Dear Family,

We are writing this letter to provide a platform for families with perpetual questions or emotional stressors that might be surfacing and yet not collaborated during this journey.  Our life calling and experience positions us to understand the struggles that some families go through, we want to use the means of penning these words of encouragement to be a help in time of need.

The topic for this month is moving forward. When someone passes, people exhibit and go through many changes. The changes can be based on how you dealt with the passing of you loved one. Moving forward is sometimes a hard thing to do. First, thing we have to do is realize how much they meant to us. People leave an imprint on us. A connection that is hard to have or commitment of love but we yielded and it was fruitful. Some connection with the deceased can be not fruitful and regretted anger or absence makes the heart troubled. Well, we need to look at the full scope of Death. Christianity says, “absent from the body present with the Lord.”[1] If we believe they are at peace, we need to find peace ourselves. No one in heaven is struggling about life in heaven. So why are we struggling down here? The answer is we are struggling due to unresolved issues or even moments of sadness we will not cope or yield with our heart. There are many stages of life we go through but life does not always feel fair. We must open are hearts to forgiveness or even focus our life to see a bigger picture. The picture is we need to move forward. Forgiveness cleanses the soul. It frees all the emotions and turmoil of unsuccess moments and brings hope to the rest of the persons life. The big picture is if they were healthy seating next to you, in their right mind. Would you think they would want you to be happy and successful? Yes, they would. We must move forward and embrace this new stage of life, because if we don’t; we are not moving; it leads to be stagnate.  Moving forward will take all the moments of love, tears, laughter and good memories to a place for the future. We need to open our hearts and change, because they loved us. We loved them. All is right because they are not suffering and at peace.  Please look in your heart and ask the question if you struggle. How happy and successful do they want you to be? Then move forward.

[1] 2 Corinthians 5:8