SometimesEaglesCryFinalSortOF

Sometimes Eagles Cry

An Inspirational 40 Day Journey

During The Time of Your Loss and Grief

By Dr Shirley C Templeton, Ph.D. & Lulu Kritzinger

FOREWARD

Good morning Pastor Shirley...
Thank you for a “best seller” this is beautiful.
As I read though this booklet now I wept, I dried my tears, I sobbed, I had some water, I
cried some more.
It is amazing at the end of the reading how my spirits lifted. You truly took me though the
mourning process and the encouragement is amazing and uplifting.
This will be an absolute treasure to Electus clients always... that extra touch of our earnest
care for grieving people.

Lulu Kritzinger
ElectusTrust
[email protected]

Table of Contents

WHEN IT ALL COLLAPSES ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
Day 1: John 11..................................................................................................................................................................... 5

DENIAL .................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Day 2: 2 Kings 4:10-13 ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Day 3: .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Day 4: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11

“STUCK” ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Day 5 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Day 6 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Day 7 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Day 8 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 33

ANGER................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Day 9: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 35
Day 10: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Day 11. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Day 12. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Day 13. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 41
Day 14. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Day 15. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Day 16. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 47

BARGAINING ......................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Day 17. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Day 18: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Day 19: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 51

DEPRESSION.......................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Day 20: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Day 21: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Day 22: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 57
Day 23: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 58
Day 24: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 59
Day 25: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 60
Day 26: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62
Day 27: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 63
Day 28: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 64
Day 29: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Day 30: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 66

ACCEPTANCE......................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Day 32: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 69
Day 33: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 70
Day 34: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Day 35: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 72

THE UPWARD TURN.............................................................................................................................................................. 74
Day 36: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 74

Day 37: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 76
RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH ......................................................................................................................... 77

Day 38: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 77
ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-.......................................................................................................................................................... 79

Day 39: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 79
Day 40: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 80
2013 ARTICLE: WHEN DEATH INTERVENES by Laura du Preez............................................................................................. 83
Estate planning essentials..................................................................................................................................................... 83
1. Are you a spouse or not? .............................................................................................................................................. 83
2. Is there an antenuptial contract? ................................................................................................................................. 85
3. Was there a previous marriage?................................................................................................................................... 85
Other taxes ....................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Maintenance of surviving spouse ..................................................................................................................................... 86
Dying intestate...................................................................................................................................................................... 87
Partnerships: legal grey areas ............................................................................................................................................... 88
Customary marriages........................................................................................................................................................ 89
Unmarried couples............................................................................................................................................................ 91
Pension assets................................................................................................................................................................... 92
WHEN ASSETS ARE FROZEN .............................................................................................................................................. 93
The Role of the Executor ...................................................................................................................................................... 94
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 94
LAW ON ESTATES .................................................................................................................................................................. 97
Basic administration process and time-frame explained: .................................................................................................... 99

FORTY DAYS

WHEN IT ALL COLLAPSES

Day 1: John 11

Mary and Martha did not specifically ask Jesus to come and heal Lazarus when he became ill.
They felt they did not need to, that it was enough to simply tell Jesus what the problem was.

The sisters had spent enough time in the presence of Jesus not to verbalise
“death”.

They do not state their request, but they do not need to. And then – he was
dead.

Jesus waited four days before going to the tomb, because He knew the Jewish superstition of
that day said a soul stayed near the grave for three days, hoping to return to the body.
Therefore, it was accepted that after four days there was absolutely no hope of resuscitation.
Mary, however, was at home. At home with her sorrow and distress; because anciently;
afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their
distress; their grief having rendered them as it were immovable. Martha honestly stated her
disappointment in Jesus’ late arrival: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have
died.”

Suddenly and without warning, the world has been shattered. Life has not only thrown a
curve ball, but a fire ball and it has hit you in the stomach leaving you feeling as if the steering
wheel of your life has been yanked from your hands and life’s vehicle is spinning wildly out of
control, mocking any attempt to grab hold of it, control it, or even making any sense of it.
Suddenly you are trapped by forces too big for you. Panic and fear has seized you by the
throat and won’t let go. This panic and fear has a name. Its name is grief. Its name is loss. Its
name is despair.

The stages of grief and mourning are universal and are experienced by people from all
walks of life, across all cultures. In our bereavement, we spend different lengths of time
working through each step and express each stage with different levels of intensity. The death
of a loved one might inspire you to evaluate your own feelings of humanity brevity.

Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. The powerful
eagle's survival is linked to its plumage, as its feathers function to insulate, protect, transport,
and identify it. Feathers may become worn out, frayed, or weakened by a build-up of oil and
dirt. People, just like the majestic eagle, don’t only have mountain top experiences. Just as
the eagle’s feathers become weakened and heavy, so we too can be weakened and wearied
by bereavement.

Prayer:

I cry to You, Lord, in my trouble. Save me from my distress. (Ps.
107:13).



DENIAL

Day 2: 2 Kings 4:10-13

Hospitality played an important role in the lives of the people of the Middle East. Desert travel
was strenuous, and Holiday Inns had not yet been developed. When travellers came to a town
at the end of the day, they would stop in the town’s centre or near the town gates and
wait for an invitation for the night. If no invitation came, they would spend the night outside.
Hosts were responsible not only to feed and provide sleeping arrangements for their guests but
also were expected to ensure the safety of the guests, protecting them from robbery and harm.
When meals were served, the host acted as a servant, serving the guests and watching over
their needs. If one guest was particularly favoured over another, he or she would be served an
extra-large or extra special portion of the food. Travel provided a natural stimulus to the
development of a protocol for the host and the stranger. If water, food, and shelter were not
offered, travellers in the ancient Near East could not have survived.

One such instance of Middle Eastern hospitality is found in 2 Kings 4 in the account of the rich
Shunammite woman who furnished a room for Elisha with a bed (perhaps merely a mattress),
a table, a stool, and a candlestick (2 Kings 4:10-13).

One day her little boy, with uncovered head, went out by himself to the fields and stayed too
long, and under the blazing sun of the hot climate suffered sunstroke. The father carried him
back to his stricken mother who nursed him until he died. She placed the little body tenderly on
the bed of the man of God, and shut the door.

Denial is the first of the five stages of grief. It helps us to survive the loss. The first reaction on
hearing about a terminal illness, loss, or death of a cherished loved one is to deny the reality of
the situation. “This isn’t happening, this can’t be happening,” people often think. In this
stage, the world becomes meaningless and overwhelming. Life makes no sense. We are in a
state of shock and denial. We go numb. We wonder how we can go on, if we can go on, why
we should go on. We try to find a way to simply get through each day. Denial and shock help
us to cope and make survival possible. Denial helps us to pace our feelings of grief. There is a
grace in denial. It is nature’s way of letting in only as much as we can handle. As you accept
the reality of the loss and start to ask yourself questions, you are unknowingly beginning

the healing process. You are becoming stronger, and the denial is beginning to fade. But as
you proceed, all the feelings you were denying begin to surface.

The Eagle is the most majestic bird in the sky, but something happens to all Eagles at least
once in their lifetime, they moult. In the life of every Eagle, they will go through a moulting
process that can bring with it a great depression. This is a wilderness time that all eagles will
face.

Prayer:

You, O Lord, are a Father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows. May You, in my
time of grief, overshadow me with your Wings. (Ps. 68:5).

Day 3: What’s going to happen to me? 1 Kings 17:18

Deprived of husband and protector, the widow of antiquities was exposed to all sorts of
callous actions and extortions. Since a woman alone seldom had any way to provide
financially for herself, she was dependent on her sons if she had any, and on the community
around her if she did not.

The widow of Zarephath lived in a cruel and insensitive Phoenician society, one which treated
widows as second-class citizens, ignored them, and allowed them to go hungry. When Elijah
came and asked the widow for bread, it appeared as though he was asking her to give up the
last morsel she had for herself and her son. Actually, he was providing her with
sustenance that would last until the famine was over.

As time rolled by the widow must have grown to feel as calmly secure as Elijah himself who
knew that whomever the Lord hides is safe. However, the peace and contentment of the
home miraculously sustained by God, were disturbed for the widow’s son was suddenly
seized with illness and finally died. Once again the widow knew despair.

C.S Lewis was a Christian author who married quite late in life. His wife died of cancer after
just a few short happy years together. He wrote the following in a journal that he later
published under the title, A Grief Observed. “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.
“The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep swallowing.”

“At other times it feels like being mildly drunk. There is a sort of invisible blanket
between the world and me. I find it hard to take in what anyone says, yet I want the others to
be about me. I dread the moments when the house is empty. If only they would talk to one
another and not to me.”

“There are moments, most unexpectedly, when something inside me tries to assure me that I
don’t really mind so much, not so very much, after all. Love is not the whole of a man’s
life. I was happy before I met Her. I’ve got plenty of what are called ‘resources.’ People
get over these things….Then comes a sudden jab of red-hot memory and all this ‘common
sense’ vanishes like an ant in the mouth of a furnace.”

The eagle’s beak grows continuously, like a fingernail. Breaking its beak would be a
seriously life- threatening injury. The hook on the end of the beak is a valuable and necessary
tool for tearing meat, not an irregular growth to be discarded. It is never in danger of "freezing
shut". Their claws also begin to alter. During this time, the eagle will walk like a turkey and
has no strength at all to fly. The once majestic eagle now becomes a very vulnerable eagle.

Prayer:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet
will I rejoice in You, my Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. You, Sovereign Lord, are my
strength; You make my feet like the feet of a deer, You enable me to go on the heights. (Hab.
3:17-19).



Day 4: What are my prospects? Luke
7:11-17
Coming from different directions, two crowds were approaching the gate of the city. Both
crowd exemplified two very different moods. The crowd with Jesus were joyous and jubilant.
They had just witnessed the power of God at work. Not only had the Lord been glorified
among the Jews, but now even the Gentile Centurions had also come to pay Him homage
and to recognize His authority.
The crowd from Nain had come for a very different purpose. They were mourners
escorting a widow and the body of her only son. They were headed for a tomb. This
procession would be led by the women. The procession probably consisted partly of hired
mourners and musicians with flutes and cymbals. Tradition had it that they would lead
because Eve had led the human race into sin. Behind them would come the other mourners
and finally the funeral bier on which lay the deceased. The woman had lost both her husband
as well as her only son. In losing her son, this woman had lost everything. The loss of her
only son meant a miserable future for the widow. This poor widow was in a deep valley of
despair. She was unable to see a future, a hope, a survival.

The moulting eagle finds himself in the valley, unable to fly, with its feathers falling out. They
lose their ability to see as well as their vision weakens during this time. Calcium builds
up on their beaks and they can't hold their heads up. They lose their desire to eat. They only
eat fresh meat and they no longer have the strength or ability to hunt. When the moulting
eagle gets in this last state, very often they will begin to peck on each other, occasionally
killing other moulting eagles.
Shock at a traumatic event is normal and even automatic. It may last a few seconds, or for
hours
(or even a few weeks). It is psychological protection that provides one with a much needed
way to come to grips with the significance of what has happened to them. The problem,
however, is when people fail to move beyond shock. Denial, is at its heart, is refusing to face
up to the new reality. Often denial is refusing to own our grief.
Prayer:

Merciful and faithful Lord, because of Your great love I am not consumed, for Your
Compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to
myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” Lord, You are good to those
whose hope is in You, to the one who seeks You. (Lam. 3:22-25).

“STUCK”

Day 5: Acts 14:19

There were Jews from Antioch and Iconium who had heard Paul’s message when he
spoke in their cities, and had rejected it. They used this volatile situation to turn the crowd
against Paul. They probably accused Paul of impersonating their gods, or else that he had
dishonoured them when he protested that there is only one God. The same crowd who were
previously ready to worship Paul now are ready to execute him. This is a fast turn-around
indeed, but it is all too typical of mob behaviour.

Now, worked up to this fever pitch, the mob quickly carries out their plan. They stoned Paul
and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. They thought they had brought an
end to Paul, and no doubt his enemies from Antioch and Iconium thought that they had ended
his career and brought a stop to his message once and for all.

Was Paul really dead, or was their supposition wrong? Stoning was a means of execution,
and saying that they stoned Paul is about the same as saying someone was electrocuted
today, or put in the gas chamber, or hanged. This was a means of executing a person, and
it was unlikely to fail. They did not just pick up little rocks and throw them at Paul. They would
lay the stoning victim down in a vulnerable position. Then, the one who threw the first stone
would pick up the largest stone he could comfortably lift, and would smash it down into the
victim’s chest or unto his skull. This first blow would be likely to kill him. Then, the witnesses
also would do the same thing with equally large and heavy stones, showing their
solidarity in this execution. The possiblity for someone coming out of this procedure alive
is very unlikely. Even if he was still alive, he would be mortally wounded to the point where he
could not live for long. Yet we would argue that the chances of him being alive at all are
minor. Paul was completely defenceless, vulnerable and powerless.

The Balding Eagle, once it begins to moult always becomes defenceless and vulnerable, it
cries out and waits.

Denial is quite normal and even necessary when experiencing loss. But sometimes a person
can become “stuck” in this stage of grief in such a way that serious problems occur. Some
may simply refuse to face the facts of their situation or just avoid the subject.

Others may deny this painful event by throwing themselves into situations that keep them
from experiencing the pain. Although denial can be God’s way of letting “today’s anxieties be
sufficient for today,” the danger of denial occurs when we postpone dealing with the realities
associated with our grief when they should be confronted. In such situations, loving
confrontation (and perhaps counselling) may be needed. It is time to cry out.

Prayer:
Lord God, according to Your Word, there is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to
uproot…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. (Eccles.
3:1-2,4). You are the Creator and Sustainer of time. Nothing is untimely to You.

Day 6: The grieving process - Acts
9:32-43

Dorcas, or Tabitha, in the Bible lived in the town of Joppa, (modern-day Jaffa which is part of
Tel Aviv) is 20km north-west of Lydda is on the on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Dorcas was known for her good works and acts of love for the poor. She was much loved in
the community of Joppa. When Peter arrived at the home where Dorcas’ body had been laid
out, he went up to see the body. There were many widows there, weeping. They all showed
Peter “the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them”—
tangible evidence of Dorcas’ loving service within the community.

Many people do not experience the stages of grief, which is perfectly okay and normal. The
key to understanding the stages is not to feel like you must go through every one of them, in
precise order. Instead, it’s more helpful to look at them as guides in the grieving process — it
helps you understand and put into context where you are.

The eagle will choose some area of a mountain range where the sun can shine directly on
them, and they will lie on a rock and bathe in the sun. During this time some have observed
other eagles coming and dropping food to the ones going through this "moulting" stage. Yet
it’s never the younger eagles that are dropping the food, it is always the older eagles that
have survived this experience and know what the "moulting" eagle is going through. One
writer, with knowledge of these things states..."It is a most pathetic sight to see. Four or five
eagles moulting in the valley, where they once would only soar over to look for fresh kill. But,
If they don't renew, they will die. "

Pr
ay
er:

Father God, I ask You to lead me when I’m blinded by ways I have not known, along
unfamiliar paths please guide me; Lord, turn the darkness into light before me and make the
rough places smooth. I pray these are the things You will do; I know You will not forsake me.
(Isa. 42:16).

Day 7: Tears in heaven/strengthened by the Son - Acts 20:7-12

Eutychus was a common slave name. He may have been a slave who had worked hard all
day. He had taken a seat in the open window. Overcome by irresistible drowsiness in the hot,
over- crowded room, he fell asleep and fell through the opening from the third story. As Luke
tells the story, it is clear that Eutychus is "picked up dead".

On March 20, 1991, Eric Clapton suffered an unthinkable tragedy that could have been
prevented. It was an accident that rocked the music world and beyond.

Conor Clapton was only four years old when he fell out of an open window on the 53rd floor
of a New York City high-rise. Shortly after the funeral, Eric received a letter written by
Conor, telling him how much he loved and missed him whenever he was away. That same
year, Eric Clapton wrote “Tears In Heaven,” a gut-wrenching, but non the less cathartic
ballad about the pain of losing Conor.

Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton)

Would you know my name If I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?

I must be strong
And carry on

'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven

Would you hold my hand If I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand If I saw you in heaven?

I'll find my way
Through night and day
'Cause I know I just can't stay

Here in heaven

Time can bring you down Time can bend your knees Time can break your heart
Have you begging please, begging please

Beyond the door
There's peace…

Eagles may descend for a moult, usually to a safe refuge in a hidden low place on the forest
floor, or in the cleft of a rock, or crevice. This is the time when eagles are in greatest danger,
for since they use their energy stores (their fat for feather growth), they are less able to fight
disease or stress. The greatest thing the Eagles does to benefit itself while it is in this state of
moulting is to choose a spot were the sun can shine directly on them. The presence of the
sun. They will let the sun beam down on them. Choose to let the Son shine down on you
right now, while you are weak and vulnerable.

Prayer:

May Your unfailing life be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant. Let Your
compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight. My soul faints with
longing for Your Word. (Ps. 119:76-77,81)

Day 8: Take time to Mourn - Ruth 1
Naomi, in the Book of Ruth, suffered the loss of everything. She was no stoic, or super saint.
She felt the bitterness and hopelessness that accompanies grief. First Elimelech, Naomi's
husband, died and she was left with her two sons. Then years later, both her sons Mahlon
and Kilion also died, leaving her an alien in an alien land, alone, but not completely alone.
She had her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. They too, were now widows...
They had all suffered terrible losses, and they wept together at the thought of separation.
They demonstrate something important: God gave us tears to express our grief. As the
beautiful passage from Ecclesiastes reminds us, "There is . . . a time to weep and a time to
laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance" (Eccles. 3:1, 4).
If you are experiencing grief for any reason, allow yourself time to mourn and weep. If you try
to hold in your tears and to ignore your pain, there may be serious problems later. God gave
us tears to shed in our grief, an outpouring of our inner pain.

One of the most freeing verses in the Bible is also the shortest one. When Jesus came
to the home of Mary and Martha after Lazarus had died, He saw their grief. Even though He
knew that in just a few minutes He would raise Lazarus from the dead, the Scripture simply
says, "Jesus wept" (John 11:38).
Those two words give us permission to weep in our sorrow because they reveal how
Jesus modelled for us this normal response to grief. Don't think it's more spiritual to hold in
your tears.

Often, those who have been in high places are taken into hidden, lonely places for a time of
renewal, as was Elijah after his experience on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18. Just as the
Bald Eagle goes to a place of separation to renew its strength, there are times when we're
driven there just as Jesus withdrew to the wilderness from the crowds (Luke 5:15, 16). The
psalmist wrote: "God satisfies our mouth with good things so that our youth is renewed
like the eagles" (Ps.
103:5).

Prayer:
I love You Lord, for You heard my voice, You heard my cry for mercy. Because You turned
Your ear to me, I will call on You as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the
anguish of the grave came upon me. I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called
on the name of the Lord: O Lord, save me! You, Lord, are gracious and righteous. (Ps.
116:1-7)

ANGER

Day 9:
John 11

Jesus deliberately waited in order to bring Lazarus back from the dead until he had been in
the tomb four days. This was a large crowd, still present four days after Lazarus was buried.
It was considered an important obligation to join with those who mourned the death of a near
relative. When Jesus arrived, Martha ran to Him and cried, “Lord, if only You had been here,
he would not have died.” One could presume that she was angry. She may have been angry
with God for allowing death to take her beloved brother. She may have been angry with Jesus
for not coming to their aid when Lazarus first became ill.

Martha was no different to any of us. Once the reality of a hard situation begins to press in
on us, we get angry. Anger can often be our way of covering up or even expressing the
conflicting emotions that erupts in us during times of loss (some of which we are unaware of;
some which we do not understand).

It's interesting to see the parallel between the eagle's shedding process, and growth in
our Christian walk. Although the majestic eagle soars to great heights, it also spends anxious
days alone in the valley. So too, we as believers spend time on the mountain top, soaring with
God, but at least once in our lifetime we suddenly find ourselves hidden away, lonely, and
undergoing transformation in the cleft of the rock in the wilderness.
“Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? On the rock it dwells
and resides, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold. From there it spies out the prey; its
eyes observe from afar”. (Job 39:27- 29)

Prayer:

God, You are my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore I will not
fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and
foam and the mountains quake with their surging…I will be still and know You are God. You,
Lord Almighty, are with me. You, God of Jacob, are my fortress. (Ps. 46:1-2, 10-11)

Day 10:
Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good …..

Chains, slander, prison and then forgotten. That was Joseph’s lot. A portion measured out
to him by his mistrustful brothers. In the thirteen years following his sale into slavery Joseph
certainly couldn’t have spoken the words he later uttered in Genesis 50:20, but seven years
later he was able to see God’s purpose clearly.

In death, in mourning and sorrow, it may be years before we can see the pattern God had in
mind. But He is sovereign. Nothing happens in heaven or on earth without His permission or
knowledge. Hard as it may seem, God uses everything in our lives to make us more like
Jesus, who was a
‘man of sorrow and acquainted with grief’ (Is. 53:3).

Anger, like love and compassion are emotions. God feels, and He knows our loss
and our suffering.

Even the bald eagle, in its moment of abject weakness, feels anger. In that anger he lashes
out to fellow suffering eagles.

The darkest hour is always just before the dawn when the first light begins to show over the
horizon before the sunrise. This is the time of the least light because there is no sunlight, the
longest point since last seeing light. But when the first light begins to show over the horizon,
daylight is about to come. We have this promise in Ps. 46:5… ‘God will help her at break of
day’.

Prayer:
Hear my cry, O Lord; let my cry for help come to You. Do not hide your face from me when I
am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.

Day 11.
2 Kings 4:10-13

The Shunammite woman apparently was content before she had a child. She seemed content
to dwell with her own people, content to live her days without children, content to lavish
her love upon her husband, content to extend her welcoming care to the likes of Elisha and
his servant. When Elisha asked the woman what he could do for her, she had no request. In
2 Kings 4:16 she responds to the offer of a son with, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to
your maidservant!” The reaction seems strange at first until we link it to her first statement. It
was not that she did not want a son, but she had determined to be satisfied with what life had
provided. She feared she would make herself miserable if she hoped for what she thought
she could not have. One would not blame her if she had become angry when her son died.
After all, she had been content. She had not asked for this son.

Our anger gets pointed in various directions; at the person whose loss we are grieving, at
God, at ourselves, or at other people (whether they are involved in the problem or not).
Sometimes our anger is focused on someone who is, for all intents and purposes, an innocent
bystander.

Moulting eagles are just not able to shape up when told to “shape up.” They are not able to
“pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.” Asking a moulting eagle what is wrong is like
asking a dormant tree why it is dormant. It is by the grace of God alone that moulting eagles
are able to emerge healed, new and transformed. The word “grace” becomes a living word
when a moulting eagle looks back on his former life. Those who emerge victoriously through
their moulting season have greater wisdom, greater compassion and can soar higher and with
less effort. They do not waste their energy bucking the tide or wind but use it to their
advantage to sail and soar. They are eager to help other moulting eagles pass safely through
the moulting process. They don’t view them as sick or deformed but assist those going
through the process of renewal. They even drop fresh meat into their nests or onto their
perches and encourage them with acrobatic performances.

There's an interesting reference to this process in Micah 1:16: "Make yourself bald and cut off
your hair, because of your precious children; enlarge your baldness like an eagle, for they
shall go from you into captivity." In those days, cutting off the hair was a sign of great
distress, for instance, upon the death of a loved one. The suffering ended when the hair grew
back. "Enlarging your baldness" referred to the rising of the eagle after casting its feathers
and breeding new ones.

Prayer:

Help me trust in You at all times; help me to pour out my heart to You, God, for You are my
refuge. (Ps. 62.8). O Lord, help me not to be afraid to speak to You about what’s on my
heart. Your Word says You know my thoughts and my actions, and You know what I’m going
to say even before a word forms on my tongue. (Ps.139:1-4). You will never be offended
when I pour out the earnest despair and bitterness that dwells in my heart. You desire for me
to cry out in my agony, and You take my feelings of anger, dismay, and confusion. In
pouring my heart out to You, I rid myself of
soul-cancerous bitterness. I also make room for You to pour in Your
healing.



Day 12.
1 Kings 17:18

Famine in the land had emaciated the widow of Zarephath and her boy, now they have come
to their last meal. Once this was eaten there would be nothing to do but throw their
haggard, fleshless bodies on the bed and await their release from suffering—the terrible
death of starvation. However, she was to be the woman whom God would command to
sustain Elijah. Hereafter she and her son were to live from hand to mouth, but it would be
from God’s ever open hand to their mouths—and the prophet’s as well. Elijah quickly found
out that she was not only poor, but desperately poor. Elijah found her right before she was
going to prepare her last morsel of food for herself and her son - and then resign themselves
to death.

Elijah came to her as a stranger in a crucial moment asking for water. While God had marked
her out as the widow who would sustain him, she had not received any forewarning that the
beggar coming to her would be the prophet. She did not know beforehand of God’s
purpose since she was preparing to die. As soon as Elijah told her to go on with the
preparation of what the widow felt would be her last meal, and to share this meagre meal
with the prophet, she instinctively obeyed, believing what he had said about her meal never
stopping and the cruse of oil not failing until the famine was over. At the end of it all, it
seemed her reward was to be the death of her son. How appalled, how shocked, how angry
she must have felt.

Our expression of anger may vary. Some people may become deeply depressed. Another
may develop a severe rash that is diagnosed as a stress-related disease. Others indulge in
dangerous (or socially unacceptable) behaviour like drunkenness, reckless driving, or and
adult version of a child’s tantrum.

If the eagles does not renew, they will die. However during the process, they grow weaker
and weaker. Suddenly there comes a sound from the sky over the valley. Screaming loudly,
another group of eagles fly overhead and drop fresh meat over the dying birds. The
screaming is encouragement from other Eagles who have already gone through this. Some
eat and recover but others roll over and die. Don't you think all of this speaks of something in
our Christian lives as well? There is a time in the life of The Christian believer when it looks as
though, and it seems as though they've been stripped down to nothing. There are valley
experiences in our Christian lives. It’s not always on the mountain top. It's not always
soaring in the heavenlies. There will times when we feel we are in a valley or wilderness.
Genesis 26:19 talks about Isaac being brought into a valley, we are told that he had to dig
and dig and the third time when he dug, he found a well of fresh running water.

Prayer:
Lord, in my heart I plan my course, but You determine my steps. (Prov. 16:9). Life is not
going as I planned. I am so grateful that You are not caught off guard. You knew everything
that would befall me. Please direct my steps as You determine. I need You, Lord. Carry me
when I cannot walk.



Day 13.
Luke 7:11-17

Nothing is known about the Widow of Nain’s faith. This we do know, she had lost her son,
her all. The emotions that welled up within her were the same as those we would feel
in a similar situation.

As hard as it is to deal with anger, it is a healthy expression or real emotion. Rather than
repressing or ignoring it, people at this stage of grief will find it more helpful to admit
they are angry. This may be more difficult than it sounds, because most of us have been
conditioned to cover up our anger with more acceptable emotions.

In their valley experience, the eagle loses its desire to eat. They should be eating, they need
to be eating now more than ever before, but they lose all desire. Isn't that true of us
sometimes as well? In the state we find ourselves in? We lose even the desire for the food of
God's word.

Pr
ay
er:
You say to me Lord, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Your
power may rest on me. (2 Cor. 12:9).

Day 14.

Acts 14:19

Even if he was still alive, Paul would have been mortally wounded to the point where he could
not live for long after having been stoned. Paul had brought these people good news and he
was stoned for it and left for dead. Paul was severely wounded. Anyone’s natural response to
such an event would be anger.

Anger is a necessary stage of the healing process. Be willing to feel your anger, even
though it may seem endless. The more you truly feel it, the more it will begin to dissipate and
the more you will heal. There are many other emotions under the anger and you will get to
them in time, but anger is the emotion we are most used to managing. The truth is that anger
has no limits. It can extend not only to your friends, the doctors, your family, yourself and your
loved one who died, but also to God. You may ask, “Where is God in this? Underneath anger
is pain, your pain.

Prayer:
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present
nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will
be able to separate me from Your love, O God, that is in Christ Jesus my Lord. (Romans
8:38-39).

I'm dred of
yelling.

I'mtired of being sad.

I'm tired of pretending.

I'm tired of being

alone. I'm tired of

being angry.

I'm tired of feeling
crazy.

I'm tired of feeling stuck.
I'm tired of needing help.
I'm tired of

remembering, I'm tired

of missing things.

I'm tired of being
different.

I'm tired of missing

people.
I'm tired of feeling
worthless.

l''m tired of feeling empty

inside.

I'm tired of not being able to just let go.
I'm tired of wishing I could start all
over.
I'm tired of dreaming of a life I will never
have.

But most of all, I'm Just tired of bein

tired

Day 15.

Acts 9:32-43

The loss of Dorcas to the community was far more than just monitory. She was the one to
whom people went when they were in need. How would they manage without her? Who
would they turn to in their times of need?

We can become angry over the loss of a loved one because of all the implications it has
for us. We resent being left alone; we resent being left with bills to pay; we miss all the
benefits we experienced from being in partnership with our spouse. Anger exists because of
the tremendous worth of the person whom we’ve lost. We sometimes become angry with
ourselves because it is only in the perfect vision of hindsight that we see the real worth of
our lost loved one. Once understood, this anger can be a touchstone to remind us to value
and appreciate the memory of our loved one and to express appreciation more readily for
other significant people in our lives.

The sublime vision of an eagle enables it to spot a rabbit miles away… It has vision like no
other bird, but while it is in this state of moulting that vision is lost. You know if you lose your
vision in God, you've lost everything….and hurts can cloud your vision.

Proverbs
29:18

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy

is he.

Prayer:
Even in my old age and grey hair You sustain me. You made me and You will carry me; You
will sustain me and You will rescue me…. I will remember the former things, those of long
ago; You are God, and there is no other; You are God, and there is none like You.
(Isa.46:4,9)

ACT OF LOVE WE HAVE
LOVED. WHERE THERE
WAS GREAT LOVE.

LIVEPURPOSEFULLYNOW.COM

Day 16.
Acts 20:7-12

Eutychus, the young slave boy was tired, hot and worn out from constant work when Paul
picked him up dead after he fell from a window.

Being with those who are working through their anger at the loss of a loved one can be
difficult and it can be tiring. But through such times the Grieving need to be embraced, held
and nurtured.

What is most disconcerting to moulting eagles is to question the legitimacy of their moulting
process by asking, “Are you sick?” or “What’s wrong with you?” or “Why are you acting out of
character?” The eagle generally cannot explain what is wrong. When he sees his
bedraggled image in the mirror, all he wants to do is “hide.” When young, immature eagles
tell him to shape up, it makes him feel helpless and inferior. Young eagles are often very
insensitive and say things to moulting eagles that can be very hurtful and condemning.

Prayer:

Yet You are always with me; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your
counsel. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My
flesh and my heart may fail, but You, God, are the strength of my heart and my portion
forever…But as for me, it is good to be near You, my God. I have made You Sovereign Lord,
my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds. (Ps. 73:23-26,28)

BARGAINING

Day 17.
Mark 11:33, 36.

Even Jesus, in his humanity, knew this aspect of grief. In the Garden of Gethsemane on
the evening of His arrest, knowing the agony that lay ahead, He was ‘deeply distressed and
troubled.’ He prayed, “Abba, Father…everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me.”

The normal reaction to feelings of helplessness and vulnerability is often a need to regain
control–

If only we had sought medical attention sooner…
If only we got a second opinion from another doctor…
If only we had tried to be a better person toward them…

Secretly, we may make a deal with God or our higher power in an attempt to postpone the
inevitable. This is a weaker line of defense to protect us from the painful reality. Guilt is often
bargaining’s companion. The “if onlys” cause us to find fault in ourselves and what we “think”
we could have done differently. We may even bargain with the pain. We will do anything
not to feel the pain of this loss. We remain in the past, trying to negotiate our way out of the
hurt.

We read earlier that calcium deposits build up on the beaks of moulting eagle's — causing
their heads to hang low. All of us go through "moulting times" where we find it difficult to
keep our heads up. Instead of "looking up," we look at the circumstances that we are faced
with.

Prayer:

You, Lord, are close to the broken-hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps.
34:18). You are surely so close to me, Lord. Help me sense Your presence in my life. I need
You more than I need the next breath.

Day 18:
1 Kings 17:20 Job 1:21

When Elijah held the dead son of the widow he stayed with during the famine, he cried out to
God, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by
causing her son to die?" (1 Kings 17:20).

When Job heard the news that he had lost everything, he said, "The LORD gave and the
LORD
has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (Job
1:21).

God can handle it when we question His ways and put the blame on Him. But He wants us to
accept what He sends us and still trust His goodness and His love. He has a purpose for our
sorrow and loss.

Jesus models for us the role of faith in the midst of calamity. He faced squarely what was
happening to Him. He neither denied nor minimized His situation. He grieved over what
was happening to Him. He wanted to escape from it, but He chose to trust God and thus
moved through this phase of grief.

The moulting eagle, in a weakened state, is in danger from predators and the elements.
The powerful eagle's survival is linked to its plumage, as its feathers function to insulate,
protect, transport, and identify it. People too, at their weakest, are vulnerable. We too, in this
state, need protection from predators.

Pr
ay
er:

Father God, I commit myself and my suffering to You, my faithful Creator, and I will continue
to do good. (1 Pet. 4:19).



Day 19:

Ruth 2:2-3

Even though Naomi didn't see it, God had a plan to meet her need and restore her faith
and joy. He used her hopeless situation to get her back to the land where He could bless her.
And best of all, He gave her Ruth, a daughter-in-law who was committed to her for life.
God's plan for Ruth and Naomi was not an endless struggle for existence. He had a
wonderful future planned out for them, but He didn't reveal it to them ahead of time. It would
be nice if God would tell us His plans before they come to pass. But what He really wants
from us is faith—simple, childlike trust in His goodness, power, and love.

However, bargaining is (for most of us) a last ditch attempt to try to control life so that it will
go our way. This phase of grief is often the briefest of all the stages. It is the final effort on
the part of people to hold on to what is important to them.

The eagle is not restored to immortality. Unlike God’s children who through Christ have
eternal
l
i
f
e
.

Prayer:
Oh, the depth of the riches of Your wisdom and knowledge, O God! How unsearchable Your
judgments, and Your paths beyond tracing out! Or who has been Your counsellor? Who has ever
given to You, God, that You should repay him? For from You and through You and to You are all
things. To You be the glory forever! Amen (Rom. 11:33-36).



DEPRESSION

Day 20:
Proverbs 3:5-6

Depression marks the breakdown of our defences in times of grief. The reality of our loss
sinks in deeply. It surrounds us; it dominates us; it crushes us. C.S. Lewis described grief as
a dog-tired man choosing to lie shivering rather than getting up to find an extra blanket.

Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the
storm’s wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagles uses the raging
storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its
wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

We can use the storms of life to rise to greater

heights. Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly and her sight was impaired
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached
naked Jonah ran
from God Naomi
was a widow Job
went bankrupt
Peter denied
Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too
small Paul was too
religious Timothy
had an ulcer.. AND
Lazarus was dead!

Prayer:
I want to trust in You, Lord, with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all
my ways I will acknowledge You, and You will make my paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6).



Day 21:
Ruth 1:13-21
Naomi wasn't afraid to feel her grief. Not only was she in extreme pain, but it is quite clear
who she blamed for her loss. "'The Lord's hand has gone out against me! . . . Don't call me
Naomi,' she told them. 'Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I
went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD
has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me”.

In the heat of the moment, it's easy to say something you'll later regret. Take a few moments
to collect your thoughts before saying anything — and allow others involved in the situation to
do the same.
Physical activity can help reduce stress that can cause you to become angry. If you feel
your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or run, or spend some time doing other enjoyable
physical activities.

Timeouts aren't just for kids. Give yourself short breaks during times of the day that tend to be
stressful. A few moments of quiet time might help you feel better prepared to handle what's
ahead without getting irritated or angry.
Practice deep-breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or
phrase, such as, "Take it easy." You might also listen to music, write in a journal - whatever it
takes to encourage relaxation.
The moulting season is an event that happens in the life of an eagle to renew its strength. It’s
natural for moulting eagles to gather together with other eagles of the same condition as a
type of identification and connection. They will gather together on a mountainside or cliff
top where the rays of the sun (Son) will shine upon them throughout the entire day...Their
survival depends upon it. They depend on one another. In our grieving we should do the
same.
Prayer:
Lord, I find myself feeling like the writer of Ecclesiastes at times: Who can straighten what
You have made crooked? When times are good, I am to be happy: but when times are bad,
consider: You have made the one as well as the other.
(Ecc. 7:13-14).



Day 22:
John 11:33

Mary reacted differently from Martha when their brother Lazarus died. Mary cried and wept a
lot. She may have been angry too, but Mary was mostly sad and depressed. The Bible says
that Mary comes to Jesus, falls at His feet, and wept uncontrollably. She did not hold back
her tears. And notice that Jesus did not tell her to stop crying. Jesus understands our
sadness. It is natural and normal for us to be sad with someone or something we love dies.

Death can cause us to feel many different emotions. People react differently to death.
Through His reactions to his grieving friends, Jesus says, “That’s okay. Everyone responds
differently.” Jesus did not condemn Martha’s anger or Mary’s sadness. What Jesus wants us
to know is that He is always with us, comforting and assuring us whenever we experience
grief.

Calcium deposits build up on the beaks of moulting eagles — causing their heads to hang
low, depressed, even. All of us go through "moulting times" where we find it difficult to keep
our heads up, especially during times of grief.

Pr
ay
er:

Lord, I don’t want to waver through unbelief regarding Your promises, but I desire to be
strengthened in my faith and give glory to You, being fully persuaded that You have power to
do what You promise. You credit this kind of faith to Your children as righteousness! (Rom.
4:20-22)

Day 23:
1Kings17:1-5

Ahab, the king of Israel, under the influence of his wife Jezebel, instils Baal worship in
Israel. Thus, Ahab and Jezebel become Elijah’s nemesis. God calls the prophet to speak
against Ahab and Jezebel’s idolatry insisting the nation repent and return to Yahweh the
true God of Israel. After killing the false prophets of Baal at an epic showdown, Jezebel
pledges to kill Elijah. Elijah’s response: depression.

Depression can feel isolating, painful, empty—like someone reached into your soul and
yanked your energy right out of your body. Many Christians may feel alone in their suffering,
believing true believers should not experience depression. However, sadness has visited
more than one biblical character. In the sense that one may feel alone, it may be of some
encouragement to know that the very first child of humanity suffered dejection.

Not only does the body of the majestic eagle become overgrown with feather, its
talons too become overgrown, curled and useless. It plucks its talons from its feet. It breaks
its beak against a rock. Defenceless, it cries out and waits. He waits on saving grace.
Defenceless, it cries out and waits. Other eagles hear its cry, and come to aid it in its
time of renewal. They fly overhead, scaring off predators, and bringing food to their
incapacitated friend.

Prayer:

Father, continue to bring me along so that I can also rejoice in my sufferings because I know
that suffering produces perseverance. (Rom. 5:3).

Day 24:
Exodus 3 and 4

Moses grew up in Pharaoh's palace as a possible heir, also knowing that he was the one
chosen to free his people. After killing an Egyptian without due process, he had to flee
for his life. In Moses' mind, everything was ruined. For 40 years he lived in that
hopelessness. When he was confronted with the burning bush, Moses asked some very
good questions of God, but as we read Exodus 3 and 4 we see that the theme of his
questions were really his past failure and a belief he was unable to fulfil God's plan — beliefs
consistent with depression. God kept telling Moses, "I am sending you, I am with you, I am
Creator." Nowhere did God tell Moses that he was worthy. And when God showed His glory
to Moses, it was because He knew Moses by name, not because he was deserving. During
times of sorrow, our emotions are like a roller coaster. On the downside, we shouldn't be
surprised by feelings of despair or depression—those feelings don't mean we're unspiritual.

Psalms
103:1-5

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Prayer:

Surely You, O Lord, took up my infirmities and carried my sorrows, yet we considered You stricken
by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But You were pierced for my transgressions; You were
crushed for my iniquities; the punishment that brought me peace was upon You, and by Your
wounds I am healed.
(Isa. 53:4-5)

Day 25:
1 Kings19
ELIJAH’S THERAPY
In order for Elijah to revive and renew his strength, he needed to get away. He needed physical,
emotional and spiritual rejuvenation. He had been so busy taking care of the needs of the nations
that he had neglected the needs and concerns of Elijah the Tishbite.

Elijah talked through his frustrations as he sat in the cave atop the mountain. In the midst of his
feeling sorry for himself, God asked him point blank: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God knew
full well what Elijah was doing there.

In fact, God helped him to get there! God listened patiently and non-judgmentally as Elijah poured
out his feelings of anger, bitterness and self-pity. Notice what God didn’t say to the pathetic
prophet: “Elijah, my prophets don’t talk like that!” God didn't make him feel guilty for his feelings.
Instead God accepted him and listened to him.

What happened to Elijah happens to us, especially when we pay much more attention to negative
events than to all the good that is happening around us. It happens when we are very hard on
ourselves, and take ourselves far too seriously, and God not seriously enough! God intervened in
Elijah’s state and reminded him that his vision of life, his understanding of events, his view of God
were terribly distorted.

Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can get
to the height of the eagle. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with Eagles.

Prayer:
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your right hand You
save me. You, Lord, will fulfill Your purpose for me; Your love, O, Lord endures forever – do not
abandon the works of Your hands. (Ps. 138:7-8)



Day 26:
Jeremiah 20

Depression can sneak up on people as insidiously as fog, chilling the heart and even sapping
the will to get out of bed in the morning. Christians are not immune to depression. However,
many Christians feel guilty and ashamed to talk about this issue, thinking that spiritual people
should never feel depressed. But spiritual depression is a recurrent theme throughout
Scripture.

Depression is both ancient and universal. Hippocrates, the ancient physician, wrote a treatise
on melancholy.
Winston Churchill, a bastion of strength, underwent severe bouts of
depression.

Edgar Allan Poe is said to have been depressed after writing “The Pit and the
Pendulum.” Stalin’s daughter said that he was the victim of deep and
dark depression. Charles Spurgeon, a great preacher suffered lengthy bouts of darkness
and melancholy.
And then of course we have Jeremiah. We even talk about people being a
‘Jeremiah’, his nickname being a prophet of doom. The passage in Jeremiah 20 really is a
miserable description of the effects of depression. Jeremiah has hit rock bottom. However,
despite depression God was able to use him.

Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers
away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and set out to get it. No matter
the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will
succeed. Prayer
Oh Lord My God, you are from everlasting to everlasting. Hear my
desperate cry!

Day 27:

Jeremiah 20:7

Why was Jeremiah depressed? Obviously there are many reasons for depressions
but in
Jeremiah’s case the reasons are clearly stated in Ch.
20 v7
“O Lord, you deceived me, and I was
deceived;
you overpowered me and
prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks
me.”

Jeremiah learned that God works even though He is
silent.
Don’t despair and assume that because God doesn’t answer immediately He doesn’t care or
that He is incapable of intervening. He may even at the moment of your greatest distress be
in the process of sending relief. God is too good to ever needlessly hurt us and too wise to
ever make a mistake.

Keep on talking to God. Your prayers may not be models for Sunday services, but keep on
talking. Cry out your pain and your sorrow, but do allow them to turn to songs of praise.

Prayer:
Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
The
Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Ps.
103:5-6).

Day 28:
Jonah 4:1-9

There is no ‘normal’ time frame for depression. The sense of loss ebbs and flows over time, and
depression may reoccur with a song, a sight that rekindle memories.
Urging the person to ‘cheer up’ cannot mitigate these feelings. To deal with depression, one must
be reconciled with the past.

In Jonah’s case, his depression was a direct product of his resentment, ill will, lack of forgiveness,
jealously that God would offer others what he only wanted for himself and his people, and blatant,
outright, no holds barred disobedience.

Moulting eagles will find that the only place to find warmth and comfort in their nakedness and
exposure is to nakedly face the "Son." There is no such thing as automatically ‘getting over’ a loss.
No one can determine how quickly or how slowly a person will move through depression.

Prayer:

My God is in heaven, He does whatever pleases Him, (Ps.115:3) Lord, sometimes my only answer
will be that You are sovereign. Your Word says that the death of Your saints is absolutely
precious to You. (PS. 116:15). One day I will have all the answers. Until then, I must trust that
You have power and dominion over all things and that You know best. Help me to believe this
even when I don’t feel this.