When I lost my husband, I found that I didn’t really know any other widows. I had written a book about my husband’s battle with cancer but now that it was over, I had a battle of my own to fight. While I had some support, nobody could truly understand my particular type of pain.
Once my grief lessened a little, I started to meet other women who were widowed, and remembering how it had felt for me, I started calling them. I spoke with them, prayed for them and invited them out for coffee.
Part of what makes losing your spouse so difficult is that you frequently lose the fellowship you used to have as part of your husband’s social circle. And then you have to deal with loneliness as well as grief.
Eventually, I started attending a monthly widow’s group. We were all struggling a bit, trying to lean on God and build friendships while trying to find closure.
Finally, I started a widow’s group of my own called The Victorious Women. We support each other, build strong relationships and try to plan special fun activities. Some women open up about their story but even those that don’t, are comforted by the circle of friends they gain. The group is open to everyone, believers and non-believers alike, but we also meet separately with some of the women to study the Scriptures.
I also have a blog for women about keeping faith in tough times. One Bible verse that instructs me when I speak with other widows is: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Even Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died. He is always with us in our sorrow, and He helps us look to the future with hope.
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