Finding Hope after Loss: My Story

A peek inside this post: Finding hope after loss can seem all but impossible when you’re in the throes of hardship. But God. God refines us through suffering and can sustain us when we lean on Him. Let’s focus on how we can find hope together as I share my own story of loss and how God met me in my weakness, and how He can do the same for you!

Life gets really hard. We all have gone through, or will go through, emotional valleys as the years go by. Where our mind ends up at the end of the valley will direct our paths into the future.

Words of condolence for the loss of a mother, father, or someone else close to you may not seem helpful to your grief right now.

All I can do is share my own story of loss and searching for peace in hopes that you too will find peace in your heart. I know that hard moments of your journey will come to the surface as you read this, too, Friend. My hope and prayer is that you find a connection here, and that God will use my words to speak to your heart.

My Story of Loss: My Mom’s Example of Joy Through Suffering

My mom was diagnosed with leukemia about ten years ago. This started the most challenging years of my life.

My mom was the type of mom everyone around her aspired to be. She was so wonderful, fun loving, always serving her family, drove all over our state to be at every event, and welcomed any person into her home that walked through the door. My mom is the main reason I made the choice to be a homemaker.

I remember walking in the door one day after school when I was about fifteen after having a bad day. I had no intention of talking about what had happened and just stuffing those feelings away. As soon as I walked in, she could see it in my eyes that there was something wrong.

She knew each of us kids that well, and cared so deeply. She saw my heart was hurting and knew the right questions to ask to comfort me. She always knew the right thing to do and how to solve any issue.

I want to be a mom like that. I want to know my husband, my kids, friends, and loved ones that well.

Back to about ten years ago, she had been sick on and off for a couple months. I then received a call I will never forget. She had cancer. How could this be true? This perfect person. She was too strong and healthy for this to happen. Why her?

My heart and stomach sank with grief.

I trusted that God would see us through, and I prayed for healing in her body so she could remain on earth with us into old age. Even though I trusted God, my world was shaken and the easy life I knew would never be the same.

I got married the year before this battle began, and needed her here with me for so much longer…to see me through raising babies, buying a home, sending kids to school, activities, and everything else that still laid ahead of me. I couldn’t do all that without her and neither could the rest of my family.

She fought her battle.

She was so strong and positive through all the medicine and pain, a true testament and example of choosing joy through her own suffering. She joined Jesus in heaven about five years ago.

Nothing can prepare you for a loss as big as this.

I knew I would miss her, but I didn’t know that I would have to change my whole perspective on life. I didn’t know I’d have to find a new “normal,” because life would never be the same again. It seemed impossible that my family could figure this out without her.

It took me six months to a year to lose the numb feeling I had. I didn’t want to feel the emotion and be constantly reminded of my loss.

>> Read Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Book Review from a Christian Mom for great thoughts on naming hard emotions and walking through them!

Everything, everyone, and everywhere was a reminder of her.

God Refines Us Through Suffering

By the grace of God, He saw me through. God pursued my heart, and I began to trust Him in a deeper way.

I began to understand that this life is temporary. We are here on earth for such a short amount of time. So many things I used to value just don’t seem important anymore.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

God’s power is made perfect in my weakness! I choose to “delight” in difficulties, because God can use the terrible things that we experience in our lives to show His strength.

Through the loss of my mom, I have a better grasp on reality that this life is short. What are we choosing to spend our time doing? What are we investing in? What is it that really matters to you when your life is done?

Focusing on these questions has helped me on my journey to honor God with my homemaking. By knowing our answers to these questions, we can live more simply and fully.

>> Read more about Being a Good Steward of Time for Homemakers

No matter what comes your way in this life, strive (with me!) to be content with your relationship with God. Is He the one you desire most of all? Are you relying on Him for the peace that passes all understanding?

We are guaranteed struggles in this life because of the sin in the world, but “take heart, He has overcome the world” (John 16:33).

My Challenge to You: Find Hope after Loss

If you’re struggling with the loss of a loved one, or have chosen to cover your grief with distractions, then I encourage you to find ways to open your heart to what God has for you.

Don’t mask those emotions, but get in the Word in a deeper way. Serve others around you. Have conversations with others who have dealt with loss.

Allow yourself to deal with the reality of eternity, so that you can have an eternal perspective on everything in your life. How would this change your priorities?

Soon we will be with our Savior. The pain and sadness will be wiped away and we will experience complete joy in perfect fellowship with Him. What are you choosing to live for today? Choose joy from the hope we have in Jesus.

Read Also:

10 Tips on How to be a Good Christian Mom I had the very best example in my mom. I’m sharing what I learned from her and other influential mamas along the way.

Resting in God’s Grace: a Quick Guide for Moms It’s so easy to think that God wants us to continue growing in wisdom, running away from our sins and struggles, and be better at everything we do. What if, instead, we stop for a moment to soak in God’s love and rest in His freedom through grace?

Soul Care for Women: The Recharge You Need You know that self care is super on trend, but Christian mamas know that in order to truly take care of ourselves and feel fulfilled, we need more than just a day of pampering. We need to refuel our Soul. Check out these tips.

Pep Talk for Mamas Going Through a Hard Season in Parenting Feeling resentful about a particularly trying stage in your parenting journey? You’re not alone!

Finding Hope after Loss