The joy set before us should shine upon our souls as the sun shines through clouds, glorifying them. We should cherish sacredly and tenderly, the memory of our Christian dead but should train ourselves to think of them as in the home of the blessed, with Christ, safely folded, waiting for us. Thus, the bright…… Continue reading The Joy Set Before Us
Author: Kim Nolywaika
Kim Nolywaika grew up in New York and Florida before going west at twenty-five; she has been married to Manfred Nolywaika since 1989. The Nolywaikas live in a little off-grid log house somewhere south of Fairbanks, Alaska and have four grown children, one of whom currently lives in Heaven.
According to His Will
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14-15 Every prayer I have ever uttered…… Continue reading According to His Will
Unsubmissive Remembering
“Yet there is a way of remembering sorrow, which brings no blessing, no enrichment which does not soften the heart, nor add beauty to the life. There is an unsubmissive remembering which brings no joy, which keeps the heart bitter, which shuts out the sunshine, which broods over losses and trials. Only evil can result…… Continue reading Unsubmissive Remembering
Is My Child in Heaven?
When just a small boy, God saved Hans from the penalty and power of sin, assuring him a place in Heaven based on faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. So, when we say we will see Hans again, our level of assurance is quite high. But what about the parent who does not have…… Continue reading Is My Child in Heaven?
Just For Me
Bouncing around at the base of the hill, across the river that lay frozen between the fireworks techs and us spectators on the dock, was a light. A flashlight. A very bright flashlight. I saw the stream of light widen and play upon the hillside. Then the beam narrowed into a tightly focused square-shaped beam.…… Continue reading Just For Me
The Resurrection and the Life
So, how can I be so confident that I will see my son again? Is it because he was “a good boy,” was “never in any trouble,” “was no worse than anyone else?” Is it because his family goes to church every Sunday and Hans never missed a meeting unless he was sick? Is it…… Continue reading The Resurrection and the Life
The Rose Bush
The roots of the stump passed right through where the rose bush grew. Collateral damage. I knew it would be useless to argue. He dug up the lush and beautiful rose bush and we stuck it in a barrel of water. Finally, all the roots of the stump were out, leaving a crater about five…… Continue reading The Rose Bush
Wounded
Most of my book was written very early in my grief. These excerpts are not how it is for me now. Time has softened the blow and the Lord has carried me through the worst of it. I share for the sake of those who are just beginning life without their loved one. ~~~ “I…… Continue reading Wounded
The Sound of the Wind
Why does the sound of the wind break my heart?It carries away the long-ago laughterOf yesterday’s childrenAnd flings it beyond my reachThe wind runs without a careAlong trails blazed by my mighty hunterBrushing over the fields of your boyhoodAs if your absence does not matterYesterday’s gentle breeze returns empty-handedFierce and without mercyIts icy sting freezes…… Continue reading The Sound of the Wind
The Nearness of God
Grieving is difficult, exhausting work that can become counterproductive if indulged in overmuch. There comes a time when sorrow and anguish are not enough anymore. Not that it wears off, or grieving gets easier. It is just that I have come to an awareness that sorrow is not getting me anywhere. I see that my…… Continue reading The Nearness of God
Looking in the Right Direction
From my book, Never Ceasing: God’s Faithfulness in Grief
An Ever Present Help
In God only have we a help present at all times.Matthew HenryTweet
Why Trust God? Why Follow Him?
Our God would not allow this terrible pain unless he had a very, very good reason. I trust Him for that. There is nothing else. I trust Him because He is good and because He does what He says He will do. He is real, and He sees our pain. We follow Him, not because…… Continue reading Why Trust God? Why Follow Him?
A Bar of Steel Worth Five Dollars
A bar of steel worth five dollars, when wrought into horseshoes, is worth ten dollars. If made into needles, it is worth three hundred and fifty dollars. If made into into penknife blades, it is worth thirty-two thousand dollars. If made into into springs for watches it is worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.…… Continue reading A Bar of Steel Worth Five Dollars
The Fear of Forgetting
Yes, it’s normal. We are terrified of forgetting them. Afraid that if we let go of that horrible moment when our child died, that it will be like they didn’t exist at all. The pain is tremendous, but early in our grief we can’t seem to help wanting to stay right there in the past…… Continue reading The Fear of Forgetting
You Can Trust Him. 