Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn

2023-11-29

Over the last several years, I don’t think there is anyone who has not been touched by loss or some kind of grief. Today's guest, author, and literary agent Mike Nappa is incredibly familiar with loss and living with grief. In 2016, he lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer. In his learning how to live life without her, God has shown him why grieving is such an important part of losing a loved one. As Mike says, he learned how to cry into his keyboard and produced one of the most poignant books that bears witness to grief that I have ever personally encountered. It is called Reflections for the Grieving Soul: Meditations and Scripture for Finding Hope After Loss.

We are often so uncomfortable with grief and treat it like it is a problem to be solved. However, God Himself, in all three persons of the Trinity, grieves, and we are made in His image. It isn’t sinful to grieve. Mike says: “There are things in this world worth loving enough to grieve, and if we don’t grieve well, we are taking away from the image of God within us.” Although, as we’ll discuss in this episode, there are ways to grieve well and there are also ways to grieve poorly and even destructively. The depths of grief isn’t a place where we want to live permanently, but we have to hold space for it or it will make itself known in other ways. When we don’t walk this journey, we miss out on the blessings for those who mourn.

There are quite a few tears shed during this episode, but honest, perhaps blessed, tears. I would like to offer this episode as a benevolent witness and comfort to whoever might need it in this season. The Lord promises blessing and comfort for us, dear ones. He is near to you. You matter, and Your story matters.

Connecting with Mike:

Books and other publications

Facebook

Website

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Scripture References:

John 12:4-6- Judas was the treasurer

Ephesians 2:8-There’s nothing I can do to earn God’s love

John 15-Without Him we have nothing

Psalm 121, John 14:26-We need help from the Helper

Genesis 6:6- God looks at the wickedness of man and is grieved

Matthew 26:38-Jesus says “My soul is crushed with grief”

Ephesians 4:30-Paul reminds us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit

John 11:17-41-Jesus stood outside of Lazarus’ tomb and wept

Matthew 5:4-Blessed are those who mourn

Matthew 5:1-11- the beginning of the Beatitudes and their promises

Psalm 34:18-19-The Lord is near to the brokenhearted