Grief can appear when we least expect it. Learn how to recognize unexpected grief moments, process your emotions honestly, and move forward with faith, hope, and God's guidance.

When praying is hard and unanswered prayers leave you feeling disappointed, abandoned, or unsure of God's presence, you're not alone. Drawing from Romans 8:26, this Christian devotional explores how the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know what to pray, offering hope, comfort, and practical ways to rebuild trust in God after pain, grief, and spiritual struggle.

Live the kind of life so that when the end comes, people don’t have to lie. I’m not sure who said this. Or if the quote can be attributed to one particular person. But there’s truth in this statement. And I am often reminded of this statement when I am at a funeral or a memorial service for a loved one. It happened again yesterday. Hubby Rick and I attended the service for a lovely woman who used to be our neighbor, Kathleen.

I consider myself a very fortunate person. I have a variety of friends. People I can lean upon when a day is difficult. Hard. When I’m feeling beat up and just need a cheerleader. I call them my tribe. People who will listen. Give advice if appropriate. Encourage me. Be there for me. These are my people. My tribe. We all need a tribe, whether we willingly admit it or not.

We grieve what we love. It’s that simple and that difficult. If we do not love something, we may be bummed or disappointed. When we grieve the loss of something deeply meaningful? It’s excruciating pain. We wonder if it is possible to keep going. When we allow ourselves to experience the deepest love we can imagine, we are opening up ourselves for the most hurtful pain and suffering. We can’t have intense love without potentially exposing ourselves to the most hurtful pa