One year ago I started Strongheart. I’ve never seen myself as capable of leading a ministry, and I still don’t. But God was calling me to it. So I obeyed.
There are so many who do it better. So many who know WAY more than me. There have honestly been days where I’ve felt I should step away, because I didn’t feel equipped. I don’t have the perfect words, and I don’t have all the answers.
But that’s where the Father meets us. He meets us in the unsure. In the confusion. In the I don’t know how’s. All He asks is that we put our heads down, hands up, and trust Him. Because it’s not about me. It doesn’t matter that I don’t have answers or perfect words. I just need willing heart. And as I reflect on the past year, I’m so amazed at the work He is doing. To date, I’ve added close to 200 women to the group. I have had private conversations with every single one of them. I’ve gotten to know them. I’ve learned their stories. We’ve become friends. I’ve created over 150 hearts with the names of their precious ones that are so missed.
The thing is, I wish I could change these numbers to 0. I wish I could change what these women have had to walk through. I wish no mother had to walk this earth without her child. My newsfeed is filled with heaven day anniversaries, requests for prayers on hard days, gravesite visits, pictures of beautiful babies born sleeping, women still in seasons of waiting when they’ve already been through so much, heart cries of mothers desperately missing their children…
One might think that exposure to so much pain would deepen mine. I won’t deny that I do feel all the hurt that I see. But what I see most is a need.
A need for these women to feel loved. That someone hears them. A need for positive ways to handle grief. A need for a listening ear. A need for someone to remember their child’s birthday. A need for someone who understands why it still hurts, even though years have passed. A need for their child’s name to be spoken. Again, and again, and again.
Ladies, you know who you are. I am so, so incredibly thankful for you. You are all so brave. You have all changed my life. I am honored to walk beside you.
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