As I shared in my devotional Incurable Faith, one of my childhood dreams was to become a poet. What I never dreamed of was a future marked by disability, cancer that is considered incurable, and long stretches of isolation due to frequent hospitalizations and being homebound. Yet, in the most unexpected way, God used these struggles to bring my childhood dreams to life in ways I could never have planned, asked, or imagined.

Although today’s prayer is for those who are mourning any loss, my heart is particularly heavy for those who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. I’d like to share a personal message that I wrote for a friend as she sat by her mother’s hospice bedside. The Scripture verses and reflection brought her much comfort—I pray they comfort you as well.