Death of a child is considered by many to be the ultimate bereavement. It seems contrary to God’s plan and order that a child would pass before their parents. I think that is why people ask how I coped with the death of my six-year-old son, Andrew, almost seven years ago.
But for my personal journey with grief, and all the lessons that unfolded, the story began with the death of my mother in 1987.
I had just graduated from college and I was preparing for my wedding, there was a traumatic car accident, and my mom was dead. I was devastated and numb with grief.
The only way I knew how to grieve was to press into God and meditate on His word.
I memorized 2 Corinthians 2:2-4 and cried out to the Lord.
I read my Bible, attended church, and prayed. Even though my quiet times had become sporadic, I found comfort and reassurance in his presence.
It was through the comfort of the Holy Spirit that I began not just to know God, but to see Him. I saw His love for me not only in the ability to get through each day but in the love I received from others. This provided me with insight into the importance of human contact in grief. Keeping in touch with supportive people and avoiding isolation was vital for my healing. Reviewing the many sympathy cards provided another pathway for healing.
The Holy Spirit used many avenues to comfort me and prepare me for additional losses to come.
Five years after my mom’s fatal car accident, I was severely hurt in a car accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury. My recovery was long and arduous, especially for my husband.
Then the year before my oldest son was born, I received another phone call . . . Dad had died. When I gave birth to Matt, I felt as if he was born into grief because he had no grandparents. My hopes for my parents and children to have a relationship would never be realized. This served as a painful reminder of the loss of my parents.
It seemed as if the addition of Andrew helped complete our family. Matt was thrilled to become a big brother. While my two boys were a handful, I loved being a stay-at-home mom and actively participating in their lives, as did my husband.
Although we were acquainted with death and trauma, we were not prepared for the depth of pain that would occurred with the death of our child.
I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Psalm 120:1
#lossofachild #mypersonalgriefjourney #christianmomgriefjourney #complicatedgrief
To Be Continued . . .Part Two
Abbigail Kalaf MS, LPC, BCPCC
Abbigail is a mental health counselor in Raleigh, North Carolina
7 Tips on Handling Family Drama
12/12/2018 9:35:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
God's Promise to the Weary
12/4/2018 9:24:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Hope for the Frazzled Part Two
11/27/2018 3:30:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Hope for the Frazzled
11/20/2018 12:00:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
8 Pitfalls to Avoid being Stuck
11/14/2018 8:00:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Problems as Gifts
11/5/2018 10:55:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Breaking Free from Past Losses
10/30/2018 8:30:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren, M.A., LPC and Patricia Durgin
God's Bootcamp
10/23/2018 8:35:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Time Out
10/16/2018 8:50:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA, LPC
Freedom through Forgiveness
10/9/2018 8:06:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
What Not to Do When Dreams Turn to Nightmares
10/2/2018 8:35:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
God's Detours
9/25/2018 9:00:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
The Craziness of Grief
9/18/2018 11:00:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
My Personal Grief Journey--Part 2
9/11/2018 8:20:00 AM by: Abbigail Kalaf MS LPC BCPCC
My Personal Grief Journey--Part 1
9/4/2018 8:05:00 AM by: Abbigail Kalaf MS LPC BCPCC
Where is God in the Storm?
8/28/2018 10:30:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Getting to the Other Side of Grief
8/21/2018 9:25:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Billy Graham's Insights on Grieving
8/14/2018 9:00:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
When Doing Right Turns Out Wrong
8/7/2018 11:20:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
The Connection between Clutter and Grief
7/31/2018 8:34:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
A Simple Quiz on Grief
7/24/2018 8:30:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Do You Struggle with What God Allows?
7/17/2018 8:15:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Is There Purpose in Pain?
7/10/2018 9:05:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Weathering the Storms of Life
7/3/2018 8:35:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
The #1 Gift to Give to a Grieving Friend
6/26/2018 9:04:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
10 Things Not to Say to a Grieving Person
6/19/2018 9:00:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Is It Ok for a Christian to be Depressed?
6/12/2018 11:10:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Do Christians Grieve Differently?
6/5/2018 8:25:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Good Grief
5/29/2018 11:55:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Press on Toward the Goal
5/22/2018 11:30:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Healing through Rest
5/15/2018 9:25:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
From Brokenness to Wholeness Podcast
5/8/2018 10:10:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
The Blessing of Walking by Faith
5/1/2018 1:20:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Embrace Your Season
4/24/2018 1:13:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
The Truth About Grief
1/22/2018 11:03:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
How to Have Peace in a Chaotic World
1/21/2018 11:06:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Grief Ten Years Later
1/20/2018 1:35:00 PM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
Welcome, My First Blog
1/19/2018 11:08:00 AM by: Dee Lundgren MA LPC
