My name is Lynne Hoeksema, and this is less “About Me” and more “About My Ministry.”  My desire is to help those of you grieving a deep loss AND those of you who want to know more about how to help those of us who are. I learned both sides of that equation first hand when I lost my husband, Dale, in October 2017, after our 31 year marriage.

In the months that followed, God led me initially to a ministry to the FRIENDS of those grieving.  Do you struggle with what to say or do, afraid it will be the wrong thing?  Feel like you don’t have the gift of compassion?  Or are you struggling with your own grief journey, not experiencing any of God’s comfort or faith building?  Struggling to find any hope during this new season of your life?

Let me help you!  For those of you looking to sharpen your “Compassion Tools,” you’ll find “behind the scenes” perspective and practical advice to give you the confidence to step out in faith and bless someone in their time of need.

I talk specifically to God’s Church, because the Bible clearly and OFTEN commands (not suggests to) us to be compassionate and to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world.  And through this compassion, we can minister the love of God when others are going through dark days.

And if God commands this of His Church, do we really think He can’t equip us for it?  Yes, He can!

If you are suffering through a deep loss in your own life, there are resources here to help you as well.  There is no journey quite like that of losing someone we dearly love.  For me, the death of my husband rocked my world, and not in a good way.

But I have never learned so much about myself and about God and his love for me as I have during these past few years.  I am living proof (barely sometimes!) that God truly can bring purpose through your pain.

My commitment to you is to write weekly blog posts that look at both sides of this grief coin.  Some posts will be specific to the griever, some to the supporter and many will speak to you both. Ultimately I want you to see that God can help you no matter where you find yourself on your grief, or compassion, journeys.  Trust him to lead you and use you for his glory and for your eventual good.

And if you DO really want to know more about me, check out My Story.

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