Comfort after Loss By Kate Underwood (Illinois)

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. MATTHEW 5:4 (NIV)

I always assumed that I would have children. A year after my husband and I married, we were ecstatic to learn that we were expecting our first child. But two weeks later, we lost the child to an early miscarriage, and we were left reeling in grief. It was incredible how attached we had already grown in just thirteen short days to that tiny life growing inside of me. Gleefully, we’d shared our news with many friends and family members, unable to hold back our excitement. Now, we had to mourn the child we would never get the chance to know. I cried many tears over that lost baby, and every dream we lost along with it — the dream of holding our baby, of hearing his or her first word, of seeing our child grow and develop a unique personality. Having no idea whether a healthy pregnancy would be in our future was distressing and scary. Would we ever become parents? Even in our grief and suffering we were blessed. Our church community, family, and friends surrounded us with love and compassion, listening and comforting us as we grieved. Through our shared grief, my husband and I came to understand and trust one another and God more deeply. In Christ, we found strength to move forward. Eventually we were able to have two healthy children; but God’s presence during that time of grief assured us that no matter what had happened, God would still have been good.

TODAY'S PRAYER Dear God, thank you for comforting us when we mourn. Remind us that mourning is a blessing, for it draws us closer to you. Amen. * * * TODAY'S READING Jeremiah 31:12-14 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Mourning leads me to seek God’s comfort. PRAYER FOCUS Those grieving a miscarriage