Word of the day: When life is lifing
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2. a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
Great day, Leaders.
As decent human beings, we know how to gather around death. We bring food, send flowers, attend a service, and acknowledge that life has changed. Nevertheless, some despair, pain, and trauma do not have a homegoing service.
WHEN LIFE IS LIFING.
There is no public ceremony for the family watching dementia slowly change someone they love. Few people know what to say when a marriage remains legally intact but mentally and emotionally ruptures, or when illness removes abilities while leaving the person to rebuild how to live a quality daily life. Experiencing a person work for thirty years but not make it to see retirement- these are real-life events we must recognize.
We often call these experiences “when life is lifing” because the word grief feels too large. Then we expect people to remain productive while privately mourning the future they thought they would have.
MAINTAINING THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES OF LIFE.
Unnamed grief and trauma do not just go away in time. It enters our sleep, shortens our patience, and sometimes makes joy feel like a betrayal of what was lost. Ecclesiastes gives weeping and laughter a rightful time. Both belong to faithful living. Grief does not announce an absence of trust; it acknowledges the presence of love, hope, labor, or identity that mattered deeply.
As a leader and community, we can become better at recognizing these losses. We can stop rushing people toward closure. We can ask, “How are you really doing?” and remain long enough to hear the answer. We can encourage counseling, respite, medical support, and rest without treating any of them as spiritual failure.
POINT TO PONDER:
Some losses are never neatly closed. With time, care, and grace, they can be carried without consuming the whole person. We just learn to live through the loss and despair with some measure of grace and acceptance. Somehow, we must trust the heart of God even when we can’t trace his hand.
PRAYER:
Father, receive the grief our communities have not learned to name. Make us patient with those rebuilding life after invisible losses. Give caregivers relief, families compassion, and weary hearts permission to tell the truth. Send wise counselors and faithful companions who will not force healing into a timetable. Let laughter return without guilt and let memory grow gentler without being erased. We ask for a hope spacious enough to honor what was lost and still welcome what life may become. In Jesus' name, Amen.
SPECIAL THANKS:
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr., and our leadership team are incredibly thankful to those aligned with us. Help us equip this generation of leaders for their God-given assignments. Your generous donation supports our labor of love: From Grace and Truth Leadership's mission to embrace, empower, and encourage leaders and emerging leaders globally
The Journey of Self-Care 2.0 Workbook & Guide
✅ Reflective exercises
✅ Personal growth prompts
✅ Action steps for lasting transformation
✅ Spiritual encouragement rooted in faith.
Perfect for individual use, small groups, or coaching sessions, this workbook turns insights into impact.