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.

***

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.

***

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.

***

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.

***

Thank you ladies for speaking from your hearts.

***

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

In the flurry of activity …

 

Hello Ladies ~ In the flurry of activity with our south FL Easter meeting/luncheon and trying to get everyone’s photo with the Easter bunny, I somehow missed Corinne and she was the winner of the most beautiful hat. (I think that was the title she was given by Josie.)

I emailed C. and asked if she would please bring her hat to our next meeting and she did.  Would you believe it, I almost forgot to get her picture again?  Here she is.

I have not been perfected yet, therefore, I sometimes miss photo shots.

Thank you ladies for being such good sports in posing with the leprechaun and then the Easter bunny, or any time I ask you to bunch up together and ask you to ‘smile’.

I am looking forward to our next meeting as we will be having a ‘celebration’. It’s only a couple of weeks away, so mark you calendars and bring a friend.

Have a great week all of you in NJ and in FL.

Rainey

Our south Florida group meeting 19 May 2014

 

Good afternoon Ladies ~ It was so good to see some of you yesterday. Our attendance was down, but there are graduations and vacations starting and our northern visitors have gone back home too. We still had a great time and the meeting was good.

Below you will see some of the ladies visiting before the meeting begins. It’s always a nice time to do a little catching up, to give and receive hugs and to laugh together.

Peggy gave a very encouraging speech about keeping on with something a little at a time.  You will be rewarded. Sometimes we get discouraged and feel like quitting, but to see positive results we must choose to move forward and do what we can.  Remember, “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”

***

Our guest speaker this month was Aaron Papero.

 

 

He spoke to us about prescription drug abuse and other ways we as widows can be taken advantage of with fake physicians and medical facilities.  We always need to be aware, to ask questions, to look things up.

We need to keep prescription drugs out of reach of children whether they be young or adult ages. Even in the best of families there can be drug abuse.

Let me refresh our memories of the visits of:

Reid Scott

Chief of Special Victims Unit

shared ways for we widow ladies to protect ourselves from human predators.

 

Bill Minton

spoke on white collar crime ~ fraud ~ financial and theft.

***

These three gentlemen gave us valuable information to help us as we go about our daily lives.

Because of this information we ladies have made some changes in our lives and we are appreciative for the time and the caring of the Assistant State Attorney's Office for sending out these special people to inform us so that we are more aware of what is going on around us.

The Bible says, “there is nothing new under the sun”.

In Exodus 22:22 we read where God tells the people "Ye shall not afflict any widow".

Verse 23 says ~ "If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry";

We are very thankful for the time and knowledge  shared by these three gentlemen.

***

Let us remember:

   For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power,

and of love,

and of a sound mind.

2Timothy 1:7

 

Let us take what we have learned from these three gentlemen, apply it to our lives and walk in the strength of our dear Lord and Savior each and every day.

Have a great week ~ Rainey

The Gift of Tears

 

“The Gift of Tears” is one of several poems written by Diana Clark after she lost her dear husband.

Here is her testimony/intro at the beginning of her booklet of poems, “Simply Put ~ Inspirational Poems of Hope as You Journey Through the Valley”

***

In 1994 my husband, George, had a heart attack at the age of 52.  It shocked everyone.  He was an active outdoorsman, sportsman and athletic coach, who exercised regularly and followed a healthy lifestyle and diet. For one fleeting moment he asked, “Why me?” and in the next moment he thought, “Why not me; I’m no better than anyone else.”

With his exceptional physical strength suddenly taken, he discovered a strength and peace that only comes from God. From that point on, George gradually became a “new creature in Christ” as described in the Word of God.  Bible devotion and prayer on bended knee became part of his daily life.  George was “born again.” Christ is his Saviour.  George regained his strength, resumed his active lifestyle and grew spiritually – life was good!

Then, out of nowhere, in February 2000 George was stricken with lymphoma.  What he endured for the three months that followed is a true testimony to our Lord.  He never pitied himself.  George, like the apostle Paul, believed that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  The Bible says, “… when I am weak, I am strong.”  Our family witnessed that strength.

We miss him more than we can possibly express, but through Jesus Christ we have “hope beyond the grave.”  I believe the Lord has provided a way for me to share this “hope” through the poetry you are about to read – TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

 

The Gift of Tears

If I could thread my teardrops
Upon a golden chain,
They would sparkle from His Light,
For they are gems by any name.
More precious than diamonds,
A gift from God above,
My tears release the sorrow-
An expression of my love.

Each tear releases sadness;
Each tear releases pain.
Designed by our Creator,
I praise His Holy Name
For tucking deep within me,
This balm to soothe my soul,
To spill upon my sullen cheeks,
To cleanse and make me whole.

Don't hide these jewels inside you
When they threaten to appear.
Humbly wear this treasured gift;
Invite Him to draw near.
Then kneel before the Father-
You are precious in His sight-
And soon your tears will sparkle
Beneath His healing Light.

"O Lord my God, I cried to You and You have healed me." Psalm 30:2

(READ: Psalm 126:5, Matthew 5:4, John 11:35)

~~~

With permission by: Diana Eileen Clark from her booklet

"Simply Put ~ Inspirational Poems of Hope

as You Journey Through the Valley"