Thursday, March 27, 2014

Sheila's Story, part 2

Today we're continuing the conversation from yesterday with Sheila to discover keys to growth and comfort she found:

Sheila, what's the most surprising thing about widowhood you've discovered?  I thought my relationship with God was pretty good before becoming a widow.  Now, even though I’m remarried, I have come to realize that Jesus IS my all in all!
What Scriptures have been most comforting to you?   My favorite scripture passage has been Psalm 139 – since I was a teenager, and it took on new meaning after losing my husband.  I go back to it often – especially the verses that tell me that our days are written by God before even one of them came to be.  That tells me that the day of Rickey’s birth as well as the day of his death were known to God before Rickey was born.  That has been a HUGE comfort!

Their last picture,
 July 4, 2011. A quick
snapshot, four months
before Rickey's unexpected
death

How did you begin to grow through your grief?  I began to grow through grief when I learned to let others see that I wasn’t always strong.  When I finally let down that guard and allowed others to see my weaknesses, I was able to grow through and let go of some of my grief.

What encouragement can you give a woman who is in the early raw pain of loss?  It does get better.  That sounds so simple, and it’s not, but time does soften the pain.  The raw memories that hurt at first become sweet remembrances as time goes on.   
Have opportunities to serve your church or the Lord come along that you’d like to mention?  I long to see my church or local churches (we live in a very rural area) minister more to people in need.  I have a Facebook page and a blog that I titled {in}side out because I long to live my life filled with HIS joy from the inside so much that I can’t help but spill it {out} on others! 

In five years from now, if anything were possible, what would you like to be doing?  Before Rickey died, I was always inspired by ladies who spoke at women’s retreats, wrote devotionals, and shared their lives to inspire others!  But I felt that my life was pretty boring.  I was basically born in church, had not gone through the sometimes typical teenage rebellion years.  I was a mom and wife of almost 20 years.  Who could benefit from my story?  After losing Rickey, my mom looked me in the eye and said, “Well, NOW you have a story”.  I’d love to be sharing the greatness of God to others who feel there is no hope!

Sheila's story continues to grow! She's remarried and looking into career options and ministry.

Follow her latest blog {in}side out which chronicles her journey to live life from the "inside out" by  finding her greatest joy, peace and contentment IN Christ and leting it flow OUT!!
Or, for more on her story of widowhood, see Our Journey To A "New Normal"

Thank you Sheila, for following hard after Jesus Christ even when life crashes in on you!
ferree

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