Room A203: Grief, God & Emotional Rest

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • Over the last few months on BCU Thursdays, I have been teaching on the different types of rest we need.
  • Emotional rest is having a safe place to share your true feelings without fear or worry of judgement.
  • Today, the Lord is using you all to be a source of emotional rest.

Scripture (KJV) references

I Thessalonians 4:13

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Psalm 30:5

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Hebrews 4:15

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Psalm 121:1-2

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 126:5

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

BCUFam, if you’re experiencing grief, sadness, or emotional exhaustion, it does NOT make you “less saved”. You can grieve and still have hope. You can shed tears and still trust God. And through it all, Jesus will give you the grace and strength to keep moving forward. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You today, Lord, we bless Your name, we praise and thank You. Lord, as the Scriptures remind us in Psalm 46:1, You are a present help in the time of trouble. And we thank You for being our refuge and our strength.

Lord, we ask that You would remember those who are going through a season of sadness, grief, trials, situations, dry seasons, and difficult places. These things can bring us to a place, Lord, where we need emotional rest. We can’t find that help in the world, but, Lord, we can find it in You! Thank You, Jesus! We also thank You for the people that You have placed in our lives that we can speak with as well.

Thank You for lifting someone’s heart and mind today. Please continue to strengthen and keep us, and we will continue to give Your name the praise, the glory, and the honor. In Jesus’ name, we pray and we thank You, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X,and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––-we are LIVE on Facebook, at 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! May God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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[Happy] Holidays…

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • As of this post, we are in the beginning of December, and the holiday season is in full swing.
  • For many, this is a time to gather and celebrate with one another, especially friends and family.
  • For others, this time of year is difficult as they grieve the loss of their loved ones.
  • Years ago, through a conversation, the Lord taught me a lesson on having compassion and understanding for those who are heavy-hearted right now.

Scripture references

Ruth 1:19-21

19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Proverbs 25:20

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

Proverbs 12:25

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Job 2:11-13

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Isaiah 50:4

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

BCUFam, we are human, and the death of our loved ones HURTS! And it’s natural to miss their physical presence, especially at certain times of the year. Now, it is hard to watch someone grieve––and it is also natural and CORRECT to want to comfort the person. God knows what you should say (if anything), and will lead you accordingly if you ask. Proverbs 25:11 says, “a word spoken fitly is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” When you think of what a stunning vision that is, how awesome would it be to speak that way? Ask God how. And know that sometimes, just a listening ear, a quiet shoulder, or just your silent presence can speak volumes. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You today, as always, we give Your name praise, glory and honor. We come to You with uplifted hands, and thank You for Your goodness and mercy that You have extended to us up until this present time. Lord, we want to be aware of those around us who may be grieving or feeling the loss of a loved one. Please help us to be sensitive and compassionate in our words and actions, so that the people we interact with may be comforted, encouraged, and that You will be glorified.

For those of us who are feeling the loss of someone, it is my prayer that You will speak to every broken and hurting heart, as Psalms 51:17 reminds us—-You are near to those who are broken-hearted and save those who are of a contrite spirit. Because, Jesus, You are a present help, because You are ever-present, because You understand our grief, we thank You for being a tear-drier, a comforter, and for wrapping Your arms around us today, so we feel Your presence and are strengthened, in the name of Jesus. For those who may not know You in the pardoning of their sins, those who may be choosing harmful methods to dull the pain of grief, we pray that You will speak to their hearts, so they will ask, “what must I do to be saved?”

We thank You for helping us to be good helpers to one another as we represent You, Lord! In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

Please click here for a resource to assist you through the grieving process.

BlenCouragesULeave a comment

Happy Holidays?

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • As of this post, we are in the beginning of December, and the holiday season is in full swing.
  • For many of us, this is a time to gather and celebrate with one another, especially family.
  • For others, this time of year is difficult as they grieve the loss of their loved ones.
  • Through a conversation, the Lord taught me a lesson on having compassion and understanding for those who are heavy-hearted right now.

Scripture references

Ruth 1:19-21

19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Proverbs 25:20

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

Proverbs 12:25

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Job 2:11-13

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Isaiah 50:4

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

He said, “the holidays are not happy for everybody.” I really wanted to say something to make it better.

BCUFam, we are human, and the death of our loved ones HURTS! And it’s natural to miss their physical presence, especially at certain times of the year.

Now, it is hard to watch someone grieve––and it is also natural and CORRECT to want to comfort the person. God knows what you should say (if anything), and will lead you accordingly if you ask. Proverbs 25:11 says, “a word spoken fitly is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” When you think of what a stunning vision that is, how awesome would it be to speak that way? Ask God how. And know that sometimes, just a listening ear, a quiet shoulder, or just your silent presence can speak volumes. Amen? Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesULeave a comment

She left me better….

Hey there BCU Family!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post.

Podcast highlights:

  • Last week, a dear friend of mine, Mother Brenda Lee Elliott passed away.
  • While my heart is sad, I am grateful for the blessings she deposited into me.
  • Our relationships are important and should be treated as a blessing.
  • All of our conversations should leave people better than we found them.

Mother Brenda Lee Elliott | January 1954-February 2022

While my heart grieves at the loss of Mother Elliott, I give God praise for the almost 25-year friendship we shared. Every time we talked, including our last conversation, she loved on me and encouraged my heart. She left me better than when she found me. We never know if the last time we speak to someone may be the last time.

BCU Fam, please don’t start walking in fear about who may be departing from this life next–that’s not the intended point behind this post. Rather, as you interact with spouses, significant others, children, family members, friends, enemies or strangers, ask the Lord to give you the words to speak that will be a blessing to the hearer.  Colossians 4:6 says, to let our speech be always with grace and seasoned with salt that we know how to answer every one. Even if we disagree or have to confront (in a godly way), or correct someone, we can still speak “seasoned” and all the while glorifying God.

James 4:14 says we don’t know what shall happen tomorrow–our life is like a vapor. When you think about fog or a cloud of steam, it’s visible one moment and disappears the next. Vapor does make an impact while it is around, so with the help of the Lord, let’s say and do things that “add value” to whoever  we’re speaking with. We want to leave people better than you found them. Amen? Amen.

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights–we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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From sadness to celebration

Hey 👋🏾 there BCU Family!

For this post, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • The holiday season is a time of family, friends, food and fun.
  • For many of us while we enjoy all of the above, we especially miss our the loved ones who have passed away around this time of year.
  • Bouts of sadness are normal. It is human to miss the physical presence of a person.
  • My very dear friend and sister in Christ, Jewel Taylor, shared her feelings about losing her beloved mom—and then decided to do something tangible to honor her, moving her sadness to a celebration.

Today my mom would have been 58. I miss her more than I ever have over these 23 years. When you grow up without a parent, you spend a lot of time in your imagination. I imagined what it would be like graduating with her there or getting married…

But for the past few years, especially since I had [my daughter] Rae, I imagine how she would have reacted to each of her grandchildren. That has been the hardest.

Baby Jewel and her beautiful Mom, Veda Lynn Steward.


I haven’t mourned her in a long time. But today, I’ve decided to allow myself to do so. However, in the spirit of WWVD Day (What Would Veda Do? – thanks for the idea Tarah), and despite being a bit achy, I will pick one of her favorite things to do.

We loved movies. We’d watch them all day if we could. And popcorn. And potato chips lol. I imagine that we would have all piled in the bed with my kids (after shopping for them, of course) and watched movies together. So that’s what we’ll do tonight. Pile in the bed with popcorn and potato chips (I’m really going to need a dustbuster) and watch movies until we pass out. I predict that:

part0 4
Richie, Ryan and Rae

-[My oldest son], Richie III will wiggle & talk through the entire movie.
– [My middle child and only daughter], Raelyn will fall asleep first.
-[My baby], Ryan will be chunky and cute.

And I’ll imagine that my mom would have been smiling from ear to ear, while wrestling my hand to get into the popcorn bowl.

Rest in Power Mommy.
Jewel

In loving memory of Veda Lynn Steward 11/23/1960 – 08/13/1995

BCU Family, in thinking about this post, Psalm 30:11-12 comes to mind. “Thou [God] has turned for me my mourning into dancing, Thou has put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness”. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. See how talking to the Lord can bless your heart in a matter of moments? He is SO wonderful!

What are your thoughts on Jewel’s idea to honor her mom? What do you do to honor those who have passed away? Please head down to the comments section to share your thoughts so we can continue our conversation!

In the meantime, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter,  and Instagram! You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple podcasts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU4 Comments