Image

GriefShare: The Journey from Mourning to Joy

// SUBMITTED BY TOM AND LINDA MATHRE

GriefShare is a 13-week video series that is packed with Biblical information to support grieving people as they walk their journey of grief. After watching each video, there is a time for small group discussion with others walking the same journey. It is an excellent ministry tool for your church and outreach to the community.

In the Bible, we see that Job was put through deep grief with the loss of all his children, possessions, health, and a non-supportive wife. Yet, during his trials and grief, Job got to know God in a much more intimate way, as his Savior.

John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” He wept knowing full well that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He could have scolded Mary and Martha and questioned the strength of their faith, but He didn’t. He loved them and He felt their heartache and pain. When you love a lot, you grieve a lot.

We lost our 16-year-old daughter, Jessica, in a car accident on January 11, 2003. To say the least, it was the toughest challenge of our lives and marriage. We learned of GriefShare through a neighbor.  The program had just started for the first time at their church and he thought we should try it. Linda went the first time, but being a man, I thought I didn’t need to go. I had faith. I would get through this on my own. Linda came home after the first meeting and said, “You will come with me next week. This program is full of good information and it is very helpful.” So I went with her the next week and, yes, after that first session, I looked forward to each session to follow. We were in such deep grief; we couldn’t talk for the first three weeks. I couldn’t say my daughter’s name without losing it, but the group of people became our support group. It was our safe place where we heard, through the videos, expert advice from many well-known Christian pastors, counselors, and others who have walked a journey of grief. It was a group where we could share confidentially, which was very important as the entire group was tender and wounded and in need of a safe environment.

We went through the series two-and-a-half times at that church before we felt we could continue on our journey. It taught us, as a couple, how we each grieved so differently. It allowed us to give each other our own space. It made us aware of our other children’s emotions as they grieved the loss of a sister. It probably saved our marriage as over 80% of marriages fail with the loss of a child.

Later in 2004, we started the GriefShare program at our own church. We were still finding the “new normal” for ourselves, but a woman, whom Linda knew, partnered with us. She had been widowed over 20 years earlier when her husband had died of a heart attack and left her with two children to raise on her own. She was a great help to us as she, too, felt the calling to reach out to other grieving people.  Over the past 15 years, we have had over 130 people come through the program. A few have become leaders of GriefShare groups at their own churches. This is a program can be used in churches, communities, and even with non-believers who are struggling with loss.

Loading posts....
Image

The Lutheran Ambassador

The Lutheran Ambassador is a free magazine, published monthly by the AFLC. It exists to educate its readers about the AFLC, to encourage the local congregation, to equip Christians...
Image

The Gospel Comes With a House Key

Rosaria Butterfield candidly shares her story of how a Christian man and his wife reached out to her, a liberal lesbian, and built a friendship simply by inviting her to dinner and...
Image

Small Catechism Devotionals

Revisit the foundations of the Christian faith from a biblical, Lutheran expression. Recorded by Pastor Jon Langness, these devotional videos on Luther's Small Catechism expound on Luther's explanations by...
Image

The Post-Quarantine Church

The COVID crisis has had many significant effects on our culture and world over the last two years, and that includes our churches. Many were forced to shut down, others chose...
Image

Faultlines

This book addresses the "faultlines" that are being created within families, communities, churches, and the world, in the wake of the revived Social Justice Movement. Pastor Baucham provides extensive research and examples of how Critical Race...
Image

Discipleship for Women

Discipleship for Women is a ministry for women who want to trust and follow Jesus. Discipleship may sound like an “old school” word, a word your grandma used that one time. Just don’t let that hold you back from...
Image

Family Vocation: God's Calling in Marriage, Parenting & Childhood

This is an excellent resource that will help you see these family relationships in a new light. In addition to calling us to obedience to God's commands in each of these stations of...
Image

Renew.org

Renew.org is a community/network of Disciple makers with blogs, articles, video, etc.
Image

Total Forgiveness

Total Forgiveness was written by R.T. Kendal and is a great help in the letting go of anger, bitterness, and forgiving those who have offended, hurt, or abused us. I have...
Image

E/pistle

E/pistle is a podcast created for students, young adults, and families. Episodes are around 5 minutes long and come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I made this for our students and...