How it all began...

                                 

                                                         How it All Began... 

As Assistant Director of the Master in Education program at Indiana Wesleyan University, I managed the online faculty, curriculum, and resources for over 600 graduate students. I had moved my family to Marion, Indiana from Jacksonville, Florida, so I was gradually getting to know other staff and faculty through meetings. I was pleased to receive an email from Vicki Rudicel to meet for lunch with a small group of widows. 

During these lunches, we got to know each other through shared stories about our marriage and family before and after our husbands had passed away. We encouraged each other as we dealt with our lives and obstacles post-funeral Sometimes, we simply acknowledged the anniversaries, birthdays, or annual death dates of our loved ones. Later, I  found out the group was called the Young Widows Fellowship and through sharing our stories of loss, inspired Vicki and  I to write grief devotionals for other widows and widowers: Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord. 

This grief devotional for widows addressed questions, we have faced on our faith journey through the valley of the shadow of death, embracing sorrow and suffering to glorify our Savior.