Trust is Believing When you Cannot See!

This is the season when we are supposed to be filled with joy and thanksgiving, yet it is so difficult to even say those words during times of painful loss. There is an emptiness that won’t go away, that can’t seem to be filled, and that continually gnaws at the heartstrings letting us know that something is wrong.

Remind yourself often that grief is a very private matter, and it affects all of our relationships with family, friends, and our world. Inwardly we know that there will be a day and a time when we can freely and easily say “thank you,” but maybe that day is not right now. The important thing is to know that there will be a day when you will feel joy and thankfulness again.

A good alternative to thankfulness is trusting……trusting that one day you will feel thankful. Trusting that you will smile again. Trusting that you will laugh with others again. Trusting that you will love again.

There is a seed of inner strength we call hope that is embedded deep within the center of your heart, and in due time that seed will sprout. And, you will know because what is now dark will come alive. What is now sorrow will be joy. What is now pain will be peace. Trust and hope and thankfulness will follow! –C. Hinton

“I will trust when I cannot see.” --Clara Hinton

“But as for me, I trust in Thee, O Lord.” --Psalm 31:14a

Hope Awakens Your Soul and Gives New Strength!

Hope is not a weak sentiment, but it is a robust and vigorous confidence built on knowing that we will get through this trial of loneliness, separation, and grief over our loss. Shipwreck occurs following a loss, but we don’t have to stay that way forever thanks to the assurance of the living hope within us!

If you are feeling alone and lost today, don’t give up! Remember that just as the sun has risen to awaken a new day, so will the hope that is asleep in you be awakened to meet your needs for courage and the will to go on to find your new normal in a world that is now so different for you.

When you begin to falter, surround yourself with nature and fill your heart and soul be renewed with fresh hope! Watch for the evening stars to light up the dark sky, and know that the hope that is abiding in you will light up your darkest night,
also.

Trust. Cast aside fear. Remind yourself often that you are not alone. And, soon you will be filled with new hope to carry you through! --Clara Hinton

“Hope is that heroic step of throwing yourself into total confidence in God.” --Clara Hinton

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in Thee.” --Psalm 39:7

When It's Difficult to Say Thank You

When you woke up this morning, what did you feel? Anger? Pain? Resentment? Bitterness? Emptiness? Fear? All of these emotions and feelings are directly linked to grief and will alter your day considerably. We will no longer be able to see the sunshine when our day begins under the constant hovering of the storm clouds.

Grief is real. It is painful. And, it hurts. But, the good news is that HOPE is also real, and hope is far more powerful than our grief. Hope helps us to feel joy.
Hope brings meaning back to life. And, hope begins the wonderful process of healing.

Try this for the next 30 days and see what happens. Guaranteed if you begin each day by saying “thank you” for something – no matter how small – you will begin to see hope emerge and blossom in your life.

Thank you for my daily food. Thank you for the sunshine. Thank you for a car that works. Thank you for eyes that see. Thank you for feet that help me stand. Thank you for the grass that grows, flowers that bloom, and the stars that light up the evening sky. Eventually, you will
be able to say the most precious words of all, “Thank you for giving me hope.” --Clara Hinton

“When you get to what seems like a hopeless place in your life, hold on a minute longer. It is right at that point that the tide is beginning to turn.” --Clara Hinton

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.” --Psalm 46:1-2a

It's Okay to Shed Tears

Grief carries its own set of burdens, and among all of them, we don’t need to deal with the burden of when it is okay to shed tears. It’s okay to cry – anywhere, at any time, and any amount. Allow the tears to flow, and think of them as “healing rain from heaven”, for our tears bring cleansing and comfort. We were designed to cry when we are in pain!!!

Little by little, as we work through some of the most difficult days of pain, our tears will begin to lessen, and the tears that have fallen will now be the life support for the new joy that will begin to sprout from the innermost being of our hearts.

If you are struggling with grief and pain today, remember that your sadness will not last forever. Deep within your being is a seed of HOPE that is being watered daily by your tears! –C. Hinton

“Even in my sorrow, hope holds me in its embrace.” --Clara Hinton

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
loved us.” -- Romans 8:37

Winter Months Leave Us Longing for Refreshment

Winter months leave us longing for color and refreshment in our lives. When springtime
finally arrives, we are often in awe of nature and all of the daily miracles that unfold
before our eyes with the changing of brown to green, cold to warm, sticks to leaves, and bitter wind to warm sunshine.

Perhaps more than anything, the changing of seasons gives is HOPE. Hope that our day of darkness will not last forever. Hope that tomorrow is one more step forward in the journey towards healing. Hope that every day is a miracle. Hope that my miracle is waiting to unfold right before my very eyes!

If you are feeling lost in a sea of grief today, please remind yourself that winter does not last forever. Spring does arrive, and when it does, it will bring with it a refreshing new time of nurturing and hope! --Clara Hinton

“Today I will trust that my season of grief will turn into a season of renewed hope, peace, and new found joy.” –C. Hinton

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” -Psalm 23:1

Winter Does Not Last Forever!

Winter months leave us longing for color and refreshment in our lives. When springtime finally arrives, we are often in awe of nature and all of the daily miracles that unfold before our eyes with the changing of brown to green, cold to warm, sticks to leaves, and bitter wind to warm sunshine.

Perhaps more than anything, the changing of seasons gives us HOPE. Hope that our day of darkness will not last forever. Hope that tomorrow is one more step forward in the journey towards healing. Hope that every day is a miracle. Hope that my miracle is waiting to unfold right before my very eyes!

If you are feeling lost in a sea of grief today, please remind yourself that winter does not last forever. Spring does arrive, and when it does, it will bring with it a refreshing new time of nurturing and hope! --Clara Hinton

“Today I will trust that my season of grief will turn into a season of renewed hope, peace, and new found joy.” –C. Hinton

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” -Psalm 23:1

Hope is in the Call of the Whippoorwill!

The sun is shining, but I don’t see it. The air is warm, but I don’t feel it. The food is cooking, but I don’t smell it. I’m in pain, and nobody else acknowledges it.

Those are the words spoken be a broken heart, and sadly that has become the battle cry of millions of fellow sufferers in this new and foreign land called “grief.”

If you are now in this place of grief, only one thing will truly help you to begin to feel healing – and that one thing is HOPE!!!!

Hope is in the call of the whippoorwill echoing across the hills and vales. Hope is seen in the ebb and flow of the ocean waves lapping up to shore. Hope is found in the morning sunrise and the evening sunset. Hope is found in the smile of a stranger walking down the road.

Hope is alive and lives within the heart and soul of every human being. And, somehow hope knows when it is needed most, and will arrive in many different ways to let you know that you are never, ever alone! --Clara Hinton

“For Thou art my HOPE.” --Psalm 71:5a

A New Season of Hope!

All winter, in most parts of this land, the earth has been barren and cold. Nothing has been growing, and the ground has seemed lifeless. However, during this time, the roots have been gaining nourishment in preparation for the season of spring!!!! Spring is a time when the earth comes alive again and blooms with magnificent beauty!

Allow this thought to break through the chains of distrust that often comes with loss. Remember that the season of sorrow will in time give way to a new season of hope and joy! -Clara Hinton

“Just as I trust the changing of the seasons, I will trust that my winter will turn into spring, my sorrow will turn into joy.” -- Clara Hinton

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles.” --Isaiah 40:31a

Just for Today

Are you struggling with pain and sorrow today? Does life have you feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel? Is your heart feeling broken and hopeless? Then, think on this:

Just for today –
I can face my fears with courage.
I can set aside my worries.
I can think healthy thoughts.
I can read something hopeful.
I can say thank you for one blessing.
I can look to the heavens with awe.

Just for today –
I can remind myself that I am never alone.
I can forgive others and myself.
I can imagine a time when I will feel happy.
I can step out of the darkness and appreciate the sun.
I can count the stars and know that I am counted among them.

Just for today – I can choose to live with hope. – Clara Hinton

“My heart is lifted up when I focus on hope.” -- Clara Hinton

“Let me hear Thy loving kindness in the morning; for I trust in Thee.” -- Psalm 143: 8

I Can Do It -- Just for Today!

Are you struggling with pain and sorrow today? Does life have you feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel? Is your heart feeling broken and hopeless? Then, think on this:

Just for today –
I can face my fears with courage.
I can set aside my worries.
I can think healthy thoughts.
I can read something hopeful.
I can say thank you for one blessing.
I can look to the heavens with awe.

Just for today –
I can remind myself that I am never alone.
I can forgive others and myself.
I can imagine a time when I will feel happy.
I can step out of the darkness and appreciate the sun.
I can count the stars and know that I am counted among them.

Just for today – I can choose to live with hope. – Clara Hinton

“My heart is lifted up when I focus on hope.” -- Clara Hinton

“Let me hear Thy loving kindness in the morning; for I trust in Thee.”-- Psalm 143: 8

Healing is a Process -- Give Yourself Time!

Sometimes the beauty of the world seems so terribly painful. It seems all wrong to be able to enjoy the peace and calm of a beautiful sunset. It’s unbearable to visit places that you once loved because your loved one is no longer here to enjoy those sights and sounds with you. The fragrances of spring become like a stabbing pain because the one you loved to share these experiences with is gone. Life loses its beauty when we are in the deep pit of grief.

There will come a day, though, when you can look at a flower and see its beauty. You will watch the setting sun and feel calm and peace clear through to your soul. You will no longer have guilt for enjoying the beauty of this life because you trust that the one you love is in better hands than ours. You allow yourself the freedom to experience joy minus any guilt because you know that your loved one would want exactly that for you – to know the beauty of this world and to feel at peace with all of life. – Clara Hinton

“Healing from grief is a process and it happens one step at a time. The journey is slow at times, but you will arrive!” --Clara Hinton

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” --Psalms 34:18

Never Give Up on Hope!

When grief hits, it hits hard and can leave us feeling very alone and without joy. Nothing tastes or looks right, and it’s next to impossible to find somebody who comes close to understanding. We feel lost.

Don’t give up hope! Deep inside of you is far more strength than you ever imagined possible. There is a wellspring of hope that is within your heart, and that hope will be released at moments when you need it most. Pay attention to the small nudges you receive. You will get many of these nudges throughout the day. Pull out an old project and finish it. Call a friend and make a coffee date. Clear away some clutter from your desk. Work outside for an hour taking in the smell of the fresh air. Return a book to the library.

While you are acting on those nudges, you will be receiving hope in many different forms. Contact with people. Contact with nature. Exercise. And, most of all getting your mind in tune with the beauty of life once again. Pay attention – your nudge of hope is here! – C. Hinton

“When I grieve, I become part of the human family.” --C. Hinton

“On the day I called Thou didst answer me; Thou didst make me bold with strength in my soul.” --Psalm 138:3

Hope Restores Our Soul!

Waking up with a smile on your heart is a near impossibility when you are experiencing the raw pain of grief. When you wake up, the feeling you get is that of a sinking spirit. The feeling that lets you know almost immediately that something is not right. In fact, that sick feeling you get in your stomach lets you know that your entire world has been invaded by an enemy we call death, and the world as you once knew it no longer exists. Grief, in its raw stage, robs us of all joy.

God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that we each would go through the lonely pain of losing someone we love. That is why He has surrounded us with so many visible assurances of His love and presence in our lives. We can see His mighty power in the rolling of the ocean waves and in the tide that comes rushing into shore. We see His love proclaimed every time there is a sunrise and sunset. We can be assured of His control over the seasons we pass through in our lives when we see new life pushing through the cold soil to usher in spring and all of its newness and beauty.

God is everywhere and is our partner through everything we endure. When we are feeling our lowest, it’s important to anchor onto God and His promises. His love is the only thing that will not change and will not leave. He endures forever and walks by our side always. He lifts us up when we fall, and He carries us when we are too weak to travel this journey we call grief alone.

Don’t be afraid to talk to God. He is with you right at this very moment. He’s our Friend – the one who will not ever leave our side. Call on Him and you will have a listening ear. Look to the heavens and be reminded that death is not the end for those who have gone on before. Death is a new beginning. It is a place where all fear, hatred, sin, and pain cannot exist.

Our grieving hearts will one day be filled with hope that overflows. When we keep looking to God for our daily strength and hope, great things will begin to happen. We will no longer feel alone, and we will cry tears of sorrow rather than tears of regret and bitterness. Hope restores our soul and gives us the strength to go on!--Clara Hinton

“When we look to the heavens, hope appears.” --Clara Hinton

“Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.” --Psalm 116:2

Finding the Courage to Mourn

It is a new year, but often the pain of past problems continues to plague your heart and brings lingering grief. Just because the date on the calendar changes does not mean that the pain in your heart will change. So, how do you gain “Hope for the Day”? How can your heart feel comforted?

To mourn is to be comforted. That sounds like something very strange, but there is truth in that teaching. To mourn is to be comforted. Mourning is not enjoyable. Mourning is not fun. Mourning hurts. If we had the choice, mourning would never be a part of our lives. But, to mourn is to be comforted.

When you find the courage to mourn – to really and truly feel your pain and share it – you will begin to notice that changes within your heart begin to take place. When the pain is released it leaves room for hope to begin doing its job. When you “let go” of your pain, you can begin to feel the heavy weight of mourning be lifted. Through your mourning, you will be shown the path to peace.

Be encouraged today! As your tears fall, know that they are being caught by the loving arms of your Savior. Know that you have angels unaware surrounding you to give you comfort. Know that your hope is much larger than your pain! --Clara Hinton

“I don’t understand everything there is to know about mourning, but I do know that I will see a day when the sun will be shining once again!” --Clara Hinton

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” –Matt. 5:4