There’s a 50% chance that if you have a spouse, sometime in the future you will need and appreciate this resource!
For Christians, the passing of a spouse is not a permanent loss but a transition to Heaven, where believers anticipate hearing Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” These resources and ministries remind the grieving that hope, comfort, and purpose can be found through faith and community support, helping them walk through their season of grief with assurance and peace.
Grief Resources
For individuals who have lost a spouse, practical Christian support can be found through dedicated ministries and thoughtful resources. One excellent ministry is GriefShare, a 13-week program featuring video sessions, group discussions, and a comprehensive workbook. These sessions are offered in churches across the country, both in-person and online via Zoom. The groups are led by trained facilitators who have personally experienced loss, creating a compassionate and understanding environment for healing.
Start with Jesus and continue with Griefshare!
Loss of a Spouse: Video
GriefShare Ministry: Support and Resources
GriefShare is a nationwide ministry dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing loss, especially after the death of a spouse. The program includes a comprehensive workbook, a series of insightful videos—including “Loss of a Spouse” and “Survival Guide: Navigating the Holidays After Loss”—and the opportunity to join local or virtual support groups. These groups meet in cities across the country and also offer sessions via Zoom, fostering a supportive community where participants can share experiences, receive guidance, and grow together through their grief.
My experience with Griefshare.
I have attended 3 different Griefshare groups in the Milwaukee area in the past year! At 3 different churches! All within a 5-20 mile distance from my home. Two met in the evening and one during the day. It’s easy to find a group when it’s convenient for you. I benefited from each one! Easy to change groups if for some reason one doesn’t feel right for you, but attend at least the first three sessions. A great workbook. Some churches provide free, some charge the cost $20.
Easy to find a group near you!
Griefshare Books
“Loss of a Spouse” by GriefShare is a support resource designed to help individuals navigate the difficult journey after losing a husband or wife. The program acknowledges the profound emotional impact of this loss and offers compassionate guidance for dealing with grief, loneliness, and the practical changes that follow. Through videos, personal stories, and group discussions, GriefShare provides encouragement, coping strategies, and hope for the future. It emphasizes that healing is possible and that connecting with others who understand can be a valuable part of the recovery process. This resource is suitable for anyone seeking comfort and community as they face life after the loss of a spouse.
“Survival Guide: Navigating the Holidays After Loss” by Griefshare offers practical advice and emotional support for those who are grieving during the holiday season. The guide acknowledges that holidays can intensify feelings of loss and sadness, and provides strategies for coping, such as planning ahead, setting boundaries, and allowing yourself to feel and express your emotions. It emphasizes the importance of self-care, seeking support from others, and finding new ways to honor traditions.
For those who have lost a spouse, the guide offers words of comfort and understanding. It encourages widows and widowers to be gentle with themselves, to recognize that every person’s grief journey is unique, and to accept that it’s okay to experience a mix of emotions. The guide suggests that reaching out to friends, family, or support groups can help ease feelings of loneliness, and reminds individuals that it is normal to miss their loved one deeply, especially during special occasions. Above all, it reassures the bereaved that hope and healing are possible, even though the holidays may never be the same.
Rediscovering Purpose and Life After Loss: Book and Ministry Summaries
Book Summaries for Life After Loss
- Through a Season of Grief by Griefshare:”Through A Season of Grief” by GriefShare is a compassionate, daily devotional designed to support those mourning the loss of a spouse. The book offers 365 reflections, each providing comfort, practical advice, and spiritual encouragement for navigating the journey of grief. Readers find insights on processing emotions, coping with loneliness, and rebuilding life, all rooted in faith and understanding. By guiding individuals through the ups and downs of bereavement, “Through A Season of Grief” helps readers honor their loved one while slowly discovering hope and healing for the future. There is also a daily free email with nuggets of good wisdom. Anyone can get free devotions emailed to them for 365 days, even if you have never signed up for or taken the GS course. (They are the same ones that are in the book, but you may not want to buy the book.
- Grieving With Hope by Samuel J. Hodges and Kathy Leonard: “Grieving with Hope” by Samuel Hodges is a compassionate guide for those facing the loss of a spouse. The book recognizes that grief is a unique journey and offers practical advice, emotional support, and spiritual encouragement tailored to the challenges of losing a life partner. Hodges explores the complex emotions that follow such a profound loss—sadness, anger, confusion, and even guilt—while reassuring readers that these feelings are natural and that healing is possible over time. The book provides actionable steps for coping with daily life, connecting with supportive communities, and finding meaning after loss. Most importantly, it emphasizes that hope can gradually return, and that it’s okay to seek help, cherish memories, and build a new sense of purpose while honoring the love that remains.
- Aging With Purpose by Hal Habecker: Aging With Purpose by Hal Habecker explores the idea that growing older can be a meaningful and fulfilling journey when anchored in purpose and faith. The book encourages readers to embrace each season of life, including its challenges and transitions, as opportunities for personal growth and service to others. Habecker emphasizes the importance of relationships, community involvement, and spiritual reflection, urging older adults to remain engaged, hopeful, and intentional about the legacy they leave behind.
- For those experiencing the loss of a spouse, Habecker offers gentle words of comfort and understanding. He acknowledges the deep grief and sense of emptiness that such a loss brings, but reminds readers that healing is possible through faith, supportive friendships, and a renewed sense of purpose. “Even in sorrow, you are not alone; your life still has meaning and impact,” he writes. The journey may be different now, but honoring the memory of a loved one can inspire new ways to serve, connect, and find hope in each day.
- A Call to Contentment by David Kaywood: “A Call to Contentment” Encourages readers to find peace and satisfaction in the midst of difficult circumstances, with a special emphasis on those grieving the loss of a spouse. Kaywood reminds us that while loss brings profound sorrow and an emptiness that can feel overwhelming, contentment is not about denying grief but about embracing hope and gratitude amid the pain. He draws on faith-based principles to suggest that healing begins with acceptance, finding small blessings each day, and trusting that joy and meaning can be rediscovered over time. The article reassures readers that it’s okay to feel sadness, but by seeking contentment through faith, community, and personal reflection, it is possible to move forward with renewed purpose and peace.
Additional Support: Horizon Home Care and Hospice
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Horizon Home Care and Hospice provides a robust library of hundreds of books on grief and related subjects. The organization offers weekly support group sessions, which are free of charge and open to all, helping individuals process loss and find comfort in a community setting. Horizon may also serve other areas, extending their reach to those in need beyond Milwaukee. They offer a series of 4 free classes on various aspects of grief. I have attended some of them two times. Very helpful. You can call (414) 586-8383 for dates and times.
Personal Reflection on my loss!
Summary of “One Minute After You Die” by Erwin W. Lutzer
Erwin W. Lutzer’s “One Minute After You Die” offers a compassionate and biblically grounded exploration of what happens in the moments after death, specifically for those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Lutzer reassures believers that death is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in God’s presence. Drawing from Scripture, he explains that those who die in Christ immediately enter into conscious fellowship with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23). For the grieving spouse, this means your loved one is now in a place free from pain, sorrow, and tears, embraced by God’s love and comfort.
Biblically, Lutzer emphasizes that heaven is a real, tangible place where believers are reunited with those who have gone before them in faith. He suggests that the soul remains aware, experiencing profound peace and joy in the presence of Jesus. When you or your spouse dies as a believer, you can realistically expect an immediate transition from this life’s hardships to the glory of God’s presence, with the assurance of a future bodily resurrection when Christ returns.
Horizon Resource Library
Why do good people frequently suffer?
Facing a new year dealing with grief?
Aging with Purpose
Do you have peace?
Can people separated by death, still be a team in spirit and worship?
Personal application and belief!
It is natural to long for connection with loved ones who are now with the Lord, especially when you have worshiped and served Him together. While my wife Naomi is in heaven and I remain on earth, Scripture assures me that the bond in Christ transcends physical separation. Hebrews 12:1 speaks of being “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,” suggesting that those who have gone before us are not entirely disconnected from our spiritual journey. Additionally, Ephesians 3:14-15 describes “the whole family in heaven and earth” as united under the Father, emphasizing the unity of believers across both realms.
When I worship and exalt His name, I join the ongoing chorus of praise that includes both saints on earth and those in heaven (Revelation 5:13). Though I and Naomi are in different places, we are both part of the same body of Christ, lifting up His name together in spirit. Through prayer, worship, and faith, we remain connected in Him, trusting that our praises are joined with together before the throne of God.
