Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Jesus encourages us to love with real openness and honesty, but such love also brings great vulnerability. By loving and living in a way that we mourn deeply, we open ourselves up to incredible heartache, trouble, and hurt. But! We also draw closer to Jesus, and, with Him, there is potential for great joy because Jesus has overcome the world. (See John 16:33.) In other words, the risk of grief or mourning can be overwhelming. It is not easy to love people to a point where we mourn over hardship and loss. But, through it, God promises life-changing joy if we are willing to take the chance.

Our Comfort in Mourning

Our Comfort in Mourning

As Advent is a season to prepare for the coming of Jesus, Lent is a time to face the reality of death in the world as we look forward to the resurrection power brought to us on Easter. As we sit with the brokenness, death, and suffering we see around us, we can learn from Jesus who took our mourning seriously.

Broken-Hearted: A Lenten Journey

Broken-Hearted: A Lenten Journey

I was lying there looking at a bank of monitors on the wall. They all had images of my heart on them. No, not the little red hearts like valentines, but my beating heart. It was like an out-of-body experience. The medicine I had been given made me feel like I was in a dream.

Navigating Stress and the Holidays

Navigating Stress and the Holidays

What comes to mind when you think about the Christmas holidays? For me, I think of family traditions like seeing extended family, eating good food, Christmas decor, music, movies (e.g., “you’ll shoot your eye out” and cousin Eddie), and most importantly the birth of...