In the journey of grief, we are not alone—one of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus is my closest and dearest friend. I can’t imagine life without Him.

We who are grieving need to hear these words: “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16, 18).

The Bible says this about grief: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.” 

In times of distress, it’s easy to feel like God is nowhere to be found. That may be what you feel or think, but our feelings can lie to us, especially when we are experiencing depression. 

For many of us, the list of people we’re longing for reunion with in Heaven is lengthy. But those who have lost children, like Marshall Shelley and his wife Susan, have even more compelling reasons to long for Heaven. His writing beautifully demonstrates an eternal perspective on every human life. Whether or not you’ve lost a child in a miscarriage or after birth, I think you’ll be moved by what he shares. 

Writing about Nanci’s life, my grief, and our blood-bought hope in Christ has been therapeutic for me. I’ve often wished for a single page where what I’ve written is listed in one place, to share with those who ask questions and want to know Nanci’s story.

Through this devastating loss, He promises to remain with you, to be all that you need, to comfort and guide you. 

No Bible verse says God kills our loved ones prematurely so we will be happier, and that’s not Randy’s point in his post, either. Scripture does tell us that God is the author of life; He has exclusive prerogatives over it.

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. My mom went to be with Jesus a few years ago, so my heart goes out to you. I don’t think anyone can prepare you for how hard it is to have your mom not here on Earth.