{{item.title | uppercase}}

{{item.authdes}}

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
II Corinthians 12:9 ESV

I had my first date with Don in January of 1968. We were engaged in April of that year and married by July. Little did we know that our married life would be a series of events just as interesting as our whirlwind courtship and marriage!

We were both raised in church but were not practicing our faith.

In 1977, we left our city, our friends, and good jobs to start a business in my hometown.

At the time, we weren’t aware that God had His hand all over this decision.

Shortly after starting the business, we realized that our partner (my brother) had an alcohol problem. One year later he ended up in prison. That became the turning point in our lives. We made the choice to give our lives and business to God. We watched God perform many miracles and learned to rely on Him. We studied how to operate our business on Biblical principles.

God was there for every trial.

In 1999, Don was diagnosed with colon cancer. Surgery to remove the cancer was successful and no treatment was necessary.

God again was there for us in a miraculous way.

In 2009, we decided to sell the business and retire. That same year Don was diagnosed with prostate cancer. We did sell the business, but put our retirement plans on hold, trusting that God would give us another good outcome. This time however, treatment was necessary, but God was faithful and the prognosis was good.

We enjoyed five years of traveling and doing things we never had time for as business owners.

In early 2015, we found out that the cancer had metastasized and there was no treatment. Six months later, God took Don home.

When I said goodbye to my family after the service, I didn’t realize the depth of grief that would follow. I found out what alone really meant!

Even though I cried out to God, I couldn’t hear His voice.

I began asking God to show me how to move forward alone. God answered that prayer. I was having coffee with my pastor when the conversation changed to talking about helping families plan funeral receptions. The church did not have a person or group to assist families. That led to the formation for a Bereavement ministry that I have been leading since 2016. A team (many of them widows) handle everything at funeral receptions.

God showed me and them that serving has plays a huge part in our healing.

God also showed me a need for a ministry to widows. When I read that half of us will not be attending the church we attended with our husbands one year after becoming a widow, I was shocked! Another cup of coffee with the pastor and a widows group was born. In just two years, we now have thirty-seven widows in our group We call our group “Moving Forward Together”.

In my quest to move forward with life, God has shown me that widows have new and relevant gifts to offer.

God gives us strength and direction when we struggle to hold ourselves together. We become more compassionate because our hearts have been broken. We are bold because we have already faced death in a part of ourselves. We become faith-filled because we cannot face the day in any other way.

I have now reached the point where I can smile at the memories.

God was with me all the way.

Epilogue:
I had no desire to remarry, reasoning that my life now had new purpose. Last January, God brought me together with a new man, someone Don and I had known or many years. We are now married. God has given me yet another blessing!