With Hope

Hope is one of my favorite words. It is the hope I have in Jesus that gets me through the most difficult of times. I feel such sadness for people who suffer tragedies without Jesus in their life. How do they get through the death of a loved one?

After my husband died, people around me were surprised that I seemed to be coping so well. They didn't seem to understand how I could have anything to smile about. Well, I was sad. I was sad all the time. I cried myself to sleep every night for six months. But, I still had hope. I knew exactly where my husband was and I knew that this wasn't the end. I will see him again!

This week we were all saddened to hear of the sudden and tragic death of five-year-old Maria Chapman. Shortly after hearing the announcement on our local Christian radio station, they played a beautiful song that was written by Steven Curtis Chapman several years ago. The song is called, "With Hope." If you are experiencing grief or loss, I pray that these words will bring you HOPE.

This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so ...

So we can cry with hope
And say goodbye with hope

We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

Welcome!

Dear Friends,

This new site was a long time coming...

My husband died eleven years ago. At the time, several friends suggested that I join a support group for other young widows. Well, I had a little boy to raise. Sitting in a room filled with other women who where as depressed as I was, was the absolute last place I wanted to be. What a downer! I was depressed enough! So, I never joined a support group. I never sought any counseling (although it might have been a good idea). I never talked to anyone about my feelings. I just went on with life. I didn't think I had a choice. Nick was three-and-a-half at the time and he needed his mom to be the same mom she had always been. He needed consistency. So I grieved alone and in silence.

Several years have passed and now I find myself working at an amazing women’s ministry. God brought me to Proverbs 31 Ministries and it has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. Not only do I work in an atmosphere of grace, but I get the love, support, and friendship of an amazing group of Godly women on a daily basis. I am in the safest, most encouraging environment I could ever ask for and I am thriving as a result. Each day I see God's hand at work in my life and in the lives of others. It is just too wonderful to keep it to myself! This ministry provides me with an opportunity to share these wonders.

Proverbs 31 Ministries seeks to provide God’s peace, perspective and purpose to today’s busy woman… no matter where she is in life or on her walk with Jesus. We hear from stay-at-home moms, working women, married women, divorced women, single women, and we hear from women just like me. They want to know that they are not alone. So, with much encouragement over the past few years from my friend Lysa, who said, "God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable. He comforts us to make us comfort-able," I have launched A Widow’s Might.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Friends, I pray that A Widow’s Might becomes a place where you feel encouraged and refreshed and comforted. A place where you will meet friends – fellow travelers – as we walk this road together. We will share laughs, tears, challenges, and victories. You will hear from women who share a common bond, each one with a different perspective and a different method for handling this thing called life.

I invite you to join us. This is a sisterhood! Write to me at LeAnn@Proverbs31.org, or post a comment. Share your thoughts. Ask questions. I would love to hear from you. We are all in this together.

Sweet Blessings,
LeAnn