{"id":11164,"date":"2021-03-18T18:09:03","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T17:09:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=11164"},"modified":"2021-03-18T18:09:03","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T17:09:03","slug":"good-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/03\/18\/good-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"Good grief"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"11180\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/03\/18\/good-grief\/drain_cover_reflection\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?fit=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.9&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-A320FL&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1560455591&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.03030303030303&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"drain_cover_reflection\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?fit=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/drain_cover_reflection.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size:smaller;\">(Photo: Irene Bom)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>Ken Cope<\/strong> writes,<\/p>\n<div style=\"border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;\">\nOur traditional view of grief is that it should be reserved for funerals and tragedies. However, if we really want to encounter God and grow in our relationship with Him then our attitude toward grief must change from viewing it as an uncomfortable and unwanted drop-in visitor to seeing it as a dear and faithful companion that is an integral part of our daily journey with God. It is there to allow us to enter into the heart of <a href=\"https:\/\/classic.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Philippians+3%3A10&#038;version=NKJV\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Philippians 3:10<\/a>, which is an invitation to share in the fellowship of His suffering. <\/p>\n<p>When we allow ourselves to feel broken and alone, we gain a measure of understanding of the sacrifice that Christ made for us in going to the cross and being broken for us. Grief draws us to God Himself in ways that could not be accomplished through any other means.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\nsource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sacred-Sorrow-Experience-Guide-Reaching\/dp\/1576836681\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>A Sacred Sorrow: Experience Guide<\/em><\/a> by Michael Card, p.11<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>Kyrie during Quarantine<\/h3>\n<p>Seeking peace in a broken world,<br \/>\nbut also knowing God\u2019s peace through God\u2019s presence,<br \/>\nwe pray to the Lord.<br \/>\n<strong>Lord, have mercy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seeking peace in suffering, illness, and pain,<br \/>\nbut also feeling God\u2019s peace through healing, prayer, and those who help,<br \/>\nwe pray to the Lord.<br \/>\n<strong>Lord, have mercy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seeking peace through our distress, depression, isolation, and fear,<br \/>\nbut also feeling God\u2019s peace through the words of loved ones<br \/>\nand the hope we see in the world,<br \/>\nwe pray to the Lord.<br \/>\n<strong>Lord, have mercy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seeking peace through the pain of worshipping separately,<br \/>\nlonging for our holy community to be gathering,<br \/>\nbut also feeling peace through God\u2019s presence with each of us<br \/>\nas we worship together distantly,<br \/>\nwe pray to the Lord.<br \/>\n<strong>Lord have mercy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Help, save, comfort, and defend us, loving Lord.<br \/>\nWe need you now, as we have needed you every day.<br \/>\nWe cannot live without you.<br \/>\n<strong>Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n~ written by <strong>Pastor Nissa Peterson<\/strong>, posted on <a href=\"https:\/\/mightyniss.blogspot.com\/2020\/04\/kyrie-for-worship-during-coronavirus.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MightyNiss<\/a><br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>Prayer poem for Lent 5B : <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/prayer-poem-you-are-right\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">You are right<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nThis prayer poem is inspired by <a href=\"https:\/\/classic.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=psalm+51%3A1-12&#038;version=NIVUK\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm 51:1-12<\/a>, in particular verse 4b: &#8220;<em>\u2026 you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.<\/em>&#8221;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Photo: Irene Bom) &nbsp; Ken Cope writes, Our traditional view of grief is that it should be reserved for funerals and tragedies. However, if we really want to encounter God and grow in our relationship with Him then our attitude toward grief must change from viewing it as an uncomfortable and unwanted drop-in visitor to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/03\/18\/good-grief\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Good grief&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,127],"tags":[197],"class_list":["post-11164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prayer","category-quote","tag-sorrow"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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You will grieve, but that grief will give birth to great joy. Reflection The gospel of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;bible&quot;","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/leaf_with_holes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/leaf_with_holes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/leaf_with_holes.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/leaf_with_holes.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9342,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2020\/03\/28\/turn-to-the-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":11164,"position":1},"title":"Turn to the light","author":"Irene Bom","date":"March 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Rotterdam at twilight \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 Here is a prayer inspired by Phos Hilaron \u2014 the earliest Christian hymn (outside of the Bible), dating from the 3rd or 4th century. Known as the \u201cLamp-lighting hymn,\u201d it was traditionally sung as the evening lamps were lit. \u00a0 May this prayer,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;prayer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16177,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2025\/03\/17\/deeper-and-deeper-here\/","url_meta":{"origin":11164,"position":2},"title":"Deeper and deeper here","author":"Irene Bom","date":"March 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"* Adsum * What if the miracle of living this life is not that we all get our way but that we sink our roots and souls and bodies deeper and deeper into the place God has put us, for just the time God has put us there? This place\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;quote&quot;","block_context":{"text":"quote","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/quote\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cloud_appreciation_coolhaven.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cloud_appreciation_coolhaven.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cloud_appreciation_coolhaven.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cloud_appreciation_coolhaven.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7241,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/03\/29\/not-deserted\/","url_meta":{"origin":11164,"position":3},"title":"Not deserted","author":"Irene Bom","date":"March 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Ethiopian blessing \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 Prayer of Lament inspired by Psalm 77: 1-20 God, we call out to you! From the depths of our hearts, we cry, \u201cLord, hear our prayer!\u201d We are consumed by grief. The events of the past few days have overwhelmed us \u2014 it\u2019s hard\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;prayer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ethiopian_blessing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ethiopian_blessing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ethiopian_blessing.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ethiopian_blessing.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6622,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2018\/12\/26\/ding-dong-curiosity\/","url_meta":{"origin":11164,"position":4},"title":"Ding! Dong! Curiosity","author":"Irene Bom","date":"December 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"come on in ... \u00a0 My Christmas reflection from the lessons and carols service in Rotterdam on Sunday, 23 December 2018. \u00a0 I love books, especially books full of ooh! and aha! moments. This book, How to be an explorer of the world is one of them. It\u2019s full of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;prayer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/ding_dong.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/ding_dong.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/ding_dong.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/ding_dong.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13560,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2022\/11\/23\/gods-glory-revealed\/","url_meta":{"origin":11164,"position":5},"title":"God&#8217;s glory revealed","author":"Irene Bom","date":"November 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. \u00a0 Isaiah 40:5 \u00a0 My local congregation in Rotterdam has adopted the theme, \"Light in the darkness\", for Advent 2022. In addition to Sunday morning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;bible&quot;","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/lights_against_evening_blue.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/lights_against_evening_blue.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/lights_against_evening_blue.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/lights_against_evening_blue.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/\" rel=\"category tag\">prayer<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/quote\/\" rel=\"category tag\">quote<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"(Photo: Irene Bom) &nbsp; Ken Cope writes, Our traditional view of grief is that it should be reserved for funerals and tragedies. However, if we really want to encounter God and grow in our relationship with Him then our attitude toward grief must change from viewing it as an uncomfortable and unwanted drop-in visitor to&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11164\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}