11/05/2025
Grief is the price of love; grace is the promise that it wonât be wasted"
For all those battling grief especially during the holidays, I am praying for you! You are not alone! Grief changes you. Loss affects your body (sleep, appetite, energy levels), your mind (attention, memory, decision making), your emotions (sadness, anger, guilt, numbness), and your spirit (questions about God, purpose, and hope). None of that means youâre doing it wrong. It means love mattered!!
The danger is isolation. Pulling away feels protective in the short term, but over time it amplifies pain, distorts thinking (Iâm alone; no one understands), and removes the very resources; people, practices, and perspective that help you heal. Therapy and a wise supportive community interrupt that drift. Here is a tool that many Grief therapists use that has helped many, The 3C Framework. Choose - Connect - Communicate
1) Choose -You canât change the loss, but you can choose your next move. Small, steady actions restore a sense of control and help your mind and body out of stuck mode.
What it means- You canât choose what happened, but you can choose your next right thing. Choice breaks the powerless, stuck feeling.
2) Connect - grief heals in safe relationships
What it means -We move from isolation to intentional togetherness with God, a few safe people, and healthy rhythms.
3) Communicate- name your inner world to God and others
What it means- Put feelings, needs, and limits into words. Unspoken pain usually grows; spoken pain begins to organize and soften.
Grief will change you, but by grace it doesnât have to shrink you or âk_ _ lâ you. As you Choose the next right step, Connect with safe people and Godâs presence, and Communicate whatâs true inside, your heart learns a new rhythm. Choose one step, connect with one person, communicate one truth, and repeat. Hope this helps! If we can help; reach out.
The valley is real, but so is the shepherd. Youâre not walking it alone!
God bless!
Pastor Josh, LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor)