How God’s grace and Jon's legacy continue shaping my heart
Jon’s battle with cancer was a long, difficult journey. Yet he wanted to use his experiences to bring others to Christ. He longed for God to use his life for His glory. He often said, “I don’t want to waste my cancer”. Throughout the years of treatments, surgeries, hospital stays and many days of feeling ill, Jon shared the hope of Christ with others. During his darkest times, he often would read the book of Job. He felt a kinship to Job, especially after being hospitalized with severe shingles in the midst of radiation treatments. He understood when Job talked about scraping his boils with broken pieces of pottery. He had felt that pain.
After Jon passed, I chose to have Job 1:21 engraved on Jon’s gravestone. It says,
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
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When Thanksgiving Feels Heavy, Not HappyThanksgiving is on Thursday. This can be such a difficult holiday for so many. And perhaps you find yourself dreading it this year.
Maybe there’s an empty chair at the table that didn’t used to be there.
Perhaps the traditions you once held so tightly now feel unimportant.
Maybe instead of excitement and anticipation, you’re feeling sadness and dread.
Perhaps the traditions you once held so tightly now feel unimportant.
Maybe instead of excitement and anticipation, you’re feeling sadness and dread.
It’s okay if you aren’t looking forward to Thanksgiving. You don’t have to force gratitude that isn’t genuine. God isn’t disappointed in you for feeling the weight of your loss.
And maybe things need to be different this year.
When I was deep in grief during those first few holidays, it was hard to get into the spirit of the season. I missed Jon so much and felt like grief would always be heavy. It was easy to give in to despair and anger – and for a while, I did – but that only made the heaviness worse. Over time, I found I had to be intentional with my thoughts. Choosing to focus on Christ and His promises helped me notice the small blessings right in front of me. It didn’t take away the grief, but it helped refocus my heart so I wouldn’t stay trapped in isolation and bitterness.
I want to encourage you to look for the small things that offer joy — the things that give you even a moment of peace. Reflect on how God has sustained you so far.
This Thanksgiving, maybe gratitude isn’t found in the feast, the gathering, or the traditions. Maybe it’s simply in pausing to remember the goodness and faithfulness of God — even here, even now. You don’t have to be excited or go all out this year. Maybe just sitting in the quiet, reflecting on God’s promises, is enough. Promises like:
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Hebrews 13:5
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” — Psalm 34:18
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.” — Lamentations 3:22–23
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.” — Revelation 21:4
These promises don’t erase the pain, but they remind us that our pain isn’t the end of the story. Gratitude begins here — not in pretending everything is okay, but in remembering and choosing to focus on God, who is still faithful, still near, and still good.This Thanksgiving, even if gratitude looks different than it used to, may you find comfort in knowing that God is still with you — holding you, sustaining you, and giving you enough grace for today.
If you’re walking through grief and need a quiet place to process, I have created resources specifically for you in my Etsy shop, HOPE & HARMONY PAGES. These three digital printables work on their own and hand in hand with each other:
30 SCRIPTURE CARDS FOR GRIEF. If you know someone these might encourage, I would be honored if you’d share these resources—and my blog—with them.
