Widow Strong February 2023: Listen, Look, Love

Posted February 5, 2023

Listen. Look. Love.

Dear Beloved,
This February has caught me off-guard. As a widow of nearly 16 years, I like to think that with enough ” grief tools” that we can empower ourselves and our hearts to navigate any sticky holiday that may trigger grief.

However, God has been doing a fresh healing work in my heart and it’s a tender time. What do you do when your heart hurts while everyone else seems to be celebrating?

Taking time to listen to Jesus each morning sets within me a fresh foundation of peace. Taking action to to serve resets my perspective and takes me on a fresh God-adventure!

Which brings me to Valentine’s Day. It can be a wonderful time and it can be fraught with grief triggers. So what do we do? Here’s a few helpful steps that work in my life. Please let me know if they bless you too!

Listen. Take time to still your heart and listen to the Lord. Listen to how much He loves you through His word. (click here for 14 verses about God’s love for you)!

Look. Pray and look for opportunities to give. Notice another widow or solo mom? Make a plan to surprise one person with a blessing of being appreciated!

Love. Take time to love the Lord (worship helps us break the chains of fear and loneliness), love yourself (self-care), and love others by giving back.

Our goal with today’s newsletter is to authentically point you to the One who heals our hearts and renews our spirit! Be sure to check out our latest Widow Strong small group opportunities!

Join an Online Chapter Study STARTING TODAY!

Widow Strong Texas Chapter Leader Carrie Stringer is starting an online small group for the 180 Your Life New Beginnings 10-week study starting Sunday, February 5th 8:30 eastern time, 7:30 central!

Contact Carrie to Join

Widow Strong Chapter Starting in Delaware, Ohio!

From Christy Lehner: Widowed mom and new Delaware, Ohio chapter leader.
“Losing your husband at any stage in life is difficult, but when you lose him at a younger age while parenting children at home, like me, you can feel like a minority in your community with your children having even fewer peers who’ve experienced a similar loss.

After I lost Shawn, I was given the book 180 Your Life- from Tragedy to Triumph by Mishael Porembski (widowed when her oldest daughter was 2 and she was 7 months pregnant with her second daughter). I read and reread it… it gave me hope and made me feel less alone. I even met and spent time with Mishael, whom I now call “friend.” While I was reading her book, I found myself envious of the Widow Strong group that she started in Atlanta. This group of amazing, strong women of all ages/life stages, created a tribe to build each other up, support one another, share experiences, include their children in fun activities and just do life together. It sounded wonderful!

If you are a widow (or know someone… please share), I would love for you to join me at Widow Strong-New Beginnings’ 10 week program. It starts Monday, Feb 27 with free childcare (more info included in the flier). We also plan to set up a Facebook page and other ways to connect and build our own local “tribe” so that we can be encouraged and connected.”

Contact to Join

Article: Fear Starting Again Less
by Donna Whitten Dibble

These posts are my foray back into the writing world. If I had a dime for every time I started writing again, started dieting again, started anything again, I would be a rich woman. Just for the record, I am not.

There’s a perception lodged in my head that starting again means I failed at follow-through AGAIN. Attached to that perception is that I will once again be unsuccessful at attaining my goal in the future. So why start again if I have already determined that I will fail again? This defeatist mindset holds me back repeatedly. But is it possible that starting again is a good thing? Is it possible to replace starting again with the idea of “renew”-

You might say that’s a matter of semantics, but I believe words have power. A couple of great scriptures come to mind when I think about the word renew:

Those who hope in the lord will renew their strength…Isaiah 40:31

Renew a steadfast spirit within me, Lord. Psalm 51:10

As I buried my head in www.blueletterbible.org researching “renew” I found the meaning “new, recent, to produce something new, also to polish a sword.”

With that definition I asked myself: in each of my “start agains”- every renewal, am I further down the road than last time? If we can answer yes, then that, my friends is producing something new. So, I am polishing my sword- getting ready for battle again. And Satan hates that! He would love to convince us that our efforts have resulted and will result in nothing. He is certain that if you can’t see your progress, you can’t find the hope.

Take heart, my friend with these words in Isaiah 57:10

“You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint. Isaiah 57:10

Therefore, I will not weary myself. I will not say it is hopeless. I will renew my strength to go after the things of God and I will not faint. I choose to fear starting again less in my life, I am renewing my commitment to writing and getting healthy.

What will you NOT fear starting again? What will God anoint if you are only willing to renew?

Donna is a recently remarried widow and Care at 12 Stone & Small Groups Pastor at 12 Stone Church. Read her thought-provoking work and follow her at http://donnawhitten.com/

Song of the Week

Word of Encouragement

Rabbi Kevin Solomon is a Messianic Rabbi that has served our family for over ten years. He is also part of our grief empowerment curriculum, 180 Your Life. His sermon on the new year for trees deeply inspired me to wait for God’s timing in my life and for Widow Strong. I hope this message blesses you too! The message starts at timer marker 01:49:48. Click on the image below to watch his message.

Stay Tuned for More Events!

More events will be posted on the Widow Strong Community calendar, with information linked as we receive it.

Widow Strong Calendar

As the founder of Widow Strong and fellow widowed mom of teenagers, it is my honor to lead and serve other widows and their children full-time. Together, our sustained support makes a life-long impact in the lives and legacies of widows and their children.
Every prayer, every gift, every offering of service, every act of love and support keeps us going. We couldn’t do this without you!

Stronger Together,

Mishael Porembski
Founder, Widow Strong
WidowStrong.com