Today’s Witnessing Widows

 

Good morning Ladies ~ Today we have three more of our sisters telling us about what has helped them in their time of grief.  May we all be encouraged and may we in turn, encourage other widows.

Let us remember what it says in 2 Corinthians 3

God brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

These three ladies are from Florida.

First we have M.D.

She writes that “the food, the visits, the hugs of family and friends brought the love of God close to my heart.”

Blessings at this time were:

Special hugs from people that I barely knew.

Finding God’s peace in my solitude.

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Next we have S.S.

She writes: “I can get up in the mornings and thank God I can stand and walk.”

God has blessed me over and over again.

Thank you God.

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Our last testimony today is by E.M.

She writes: “If I feel down – I get on my knees and ask for His help.  He lifts me up – I can always feel His presence.

He brought my friends to me – My lord never leaves me – He is always there for me – Prayer is a great blessing.”

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Each of these ladies had the same special song that has helped them through their grief, and it is ‘How Great Thou Art’.

I am going to post three different versions of this song. They are all wonderful.  God has touched and blessed many hearts and souls with this wonderful old hymn. It has been performed through the years by many, and still being performed even now.

“How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn based on a Swedish poem written by Carl Gustav Boberg (1859-1940) in Sweden in 1885. The melody is a Swedish folk song. It was translated into English by British missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own composition.

 

This first rendition will be by George Beverly Shea.

If my memory serves me correctly, I heard him when I was a little girl when we went to this huge gathering in California.

This video is from 1957.

George Beverly Shea

Susan Boyle - How Great Thou Art

How Great Thou Art by World Outreach Worship featuring StikYard

 

Thank you ladies for your encouraging words written from your hearts, and for reminding us all of this wonderful old hymn.

May the words of this song fill our hearts with love and adoration for our Mighty God.

 

Widow’s Witnessing

Good morning Ladies ~ This is a new day, let us rejoice in this gift from God and be a light and witness of His blessings to others.

Today we have four more testimonies from ladies of our NJ sisterhood.

EK-NJ

Grief tip: Believe that God will never leave you or forsake you. He is with you at all times.

One of my favorite songs that comforted me during my grieving time was "How Great Thou Art"

God sent me the love of my family and friends. Also my church family and their friendship.  Faithfulness in Him to see me through the sad and lonely times.

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JB-NJ

Grief Tip: Seek out female friends to help you stay active. Be willing to visit Senior Citizen centers and accept invitations to lunch, a movie, or other activities outside your home. Use any resource available to you. Stay active!

There are several songs that have helped to comfort me during this time. They are "Do Not Pass Me By" and What a Friend We have In Jesus".

A special blessing that happened to me, a friend introduced me to another widow who took me to FNF meetings and encouraged me to not grieve alone. I found strength to take one day at a time. I also found time for Bible study and got closer to my church, and volunteering for more church work.

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LR-NJ

Grief Tip: Exercise even if you only walk.  It really helps relieve the stress.

Blessings from God by meeting new friends from my support group. My new home living with my son. My daughter gave me my new grandson and being able to retire.

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Barb Driscoll BD-NJ

Grief Tip: Keep busy and keep in touch with friends, even if you don't feel like it. Look for joy each day and enjoy loved ones and let them know you do.

A special song to me is Great is Thy Faithfulness and God Is Always So Good.

God's blessings during this time is new friends. Another widow, especially a neighbor, whose husband died six months ago after mine, are now close friends.

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These testimonies touch and bless my heart. We are in this sisterhood together. We know just how each other feels. By sharing out testimonies we encourage and build each other up.

I will close this post with the following scripture verses from the KJV Bible.

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Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify (teach) one another, even as also ye do. 1Th_5:11

Exhort (strongly encourage) one another daily Heb_3:13 

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God’s blessings on each one of you.

You are all precious to Him.

Widows Witnessing Series

 

Good morning dear Ladies,

I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Day weekend. May the rest of your week be lovely too.

Let us remember:

We are all beautiful creations of God and He works in all of our lives differently. He speaks individually to each of us, to our hearts and souls.

Part of our life as a widow is sharing and encouraging others through stories in our own lives as to how God is lovingly caring for us.

Today we have some dear sisters from our NJ group.

 

MK-NJ

Grief Tip: Demonstrate compassion, calmness, inner peace via your presence and tone of voice.  Be a good listener and slow in giving advice.  Identify with feelings expressed minus long stories of personal experience.

During this time of grieving my special song that kept going through my mind was "Jesus, Jesus, There is Something About That Name".

During my time of grieving there was a deeper awareness of God's availability for comfort and peace and my need to be patient.  Life had changed, adjustments were a reality and my faith and trust in God required me to make decisions.  God gave me needed wisdom and lowered my stress and anxiety levels.

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RB-NJ

Grief Tip: Allow yourself to grieve and trust in the Lord to ease the pain.

The song I love to listen to during this time is "I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee, Every hour I need Thee".

During this time God gave the the ability to go back to work after a week post my husband's funeral.  It was very difficult to care for my patients because it reminded me of my husband's last days in the hospital.  The Lord held me up and sustained me through those tough times.

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JL-NJ

Seventeen years ago, my life changed, not only as a widow; but, the owner-operator of a farm, fortunately a few years before we had downsized from over 200 acres to 20.

With the Lord's help (prayed a lot) and my son-in-"love" the already planted crops made it through the summer and were harvested successfully. But what would I do next summer?  The fields had to be planted.  I wondered, worried and prayed! That fall, my neighbor stopped in and said he would like to plant my field in hay.  He needed more ground.  The Lord had answered my prayers!  As a hayfield usually lasts 10-12 years, my problem was not only solved, but I wouldn't have to worry about planting again for awhile (right now they are a beautiful green and growing.)

In church, one Sunday that September, I read a notice for an upcoming basic lay speaker class to be held in October.  I thought that's not for me, I can't speak before a group of adults and turned the page.  The rest of the day, my thoughts kept going back to that notice.  I didn't know why, but those thoughts bothered me.  I prayed, Lord, why am I think about that notice?  I can't be a speaker.  I am too old to start over, to go back to school.  It would be a waste of time.  The space is limited. I'd be taking the place of someone much better qualified and younger.

The next morning, as I put on my jacket to go get my paper, that bulletin fell out of my pocket.  It fell to the floor opened to the school application form.  I hadn't even noticed that form before.

I knew then! I had to apply to go to that basic class.  I felt it was a sign from God.  Give it a try.  I went! I liked it! I became a certified lay speaker in the United Methodist Church.

From that first class, the Lord has led me to preach several Mother's Day sermons, preach at Pitman Manor, preach in my own church, to even officiate at a funeral, and to my favorite place - "Friends Needing Friends". God is Good! Just follow Him. He will lead you and guide you on your journey through widowhood.

Joanne has served with Friends Needing Friends Ministry for over 20 years.

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ES-NJ

I have been a widow for 22 years and I now live in N.J. Do you remember after your loss when all the flowers were gone, the cards and company stopped?  You think to yourself, "How will I ever manage?"

Soon I noticed the grass needed cutting and realized another chore to assume...suddenly I heard a lawn mower.  My neighbor (my husband's close pal) simply did it.  That was in 1992 and I have never cut, fertilized or edged since.

Now, my neighbor is stricken with a terminal disease - how gladly I volunteered to help in any way for all his kindness.  Then there is church.  After shortly becoming a widow, I became an usher/greeter at church and have become more active.

Lastly is "Friends Needing Friends”.  Coming in as a middle-aged devastated gal, my association and volunteering as well as the sweet ladies who are each my special angels has shown God's plan for how He touched my life after becoming a widow.

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Thank you ladies for speaking from your hearts.

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I hope you were as blessed by these testimonies as I was. I also was encouraged and inspired to keep trusting Jesus to be my strength through each and every day.

 

Here is a verse to close this series today:

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

I Thessalonians 5:11 NLT

A new series ‘Widows Witnessing’

 

Good morning Ladies ~ Here it is April already and Easter is just a couple of weeks away.  Easter is the season of rebirth and restoration.

God in His great glory and wisdom has saved us through Jesus’ death and resurrection, so that we will be FREE.  Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

Our lives did not end when we lost our dear husbands, they just took a turn, a turn closer to Jesus as we depend on Him and grow to love Him more as He works in our lives.

We are starting a new series on this blog.  ‘Widows Witnessing’. These will be stories of how God has worked and is working in your lives.

We want to publish your stories right here in this blog.  Your stories will touch lives. Whenever we read about what God does in a real person’s life, we rejoice and our faith is strengthened.

No story is too small to tell. Sometimes the smallest stories can be some of the greatest. May God bless you as you share with us what God has done in your life.

So, let us hear your story.

We are going to start with our founder Dotti. Her story is the beginning of how we are here today. May you be blessed and encouraged as you read her story.

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Several years ago while living in New Jersey, Pastor Bruce Sofia of Gloucester County Community Church, called and asked me to speak at their Wednesday evening meeting. Pastor Sofia was giving a series of meetings titled, “Till Death Due Us Part”.  Pastor asked me to speak on “How did I cope when my late husband died”. At first, I held my breath and then I remembered Pastor’s words, when he said, “I thought of you first when I was organizing this topic for the class”. Well, if Pastor thought of me first, God must have spoken to him; therefore, I must do this and depend on the Holy Spirit of God to help me.
 
Of course, Satan was right there telling me so many lies. You can’t do this, what if I stutter, forget my subject, and many other lies. But inside of me, I knew I had to do this.
 
The next day, I called my girlfriend Rita and told her about Pastor Bruce’s request. I needed her advice on how she remembers and prepares for the many times she was asked to speak at different churches. Her excellent advice was to remember to give God the Glory in everything He has done.
 
I prayed and asked God to guide me and my thoughts as to what He wanted me to say. God brought back so many memories that I thought I had forgotten. When I was finished writing the speech, He spoke to me again and showed me the many times that He provided and protected me, telling me of His love and that He had never forsaken me.
 
The Psalmist wrote, “write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise him” (Ps. 102:18 TEV)

You owe it to your loved ones to pass on to them how God helped you overcome your problems and fulfill His purposes through your life. Think, what you write will be a witness that continues to speak long after you are in heaven!

What an honor that was to be asked to give testimony of how God helped me. To be able to speak of His miracles to over 300 people was very exciting.

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The date now is April, 2014 and we are doing articles by our FNF groups, titled “Widows Witnessing”.  These widows will be writing their feelings of widowhood.  As the last line of the above Bible verse reads “Think, what you write will be a witness that continues to speak long after we are in heaven!”

What a wonderful God we serve, God’s Blessing!
 
Dotti Ackerman

Founder & Director of Friends Needing Friends

Est: 1988