<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Uncategorized | Gary Roe</title> <atom:link href="https://www.garyroe.com/category/uncategorized/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.garyroe.com</link> <description>Caring for Grieving Hearts</description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 24 Oct 2023 19:20:00 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <image> <url>https://www.garyroe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-GR_inBox_Black-1-32x32.png</url> <title>Uncategorized | Gary Roe</title> <link>https://www.garyroe.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Eight Keys to Getting Through the Holiday Season</title> <link>https://www.garyroe.com/2023/10/30/eight-keys-to-getting-through-the-holiday-season/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gary Roe]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 30 Oct 2023 06:34:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coping with holiday grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss blogs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss feelings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief at holiday time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief recovery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healing from loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healing your holiday grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief depression]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief support]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday grief tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday survival plan for grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holidays and grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holidays and grief coping]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to cope with loss of loved one]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to grieve]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to grieve the loss of a loved one]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to handle grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to handle holiday grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to overcome grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to overcome loss of a loved one]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to survive grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[surviving the holidays]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.garyroe.com/?p=9426</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In my last post, I talked about Why Holidays are So Hard. We covered eight reasons why this season is packed full of challenges for grieving hearts. Today, we’re going to talk about what we can do about those challenges. The overall key to staying sane and getting through this season intact is to have […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.garyroe.com/2023/10/30/eight-keys-to-getting-through-the-holiday-season/">Eight Keys to Getting Through the Holiday Season</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.garyroe.com">Gary Roe</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In my last post, I talked about <em>Why Holidays are So Hard</em>. We covered eight reasons why this season is packed full of challenges for grieving hearts.</p> <p>Today, we’re going to talk about what we can do about those challenges.</p> <p>The overall key to staying sane and getting through this season intact is to have a <em>healthy holiday grief mindset</em>. We need to make some “decisions” in our own minds.</p> <p>Here are eight keys – eight internal decisions we can make – that will help us develop a healthy mindset for this season:</p> <p></p> <p><strong>1. I will be kind to myself.</strong></p> <p>The world is hard on us. Some of us, perhaps most of us, tend to be hard on ourselves. We need to reverse this a bit. What would it look like to be more kind to yourself as you head into this season?</p> <p></p> <p><strong>2. I will remember that it’s okay to hurt, especially over the holidays.</strong></p> <p>If we believe somewhere deep down inside that it’s not okay to hurt and to grieve, we’re going to have an even tougher time managing the pain and grief within. Accepting ourselves as we are is huge.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>3. I will accept that this holiday will be very different.</strong></p> <p>This holiday season will be like no other. You’ve never been here before. This is uncharted territory. You don’t know what this is going to be like exactly, and that’s okay.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>4. I will manage my own and others’ expectations.</strong></p> <p>You have expectations of yourself and others. Others have expectations of you. Most likely, a great number of these expectations are unrealistic or even impossible while you’re grieving.</p> <p>We’ll cover more on managing expectations later. For now, begin to make the internal decision to become aware of your expectations as you head into this holiday time.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>5. I will get the time alone I need, but I will not isolate myself.</strong></p> <p>We all need time alone. We need time to feel, to think, to process. Isolation, on the other hand, is one of the fiercest enemies of the grieving heart. We need people. We’re designed for relationship. We need relational balance.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>6. I will spend time with safe people.</strong></p> <p>We need safe people in our lives – people who will enter our world and walk alongside us for a bit. All of us need to interact with people that listen well and love us where we’re at.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>7. I will limit my time with people who are not helpful to me.</strong></p> <p>Not everyone will be supportive. In fact, we’ll be shocked by the disappearance of people we had naturally counted on. We’ll also have people who want to interact with us but who are not at all helpful. We need to guard our hearts and limit our exposure to these folks.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>8. I will find ways to honor my loved one.</strong></p> <p>Holidays are a good time to intentionally remember and honor our loved ones. In the coming weeks, we’ll talk about how to make a simple plan to express your love and honor your loved one well. This will bring a sense of purpose and meaning to the holiday season that is desperately needed.</p> <p></p> <p>I’m reminded of what wise King Solomon said 3000 years ago:<em> “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the spring from which everything in your life flows.” </em>(Proverbs 4:23)</p> <p>Our hearts are under assault. Information. Expectations. Pressures. Demands. Responsibilities. Worries. Fears. Uncertainties. Upheaval. Past trauma.</p> <p>Grieving hearts are vulnerable. Guarding our hearts becomes a priority. Actually, guarding our hearts is always a priority.</p> <p>The above eight “daily decisions” can help us guard our already broken hearts. This is how we can be kind to ourselves.</p> <p>And please remember that you are not alone, you are not crazy, and you will make it through this.</p> <p>Until next time…</p> <p><em>And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)</em></p> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong>Question: Did any of these eight truths resonate with you? If so, which one(s)? Feel free to share and comment below. </strong></p> <span class="et_bloom_bottom_trigger"></span><p>The post <a href="https://www.garyroe.com/2023/10/30/eight-keys-to-getting-through-the-holiday-season/">Eight Keys to Getting Through the Holiday Season</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.garyroe.com">Gary Roe</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Finally, Some Good News</title> <link>https://www.garyroe.com/2022/03/15/finally-some-good-news/</link> <comments>https://www.garyroe.com/2022/03/15/finally-some-good-news/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gary Roe]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2022 15:20:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finding hope]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grief and loss blogs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grieving]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healing from loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healing from the past]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy grieving]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to grieve]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to handle grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to overcome grief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcoming fear]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcoming grief and loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcoming regret]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcoming tragedy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcoming worry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pandemic grief]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.garyroe.com/?p=9106</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>This day is a special one for me – March 16. The date, 3-16, reminds me of John 3:16 in the Bible. For me, it’s a powerful fear-not verse: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.garyroe.com/2022/03/15/finally-some-good-news/">Finally, Some Good News</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.garyroe.com">Gary Roe</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This day is a special one for me – March 16. </p> <p>The date, 3-16, reminds me of John 3:16 in the Bible. For me, it’s a powerful fear-not verse:</p> <p><em>For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. </em></p> <p>As people grieving amid a world of grief, we desperately need to be seen, heard, and understood. We need to be loved – truly loved.</p> <p>The word love is this verse is the Greek word <em>agape</em>. It was rarely used in Jesus’ day, because it meant perfect love – love that acts for the ultimate good of the other person at all times in all situations. <em>Agape</em> is completely selfless love.</p> <p>Though the word <em>agape</em> was rarely used because it was viewed to be unattainable, it is used all over the New Testament to describe God’s love for us.</p> <p>Try reading John 3:16 again – and this time insert your own name for “the world”.</p> <p><em>“For God so loved _________…”</em></p> <p>You are loved. He sees you. He hears your heart. He knows you.</p> <p>Many of us might say, “How can He love me when…?”</p> <p>Our human tendency is to let what happens to us and around us rule our lives. Life is full of loss, hardship, and difficulty. Most of life is about overcoming, rising above what’s happening, and loving those around us.</p> <p>John 3:16 is not about God delivering us from loss, grief, and pain. It’s about rescuing us from ourselves – our pride, greed, envy, jealousy, selfishness, dysfunction, and self-destructiveness.</p> <p>I’ll speak for myself. I’m a mess. All of the above apply to me, in some form, every day. I am in constant need of forgiveness.</p> <p>My soul cries out to be seen, heard, forgiven, loved, and completely accepted. My heart longs for real life – something far beyond anything that this world can offer.</p> <p>Above and beyond all the noise of our circumstances and situations, John 3:16 whispers, “I love you. I have given you my Son.”</p> <p>Our brokenness, failures, and sin were shouldered by Jesus on the cross. The Son of God died there in our place. Three days later, He rose and conquered death.</p> <p>He offers us total forgiveness. He offers us life – His life – eternal life.</p> <p>That’s good news indeed.</p> <p>Amid all the turmoil, pain, and fear, John 3:16 calls to me again today.</p> <p><em>“For God so loved Gary that He gave…”</em></p> <p><strong><em>Question: How are you handling this current world situation? What do you hear God saying to you through John 3:16?</em></strong></p> <span class="et_bloom_bottom_trigger"></span><p>The post <a href="https://www.garyroe.com/2022/03/15/finally-some-good-news/">Finally, Some Good News</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.garyroe.com">Gary Roe</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.garyroe.com/2022/03/15/finally-some-good-news/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>