My family will come together this holiday season, holding the memories of what we’ve lost and the promise of what’s to come, as we celebrate with new faces and the stories that shape our lives. My sister, mother, brother—my unwavering support system, who, along with many others, upheld my family when my husband of 18…
Tag: Grief
Christmas Peace and Desert Places
This article was written in December of 2022. One year ago, my family began a journey that drew me to empathize with the restless wanderings of the Israelites in the desert. It was our first holiday season invaded by a predator we’ve now been told will stalk us till a dying day. As turkeys roasted…
God Brings the Rain
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5 NIV When rain falls like tearsDrenching parched landscapesI know God sees my heart When flowers burst like hopeBrightening winter’s decayI know God is faithful When clouds hide the…
Goodbyes, Change, and Grandma
Author: Angela Burril I am not good at change. I like all things vintage, except my refrigerator and my long-distance traveling car—these I would prefer new or with very low mileage. Yet, aside from God, all things change. This last spring ushered in a profound change, and I have yet to get my mind and…
Sitting With Messy Grief
In memory, the turbulence created by losing a loved one causes those first long days of mourning to become foggy, but the people who showed up, stood up, and rose up amongst the chaotic whirl of life stand out. As one who has been cocooned in grief and blankets on the edge of the couch…
Anchored Voices 