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"Wings for Justice"

4/9/2018

At the beginning of the new year, I asked God how I might make a difference for good within my family, circle of friends, church, community and the world. At first, I realized that I would be serving my brother, Russ, as his primary caregiver as he battled cancer that had made its' way into his entire body, including his bones and his brain.

For the past 2 months, I was obsessed with his care and losing him on March 13th was filled with heartache, but also with relief that he was no longer suffering and I asked God, "what now?"

One way that He has shown me where I am to serve is through an organization that is doing outstanding work in "protecting children in the family court system and advocating for change." There are too many children and parents who are caught in corrupt family court systems, and I am pleased to introduce and promote this non-profit called "Wings For Justice." And, I encourage you to visit their website at http://wingsforjustice.com to see for yourself what they are doing for good.

This organization was founded by a courageous young woman, Wendi Miller, who herself has suffered greatly (and without cause) at the hands of an abusive husband/father and a corrupt family court system in Michigan. Her children were taken away from her and placed in the custody of an abusive husband and father, a story that couldn't be made up, but is her and her children's everyday reality.

I have known Wendi since she was 14 years old. She lived with us for a time, while she was in college, and our bond in Christ has always been strong.

When she was in high school and college, I encouraged her to give her life to the LORD, surrendering her will, trusting Him with everything that concerns her, and to realize that no matter our circumstances in life, that "He is enough." She has been living a surrendered, trusting and obedient life in Christ ever since; she has never looked back and her faith and devotion to God is now spiritual inspiration and exhortation for me!

Because of the horrible experience of being married to a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and caught in a corrupt family court system perpetuation by leaders in high places within a corrupt church denomination (similar to the Spotlight story re the Catholic Church just moving child molesting priests from place to place rather than admonishing and punishing them for their ugly deeds) her response to the abuse, corruption, pain, sorrow and suffering is truly remarkable. She took up the calling and fight with God's guidance and power of being the founding director of Wings for Justice that is in many locations in America, protecting and advocating for those who have been abused and are victims of legal corruption.

Please visit the Wings for Justice website and join us in helping to affect change for abused children and their parents. We pray for "justice" everyday for Wendi, her abuser x-husband who continues to live as a "wolf in sheep's clothing." We pray for freedom for her daughter who once she's 18 years old will be gone from the dad, running straight into the loving and safe arms of her mom. We also pray for others who have lost their constitutional rights at the hands of corruption within the church and the legal system. Change is happening and Wendi and Wings for Justice is definitely a significant part of the change that is coming!

Please join Bob and I in supporting this amazing and much needed work for "justice!"

Blessings,
Angie "a mom like you"
On behalf of "Wings for Justice"
www.wingsforjustice.org
where

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Hurting People Hurt People.

3/20/2018

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As those who are hurting and grieving, we have to be very careful how we interact with others in response to our personal pain and sorrow.

As the title of this blog says "hurting people hurt people," and I have seen and personally experienced this time and time again. Even for those with good intentions, grief causes such raw emotions and breaks down our normal coping mechanisms and we may find ourselves functioning at a baser level of ourselves.

The "refiner's fire" of sorrow and pain brings out the good and the not so good in all of us, and much of the time, it is the "not so good" that comes to the surface first.

Who wants to suffer? Who wants to interact with people who are hurting and hurting others in the process? Not me, but too many times in my life, I have had to interact with these type of people and have found that I can be that "kind of person," when I am hurting, if I am not careful.

So, what can we, as wounded, hurt and grieving people do to avoid hurting others, while we are hurting? I recommend (but haven't always done this in the past) stepping back from people who don't know how to interact with people without putting up walls, and rather than dealing with their own pain and hurts, they lash out at others in their pain and suffering. This is because of unresolved issues with one another and grief brings all the unresolved issues to the surface, almost instantly, in my experience.

I also recommend to have limited contact or interaction with people who don't know how to hurt without hurting others, and to actually back away from these unhealthy relationships for a time and maybe from now on, sometimes family and friends hurt one another most of all and taking a step back and being quiet can be the best way to handle these unhealthy relationships,

I am guilty of hurting people, because I am human. I am flesh and I am a sinner and I thank God for Jesus who covers all my sins. As we approach the Easter Season, I am reminding myself that we all hurt, that at some time in our lives we will be hurt, offended, misunderstood, persecuted and even betrayed. I am also reminding myself that sometimes those who are hurting the most hurt other people unintentionally, and we all have to be very careful with one another and we most certainly need to connect our "hurt with the healer" - JESUS!

I'm doing my best, while I am suffering the loss of my precious brother, Russ, on March 13th to not hurt others, while I am grieving, and I will try to build bridges not walls.

May this Easter Season bring all of us to the Cross, where we can be honest with ourselves about our sinful nature and with our feelings, and where we will stand with a multitude of others who are looking to Jesus to stop their bleeding as we are covered by His precious blood of forgiveness and grace.

With Faith, Hope and Love,
Angie Green "a mom like you"
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
www.amotherlikeme.info

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NoTime Limits!

3/15/2018

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"Those who think there is a TIME LIMIT when GRIEVING . have never lost a piece of their heart!" -Unknown

As I am only 2 days into grieving the death of my beloved brother, Russ, AND, I am still grieving our youngest son, Kevin, who's been gone from us for 16 years, AND, I still miss often grieve the loss of my Dad who died 58 years ago, when I was 12 years old, I know firsthand that there is absolutely no "time limit" when grieving.

I also know that if we do our grieving, not denying our sorrow and heartache, giving ourselves permission to feel the sorrow and disapointment of the loss of those we love, the intensity of our grief lightens in frequency and intensity.

Grieving loss is needed and we must connect to our loss and allow ourselves to grieve whenever our heart, soul, mind and body needs to grieve . . . I call this "grief relief." The process of letting go, of not fighting against the feelings of sorrow and pain, which would be similar to holding our breath . . . we MUST allow ourselves the relief of grief that we might be able to JUST BREATHE.

Realizing how important my brother has been in my lifeand that we were like "two peas in a pod," and he is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, I can't imagine doing life without him and that brings me great distress and sorrow. I know that there will be no time in my life, when I will get used to living with this broken piece of my heart that has gone on to Heaven with him.

I will not try to rise above my grief, because I have learned that doesn't change anything, except it prevents me from healing and learning how to live with my loss in a healthy way, experiencing God's healing peace. Trying to be strong, to not embrace the pain of loss is simply silly - it goes against our God-given design to feel and to love. And, I give God the broken pieces of my heart assured that His loving hands will mend them together in His time. I have peace in knowing that He will knit these broken places together again, making my heart stronger and more loving in the process. I know this is true, because I have experienced in response to the deaths of my Dad and my youngest son, my step-sister and many other people who I have loved and enjoyed who are no longer here with me . . . and I know God will heal my heart once again!

Giving myself all the time that I need to grieve,
Angie "a mom like you"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com

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Hallways

2/6/2018

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Have you ever spent much time in a hospital or heathcare facility?
I have spent the past two weeks in the hospital and now at a rehab facility on behalf of my brother, Russ, who is suffering from cancer that has made its' way into his bones and brain.

Through this recent experience, I was very much aware of the suffering of others. As we go through our daily lives, living out our routines, there are many who are pacing the hallways of hospitals, rehab centers, assisted living places and other healthcare facilities.

Hallways are lonely places where there may be quick glances, some eye contact and the infrequent greeting, as staff and guests pass one another. While walking through the hallways of hospitals and healthcare facilities these past two weeks, I was was very much aware of the sense of waiting . . . waiting for pain meds, waiting for the nurse or the doctor, waiting and hope for recovery or waiting for death. Even in the hallways where newborn babies are born, there is not always joy in every room, because not all babies go home with their mommy and daddy, too many are taken home to Heaven too soon.

This was the first time that I was aware that we were souls passing in the hallways - because since the death of our son, Kevin, in 2002, I am much more aware of the heartache and sufferings of others.

The souls that I have passed throughout the past two weeks were unique; some with heads down, some with head up greeting the day (or night) with obvious hope; some in despair; some moving slowly, timid and non-assuming; some fighting and making things more difficult by their strivings and some simply walking with no particular expression on their face, a blank stare seemingly lost in their thoughts, perhaps even in shock or numb.

I will not easily forget the wife waiting at her huband's bedside with the hope that he would open his eyes and survive the auto accident that threatened his life; the man who had back surgery who complained all the way up and down the hall, as he was walking with his Physical Therapist; and then there was me - standing in the hall, when my brother was attended to by the nurses, waiting to talk to his doctors, pacing up and down, going to the kitchen to get my brother water and the many leanings up against the hallway walls, bowed over with grief, in the moments when I feared for my brother's life,

Healthcare professionals are my new heroes and I shall never forget the doctors and nurses that cared for my brother.
The next time I am walking down 'hallways," I know that I will be aware of the souls passing by and will whisper a prayer on their behalf, for those who are thosewho are waiting and walking in the halls because someone they care about is suffering.

Walking the Hallways of Life,
Angie "a mom like you"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com

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"A Faith Stronger Than Grief!"

2/5/2018

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In the 16 years that have passed since I began the journey through grief in response to the loss of our son, Kevin, I have exprienced a deepened Faith that has proven much stronger than the affects and hold that grief might have on me.

Where there was once intense and often overwhelming, all-consuming grief, there is now evidence of healing, which I believe is because of God's promise in Isaiah 61:3 which I have shared many times and which became the guiding scripture for the Mothers Like Me comfort ministry for moms who have suffered the loss of a child.

In this promise, I find great hope, strength and comfort as  "He gives beauty for ashes, joy for mourning and praise for the spirit of heaviness . . . " no other source of comfort and encouragement is like His for me, because of the reality and presence of Jesus Christ in my life . . .

". . . we, (who believe in Jesus as "the way, the truth and the life,") have been saved and promised Heaven, but there is still a long road to walk before we arrive. Yet, in the name of Jesus, we have everything we need to complete our course, no matter what obstacles and challenges we face. Just consider the following ways Jesus comes to our aid as outlined by Charles Stanley . . .

*He is our ADVOCATE (I John 2:1-2)
*He is our AUTHORITY (Matthew 28:18
*He is our ASSISTANCE (John 16:13-15)
*He is our ANSWER (John 16:23-24).

What an amazing gift it is to belong to Christ. God's hand moves at the name of Jesus, when we have a holy and pure heart before Him. Therefore, let's make it our ambition (and highest calling) to live in complete dependence on this powerful name. . . every day of our life."

My personal devotion and faith in the reality of God, His presence and His promises is definitely what gives me the hope and strength that guides and anchors me, and no matter what comes my way, assails or tries to lure me away from God, "the anchor holds."

Grief has no particular hold on me anymore, and I know it is because of Jesus who has been my "advocate, authority, assistance and answer." Of course I will always miss our son and life will bring more losses, hardships, trials and sufferings I am sure, but my Faith and trust in God grows stronger, and all the grief I have experienced throughout my life on this Earth pales in comparison to the reality of the love, grace and presence of my Abba (Daddyt) who is my constant companion, always good, always loving, always with my best interest at His heart.

The words from a favorite old hymn comes to my heart and mind in this moment -   "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine - oh what a foretaste of glory divine....." that blessed assurance is definitely a "foretaste of glory divine," and there is great comfort in knowing that because I belong to God, that "foretaste of glory divine" is available to me here and now. Without a doubt, the blessing of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is the reason that my Faith is "stonger than grief!"

With Faith, Hope and Love,
Angie "a mom like you"
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
www.amotherlikeme.info

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"A New Year Message for Moms Like Me"

1/3/2018

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As we move into this new year, it is my hope-filled prayer that we will reach for and obtain a new beginning.

For many of us, 2017 has been a most difficult and challenging year . . "the most difficult part about change is not the change itself, but the process of transition from the old to the new." There is an "ending (loss, letting go) and going through the transition (neutral zone) to the new beginning can be an incredibly difficult transition." -William Bridges

"All changes . . . have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another." -Anatole France

"Though it is painful to say goodbye to what has been lost, doing so is essential. That does not mean goodbyes should be rushed or forced. It does not mean all of us will say goodbye on the same timeline (or in the same way). but, if losses are not acknowledged and grieved, individuals and communities will never get to the land of new beginnings. They will never get from what is broken to fresh hope. The first step is recognizing what has been lost." -Josh Miller

"Just because a page is torn off the calendar does not mean that unit of time has ceased to exist." -Edwin Friedman

I encourage you to journal or meditate on . . . (By Josh Miller)
*What have you lost?
*What is the hardest thing for you to say goodbye to?
*Are you ready to say goodbye? Do you need more time?
*What are you longing for? Bring those longings to God.

"Peter Steinke says the challenge before us is to not to waste our suffering. The challenge is to have our wounds heal and become scars - but, not just any scars - the scars of Christ . . . because we have chosen to follow Christ."

"Dan Allender says these scars will bear gospel fruit, if we process them well." I encourage you to listen to his podcast "When Endings Don't Go Well" at https://theallendercenter.org/2015/05/endings-4/ . . though there is mention of a divorce (as a loss), it's not the sum of the entire message . . . there's so much more to consider. I also encourage you to read the notes preceeding the podcast on the wepage.

What ending and/or transition are you going through? Are you especially suffering from the loss of your child? A divorce? The loss of a job, a friendship, ill health, unresolved issues that seem to never change? Whatever you are facing, may you we all approach this new year with faith that there is "fresh hope" just ahead, if we will be patient in the place of transitioning from what was to what will be.

I also encourage you to take time, when you won't be distracted, to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider how you might settle into your time of transitioning, accepting the reality that where there is an ending, there must be a time of transition and then comes the new beginning. May this be a year full of hope for us all!

Love, Blessings and Hugs for 2018 and ALWAYS,
Angie "a mom like me"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com

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Remembering Our "Cheerful, Happy, Harmonious" Son

1/2/2018

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On December 8th, our son, Kevin, would have been 44 years old, but because his life here on Earth ended when he was 28 years old, he never ages for us, and we will always remember him as young, vibrant, handsome and full of life!

Each year, on his birthday, and as we approach January 10th (the day he surfed right into Eternity), I find myself looking back and remembering him even more intentionally and specifically than the other times of the year. And, in making time to remember and reflect, God is always faithful to be present to me and to speak to me about our beloved son (His child) in a special way.

Weeks ago, Bob and I were reading through the Gospel of Luke in the Bible in preparation for the Christmas Season, wanting to turn our hearts together toward Jesus before we started "making Merry" in our home and within our circle of family and friends. At one point in our readings, I reached for one of Kevin's Bibles and came across a small daily devotional that he had laid open to a page dated January 10, 1993 . . . January 10th? Only God can orchestrate such serendipity. The word on that page for the day was "cheerful" and this is what was written . . .

"I am a cheerful, happy, harmonious child of God. We have all known people whose very presence conveys cheerfulness. They may enter a room without speaking a word, yet the outpouring of their good spirits is so powerful that everyone present feels gladdened and uplifted. This is because they are centered in God's love and joy." And, this is what we remember most about our son, Kevin!

On January 10th, Bob and I will be away for a week of warmth, golf, relaxation and retreat from our everyday life (and the cold of Winter here in Colorado), and we will pause to remember and to thank God for the gift of our "cheerful, happy, harmonious child of God" whose good spirits were and will always be so powerful that just the thought or mention of him gladdens and uplifts our spirits!

With more gladness than sadness this year,
Angie "a mom like you"
www.amotherlikeme.info
amotherlikeme@gmail.com

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"The Love of My Life!"

11/3/2017

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It was our absolute pleasure to spend time last week with a very dear friend (who is like family), as she made her first trip to Colorado.

Many years ago, we found out that she had never seen the Charlton Heston movie Ben Hur and so we taped it so that we could all watch it together. As we were watching the movie, there were several snapshot scenes depicting something of the story of Jesus woven creatively into the movie storyline. The images of Jesus never revealed His face, which we all found especially moving, as we could put the face we have seen with our spiritual eyes rather than seeing the face of an actor playing His part.

At one point, the back of Jesus was shown moving through the crowd of people at the Sermon on the Mount and I said out loud "There's the love of our lives!!" In that moment, I realized just how true this is for me and our friend quickly agreed it is the same for her.

We often hear people talk about the "love of their life." That person who means more to them than anyone else on Earth - who fills or filled them with love and joy, and who we have shared special moments of unconditional, faithful love. For me, I realize more now then ever that person is Jesus.

Who would you say is the "love of your life?" Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps it's Jesus, and if you knew Him better that you would realize just how much He loves you and how much you might love Him for who He is and for what He has done? . . . John 3:16.

Another precious friend of mine is suffering from a serious lung disease right now. She and I love one another and we love Christ. While visiting today, we were sharing how, at our age, we are beginning to understand that there is no greater or more fulfilling love than that which comes from and we return to Jesus, and that we both desire to know Him and love Him more and more, less concerned about His love for us, but for our love for Him.

This is going to be a very special Christmas for me, because my heart is humbled and there have been many times throughout this year that I have been overcome by the love of Christ for me. I can't wait to celebrate the birthday of the King, "the love of my life!"

May the love of God given through Jesus Christ fill your heart and homes this Christmas!

In Jesus' Name,
Angie "a mom like you"
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
www.amotherlikeme.info

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Light in the Darkness

10/21/2017

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My mind still thinks of you.

My heart still looks for you.

My soul knows you are at peace.

No matter the number of years that pass, since the loss of our son, Kevin, in January 2002, I experiences an unwelcome and overwhelming measure of grief triggered by the changing of the seasons. This is that time of year, when we celebrated
our last Halloween, Thanksgiving, Kevin's birthday, Christmas and New Year with our youngest son. Kevin was the life of any party or celebration, and he absolutely delighted in this season of the year.

The pictures I have included in this blog are of my husband, Bob, watching a sole surfer a few years ago at Dogpatch, the surfspot where Kevin was called into Eternity. Everytime we visit this spot, it is at if we are standing on holy ground.The last time we were there, we stayed until it was nearly dark. As we watched a sole surfer in the water, we were captivated at how much he looked and moved like our Kevin. Time seemed to stand still and the light seemed to hang on a bit longer than normal, allowing us time to keep our eyes on the surfer until the darkness closed in around us and the surfer paddled to shore.

Each year since Kevin's death, as I begin to prepare my heart and home for the holidays, I am reminded that he will not be coming home for the holidays, and I have trouble breathing as I am overwhelmed with sorrow.

For all who have suffered loss, I pray for you, as you prepare for the holidays, that God will comfort and strengthen you and that His abiding presence and light of Christ will shine in any dark moments you may experience, as you will surely remember your beloved and ache with the missing of him/her.

Thinking of and praying for all the "moms like me" preparaing for the holidays!

With Love, Blessings and Hugs,
Angie Green
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
www.amotherlikeme.info

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"You Raise Me Up!"

10/21/2017

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I have shared before that our son, Kevin, wrote a poem for me for Mother's Day the year before he died. This morning, I was reminded of a specific line he wrote that puzzled me, when he shared that he saw me "alone, high atop a mountain with the look of love surrounding you for eterity."

There have been countless times throughout my life, when prophetic words have been expressed to me by the Holy Spirit through people, God's Word and instances similar to the line in Kevin's poem.

This morning, while Bob and I were eating breakfast, we were listening to one of our favorite radio stations on Pandora - "Keith and Krystyn Getty." When Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" song began playing, Kevin's words in the poem came to my mind immediately. I have read the poem and listened to this song many times through this years, but this morning his intent with the words in the poem concerning me on a mountain top had new meaning.

Kevin knew that I loved and trusted God above all, but he did not know that I would be askng God to raise him up, as he lay dead in a hospital emergency room, and that I was going to need God's "raising me up," in the afternath of his death. However, God knew and His timing is always on time and He is always planning and working ahead of time in ensuring that His love and purpose in our lives are revealed according to His will and purpose.

Surely, Kevin was touched by the spirit of God to write the poem, including that line that at one time puzzled me. Now the image of me standing on a mountaintop, lifting my hands and heart in praise to God makes perfect sense, and with that image comes another image of Kevin standing "atop a mountain" in Heaven with the "look of love surrounding (him) for eternity."

My husband, Bob, and I stood atop the Haleakala volcano on Maui more than 25 years ago, which felt like we were the only people on Earth above the clouds and the rising sun That was an eery experience and I do not like the idea of being on top of a mountain alone, but the idea of being "atop a mountain with the look of love surroumding me eternally" indeed raises me up.

Thank you, son, for your sensitivity to the moving of the Holy Spirit in the writing of that poem to me. I love and miss you so much and will see you soon!

https://youtu.be/VTByzluCtMo

With Faith, Hope and Love,
Angie "a mom like you"
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
www.amotherlikeme.info

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"Wings for Justice"

Hurting People Hurt People.

NoTime Limits!

Hallways

"A Faith Stronger Than Grief!"

"A New Year Message for Moms Like Me"

Remembering Our "Cheerful, Happy, Harmonious" Son

"The Love of My Life!"

Light in the Darkness

My mind still thinks of you.

My heart still looks for you.

My soul knows you are at peace.

"You Raise Me Up!"

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My mind still thinks of you.My heart still looks for you.My soul knows you are at peace.

Author(s)

Archives

Categories

My mind still thinks of you.

My heart still looks for you.

My soul knows you are at peace.