Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.… It is the Lord Christ you are serving.—Colossians 3:23–24

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Matthew 5:4 ESV

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

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Psalm 34:18 

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

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John 16:22 ESV

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

 

Isaiah 41:10 ESV 

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

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This week's HUG challenge is to help you get through the tough moments of losing a loved one. 

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What you will need to do for this HUG Challenge:

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1.   Get a journal or note book and a pen.

2. Write down a list of 24 things you are blessed to have shared with the loved one that has passed away. Sometimes looking back over those memories just helps the heart feel better. We choose the number 24 in honor of Kobe Bryant. It was his jersey number for over twenty years as a player for the LA Lakers, NBA team.

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Take a deep breath and rejoice. You are blessed more than you know to be able to have loved someone so much. There are so many people in this world who are lonely and haven't experienced having someone cherish them so much. Now, you may be feeling a little lonely but God is with you. His holy spirit is right beside you, comforting you. Rejoice because your loved one is in perfect peace right now, no longer consumed with the worries of this world. It is not easy letting go but when you are ready, you will get strong enough to move forward. Your heart is probably aching and breaking right now but with time it will heal. It is okay to not be okay but it is not okay to stop moving. So, breath and know that this to shall pass.

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Reflect on some awesome memories. .God has blessed us with minds that are like super computers. We can think, we can learn and we can remember. Cherish those memories you had with your deceased loved one. Take out photo albums or a favorite item they wore and reflect on the memory you had with them during those moments. Look at old videos or play their favorite game. Send a donation in their honor to a team or charity they loved. There are so many ways you can pay homage to your loved one . These things help create new, happy and positive memories that bless others, as well.  

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Share your feelings with people you love. Don't shut down when you are feeling sad about your loved one passing away, talk to someone. It's easy to let negativity set it and start feeling like you are a burden to others but dismiss the lie. You are not irritating anyone, people want to know you are okay. They don't want you to be lonely and they want to love and talk about how they are feeling also. You will learn that talking about things out lout makes you feel better and eases some of the heavy burden that death causes. Inf fact, it may bring you and other loved ones closer together. There is always a bright light to shine in dark moments. Find yours in sharing how you feel with others.

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IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Death is a part of life. It never feels good to those left behind and even when it is expected it still hurts so bad. God knew this. That is why he sent Jesus to die for us, so that he could conquer death. This is also why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, so he could comfort us in these sad times. Rejoice because there will come a day when there will be no more crying, sickness or death and God is going to wipe tears from every eye. We know this because God promises it is His word. Seek comfort in His word because God's promises are true and continue to pray for His Kingdom to Come!

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Revelation 21:4 (NIV)

4 ' He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

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Click the button below to let Life Chat's know what you did for your HUG Challenge. Send a note telling me about how you plan on be a better you in 2020.

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HUG WORD CHALLENGE: Michelle gave me the word: 24 . This was Kobe Bryant's number when he played for the LA Lakers. Listen in to the HUG Challenge in our latest show Surviving Sudden Death and let me know what you think.

 

God is love. Get to know Him because He loves you, too, no matter what!