New Beginnings for Ben and Emily

As we wrap up 2022 and welcome in the new year, we wanted to introduce you to two of our recent clients as they share some reflections from their time at Rock Solid Families and as they begin their new life together as husband and wife. Walking alongside engaged couples like Ben and Emily through our PREPARE premarital program is probably one of the favorite things we do. It’s exciting to meet couples like Ben and Emily who want to invest in their life together and put God as the center of their relationship. 

Even though they had dated for a long time and were looking forward to their October 2022 wedding, Ben and Emily still wanted to build a rock solid foundation as husband and wife. They wanted to learn new tools to grow deeper personally and as a couple. Rock Solid Families is here to help couples do just that. Meet Ben and Emily and hear a little bit more of their story…

1. Tell us a little bit about you two and how you met. Long story short, we met each other when we were kids. We met again later in life through mutual friends in 2013 when we were both 17 years old. 

2. What brought you to Rock Solid Families to start with? We were referred through our friend, David Vaughn. We knew we wanted to have the tools to build a solid marriage. We also wanted to grow personally as individuals and together as a couple. 

3. What were some of the things you learned about marriage, each other, about the importance of faith, etc during PREPARE?  When you have been with one another for so long, you might think that you know everything about the other person. And that may be true, but after diving in we found out more about ourselves individually and how we can best serve each other and God in our marriage. We learned healthy communication habits, how we wanted to work together for our financial goals, and how to keep "dating" each other even when you are married or have been together for as long as we have. The most important thing that we learned is to keep God at the center of our life.  

1. Any surprises about your work in PREPARE? Not any that we couldn't work through or talk openly about. That's the secret to a healthy marriage in our opinion - be honest and open with your partner. Even after being together for so long, there are moments in life that you can't anticipate on our own without some guidance. PREPARE was able to bring these situations to light and allowed us to develop the tools we will need to have later on to continue supporting each other through both good times and bad.

2. Would you recommend Rock Solid Families to others?   Absolutely! We were very blessed to have the opportunity to go through this program. We are also more than happy to chat with couples who may be on the fence! 

3. What would you say to any couple who are wanting to start a life together? Marriage is a team effort! Your team is best when you have support, good communication, honesty, and looking out for the others' best interest. Marriage isn't always easy and neither is life. But if you know that your teammate has your back at the end of the day, it makes the hard days a little bit easier. We would also say to invest in each other. That could mean pre-martial counseling, dating each other, financial planning, praying together, etc. Love is an action word! You have to show it, not just say it.  

4. What are you two looking forward to in 2023?  Spending our first full married year together! We also are on the hunt to become dog parents.  

Living His Best Life

Have you ever had one of those people in your life that makes you feel like the most important person in the room? That was Frank Pierce. Frank was a 2016 graduate of LaSalle High School who graduated top five in his class. He went on to the University of Cincinnati on a full ride academic scholarship but also competed as a Division 1 collegiate athlete.  Frank studied Mechanical Engineering and was able to complete his Bachelors and Master Degrees in less than 5 years. Frank was a hard working, determined young man.  After graduation, he landed his dream job and bought his first fixer upper home. Even in his own words, Frank would tell you, “Life was good”.  Despite all of those personal accomplishments, however, Frank Pierce would still make you feel like the most important person in the room. 

Life on Mission
Friends and family would say Frank lived his life on mission being intentional about connecting with others and taking the time to genuinely get to know you. He would regularly open up his new home to bible studies, mentoring, or just hanging out with friends. Frank was soft spoken, humble, and genuine but yet still confident, steadfast, and determined. Frank was a young man of deep faith who went to mass and prayed his rosary daily. Everyone who met Frank Pierce loved him, and they knew he loved them back. He wasn’t afraid to say it or show it.  

A Day Many Will Not Soon Forget
Which is why September 1, 2020 is a day so many will not soon forget. No one prepares you for a sheriff coming to your door to tell you your oldest son has tragically died in a car accident at the age of 22. No one is ready for that punch in the gut. No one prepares you for that diagnosis or phone call, but it still happens. Loved ones are left behind trying to navigate the sadness, denial, anger, and maybe even unforgiveness that comes with grief. Maybe that’s you this holiday season missing a loved one around the table. Maybe you are dreading the holidays as you hang those ornaments on the tree. That’s where we found Frank’s parents, Peggy and Tom Pierce, when they walked into our office back in the summer of 2022

Drifting Apart in Their Grief
As the two year anniversary approached of their oldest son’s death, Peggy and Tom Pierce found themselves drifting apart as they grieved in their own but very different way. Peggy wanted to talk about and celebrate Frankie’s life with those who knew and loved him. She wanted a partner to walk alongside her on the tough days. Tom, on the other hand, didn’t know what to do with his grief. He spent many days just mad at the world taking it out on the people he loved the most. He didn’t know what else to do with the pain, so he unknowingly shut down or lashed out at those closest to him.

Helping Each Other Grieve
When Peggy and Tom came to Rock Solid Families, they began to work through their grief together for the very first time. Yes, there were lots of tears but also laughter as they shared story after story about this amazing young man. They have spent hours working through the pain and discovering how they can help each other grieve in a healthy and loving way. Along with the stories, they have shared things others wrote about Frankie after he passed and words Frankie wrote himself.  

Why So Young?
As I poured through all the things Frank wrote and others wrote about Frank, I was blown away by the deep, abiding faith this young man had. I could see how much Frank loved God as well as his family and friends and how much others loved Frank. And then there are all those unanswered questions his friends and family still have. “Why Lord?” “Why Frank?” “Why so young?” He was only 22. But then I found something. Something I think Frank would want us all to know about his life AND his death. It was tucked away in a talk he gave to young men and women at a retreat just a year before he passed. 

A Message of HOPE
So as this holiday approaches, give these words a chance to sink in. Let this message of HOPE be a healing salve on any festering wounds or unhealed brokenness in your life. Let the good news of Christ be the key that unlocks those chains of grief or unforgiveness. Frank knew that it didn’t matter how many times he went to mass or how often he prayed his rosary. In his short 22 yrs, Frank discovered a truth that many will go their entire life and never learn. It was at the core of who he was and why I believe God put him on this earth in the first place. It’s a message I think he would want everyone reading this to receive and hold close in their heart. And it’s this…

God’s Free Gift
God’s grace is a free gift- for you and for me. God sent his one and only son, Jesus, to die for our sins.  Our sin debt is a debt we can never repay on our own, and no matter how successful or talented Frank was, he would never deserve it or earn it. That’s why it’s called a gift. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9,  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.”

As one college friend wrote about Frank after he passed away, “The way that he lived and encountered others was born out of the free gift of God’s grace; a grace that Frank sought after relentlessly and pursued with such

trust, diligence and discipline.” That’s who Frank Pierce was. 

Living His Best Life
God calls us all to so much more than just what we DO’; it’s about who we belong to. In his short but rich life, Frank finally came to that important truth for himself. Frank knew he couldn’t fix himself by himself. We are all broken people in need of a Savior.  Freedom and peace come only through God, His Son Jesus, and his amazing gift of grace. That’s where Frank’s identity and purpose came from and where ours could come from too; no matter how many years we have left on this earth.  That’s how Frank Pierce found freedom in Christ. He allowed the Holy Spirit to come alive in his heart and mind. He surrendered his way for God’s way and experienced a peace that passes all understanding. It’s why Frank is now experiencing eternal life and freedom in heaven.  Frank Pierce is living his best life for ever with his Heavenly Father, and he can’t wait for you and I to get there.

Greatest Humanitarian Crisis since WWII

With all that is happening in our world today for literally millions of Ukranian families, problems in my life seem so insignificant. How about you? Have you taken the time to pause and reflect? For me, personally, I’ve decided it’s time for a shift in perspective. For our family, we’ve been in the middle of some home remodeling projects that have left our house in disarray. It’s been unnerving to have things in chaos around here, until I started watching the news. My heart breaks watching families pack up just enough to carry or wheel behind them and leaving the place they used to call home. I can’t even imagine leaving my home and not having any idea where I was going and not knowing if I would have anything to come back home to.

Doesn’t Compare
It seemed like such an inconvenience to be displaced from our master bedroom and into a spare room until I started watching the news. Children holding on to their stuffed animals in one hand and their mother’s hand with the other. Moms clinging to their children pressing their way through the train station trying to get out of Ukraine. Being displaced from my bedroom seems so ridiculous compared to the millions of refugees displaced from their homes and nation. Mothers and children nestled up together trying to stay warm and safe on subway and train station floors. 

Saying Goodbye
We recently traveled to visit our adult sons and their families on the east coast. Our sons are in the military, so saying goodbye and being apart have become part of our way of life over the past 10 yrs. However, our separation and farewells don’t even compare to what Ukrainian families are going through right now. I turn on the news and realize how blessed I am.  I can’t even imagine kissing my husband and adult sons goodbye and leaving them behind to fight a war they didn’t ask for. My heart breaks for those children who hugged their dads and brothers as they boarded those trains out of Ukraine maybe for the last time.

First World Problems
What have you been focusing on lately? I know the news can be hard to watch sometimes and there are times we do need to turn it off, but I don’t think this is one of them. It's too easy to stay in our own comfortable life and deal with our insignificant “first world” problems. I just heard a report on the refugee crisis where they estimate there could be 4 million people displaced looking for a home before this is all over. These are not just folks looking for a hot meal and an overnight stay. These are women, children, and families that will need a place to call home for months, maybe years to come. What is God calling us to do in this crisis? The war in the Ukraine is creating the greatest humanitarian crisis since WWII. 

Love in Action
It’s hard to know what to do living so far away from the conflict, but God’s word gives us some direction. 

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.  Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.  When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.  Romans 12: 9-13.

• PRAY. The number one thing we can do for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters is pray. God tells us to be “patient in trouble and keep on praying.” 

• GIVE. Another way we can help is to give. Displaced families are in need of so much and there are already great organizations mobilized on the ground to help. Giving to an organization such as Samaritans Purse ensures it is direct relief to the Ukrainian people in Jesus’ name. 

• BE. As a Christ follower, I am called to BE the hands and feet of Jesus Christ not just in my home and neighborhood but to the world. How about you? Be patient. Be ready to help. Be eager to practice hospitality. That’s what Romans 12 tells us to “be”.

What Are You Focusing On?
What is God asking of us in this crisis? I believe he’s telling us to do exactly what Romans 12 tells us to do; put our love for him into action.  I don’t exactly know what that looks like for you, but I know for me it’s a mindshift away from my trivial first world problems. I can’t dwell on my petty inconveniences when people are running from mortar shells and not knowing where they will get their next meal.  It’s focusing on praying regularly and fervently for the families in Ukraine. It’s giving generously to the humanitarian work being done to help them in Eastern Europe. It’s being open and ready to help in other tangible ways such as meal packing or even opening up our home to those being displaced. Whatever God calls me to do, I need to be ready to put my faith and love into action. 

5 Steps to Finding Your Identity and Purpose

She could hardly look up at me, as I we sat in my office on that hot summer day. She was so weighed down by the guilt and shame from her past, she had no idea how to even answer my questions. “Who is Dawn*, and why is she here?” All she could do was cry…and cry…and cry. It was an ugly cry. It was a couple sessions of ugly cries, but after she had a chance to let the pain go, it was time to begin the healing process. It was time to discover the answers to those two all important questions that would change her life forever-”Who are you?” and “Why are you here?”

Identity and Purpose
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are right now or where you are in life, but I want to talk to you for a moment about two things that are important in any season of our lives- Identity and Purpose. My husband and I have worked with thousands of individuals, couples, and families over the past 30 years who have struggled with one or both of these things. Honestly, identity and purpose are so closely connected, it’s hard to even separate the two. It’s hard to have one without the other.

What About You?
I didn’t just ask Dawn those two questions on that hot July day. I’m asking you, too. “Who are you and why are you here?” It doesn’t matter your age either. You can be an 18 year old young woman and have a very clear vision of your identity and purpose, or you can be a 50 year old man and have no idea. If we were sitting in my office together right now, and I asked you those questions, what would you say?

Not Enough
I can still see the look on one teenage girl’s face not too long ago when I asked her those same two questions. Her answers made my heart sink. “Who am I you ask? Well, I’m not pretty enough, smart enough, or good enough”, she said. That’s all she could give me. No wonder she struggled with anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. In her mind, she couldn’t even think of a reason for her to still be here.

Don’t Leave Your Heart Unprotected
You see when we don’t know who we are and why we are here, we set ourselves up for disaster. We allow our minds and hearts to be unprotected and we get wounded and offended easily. We allow the world or someone around us to define us and determine our worth and purpose. Not understanding our identity and purpose is causing one of the greatest epidemics today especially in our children and young adults. It is what is causing this huge crisis in the areas of: gender identity, self harm, hate, division, divorce, suicide, depression, anxiety-you name it.

Starts With You
So what can we do to combat this crisis? How can we help ourselves and those we love from falling into this deadly trap? I’m glad you asked. It starts with YOU. You can’t give someone else something you don’t have yourself. So here are five easy steps to finding YOUR identity and purpose.

Five Steps to Finding Your Identity and Purpose

1. Stay Away From the Lies. Make sure you don’t fall for the lies of identity. These are some common lies we all are tempted to believe when it comes to who we are. They are all sinking sand…

   • I am what I have

   • I am what I do

   • I am what other people say or think of me

   • I am nothing more than my worst mistake

   • I am nothing less than my best accomplishment

2. Commit to an Abundant Mindset-Commit to healthy, positive self talk for yourself and those you care about. Don't be a victim of your circumstances and focus on what you don’t have. Live in an abundant mindset and focus on what you do have. Fix your eyes on being content and grateful for what God has given you and what he has already done in your life. God can take the ugliest of circumstances and create some of the most beautiful victories. 

3. Build on a Strong Faith Foundation-Build an identity and purpose on something that doesn't change like the lies mentioned above. This is where a faith foundation can be critical to a healthy, positive identity and purpose for your life. God created you on purpose for a purpose! Build on His truths.

4. Surround Yourself With Healthy People-Surround yourself with people who will help you. Maybe it’s a mentor, pastor, coach, counselor, healthy friend, someone who will walk alongside you in this journey of self discovery and awareness. Let go of relationships who hold you back from your true identity and purpose. 

5. No More Excuses-Decide today to make this the year you find your identity and purpose in life. Stop floundering and letting everyone else decide who you are and why you are here on this earth. Once you discover who God has created you to be and the amazing plans he has for your life, it won’t matter the circumstances around you. You will have built your life on something that is unshakable even in the middle of the most intense storm. Once you start to understand who you are and why you are here, you will experience a contagious peace and joy that can never be taken away. That, my friends, is the kind of pandemic we need in our world today! 

   *Name changed to protect confidentiality

The Secret Weapon to Preventing Divorce

This past weekend we helped lead a marriage enrichment weekend with an amazing group of married couples from our local area. It was so encouraging seeing couples there married more than 40-50 years as well as just a year or two. There were couples representing first marriages, second marriages, blended families, you name it. It was truly a melting pot. We laughed together, prayed together, and grew together. We were encouraged to see so many men and women wanting to strengthen and protect their marriage and family. In our time together, we shared with them the secret weapon to do both.

The Secret Weapon
Do you want peace, power, and protection for your marriage and family? Do you want the secret weapon in preventing divorce with over 99% effectiveness? Then pray together! Yep, that’s right. Less than ONE PERCENT of couples who pray together on a regular basis divorce. I don’t know of any tool that can rival that statistic, but unfortunately not many are tapping into the power.  Family Life surveyed thousands of Christian couples and found a sad and alarming statistic. You’ve probably heard one out of every two marriages end in divorce, but have you heard the statistic isn’t any better for Christian couples? Why is that? Maybe it’s because only 4% of Christian couples actually pray together on a regular basis.

Helping You Get Started
Why don’t more couples pray together? Every couple is different, but here are some suggestions that may help you get started:

1. BE POSITIVE- No throwing your spouse under the bus. Thank God out loud for your partner. Pray blessings and protection over your family. Focus on why you love them and thank God for them. It will fill the heart of your spouse and draw you closer to the Lord and each other.

2. BE BRIEF- Keep it simple and to the point. Make sure whatever routine you begin you can sustain. It’s not the time to show off your big vocabulary and flowery prayers. You want your spouse to feel comfortable with you praying out loud.

3. BE CONSISTENT - Find a daily time that works with you both and stick to it. Consistency is important but so is flexibility. If your schedule gets crazy and you have to mix it up, no worries. There are no rules.

4. BE TRANSPARENT- Don’t be afraid to share your heart with God in front of your spouse. Praying out loud alongside your spouse builds spiritual intimacy and creates a bond that cannot be easily broken. A mealtime prayer is always a great family practice, but it isn’t exactly the best time to build intimacy or transparency. You need time and privacy as a couple not a growling belly worried the food is getting cold.

5. BE PATIENT- Building spiritual intimacy takes time, but it is so worth it. God can do beautiful things with folks who seek Him above all else.

Seeing Into Your Partner’s Heart
So there you have it. My top five suggestions for praying together as a couple. After hearing those startling statistics mentioned above almost 20 years ago, my husband and I began praying together almost every evening before bed.  I’ll admit. It was awkward at first. We were used to praying rote prayers as a family not heartfelt ones out loud privately. As the spiritual leader in our home, my husband goes first and prays for me, our marriage, our family and anything else laying on his heart that day. Then I do the same. Often, we’ll share things in that prayer time we haven’t mentioned all day. It’s like seeing into the heart of my spouse. It’s also hard to harbor negative feelings and unresolved issues when we’re praying together on a regular basis.

So why not grab your spouse and start today? What do you have to lose? It may just be the tie that binds you together and draws you closer to each other and to the Lord.

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecc. 4:12

Click HERE to watch Episode 159 of Rock Solid Radio, Why Should I Pray?

Click HERE to listen to Episode 159 of Rock Solid Radio, Why Should I Pray?

This is How We Fight Our Battles

I’ve never been a fan of horror movies. Even as a teen on a date, horror movies were not my thing. Watching people get bludgeoned to death by an ax murderer or heads spinning because of ghosts just gave me the creeps. I know a lot of people get a huge adrenaline rush by haunted houses, scary movies, or creepy novels, but we’ve got to be careful. Why you may ask? Because my friends, the battle for our mind and heart is real!

The Real Enemy
If you haven’t listened to our two recent Rock Solid Radio podcasts (Episodes 157-158) on spiritual warfare, I highly recommend you do so as soon as you are done reading this article. You can find them on our website or on any podcast platform you use. Every day, we have clients walking in our Rock Solid Families office in what they think is a battle with their spouse, adult children, boss, even an ex...you name it. Their emotions are high and their stomach is in knots over a conflict with someone. They are angry, sad, frustrated, and sometimes feeling hopeless that anything good can come out of their situation. Can I just stop you right now and tell you with 100% confidence; they are not the enemy! Now don’t get me wrong. People can hurt us and let us down. They can frustrate us and step on our toes, but they are not the real enemy in this story. The apostle Paul reminds us of that in a letter he wrote to the city of Ephesus.

For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against the mighty powers in this dark world, and against the evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NLT

Looking For Someone to Devour
Oh, there’s an enemy alright, but he’s not made of flesh and blood! The apostle Peter warns us about the great enemy. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

My friends, we can’t get complacent. Satan and his demons are very real, and there is a real battle going on for our hearts and minds. He wants to distract, discourage, and destroy us. He wants our marriage, our family, even our life. He wants us to believe there is no other way out but through him. Isolation and shame are two of Satan’s favorite weapons for our heart and mind. If he can shame us with our mistakes and make us think we’re all alone, he’s got us right where he wants us. Every day, we see men and women walk in our office feeling weary and hopeless as they fight against this shame and isolation. It’s exhausting when we’re fighting the battle alone.

This is How We Fight Our Battles
So how do we fight against the enemy in this spiritual battle for our mind and heart? Let’s go back to what Paul taught us in Ephesians 6:10-17. We’ve got to suit up in the full armor of God to take our stand against the devil’s schemes.  It boils down to:

1. Truth-Believing in and speaking God’s truth in love. (vs. 14)

2. Integrity-Doing the right thing when no one is looking (v. 14)

3. Peace-Resting in and leaning on God’s strength even in the middle of a storm. (vs.15)

4. Faith-Trusting in the Lord even if we don’t understand. (vs16)

5. Salvation-Accepting the free gift of salvation that God offers us through His son, Jesus’ sacrifice. (vs 17)

6. The Bible-Knowing and living by the truth of God’s Word. It’s our only offensive weapon against the enemy. The Bible is alive, active, and sharper than any double edged sword.  (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12)

7. Prayer- Crying out to the Lord activates the armor of God and calls on the power of the Holy Spirit to protect and intercede for us.  (vs18)

There’s no question that Satan's schemes are very real and very evil. As we drift away from these seven things identified above, the world gets darker and darker. But we are promised in 1 John 4:4 that “the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.”  Let’s not be overcome by Satan’s schemes or tricked into believing there is no such thing as spiritual warfare. Stay alert and put on the full armor of God today. This is how we fight our battles!

Click HERE to watch and learn more about spiritual warfare on Rock Solid Radio

Click HERE to listen and learn more about spiritual warfare on Rock Solid Radio

Skyler's Story-Finding Light in the Darkness

Hi everyone! My name is Skyler, a 23 year old nursing student from Northern Kentucky.  I could not be more excited to finish my RN in December with only one more semester left!  I have been attending Rock Solid Families for about 8 months now, and it has changed my life. When life got rough, I was blessed enough to have this faith based organization to turn to. 

Was It My Fault?
Earlier this year, I lost a very special person in my life to suicide, and just a couple months later, I lost my grandma due to some fast progressing health issues. It was as if I couldn't catch a break, or get my head out of the dark place I was in. I remember thinking, "why didn't I do more for my friend?  “His suicide was all my fault”’ Losing those two special people in my life in such a short time really took a toll on my mind and heart.

 Pray To God... Now?

I remember my mom telling me, "pray to God. He will help you through this. He hears how upset you are and wants to help you." I remember thinking there was no way I could pray in a time like this. It was a constant battle between giving it all to God or suffering in my own mind and dealing with this heartbreak. It was in those darkest moments when I found God with his arms open wide.

 Best Day of My Life
I started praying every chance I could get. I spent time with God and His Word.  I surrendered all my pain and suffering at his feet. I couldn't have picked a better decision during a time when I felt completely numb. God showed me through his word and his people that he’s been with me all along, even when I wasn’t reaching out to him. It's because of his grace and mercy, I am where I am today. I was baptized into Christ on January 31st, 2021 at Seven Hills Church in Florence, Ky.  I was surrounded by so much love that day. It was one of the best days of my life!  I continue to grow closer and closer to Christ attending church every Sunday with family and friends giving back to him what he so generously has given to me.

 Building On A Rock Solid Foundation
Before coming to Rock Solid Families, I had never experienced anything like one on one coaching. Linda listened and gave me the tools to grow closer to God. It’s exactly what I needed, and I don’t know where I would be today without this rock solid foundation. I have learned so much about myself, and how God really works in my life. Linda helped me find a bible I could read and understand, and that has been a huge blessing. I am so thankful God led me to Rock Solid Families. If you're looking for a place where you’re not judged but accepted with the love of Christ, then this is where you need to be. 

 Light In The Darkness
I am still working on the grieving process in my sessions with Linda. Some days are harder than others.  I am not sure my heart will ever be 100% healed, but I do know without a doubt that God loves me and is alive and active in my life. I want to be a light to people in dark times, and I want to help others with their struggles like God’s people did for me. I want to be living proof that God can help in the darkest times and protect you in whatever storm you may face.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. 

Isaiah 43:2

Finding Hope in the Grief

I’m not even sure how she was able to walk in my office the first night we met. When I asked her weeks later to describe the weight of her despair, she gave it a 10+ out of 10. Debby felt buried by the pain. What in the world could make someone feel so overwhelmed by grief? In this week’s episode of Rock Solid Radio, Finding Hope in the Grief, Debby shares the Readers Digest version of her story and how she found hope in the midst of her grief. During our interview with Debby, it was tough to fight back the tears, but let me say this.  In my 30 plus years of working with individuals, couples, and families, I have personally never worked with someone who has experienced such grief and tragic loss.

Life or Death
As we talked about with Debby on this week’s podcast, being buried and being planted feel the same way. One symbolizes death and the other, the beginning of new life. That new life comes when we lay our pain at the Lord’s feet and allow HIM to carry the weight of it all. The apostle Paul reminds us of this.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 1 Thess 4: 13-14

Running on Empty
We’re reminded in God’s Word NOT to grieve like those who have no HOPE. Our hope is not in our own understanding or our own strength. On her own, Debby was running on empty when it came to either one.  On May 30, 2021, however, Debby experienced the death and burial of her old life and the beginning of a new life in Christ through the waters of baptism. It didn’t immediately take the pain away nor erase the memories of the past, but it did help Debby find HOPE in the middle of the storm, in the midst of her pain. 

Let Go and Let God
Whatever we focus on gets bigger in our lives. Debby chose to live out the psalmist when he wrote…

But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. Psalm 141:8.

Debby’s motto in life is now “Let Go and Let God”. She has found hope in the midst of her grief. She now knows that God did not cause her pain, but he doesn’t want to waste it either. Every tear, every sleepless night, every heartache-God wants to redeem. How about you? Are you being buried or planted?  Will you let God bring beauty out of ashes and hope even in the midst of your pain?

Click HERE to LISTEN to Episode 144 of Rock Solid Radio, Finding Hope in the Grief

Click HERE to WATCH Episode 144 of Rock Solid Radio, Finding Hope in the Grief.