-
Reclaiming the Sacred Art of Listening
The Sacred Art of Listening: Grief, Presence, and Companionship In our culture, listening is often undervalued. We reward the loudest voices, the most confident speakers, the ones who seem to have all the answers. To listen, in contrast, is sometimes considered weak, passive, even insignificant. Em Griffin, in Making Friends, names this dynamic well when…
-
Listening as Sacred Companionship in Grief
Grief is often described as a journey no one wishes to walk, yet one that nearly all of us will face. Along this path, the most profound gift we can offer is not advice, explanations, or solutions; but presence. And presence begins with listening. In Making Friends, Em Griffin reminds us of something deceptively simple:…
-
Healing Self-Esteem Amidst Grief: A Christian Perspective
Identity, Self-Esteem, and the Ministry of Grief Companionship Grief has a way of shaking us at the core of who we are. It doesn’t just take someone we love—it often takes with it the sense of stability, identity, and worth that once anchored our lives. When the phone call comes, when the empty chair is…
-
Rediscovering Presence in Grief Support
Beyond Bowling and Ping-Pong: Rediscovering Presence in Grief Companionship Grief has a way of silencing words. For those who sit with the bereaved—whether as counselors, pastors, or simply friends—the question is not what do I say? but rather how can I truly be present? In his book Making Friends, Em Griffin describes two metaphors for communication: bowling and ping-pong. While these analogies…
-
Breaking Silence: Navigating Grief and Healing Together
From Pain to Purpose: The Change I Hope My Blog Brings to the World What change, big or small, would I like this blog to make in the world? Simply put—healing. Real healing. Not the kind that comes from stuffing emotions down with religious platitudes or brushing grief aside with “time heals all wounds.” No!…
-
Creating Compassionate Bereavement Policies
Compassion That Works: Crafting Bereavement Policies with Justice and Mercy Grief doesn’t operate on a timetable. But many workplace policies expect it to. In the wake of a loved one’s death, employees are often granted just a few days—enough time to make funeral arrangements, maybe travel, and return to work with their hearts still aching…
-
Healing Through Scripture: A Guide for Christian Counselors
Comfort Without Cliché: Using Scripture to Counsel the Grieving In times of sorrow, the Bible offers a deep well of comfort—but how we draw from it in counseling sessions matters just as much as the truth we share. As Christian counselors, our aim is not to throw verses at pain like bandages on a wound,…
-
Grieving Beyond Stages: New Insights on Mourning
Beyond the Five Stages: What Modern Grief Research Really Says About Mourning IntroductionMost people recognize the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969, this model became a cultural touchstone for understanding loss. But decades later, modern grief research paints a more complex—and more hopeful—picture of how…
-
Understanding Caregiver Grief and Healing
After the Final Goodbye: Grieving as a Long-Term Caregiver Grief is never easy. But for long-term caregivers – the spouses, children, and family members who poured months or years into caring for a loved one through illness, the grief that follows death is uniquely complex. It is layered not just with sadness but with exhaustion,…
-
Simple Gestures to Comfort the Grieving
How to Comfort Someone Who’s Grieving a Death: Simple Gestures That Truly Help (Without Adding Pressure) Introduction When someone we care about is grieving, it’s natural to want to help, but sometimes our well-meaning efforts can unintentionally create more stress than comfort. Many people shy away from supporting the bereaved out of fear they’ll say…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
L.I.V.E. - Love Infinite, Vigorously Exercised 