As we see others running around gathering with family to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, for those who lost a loved one there is a heaviness; a sadness deep down inside that those looking on may not understand.

If you have family and friends to gather with who love you and bring you comfort, we encourage you to join them during this season because after all, you are a child of God and deserve support. While you know you'll get to see your loved one on the other side one day, it still hurts! We are entitled to our pain. God understands we formed bonds and love for that person and others we may have lost.

Please understand it is okay to feel pain, shed tears, and feel a heaviness and heartache for the person you are missing. Instead of lingering alone in our grief, we remember that God is the lifter of our heads. He will bring comfort to those who mourn. He understands our weeping and missing of our loved ones. He created us to be together to have relationships with each other. After all, he looked at Adam and said it is not good for man to be alone. So God sees and understands your pain!

It is okay to grieve and to have moments of sadness. There is no proper time for grief to end for you. It becomes a concern when the grief is so overwhelming, that you are not able to function. That is the time we need to seek counseling.

Myself and the Lay Counseling Ministry are available to the New Hope Baptist Church of East Orange membership. In the counseling ministry, we have trained lay counselors who can walk alongside you and help you understand some of the things you may be experiencing during this time. Additionally, we plan on beginning a grief support group in the new year. I pray this mini-discussion helped you feel God's love and comfort!

God Bless!

Dr. Sarah Dias, LPC
NHBCEO Lay Counseling Ministry Chair