Wife to Widow

18/09/2025

What if…

• I don’t get a happy ending?
• This pain doesn’t go away?
• He answers my prayers with “No?”
• Life never looks like I hoped?
• I lose again?

I know God CAN, but…
what. if. He. doesn’t?
What if??

What if faith is so much more than believing He can?

What if faith is trading our “what-ifs” with “even ifs?”

What if faith is flipping every “if only” to “only God?”

What if faith isn't, "Will you, Lord?" What if real faith is, "Your will, Lord."

Even if…

• I don’t get a “happy ending”
• This pain never goes away
• He answers all my prayers with “No"
• Life never looks like I hoped
• I lose, again

May I still want what You want, Lord. Let me not bow to the will of another.

Not even my own.

Because, even if You choose not to rescue me from the fire, You will certainly be with me in it. May my faith grow big enough to say "even if."

Like those three Hebrew boys of old.

So that, when I refuse to bow, a watching world can peer into my trial and see You.
_______________

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:7)
Pastor's Widow.

17/09/2025

Let every scar remind us of the battles fought and the victories won. In the light of a new day, these marks become emblems of hope, guiding the way toward a future shaped by resilience, compassion, and unwavering determination.

-Andrea Casteel Smith

13/08/2025

Widows are the keepers of promises made in love’s purest form. Through sleepless nights and silent tears, they continue to honor, nurture, and protect what was built together. Even when life changes, their devotion never does. 💛
# widowhood

09/07/2025

is more than grief, it’s a radical initiation into maturity, self-discovery, and reparenting.

It’s standing face-to-face with every tender root of your identity… without the mirror of your partner to reflect you back. 🌿

You’re not just mourning who you lost , you’re meeting who you are.
The version of you that must now mother herself. Comfort herself. Become her own safe place.

This journey isn’t just about surviving loss, it’s about becoming undeniably you.

16/06/2025

This!

14/05/2025

They’ll judge you when you’re grieving.
They’ll judge you harder when you start living again.

Too fast.
Too slow.
Too loud.
Too much.

But here’s the truth:
You don’t need their permission to heal.
You don’t owe anyone your grief timeline.

This week’s newsletter is all about judgment in grief—and how to keep going anyway.

💌 If you’re not already subscribed, now’s the time.
You’ll want to read this one.

When grief hits, the world often goes silent.But as you begin to live again? The opinions get loud. They’ll judge you for how you grieve.They’ll whisper about how “fast” or “slow” you move.They’ll question what you post, what you wear, who you love, where you go.

04/05/2025

~𝑫𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑻𝒐 𝑴𝒚 𝑾𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝑺𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒚 3, 2025~

What Is A Widow
By Vivienne R Reich

She is a woman with half a heart.
Some say she has baggage. I say her pain was due to love.
She is a woman that now does not trust easily.
She can one day climb Mount Everest and the next day she can't get out of bed.
She has mood swings.
She has traumas.
Her anger is raw.

She is trying to learn how to fly with only one wing.
But if you give her a chance....
If you get to know her...
You will find..
An empathic friend.. because she knows real pain.
A giving heart..because she knows that love is all that matters.
A straight-to-the-point friend. She is no longer interested in Drama.

If you give her a chance as a partner.....
You will find..
A woman that loves deeply because she knows how fast life can be taken away.
A woman that does not play games. She is to the point because there is no time to waste.

Deep inside she is fragile.
She is sensitive.
She is scarred for life and sometimes those wounds open up.

But she is fierce. She is strong. She is a survivor.
And so whether it's a friendship or a love interest give her a chance.

She might cry when you least expect it.
She might laugh at the oddest things.
She chooses very few people in her life. So consider yourself lucky to be part of hers.

And.....
She will love you like there is no tomorrow because she knows there is always that chance there may not be a tomorrow......

28/04/2025

20/02/2025

I don’t know what the enemy is whispering in your ear today, but let me speak some truth into your heart.

Your mistakes aren’t too messy nor your pain too powerful for His transforming touch.

Broken doesn’t scare Him. Rock-bottom won’t escape Him. Impossible can’t stop Him.

Your story isn’t over. You just need to surrender the pen.

Because every story is His story, rescuing is His business, and redeeming love is His song.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness. And I will build you up again…”
Jeremiah 31:4
'sWidow

29/01/2025

Widows❤️
Stronger. Wiser. Focus. Abiding.

20/01/2025

Understanding Secondary Loss
Grief is a complex and multifaceted experience. While most people are familiar with primary loss, such as the loss of a loved one, pet, job or relationship, they might not be as familiar with the concept of secondary loss.

Secondary loss refers to the subsequent losses that occur as a result of the primary loss. These losses can be just as impactful and are often integral to the grieving process.

What is secondary loss?
Secondary loss is the ripple effect of the primary loss. It is the loss of everything that was tied to the person, pet, job or relationship. For example, the death of a spouse can lead to secondary losses such as financial instability, loss of social connections and a changed identity.

Well-meaning family and friends who want to see their grieving loved ones happy and "getting on with life" after a primary loss can unwittingly deny or disenfranchise feelings of grief that come with secondary losses. Recognizing these additional losses is crucial because they compound the grieving process and often require extra support and coping skills.

Sources: Journal of Family Studies, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, National Library of Medicine and Human Rights Campaign

12/01/2025

I am sorry. ❤️❤️