grief – Laura Bennet

What’s So Exciting About 2020??

December 12, 2020

My word for 2020 was EXCITEMENT.

The end of 2019 promised new vision, strategies, success, and growth. My husband and I looked forward to exciting experiences the new year would bring. Only it didn’t come like we expected. Instead it came with grief.

God’s grief for the brokenhearted of the world—those who are weary in their perseverance through loss. His cries for those who have gone their own way into hurt, hatred, violence, and division—his children whom he loves that don’t want to have anything to do with him. I feel his grieving heart as I pray for our community, our nation, and our world.

I believe this year has allowed us to see and know who God is, and what’s important. Being forced to be at home, we’ve had time to spend time with God. We’ve been given a chance to reconnect with our spouses and children. Maybe we’ve learned how to work from home, setting our schedules to adapt to higher priorities. Conversation replaced hours previously spent watching sports or sitcoms. Many families have grown closer to God and each other.

Granted, nothing is what we expected. Disappointment and despair over job and family losses is real. But maybe the 2020 turmoil is what we needed to wake up to a different perspective. What if this year has actually brought more benefit than what we expected? When I choose to look at each day with gratitude, I’m suddenly aware of all we do have; all we’ve learned; new opportunities and strategies for change and growth. Maybe that’s what God has in mind. He’s our hope. Nothing but Jesus can bring us peace in the midst of these terrible storms. That’s what I’ve learned to cling to even more this year.

And that has brought excitement.

Looking forward with excitement as we celebrate Jesus in the weeks to come!

If you’re a book reader or have one on your list, you might be excited to hear of these Christmas deals!

My contemporary fiction, A Deadly Silence, is on sale now through December 15th. In it, Sara Maree Matley unpacks a box that challenges her family with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make. You can get the paperback version here. Kindle version will be FREE for a limited time this Saturday and Sunday December 12 & 13th by going here.

I also have a limited supply of paperback copies of my newest release, When the Wind Blows, that were slightly damaged in shipping. You can receive a signed copy for only $7! That includes media mail shipping in the US. (takes about 7-10 days). These copies have minor flaws such as a bent corner or page or marks on the cover. Use the contact form to order. While supplies last.

AND as my Christmas gift to you, my biblical fiction, Rachel’s Son, about a woman named Rachel who’s son is killed in the Bethlehem massacre, will be FREE in Kindle version from December 23-27th for some Christmas reading. You know how the day after Christmas you don’t know what to do? Now you do! Merry Christmas to you.

I think that’s pretty exciting news! Enjoy!

What the World Needs Now

April 15, 2020

HOPE.

Life will never look exactly the same again. This season in our world has been one of:

fear
uncertainty
questions
opinions
contradictions
frustrations
accusations
loss
grief
weariness
isolation
and excitement.

Wait.

What was that last word? Excitement? How can anyone be excited in this season?

Because in the midst of all this, God’s plans can’t be stopped. He’s not surprised by this. He knew it was coming. His plans are always for us. For a hope and a good future.

Things may not look like we expected or planned. There may be shifts in our lives from certain activities to spending time with our kids; from the job we hated every day to a new opportunity we love; from comparison to companionship. We may be weary or grieving a loss.

But God offers us hope.

This is my prayer for you:

May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

When we trust God, he fills us with hope, joy, and peace. That’s why I’m excited about what’s to come. In Jesus, there is hope, healing, comfort and a sense of peace no matter how things look.

Today, may you have a little of what the world needs right now. HOPE.

Promises and Process

October 29, 2019

“Even as we cling to the promises of divine truth, we scrutinize our natural world for answers that require supernatural solutions. Somehow we inherently believe that if we can understand the motivation and contextualization of our crisis, then we can contain it, reduce it, and eliminate it.” (Author Unknown)

It’s encouraging to know that this is a normal, not sinful, lacking faith response.

Whether we suffer due to our own choices or because of life’s tragedies, God is in it, using it to draw us closer to Him and build our character. He wants to comfort us.

I can rest there and allow the grief,

the pruning,

the process.

“For we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

II Corinthians 4:8-9

Where are you in grief or in process? What has God promised?

Handling Grief

November 5, 2018

It’s been a grieving week.

I miss the presence of someone who belongs in my life very much and it grieves my heart daily that things between us are so stuck. I continue to pray and cry and praise God in the midst of the challenged relationship, but sometimes the sorrow floods over me.

And a few days ago, a dear friend went home to Jesus.

While I’m so glad for her to be in God’s presence, and so is her family, my heart breaks for them. She was a wonderful woman who befriended me, listened well and spoke volumes of wisdom in few words. Even though I moved away, she still held a special place in my heart. She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.

I’m so thankful for a God who understands our sorrows.

The Bible says that Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35) and for the lost people in Jerusalem (Luke 13). When it came time for him to be taken and crucified, he prayed in anguish.

God says those who mourn will be comforted.

Jesus came to bind up the broken-hearted. God saves our tears. There’s an entire book in the Bible called Lamentations. Wailing and tearing their clothes was an outward show of inward grief for the Jewish people.

So why do we believe grieving is a sign of weakness?

I’ve felt foolish when I’ve needed to grieve in the past. As if tears and sorrow over a loss or trauma was not acceptable. Okay, maybe a tear shed and then, move on. But I’m learning that true grieving can look as different as each of us is unique.

Maybe we need time alone. Perhaps we grieve best with a friend simply sitting with us. Some people need to be held. Jesus went off by himself to pray to his father when John the Baptist was killed.

God’s presence is the best place to grieve.

God knows what each of us needs. Whether it’s a hummingbird or ocean waves, a mountain climb or glassy lake, he knows what comforts us. He may send a breeze, a friend with a hug, or a verse on a card. And he knows how long we need to process our grief.

Let’s not rush it.

I love that Jesus prayed for us before he died. He warned his disciples that they would weep and mourn when Jesus left them. But I love that he also said their grief would turn to joy.

Grief can’t turn into something else unless it’s grief first.

The only way for us to find joy again is to grieve first. When we grieve, we’ll be comforted. God will heal our hearts. And finally, our grief can turn into joy. God says that sorrow lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

There is a time to grieve. And a time to rejoice. Sometime we can do both at the same time. My friend is with Jesus so I rejoice for her, but I can also grieve the loss of her here. My heart breaks over my relationship that isn’t reconciled, but my God brings me joy every day.

I’m learning that grieving is good.

Right.

Fitting.

Thank you, Lord, for understanding our sorrows.

A Sneak Peak

March 12, 2018

A Journey of Broken Faith

I’m all about taking our lives forward into more abundance. When we deal with our past, God can heal us, offer us hope and redeem the broken places in our heart. That’s why I’m so excited about my new book, Rachel’s Son. Rachel’s heart has been broken by the murder of her son, and that’s not the only challenge she faces.

As a result, she’s shattered and lost, not understanding God or his purposes. She can’t get past the pain to find freedom, love and life again.

Ever felt that way?

Yeah, I have too. But what I’ve learned is that by pushing through the pain, not hiding it, ignoring it, denying it or burying it, we will step into an abundance of joy. But it’s not easy. It’s scary. And it hurts. It may even feel as if we won’t survive.

It may take us months, or years or decades, but when we finally decide to step through, like pushing through the wardrobe or sea in Naria, we will learn to live again.

“The deeper my past sorrow, the greater my present joy.” Simeon, Rachel’s Son

Rachel’s journey is a grueling one, maybe like yours and mine have been. But with God there is hope, healing and redemption.

Rachel’s Son releases on March 20th. I thought you might like a sneak peak 😉

“‘A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’” Matthew 2:18

Chapter 1

Rachel pulled a loaf of crusty bread from the fire as the ground began to quake. Terrifying reverberations shattered the morning peace. Thundering hooves. Neighing horses. The roar of an approaching army.

Micah!

She dropped the bread and lurched for the front door.

Within seconds an army flooded the village. Soldiers on horseback pounded through the street, weapons ready. Children scattered, mothers screaming their names. A two-year-old lay trampled in the dirt. Another ran, wailing. A soldier speared him through the back. A man jumped off his steed and forced his way into the home next door. Rachel’s neighbor shrieked, “My baby, my baby!”

The soldier reappeared, blood covering his hands.

Rachel froze, her knees buckled beneath her.

“Micaaaah!” She stumbled into the road, darting between horses, “Micah!” A roughened hoof clipped her hip. She fell to her knees and crawled out of its path. Dust caked her face, the stench of blood suffocating her.

Her closest friend, Elisabeth, staggered from her house, the battered body of her baby son in her arms. Her keening tore through Rachel’s heart.

“Stop!” Rachel forced herself to her feet. “Stop!”

A grim soldier scooped up a toddler and dashed his brown, curly head against the stone wall of his home. A woman laid crumpled outside her door, a swaddled baby in her arms. Their blood pooled together in the dirt.

Bile rose in Rachel’s throat. Chest heaving, her muddled thoughts rushed over each other in a torrent. The only clarity in the chaos was the certainty that Micah was dead.

She dodged around the corner of their house. Her worst fear materialized. His chubby little hand still clutched a stone he had been playing with. A shriek pushed out of her.

“Nooo!”

“Oh, dear Jehovah, please no.” A bleak whisper tumbled from her lips as she stumbled to his body now crumbled in a tiny crimson heap. She fell on her knees in the wet dirt where earlier he had played, stacking rocks and chattering to himself.

“Miicaaah!” The scream burst from her lips as she scooped him up, hugging him to her chest.

“Oh, Micah.” She wailed, rocking his bloody body back and forth.

Her only son. Her miracle from Jehovah.

Why? Why? Her heart screamed. What kind of war was waged against helpless, innocent children?

Look for Rachel’s Son on Amazon March 20th. The digital version will be FREE for a limited time.

For updates as well as behind the scenes information and extra material not found on the blog, sign up for my email list here.

Are You Worn Out?

November 20, 2017

As the year winds down and winter winds blow us toward giving thanks and a white Christmas (unless you’re in Florida like I am), do you feel worn out?

I do.

This year has been one of the toughest of my life and though the calendar may say it will be over soon, the trials continue to drag on. I believe many all over the nation and the world share my heartache.

Our world is a broken, dangerous place these days.

That’s why I really appreciate a new book one of my favorite authors, Mary DeMuth, has written. Jesus Every Day releases in less than two weeks, on DECEMBER 1 and already has impacted the lives of those of us who have been privileged to read an advance sample copy.

Mary reaches deep into our soul with heartfelt prayers based on her own life joys and struggles. Her vulnerable, lyrical prose grabs my heart and leaves me whispering through tears “Yes. Me too..”

Today, these words captured my heart:

“Help me know that it is not failure on my part when I can’t carry a burden–it’s simply a signal that it’s time again to surrender.”

Loss, heartache, illness, crisis load us down with burdens of sorrow, grief, fear and worry. But God doesn’t ask us to carry those. He asks us to surrender them to him. When I’m weary and worn it’s a reminder that I’m weighed down by things he never intended for me to bear.

I’m not a failure when I can’t stand under the weight.

That thought alone lifts my heart and gives me feet to move forward in life. How can I take my life forward when I’m dragging bowling balls of burdens behind me? I can’t. But isn’t it good to know that God doesn’t count that as a failure but rather an opportunity to surrender the burden to him?

Jesus promises he will exchange our heavy load for his light one.

He doesn’t insist we carry it, or ignore it but offers to carry it for us and let him replace our weariness and sorrow with his strength, peace and joy.

All it takes is letting it go.

Picture the commercial for letgo in which the man is hanging by one arm clinging to a truck on the side of a cliff while holding a bowling ball in the other hand. Funny, yes. But also life and death stuff here, folks.

When I take time to surrender to Jesus and let him take the burden from me, I find peace that is beyond my comprehension.

And you don’t even need an app for that.

I encourage you to embrace the idea that you have not failed and let God take over for you. And I highly recommend Mary’s new book. You can pre-order it here to enter a drawing for a chance to win a free Bible. Or get it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

I’d love to pray for you and the burdens you’ve been carrying. Let me know how I can help in the comments below or email me at laurabennet14@gmail.com

When You’re Troubled in Spirit

October 30, 2017

Confession here…

Often, especially these days when there is so much pain in the world and even in my own life, I feel troubled in spirit. Even though I trust God and know that he’s in complete control of my life, my circumstances and my future, I can still be grieved by situations.

Someone’s actions or betrayal may hurt me. Sorrow grips my heart when I learn of a loved one’s struggle with tragedy, illness or death. Perhaps a difficult choice weighs on me—I know the best thing to do means putting aside my own wishes to uplift someone else.

But today, I read something that relieved me.

“Jesus was troubled in spirit.” John 13:21

Say what?

Jesus? The Son of God, Jesus? God himself, Jesus? That Jesus?

Wow.

I don’t know about you, but that brought a thrill of hope to me. See, those words come right before he told his disciples that someone would betray him.

I’ve been betrayed. Jesus knows how I felt.

Then I remembered a couple of other times that Jesus felt troubled. When his friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept. And the hours before he was crucified, he prayed, sweating drops of blood because he was “deeply distressed and troubled.” But how can I be a Christian, trusting in an omnipotent God and be troubled?

How could Jesus?

Jesus knew the outcome of Judas betraying him. He knew he’d be tortured and hung on a cross. But he also knew he’d be alive again. And when his friend died, Jesus knew he’d be raising Lazarus from the dead. So why was he troubled if he knew that good was coming?

And if I trust God and know good is coming why would I be troubled?

Emotions are God given. When life happens, we feel joy, excitement, surprise and sometimes grief, sorrow or even anger. Feeling emotion is obviously an experience Jesus can relate to. We are created in his image so why wouldn’t we feel those same emotions?

And yet, the next words of Jesus seem contradictory.

He tells his followers to not let their hearts be troubled. But I believe he’s saying it as an encouragement rather than a command. Maybe what he’s saying is don’t allow your hearts remain troubled. Feeling troubled is normal, but staying troubled will not be helpful.

So, what do we do with a troubled spirit?

In John chapter fourteen, Jesus reminds his followers that they can trust him, and he assures them of their future with him. He also promises the Holy Spirit—a counselor or helper that will guide them, or us, through life.

And finally, he gives us peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

I believe he’s telling us that even when we feel troubled in spirit, which we will, we don’t need to continue feeling troubled or afraid because we can trust him to take care of everything no matter what our situation looks like. We can rely on his spirit to give us peace in each circumstance.

Each time Jesus was troubled, he spent time with his father, God.

God waits for us to come to him in the same way—bringing our troubled spirit, our grief, our sorrow and laying it at his feet so he can exchange them for his peace and promise for our future. When we remain in his love for us, we can rest there and not allow our hearts to remain troubled.

If your heart is troubled as mine has been recently, I invite you to join me at the Father’s feet laying down our situations and picking up his peace and his promises for our future.

Let’s remain in his love.

If your heart is troubled, I’d love to pray for you. Would you let me know in the comments below or email me at laurabennet14@gmail.com

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