Grief

/grēf/     Grief is a sadness which is unique to, and a natural response toward loss.

Prayer

Creator God, I'm struggling. I yearn for that which has been lost in my life. I need your grace and strength in order to establish a new normal and a future with hope. Help me to be honest about my feelings. Keep me from the tendency to feel guilt, embody bitterness or live with resentment. Give me the grace to take one day at a time, and commit each thought, memory and feeling to your care. Heal my pain, Lord, and give me the faith and patience to trust in you for however long it takes. Above all, lift me up with the support of people who love me, a faith that grounds me and the promise of resurrection. Amen.

Scripture Passages

• Psalms 13 and 22 - Vulnerable and honest lament
• Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd; when I walk through the darkest valleys
• Psalm 40 - Statement of faith and plea for help
• The book of Job - A man's experience of grief
• Revelation 21:1-6a - A vision of the new heaven and earth
• Matthew 5:1-12 - The Beatitudes; blessed are those who mourn
• John 14:1-7, 15-20, 25-27 - Jesus prepares a place for us; the Holy Spirit is with us
• Jeremiah 29:11-13 - God's plans to give you hope and a future
• 1 Corinthians - The hope of resurrection
• Romans 8 - Nothing separates us from the love of God.
• Isaiah 43:1-3 - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; do not be afraid.

Local Resources

• Listing of Monticello-based bereavement therapists

• GriefShare - find a local support group
• Great River Faith in Action - list of local support groups
• Compassionate Friends - family support group after a child dies
• Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Minnesota
• Central MN Mental Health Center - services and resource lists
• Monticello Middle School - list of general mental health resources for all ages (including school-based student support services)
• Peterson Grimsmo - grief support resources

Recommended Reading & Podcast

Books for Adults:

• Cry Until You Laugh: Comforting Guidance for Coping with Grief, by Richard J. Obershaw
• Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy, by Sheryl Sandberg
• When Bad Things Happen to Good People, by Harold S. Kushner
• The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief, by Jan Richardson

Children's Books:

• Memory Tree, by Britta Teckentrup
• The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst

Podcast: Terrible, Thanks for Asking