October 27, 2017 My Story My life was forever changed less than a week after St. Patrick’s day 2015 when my husband, Tyre fell and hit his head.  Three days after his fall he returned to the doctor to get a release to return to work the following Monday.  I was relieved when he returned home with the good news of a clean bill of health.  That same day was also my last day at my job, which was bitter sweet.  I had the privilege of being part of a five member team that started a new state agency.  It […]

A friend gave me Miriam’s book.  I am so grateful for Widow Connection, for Miriam’s words and resources for hope and support. My Richard had open-heart surgery on March 14, 2016.  The prognosis was excellent.  Our son was getting married on April 16th and the goal was to be healthy at the wedding.  Richard had been very involved in all the wedding planning.  It was an exciting time. But then he had complication after complication.  His health began to decline but we were still hopeful for a full recovery.  However on April 14th , Richard passed. He died a valiant […]

LaTanya’s husband, Demetrius, was always healthy and showed no signs of illness. One day he began suffering from an excruciating headache, which led to a call to 911. The examination determined that Demetrius had brain cancer. LaTanya promptly placed a sign on their front door that stated, “God is performing a miracle here, if you doubt, stay out!” He fought hard for three years before making his journey to Heaven. Their two sons were ages 14 and 4 when they lost their dad. LaTanya’s father stepped in to help with the boys and be the male influence that they had […]

A word from Miriam: I met Ferree through her blog. I was encouraged by her determination to be patient and see the positives, the seeds of joy that were watered by her tears. Her popular blog has encouraged thousands. Thank you, Ferree, for letting us share your story.   The Day Life Changed Forever Ferree Hardy Ten years ago this very day I woke up thinking it’d be like any other day, but I was a widow by suppertime. It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years. On one hand it seems like only yesterday, on the other it’s like […]

The late summer sun streams on us in Judy’s garden room. It is an unusually quiet moment. Her five children, ages five to eighteen, are at school. She was in what we call “The Season:” the week of her husbands death. While each day of this week will be marked in her mind by the events of two years ago, evidence spills all around us of lives that must go on. Stickies on the refrigerator, stacks of school papers that must be noted, signed, and dates transfered to the calendar. Parenting does not allow ‘time outs’ to go back and […]

I met Kathleen at a widow’s conference in 2009 and discovered a kindred spirit. Yes, we were running buddies for a 5K. I loved her moving forward spirit. She was working on a book that I knew would be valuable to all of us helping us with those money questions. That book is now an award winning success. And she has more ideas! You’ll love getting to know her. Kathleen’s Story My best friend, lover, co-parent, business partner, and husband died of liver cancer on February 12, 2007 — 11 weeks after his diagnosis and shortly before our 19th wedding […]

MY JOURNEY WITH GOD FROM MOURNING TO JOY My name is Joanie Woodall. I would like to share my story on how God has truly turned my mourning to joy. Jeremiah 31:13 My dear husband Joe and I were married for 28 years. We have two wonderful sons Brian and Joey, and I also have two beautiful step daughters and four amazing grandchildren. In February of 2009 God provided for me to go on my first mission’s trip to Africa. Joe was on cancer meds at the time and could not travel, but was my biggest supporter back home God […]

Nancy Horton was my delightful hostess in Tyler Texas. Greeting me in the airport, we were dressed alike! A kindred spirit for sure! Fellow educators, our conversation was non stop as we had dinner with widow friends, drove to events, and she added a bonus tour of the azalea gardens of Tyler before our airport good bye. Though her story here focuses on Christmas, her truths and insights are year round wisdom and comfort.   Christmas Celebration NEVER THE SAME, BUT BLESSED NEVERTHELESS I spent 36 Christmases with my husband before he died in November 2003 at the age of […]

Dare to Believe Wendy Fugate I met Miriam at a Widow’s Luncheon that a local church was hosting. I was extremely excited to hear of her visiting, since I had read her book “From One Widow to Another” shortly after I lost my husband. I gained such needed knowledge and felt like I could finally put a game plan together for the next year. My story is one of brokenness and an ongoing healing beyond my wildest dreams. I was married 13 years when my husband, Philip, came down with the flu the first week of January 2014. The flu […]

That is just what I did, and for twenty-five years our love song played sweetly.
As we faced the challenges of life together, our love song had many tunes.  Some songs were romantic and sensuous as we carved out time for each other on date nights and on weekend bed and breakfast trips. Other songs were nursery rhymes and theme songs from Saturday morning cartoons, playing as we raised a blended family of six children.  Some were exciting and lively as we traveled on mission’s trips together, acting, clowning, and dancing our way across places like Russia and Belize.  But the last song was a song in the night as we faced the horrors of cancer.  Singing our battle song we fought hard for ten months.
Like a diamond, the quality of love is tested under pressure; it is refined and caused to shine even brighter.   As I cared for my husband, my lover, my friend, during those ten months, I experienced a love for him unlike I had ever know.  His once six-foot-two , two hundred pound  muscular body now fragile and paralyzed,  could no longer hold me, caress me, protect me and yet as I  bathed him, dressed him , pushed his wheel chair, the love I had for him filled me to overflowing. It was the most beautiful song of all, the song of unconditional, eternal love. A love given by God.

Kim’s love story will bring a smile and a tear.  I met her on a cruise which was a gift to several of us widows.  Yes, this is our cruise ‘table.’  We laughed and had more fun than any one else, baked our skins laying on the sand, and treasured discovering that our common bond, born of tragedy, resulted in comfort, that rare gift of being able to live in the moment, and new friendships. (Kim is second from the right).   October 13, 2009 Since my last update my life has been bipolar. Many very happy stories via email […]

DON’T SEND A SYMPATHY CARD There’s an invisible knife sticking out of my heart. My fifty-nine-year old husband lost his valiant battle with colon cancer. I wait for him to call, to hear his hearty laugh — but silence looms. I long to talk to him about our five children – but he is gone.  My body aches to be held by him in the night, to have his deep voice pray over me, or to hear him recite “Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod,” the nursery rhyme he thought might lull me to sleep — but I am alone under the […]