To View the Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yrPgq7MA8_0
SHOW NOTES
Welcome to a new week of the Hope Rescue Podcast. This week we are wrapping up our series on grief, so if you missed the last few episodes, make sure to start in episode 119 to hear the last four episodes on the topic of grief. This week Tim and Kimberly share their top three ways to support a friend through grief. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Be present. Tim shares a story of a time he was present for the passing of a woman’s husband. She had called and asked Tim to be there as her husband passed away, and Tim happened to arrive in the hour her husband passed away. Tim held one of his hands as he slipped into eternity, and it was a powerful moment for Tim to experience and also meant a lot to the wife that Tim was present with her. If you have a grieving friend, simply be there for him or her. Don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of being a supportive friend. Make time to simply be present with your friend. Put your phone away, silence the noise, and don’t hesitate to drop what you’re doing if your friend reaches out and just needs someone to sit with.
Never underestimate the power of human touch. Tim tells the story of a time he saw a man crying at the dog shelter. Tim says that the man was probably in his 80s and had just brought his little dog in to be euthanized. Tim went to the man and asked if he was okay, and the man explained that after his wife had passed away five years earlier, the dog was his closest connection. He explained that the dog used to sit on his wife’s lap, and after she passed he would always sit on his lap, and that connection helped the man move forward after the passing of his wife. The connection of a warm body, a beating heart, and someone there with you is incomparable. Kimberly explains that the most impactful moments she’s experienced while in a grieving season are when people are available and present with her. She has had friends stop what they are doing just to hug her and listen to her heart. While flowers and cards are kind and thoughtful, nothing compares to human presence and touch.
Listen carefully, and be slow to speak. When a person is grieving, the last thing they need is for someone to speak over them and tell them all the things they could be doing differently. Allow your grieving friend the space and time to open up and share about what he or she is feeling.
Tim wraps up the podcast by discussing the death of Lazarus story from John 11. Check out the podcast to hear Tim describe this scene in a different light than you have probably ever heard before. We hope you were encouraged by our series on grief. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email us at info@hoperescue.org or message us on any of our social media platforms. We love you guys and thank you for visiting our little corner of the web.
