Dec 1 - Romans 8:37

Recently a parent wrote, asking about how to speak to their children about grandma's illness and impending death. Over the next several days, I'm letting you "listen in" to my pastoral advice. So far we have covered the following pieces of advice: 1. Be Honest and Upfront,  2. Focus Forward,  3. Grieve Honestly 

in all these things

we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us

Romans 8:37

4

Grieve with Determination

Why do we grieve? Because there's a hole in our soul. A piece of love and a spark of life has have left our world.

We can be defeated by this — and many are. But we don't have to be!

When someone -- including yourself -- is grieving, remind them that grief means that you're simply yearning for something that this broken world can never deliver

Therefore ... if you don't like this thing called death, grief ought to be a powerful call to action! Grief is hard enough when we have hope; do you really want anyone you know and love to grieve without hope? No! Instead of being defeated, teach them to be as bold and brash as a knight venturing forward to conquer a dragon ...

Teach them to want to kick Satan's backside -- that's who's fault death is, not God's!

Teach them to want to defeat the powers of sin ... and death ... and discouragement. Indeed, discouragement is a frequently underestimated foe in world around us.

Teach them also to be torchbearers. Teach them to be disciples who are committed to bringing more light and more truth to this darkened world.

How do we do this? Daily obedience.

Obedience dresses us daily in the Full Armor of God. In fact, obeying daily -- in advance of life's inevitable crises -- helps us get accustomed to carrying the weight and wearing the protection before the trials arise.

That's the call for today: Dress yourself in obedience! Carry boldly God's torch of truth! And wear your grief as symbol of determination as you help defeat the shadow of death. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to kick butt

and take names

(Indeed, his despicable name is

LIVE spelled backwards)