 It is a privilege to hold someone's hand as they take their final breaths, but it is also life-changing. In the last few years, I have had the honor of holding both my aunt Sherri's and my grandma's hands. Both experiences were very different. Both brought a sense of peace and comfort that I could be there in their final moments. Both brought joy only the Lord can give, as I knew where they stood with Him. Both brought immense pain and sadness, too. We just passed the one-year anniversary of my grandma's passing. I have reflected a lot on that time lately. Perhaps it is only now that I have had the chance to clear out the noise and busyness to hear the Lord speak tenderly to me about the impact her loss has had on my life. As we gathered at the cemetery to celebrate her memory, a few things stood out as we shared. First, birthdays were monumental and celebrated with such gusto that there was never a question that your life was valuable and a gift. Birthdays were such a big deal, and that did not stop once we became adults. This year, birthdays were poignant and will likely continue to be for a while. Second, we learned a lot from her about traveling, especially on a budget. A bucket of fried chicken went a long way...at least in those days! She was interested in exploring other places and learning about history and culture, and tried to instill that in us. My passion for travel, adventure, and cross-cultural learning eventually led me to accept a call to serve as a missionary. There is no question for me that some of that was her influence. The final thing that stood out to me was the lessons I learned through the years from watching her life: hard work, perseverance, being an overcomer, loving fiercely, and grit. My grandma had her flaws, as we all do. But it was good to remember the goodness of her life versus the void we still feel. I have shared previously about the grief journey. So, where does one find oneself one year after the loved one's death? Many of us are still in the neighborhood of no hope, though some may have moved to new beginnings. And if we are allowing ourselves the time to grieve, this is normal and where we should be. It is only in the last week that I have started to feel glimmers of hope return. Otherwise, it has still been a pretty dark journey: one that I need support from others to navigate, where a listening ear and supportive presence are as valuable as they were in the first week of the loss. As I have navigated no hope, the best way to describe it is as if I am walking through a lot of fog, unsure of my footing and the next step. It's where I am learning to walk EVEN MORE by faith, putting my trust in the Lord rather than my own strength and abilities to navigate. Why am I sharing this all with you? Part of my reason is to give education, as we find the grief of others, generally, difficult to navigate. And part of my reason is to be vulnerable, even as a believer and a care provider in many spaces, does not mean I am immune to the difficulties faced when navigating loss. Through the fog, ministry continues, and we have hit some milestones this quarter in some of the projects we are involved in. Training videos for Rise Up (the youth app-based program being developed in partnership with the Trauma Healing Institute and Compassion International) have been wrapped up in post-production, supplemental materials are being created, and the audio content for the eight lessons was recorded and finalized just this week! These are huge milestones for this project, with the pilot set to launch globally in August. Unstuck was published and shared during a lunch and learn in March. This resource can be found at https://beyonddisaster.bible/for-youth. We have been working on this project for two years, so it is really exciting that it is now available and accessible to those who are working with youth. As a reminder, Unstuck is a Bible-based resource for youth (ages 13 and up) facing uncertainty. It can be used either as a small group curriculum with a youth leader or as a personal journal for youth to go through on their own. It provides practical support and biblical wisdom for youth who have gone through disruptive events like natural disasters, displacement, and violence. Unstuck is easily adaptable and can help youth cope with any crisis that causes trauma. I look forward to sharing some other projects we have been working on in the next update. As always, I love to share what God is doing in the ministry, so reach out and let's talk!Thank you for your support and love, Misty Prayer requests:
Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner of Misty Bodkins in 2025? There are 2 ways you may donate to Misty at Ministry Care. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can also make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org Ministry Care is a 501c3 therefore your donation will be tax-deductible. If you have any questions feel free to email us at [email protected]
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AuthorMisty Bodkins has a Master's degree in clinical psychology. She has worked both stateside and internationally doing counseling, training, teaching, and research. Her passion is working with people who are in crisis. Archives
April 2025
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