Tag: patience

Weekend Wisdom

Weekend Wisdom: Instructions From James

Michele Kearns

No matter how crazy your life is or how crazy the world is when this post goes live, remember nothing last forever. It may seem like dark times last but they do not, only God’s word lasts forever.

So my dear friends – be patient.

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James 5:7-8

I also love James saying to “establish your hearts.” Guess he figured that the time spent waiting is a good time to make sure our hearts and relationship with Christ is in order. That is true, my heart and relationship has grown and continues to grow since Joe’s passing.

For when your patience gets you through dark times, guess what returns – joy.

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative for a Fortune 100 company. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.

grief

{ Day 9 } 31 Tricks to Scare Away the Grief Monster – BEAR

Michele Kearns

Scripture Meditation

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Psalm 91: 11-12

Welcome to Day 9 of 31 Tricks to Scare Away the Grief Monster. Today’s “trick” is

Bear

Bearing The First Year

There is a protective cloud around you the first year. It acts as a buffer zone between you and the world. It gradually fades throughout the first year. Some people refer to it as a “fog” or a “haze” God puts around you. In a strange way it makes life easier to bear. It is hard to explain how because there are plenty of intense grief moments during the first year.

Think of it as God’s arms wrapped around you, comforting you. I guess that is why grief in some ways is easier to bear, because of his protective arms.

Slowly during the year, He removes the “fog.” So after you will see clearly once you make it through the first year.

Bearing Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit_Spirit

Living out this scripture during the first year, will also make grief less hard to bear. The grief monster does not like it when you bear your grief with forbearance (patience), or when you do random acts of kindness or being faithful in your walk with Jesus.

What fruit are you bearing as you travel through your grief journey?

Quote Meditation

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.

Henri Nouwen
10-10-2011_3by5Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns.com. She encourages widows and educates society about grief and life as a widow by sharing her widowhood adventures. A graduate of Kent State University with a degree in communications, she has used her skills in the banking, collections, outdoor products and social media industries. Michele is a bookworm, lover of golden retrievers and an amateur photographer. You can see more of her photography at OgleOhio.com.
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31 Days of Joy: Day 22 – Joy in Patience

Michele Kearns

I’ve been reading Guideposts’ “Morning’s With Jesus 2012.” I never finished it 2 years ago and for some reason felt compelled to pick it up again. In her October 21st devotion, Erin Keeley Marshall wrote the following:

“He [God] often shows extreme patience in sending His answer because He loves us too much to let us settle for an incomplete one.” 

Wow!  That was an eye-opener for me.

Both yesterday and today I kept this thought in the back of my mind.

I certainly see waiting for His answer in a new light and it brings me joy to know my gracious, loving heavenly Father loves me so much that He will not settle for answering a prayer half-way.

May you see patience in a new light and may Erin’s statement resonate with you and help you be more patient.