| It wasn’t until I sat down with the Pastoral Counselor at the Center for Ministry back in 2003 to explore my call into full-time Pastoral Ministry that I began to understand and unpack the small griefs in my life. When I thought about grief, I thought about the loss of my Granddad, Father, Pastor, and dear friends. It wasn’t until the counselor asked me about leaving a much loved job I held before I became a stay-at-home mom that the floodgates opened up and tears began to stream down my face. I had not allowed myself to grieve but forced myself to be “happy” and “joyful” as I settled into my new life as a parent. So almost 20 years after, there I sat grieving my past life. In all of our life transitions and change, grief is present. Joy can and I believe is present as well in the middle of the grief. God turns our mourning into dancing in the small and large griefs. Thanks be to God! “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.” – Psalm 30:11-12P. -Pastor Denise Photo Credit – ChurchArt.com |
