assured that God would guide you through one moment at a time.

So, I encourage you to grab hold of His promise that “ He will console those that mourn. He will give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. For He promises that those who mourn will be called mighty oaks of righteousness for His glory.” Isaiah 61:3 (The Recovery Bible; NLT)

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Greatest Treasure

by Bev Muefflemann


“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure.” Proverbs 24:3-4

My grandmother’s health had been declining for the last ten years. Since her retirement in 1984, her short-term memory had been slipping away, her passion for life declining. Still, Nana was a feisty lady. The middle daughter of Russian immigrants, married at eighteen, a mother at nineteen during the Depression, and an entrepreneur in her early thirties, Nana untiringly built a successful printing and mailing business from meager beginnings.

Yet, as she lay dying of throat cancer in 1995, she held me close in one of her last lucid moments, looked me in the eyes and said, “You take good care of your children. Your family is your greatest treasure.” I will never forget that eternal moment when her crystal blue eyes shone brightly with a mother’s tenderness and passion. That memory will be a lasting treasure.

Often our days as parents are filled with mindless tasks that drain our energy and endless activities that sap our strength. In the midst of it all, it’s hard to keep a biblical perspective. Daily I must remember that my children, like precious jewels, are not mine to keep but are entrusted to me for a time. As I do, I realize as Solomon did, that my home must be built by the wisdom that comes from loving, serving, and fearing the Lord so that my children have a strong foundation in Him. Through understanding my children’s unique temperaments, needs, and personalities, my home can be firmly established in love. As I come to the heart knowledge that my children are rare and beautiful treasures, I realize that I have “rooms filled.”

The Lord will be glorified as I partner with Him to cut and smooth these precious gems. It is often a long and tedious process, but the brilliance of a diamond reflecting His light is worth my best effort. My prayer is that you begin each day agreeing with Solomon (and my grandmother!) that your family is your greatest treasure.

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Friendship and Prayer

by Genel Webb

I think that friendship is such an important facet of life. In no way, am I an expert on the subject, but I’ve learned many things about friendship, as I’m sure you have, along your life’s journey. However, it is not often put into print. Well, perhaps it is — in our personal journals.

One of the most interesting things that I’ve learned about friendship is the element of prayer. Have you ever met someone for the first time and before the encounter was over, you felt that you wanted to get to know them better or you felt that you would like to become friends with that person? Perhaps you’ve known of them, from afar and feel that you have quite a few things in common or perhaps they just have the light of Jesus all about them. At any rate, your spirit is attracted to theirs. What I’ve learned is, if we experience any of this, one of the most powerful actions to take (in addition to showing ourselves friendly) is to sincerely pray for that individual, in our prayer time. In every way that we can think of, pray for them. Pray for their relationship with the Lord, pray for their family, pray for success in their respective endeavors, pray for their good health, and pray that their needs are met. Lastly, pray that the Lord will show you whether it is His will that you become close friends. My experience has been that the Lord will show me. Sometimes it’s through additional encounters with that person; sometimes He reveals things about them, in our spirit. The end result is that you will truly begin to know whether it is a friendship that is within the will of the Lord.

Two years ago, I met Bettina, on my Meals On Wheels route. My meal delivery was actually to her elderly mother, whom she cared for in her home. Bettina always greeted me with a smile, and for some reason, we hugged each other during my weekly delivery. Yes, we had some things in common, but it seemed to be a bit more than that. My thoughts were that she was a person that I’d like to get to know better. I thought that she had a wonderful spirit and a friendly smile. I began to pray for her in my prayer times. I even asked the Lord, how I could be a blessing to her. One way I could bless her was to sit with her mother personally or offer my company’s services to help with her mother. For months we were continually friendly and I looked forward to our weekly, five minute chats during the meal delivery. It seemed that we were just still great acquaintances, who shared that weekly chat. My prayers for her, however, initiated sincere care in me, for her.

More months passed and her mother transitioned to her heavenly home. Bettina called to tell me that her mother had passed. She didn’t call so that I would stop the delivery of meals; the Meals On Wheels administrators would take care of that. I felt that Bettina called because she had begun to feel and sense that I was a friend who cared about her. I don’t deliver meals there anymore. But Bettina and I are great friends. Our friendship continues to evolve and grow. I value it, deeply. We discuss our issues of life…disappointments, triumphs and challenges. We, now, encourage and pray for each other. We are on our way to developing, what I believe will be a long lasting friendship. I believe that our friendship and care for each other began developing beyond acquaintances due to my intentional prayers for her. It will be sustained the same way. Prayer, as it is in all relationships, is powerful and necessary in determining, developing and sustaining our close friendships.


“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly…” Proverbs 18.24 (KJV)

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit…” Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

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A Bride – How Beautiful!

by Linda Lail

Have you ever thought about how you look in the eyes of the Bridegroom? I have often wondered what Jesus sees when He looks at me. Does He see the flaws, the imperfections, the scars and bruises that come from my disobedience? Or does He hold me in His heart as precious and pure? And a question of equal importance is “do I hold myself as precious and pure for Him?”

What an awesome thought that we as the bride of Christ have a Bridegroom who is coming for us. God, our heavenly Father, tells us that he is preparing a bride for His son and we, the church, are that bride. As women how do we work together with the Father to prepare ourselves for the Bridegroom? Revelation 19:7-8 says “….His wife has made herself ready….arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. The fine linen here is the righteous acts of the saints.” Ephesians 5:27 tells us that Christ has completed His work in order “to present her to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

As women, and as the bride preparing for the Bridegroom, we have a tremendous opportunity to walk before a fallen, broken world clothed in the garments of salvation and covered with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) To be clothed in such a way speaks to our being diligent in keeping ourselves pure and esteeming ourselves as precious in His eye.

When we walk seeking after the heart of the Bridegroom, we will be ready for His coming “and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 61:5)

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

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