WebMD.com has the following description of the anger stage of grief: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-coping-with-grief Anger: This reaction usually occurs when an individual feels helpless and powerless. Anger can stem from a feeling of abandonment through a loved one's death. An individual may be angry at a higher power or toward life in general. When my uncle, Shun was … Continue reading Still Angry
Deep Water
As a small child I was very close to my great grandmother, Lucille Mason Bishop (Big Mama). My cousin Chris said everyone in our family has a "favorite family member". Big Mama was my favorite. She was my Saturday morning coffee drinking buddy. She was my friend. When I was 9 she became ill. I … Continue reading Deep Water
I Just Got That Faith
Another stage of the grieving is Bargaining. According to WebMD "This stage may involve persistent thoughts about what could have been done to prevent the loss. People can become preoccupied about ways that things could have been better. If this stage is not properly resolved, intense feelings of remorse or guilt may interfere with the … Continue reading I Just Got That Faith
Denial, numbness, and shock
In my research on grief, I've stumbled across information on five stages. The stages are not sequential, meaning, we don't experience them in any particular order. Depending on the circumstances, we may experience one or all of the stages in random order. Ultimately, we want to reach the Acceptance stage. The five stages of grief … Continue reading Denial, numbness, and shock
About Grief
I'm a Pastor and in my role, I'm occasionally tasked with ministering to families and individuals who are experiencing grief. Some are grieving over the loss of a loved one. A few may be grieving over the loss of a job or opportunity. Still others grieve over broken friendships and broken hearts. I'm not immune … Continue reading About Grief
Shun’s Eulogy
On Saturday, I was blessed and honored to eulogize my uncle, Shun Bishop. For my family and friends, I'd like to share that message with you today. May it bring hope, comfort, and encouragement to us all. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your … Continue reading Shun’s Eulogy
It’s not good to be alone.
And the LORD God said, “ It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18 NKJV) Let's be real for a moment. Women are God's gift to man. If you don't believe me, read Genesis 2:18. At the end of creating everything, God looked … Continue reading It’s not good to be alone.
Praise Through Anything
Sometimes it's difficult to be joyful when we're facing hardships. But I can tell you from personal experience that praising God can bring us joy in the midst of our problems. I have endured the loss of loved ones and the challenges of life by praising God. Perhaps the best example of how to praise … Continue reading Praise Through Anything
Battle of the Mind
Let's face it, we all have some un-evangelized places in our minds. I know I do. These are the places where negativity, doubt, and the subtle thoughts that lead to sin reside. How we deal with these thoughts is vitally important because whoever controls the mind, wins the spiritual battle. As Paul talks about spiritual … Continue reading Battle of the Mind
Leading Ways
He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known. (Proverbs 10:9 NKJV) Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed. (Proverbs 10:9 MSG) As a leader, how would your followers describe you? Proverbs 10:9 describes two extremes of what of person or leader can … Continue reading Leading Ways
Two Commandments 