…do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. So I replaced my fears about the loss of my earthly father with truths from my Heavenly Father:
God is faithful (1 Cor 10:13)
God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Cor 14:13)
God is able to bless you abundantly (2 Cor 9:8)
God is just (2 Thess 1:6)
God is the builder of everything (Hebrews 3:4)
God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5) and most importantly
God is love (1 John 4:8) In the midst of chaos after the death of a loved one, the only thing we can be certain of is the consistency of God.
I wrote these truths on Post-It notes and stuck them on my walls. I took a dry erase marker and wrote them on mirrors and windows. I even wrote them on my hand. I never knew when a wave of grief would wash over me, so I wanted to be prepared with a love note from my Heavenly Father no matter where I was. Of course, losing a parent as a forty-year-old looks much different than losing a loved one as a young child.
One of the toughest things we face as parents is helping our kids handle hurt; in those times of pain, all our children want what is known and comfortable. When the world around them is chaotic, try to surround them with as many elements from their ‘normal’ daily routine as possible, whether that’s a cherished blanket or sticking to their typical bedtime and reading routine. A new book that takes the truths of God I spoke of above and puts them in a story even the youngest child can comprehend is “Good Good Father” by Grammy Award-winning music artist Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett.
Following the message of Tomlin’s hit song, this precious story will leave children – young and old – reassured that God is a good, good Father, and they are loved by Him when they hear the following promises:
A Good Good Father protects us.
A Good Good Father teaches us.
A Good Good Father makes us well.
A Good Good Father gives us what we need.
A Good Good Father fills life with music and laughter.
