We grieve because we love...

Do you ever feel as though you carry a suitcase filled with grief—moments of loss, disappointment, and sorrow, from the very beginning of life, Reader? Have you ever noticed how the weight of grief can slowly build, shaping the way we experience life?

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Instead of moving through life with the lightness and joy of children at play, we become burdened—disconnected from ourselves, from one another, and weighed down by sorrow. And in this fallen world, Reader, where trials and tragedies are certain, it can feel all the more difficult to live fully.

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That is why, this week, I invited Dr. Jerry Woodbridge, a Christian grief advocate and educator, to join me on the podcast. Dr. Woodbridge knows grief deeply, and she speaks about it with both honesty and hope.

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You may listen to the episode by clicking on the podcast cover below:

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Grief is not foreign to me either, Reader. The deepest sorrow of my life came when I lost my mother at just five years old. Womanhood, motherhood, daughterhood—so much of my identity has been shaped in the shadow of her absence. It takes enormous courage to keep choosing life after such loss.

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Dr. Woodbridge captures this reality beautifully when she says:

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“Both sorrow and joy can coexist like liquids in a coffee cup, with love bridging the gap. We grieve because we love—and that same love makes room for joy, even alongside the sadness.”

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In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

• The nature of grief and how it unfolds

• How children process loss differently than adults

• Dr. Woodbridge’s resources to guide and comfort those who are grieving

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​Prayer:

My prayer is that this conversation helps you reconnect with the child within who first experienced loss, or equips you, Reader, to walk alongside someone in their grief with compassion. Grief is never the end of the story—our loving God redeems, heals, and makes joy possible again.

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Reflection Question:

Reader, where in your life might God be inviting you to hold both sorrow and joy at the same time—so you can experience the full life He desires for you?

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Action & Encouragement:

This week, as you reflect on your life, I encourage you to love yourself through all that you’ve experienced, and to find someone who may need support because they are currently burdened by their own sorrow. You might:

• Offer a listening ear—allow them to weep or talk openly with you.
• Share a resource—like Joy’s Journal by Dr. Jerry Woodbridge, to help them process grief.
• Pray with or for them, or simply spend intentional, supportive time together.

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Be the reason the Psalm was written: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
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With love and hope,
Alexandra ✗⚬ﾒ𝟶

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