ASHES INTO BEAUTY
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Ashes into Beauty is a ministry for those women who are now on a journey they never thought they would be on…yes, that dreaded word…widowhood. Not a word I thought I would be using, especially at 54, but God knew and He has been a constant companion to me during these last 2 plus years.
I looked for a widow’s support group and there wasn’t really one I could find, at least where I live. A church may have one but they usually don’t run all year long. If you are like me you would like access to a group like that all the time. That got me to thinking about what I needed and wanted, especially right after losing Mark.
First, I would have loved:
-A place to go to just try to breathe
-A place that I could get away to
-A place that had someone I could talk to who knew, for the most part, what I had just experienced
-A place where no one knew me but understood
-A place to just cry and grieve and try to gather myself back together
-A place to figure out my next step
-A place that was not only a beginning to the healing process but also a place of encouragement for my new journey I was about to embark on
That is what I would have loved. Since I didn’t have that I would love to offer that to any widow that needs it. No matter how long it has been since the passing of your husband, we all need someone, who at the core, understands us.
Second, I want a group to meet with on a regular basis to:
-Meet other women who are going through the same as me
-Be able to talk to when I need some encouragement
-Talk to when things are not going well but you really can’t explain why
-Talk to someone who understands the little things that make you excited but also sad at the same time
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This ministry will include but not be limited to:
-A place for any widow to come and take a few days to get encouraged and rejuvenate
-A place for those who are local to DFW to gather together once a month for fellowship
-A Zoom meeting once a month to encourage each other and get to know each other and where we are from…(who knows who may be local to you)
-2 yearly retreats; One in the Spring that is in person and one in the Fall that is by Zoom; First one will be Spring 2024 and in the Houston area
-For those local…field trips that are easy to do in a day
Topics that will be discussed are: (there will be more added as we go along and I get feedback on what you would like to discuss)
-Accepting the Loss
-Sleeping
-Holidays
-Guilt for surviving; moving forward
-How to move forward
-Grief
-House maintenance/How Do I Find Help/I Have To Do What
-Loneliness
-Family help
-Special Occasion Days
-Finding and Keeping Joy
-Dealing With Anger/Sadness/Bitterness
-Finances
-Worship Songs/Verses
-Introduction of widows
-Friends/New and Old
-Secondary Losses
-Year One vs Year Two vs Forever
-What To Do on Anniversary of Death
-Taking Care of Yourself
-Health
-Church/Small Group
-Getting back and staying involved
-Embracing Singleness/New Identity
-What I expected the future to be vs what it is…expectation vs reality
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I know not everyone is in the same place or has experienced the same loss. By that I mean that some had a long journey with their spouse being sick before they passed, others had a very short time, some had no time and their spouse was just gone, and for some the loss is in a very traumatic or tragic way. Some have been widows for over 10 years while others have been widows less than a year.
No matter where you fall in this, I want to be a group that encourages each other because we understand each other. Since we are all experiencing different journeys, yet at the same time the same, it will be important for me to make sure that everyone feels welcome and loved.
To be a part of this ministry, please fill out the questionnaire at the bottom of the page. You will receive a text or email once your questionnaire is received.
*If you do not receive a confirmation text or email, please send a text to (909) 213-8314. We know that sometimes emails get lost in the delivery and we don’t want to miss anyones. Thank you!
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