Death Archives - Tabetha’s Devotions

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019

Hope Brings Sunshine

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Believers Who Have Died
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (NIV)

Word Study

Sleep – G3121 κοιμάω koimaō, to fall asleep, sleep; die

Hope – G1828 ἐλπίς elpis, hope, expectation

Thoughts…

For the Christian, sleep is a particularly apt metaphor for death, since death’s finality and horror are removed by the assurance of resurrection. Inscriptions on tombs and references in literature show that first-century pagans viewed death with horror, as the end of everything (Archaeological Study Bible Notes).

Even death has nothing on my hope. God destroyed death when Jesus died in our place. We have a future beyond death. We have hope in a better life beyond this one. If our hope is powerful enough to give us peace over death, how powerful is it to get us through whatever it is we are going through today? Our hope can bring us that much-needed ray of sunshine as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It can also walk us through the darkest of days we find ourselves in along the way.

Hope means our future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!

November 3, 2018

A Life Full of Rainbows and Unicorns

Psalms 30

Key Verse: Psalms 30:1-3 I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.

This week I faced a death in our church family. Although I know all of the Christian sayings like, “Well, at least she is in no more pain” or “She is in a better place,” they bring little comfort when you are missing someone. It may seem or feel selfish to miss someone but it is a reality. Our hearts ache!

We are children of God, yes (John 1:12)! We are chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4), yes! We are a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:5), yes! We are NOT immune to pain and suffering.

David points out that in these times of troubles when we feel like God is not listening and has hidden his face from us (Psalm 30:7), or has abandoned us, there is still hope. “For his anger only lasts a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (verse 5).

To overcome our sorrows and tragedies, we must do what we were made for, “Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name” (Psalm 30:4). Maybe not right now, but eventually, by staying the course and walking through our pains and turmoil, we will be able to sing right along with David. “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever” (verses 11 & 12).

God never promised us a life full of rainbows and unicorns. As long as sin separates the world from God, Christians will face tragedy, heartbreak, depression, and anxiety. However, we should not just sit around and mope. We must continue to pray and have hope because God will continue to show us favor with his grace. He will see us through anything we face in life.

June 13, 2018

Save Me from My Darkness

Romans 10:13 HCSB
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

PTSD throws me back to the times and places of my attacks. Not only do I feel emotionally and physically everything around me, I also hear everything that was happening then. I smell everything just like it was. I can even taste the moment. Everything in the here and now melts away and I am thrown back into that exact moment over and over again. I relive it like a nightmare that will not end.

As I sit in my pit of despair, when my PTSD has sent me over the edge and all I see is darkness all around, the old demons come back. I can hear the laughter and hissing all around. I feel the inky darkness of evil overtaking me. Thoughts of self mutilation and even suicide become a familiar tune.

I have admitted these feelings to few people. Only a couple of people in my life truly understand and have even walked these pathways too. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I have put these thoughts in writing. My poetry is often dark and obscure, but I have never out and out talked about self mutilation and suicide.

I have done lots of research and ready many books on PTSD, as well as other mental disorders. For years my doctors thought I was bipolar. It took one doctor to finally look at me and hear my story to realize it was actually PTSD.

Recently, I picked up another book from an author not only spoke to me, but seemed to be walking right beside me. In the Middle of the Mess is Sheila Walsh’s story of her own fight with depression, including suicidal thoughts.

In one part of the book she was describing a particular night where she was fighting the darkness all around her. Her experience was very similar to the one I described above. She remembers calling out Romans 10:13

“I called that verse out loud and I believed it. I called on His name and believed Him. I had been saved from hell and into eternity ever since, as an eleven-year-old girl, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. But that night I needed saving in the present, and I knew it. It wasn’t that I needed to become a Christian again; instead, I needed the power of the living Word of God to save me from the present tormentors.”

I have been saved since I was seven years old. I am a Pastor’s wife and have been in church all my life. I have heard or read that verse millions of times, but never like this. I have always read it as part of the salvation road or Roman’s Road as we always called it. I never looked at it in present tense. I called out and the LORD saved me.

In the middle of my darkest times, I call out and the LORD saves me.

I don’t know what you are going through right now or what you may be facing tomorrow. I do know that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This does not just mean salvation from your sins when you become a Christian. You will be saved from your circumstances. I don’t know how. I don’t know when, but I know the LORD will save you! So hang in and repeat this with me and keep repeating it until you believe it!

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

January 29, 2018

Yet I Rejoice!

Habakkuk 3:18
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

I want to begin by apologizing for not blogging last week. It was a rather difficult week for me. For those of you who know me or have read my story, you know I am accompanied by a service dog. Meshach is my current service dog. He is actually my second service dog.

Annie was my first. We met when she was just six weeks old and were a service dog team for 8 years before I had to retire her because she was going blind.

This past week she had a stroke. We believed she was going to come out of it fine because she got up the next day as if nothing had happened. By Monday evening though, it was a very different story. She began to have seizures. She was no longer able to get up and move around. By midnight we knew we were going to have to make a hard decision the next day.

Tuesday morning I had to say goodbye to a dog that had saved my life so many times. I held her until her very last breath. She was surrounded by family and friends and made as comfortable as possible.

It has been a week since I came home and found her totally disorientated. It has been a long hard road, but I can now say her name and smile. I can remember all the funny things she did and laugh again.

Tomorrow will probably be rough because it will be one week since I said good-bye. The day the veterinarian calls to let me know I can pick up her ashes will be another. However, through this whole situation, the verse in Habakkuk has kept ringing in my ears. “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Every time I would begin to cry and get upset, I just kept repeating this verse. I won’t lie and tell you it made me smile right away, but it did make me breathe. It made me realize I would go on and I would smile again.

I can’t say for sure that our pets will meet us again in heaven, but I sure hope so. One of my friends put it to me this way. “Love is in heaven and Annie was pure love!”

January 5, 2018

No Strength to Carry On

Psalms 18:28
You Lord, keep my lamp;
my God turns my darkness into light.

Have you ever cried so hard and so long you literally had none left? No more tears. No more energy. You were totally exhausted. You may have even collapsed. You have no idea where you will get the strength to move on from that moment. You don’t have one more step in you.

Yet, somehow you do.

Where does that strength come from?

Why does your heart continue to beat? Your lungs continue to breathe in and out. The next day the sun still comes up and so do you. How?

I have been there. When my first husband came to tell me he no longer loved me and wanted a divorce. When my mother called to tell me my brother had been murdered. Saying goodbye to loved ones for the last time.

How did I take my next step? The same way you will. Hope! Hope that the next breath will be a little easier. The next day will find a smile somewhere.

I will tell you it will not be easy. It may even seem impossible at times, but it will happen. Life will continue on and you will find smiles and laughter again.

God will keep your lamp burning and turn your darkness into light.

December 15, 2017

Light a Candle for Me

Psalms 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

This time of year can be quite difficult for those who have lost someone. Every ornament you unpack, every Christmas song you hear, every smell or taste can bring back memories. Some good. Some not so good. But they all seem to hurt.

It has been many Christmases without my brother. I would love to tell you the pain has gone away. However, just when I think I have moved on and the pain is all gone something triggers a memory.

Yes, I cry and miss him dearly. But I must say I wouldn’t wish any of those memories away. As long as I have those memories, he will never be far from me.

Today, I would love to count the blessings you shared with your loved ones. Sometimes that is the best way to get yourself out of a funk. Remind yourself of what you had and still have.

So, here is my favorite Christmas memory with my brother…

It was Christmas morning and we were all excited, just like every other child in the world. The tree was packed with presents. My mom had gotten smart and not put our names on any of them. Instead, she had wrapped our presents in specific paper. Only she knew which one was which.

I remember my dad handing both of us a similar sized package. We were instructed to open them at the same time.

We dove in to see who could open the fastest. My brother probably won, but I will never admit that…lol!

Our eyes were HUGE! We both got radio controlled vehicles. His was a semi-truck and mine a sporty little red car. We couldn’t get them out of the packages fast enough and into the kitchen to try them out.

My mom’s kitchen was really cool. It had an island in the middle where the stove was. So, we had the perfect race track to try our cars out. I just knew I would win! Being the little sister it was of great importance that I did!

We set the rules. Three times around the track and the first one to get back to the tree was the winner.

He pulled ahead because he was so much better at controlling his truck. I seemed to be playing bumper cars with the wall. The next round found me more adept and I started to pull ahead.

Then something strange happened as we made our third round. Both vehicles began to slow down. We pushed the buttons as hard as we could but there was no making them go faster. The batteries were simply giving out. Neither of us made it back to the tree.

Our heads hung low with disappointment. We thought for sure our brand new toys were broken. But then my father let out a laugh that made his belly rival Santa’s. He looked at my mom and she too had a twinkle in her eye. It seems the night before they felt the need to check out our cars “just to make sure they worked.” With all their quality control, they had run down the batteries.

My brother and I never let them forget that Christmas.

Through the years, as I wrapped my kids’ gifts and even now as I prepare to wrap my grandchildren’s toys, I remember the story of the year the elves played with our toys. I can feel my brother’s arm around me and hear his laughter once more. My eyes begin to fill, but the tears are filled with more joy than sorrow and a smile breaks across my face.

Hang on to the memories. Cry when you need to but try to find a smile. It is in those memories you will find comfort that your loved one isn’t gone for good.

I do want to send out a special hug to all of those who are celebrating the first Christmas without a loved one. I want you to know I am thinking of you and sending you lots of love. Nothing I can type or say will make the feelings go away. So, I will just simply leave you with this thought.

Smile Upon Your Face
By Tabetha Frick

Take a moment to breathe
Take a moment to grieve
Then wipe those tears
Remember the years
That I brought a smile to your face

The good and bad
The times we had
Though not enough
I know its rough
But let them bring a smile to your face

I hope my dear
This brings you cheer
For I am now at rest
But was always blessed
By the smile upon your face

Thanks for the memories Kenny! I love you!

Tag: Death

Hope Brings Sunshine

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A Life Full of Rainbows and Unicorns

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Save Me from My Darkness

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Yet I Rejoice!

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No Strength to Carry On

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Light a Candle for Me

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