Be Present

As the facilitator of Grief Share at St. John’s, it has been a blessing to some alongside people who are grieving and help them find their way back to joy. It is not an easy journey and everyone handles it differently. And, depending on the specific circumstances surrounding death, it can be hard to know how to be a support to them. When you are not dealing with grief yourself, it can be difficult to know how to support friends and family who are struggling with grief. The lesson I have learned through my experience is to just be present, love them, listen to them, and respond to their needs based on your own resources and experience.

Washington Township is grieving the loss of a young boy, and many lives have been impacted. As a community of faith, we don’t have to know the circumstances and we may never understand the “why”. But there is one who knows, and He knows the needs of the family, the school community, and the township. He can lead us and give us the courage and wisdom to know how to respond and how to pray. It is moments like these that give us the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus and demonstrate the hope of the world when hope seems distant or non-existent. Pray for the family, first responders, students, and educational support staff who have all been affected. And as you pray, ask God to surround them with people who will do what needs to be done to bring healing and help meet their needs during this time. And if God places you in their mist, He will give you the wisdom, strength, and courage to be the light He has called you to be. When we ask Him, God will equip us with all we need to be Him to those in need.

~ Bill Yerkes, Assistant Pastor

Romans 15:5

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.”