I was invited to attend a "grief writing workshop" yesterday evening. While I have had some training in pastoral counseling and have had a significant amount of experience in hospital ministry, I had never had specific training in regard to writing and grief. Oh sure, I had heard things like, "Keep a journal." That does not exactly give you a lot to go on if you are unfamiliar with writing or with processing grief. Thus, I thought this training would enhance my ministry to others who are grieving. I was not disappointed.
The other attendees at the workshop were all experiencing grief from recent losses. I was at the workshop to learn how to be a better minister to others and was not really processing my own grief. However, the writing exercises required that I have a person in mind as I write. Although it has been over a year since mom died, I chose to focus on her. As I wrote, I began to revisit some of the memories from our last trip together just a little over a year before she died. Today, I went through some of those photos again. In four days it will be mom's birthday. She would be celebrating 93 years. I am grateful for the photos from our last trip.
I want to express my gratitude today to Pennie Hunt, the leader of our workshop. (www.penniehunt.com/) You walked us through an amazing process in a very brief amount of time. Your compassion and pastoral sensitivity toward those whose grief was fresh and deep was inspiring. May God bless you abundantly for your ministry of healing.
The other attendees at the workshop were all experiencing grief from recent losses. I was at the workshop to learn how to be a better minister to others and was not really processing my own grief. However, the writing exercises required that I have a person in mind as I write. Although it has been over a year since mom died, I chose to focus on her. As I wrote, I began to revisit some of the memories from our last trip together just a little over a year before she died. Today, I went through some of those photos again. In four days it will be mom's birthday. She would be celebrating 93 years. I am grateful for the photos from our last trip.
I want to express my gratitude today to Pennie Hunt, the leader of our workshop. (www.penniehunt.com/) You walked us through an amazing process in a very brief amount of time. Your compassion and pastoral sensitivity toward those whose grief was fresh and deep was inspiring. May God bless you abundantly for your ministry of healing.
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