Walking with God in Grief
I wanted to take a few minutes today to share something personal, really personal. It has been a journey these past five months, and I want to bring you into where I am, how our family is doing, and what God has been showing me along the way. This is not a sermon. It is not a leadership lesson. It is me opening my heart to my church family. Because you are my family.
How I’m Doing / How Our Family Is Doing
We are making it. Day by day, sometimes hour by hour.
There are days that still feel heavy. Days that catch me off guard. Then there are days where I feel strong, hopeful, and thankful, sometimes all in the same day. Here is what I can say with absolute confidence: God is with us. That is not a cliché. That is not a pastor line. That is real.
When I say God is with us, I mean that in the deepest way possible. I have sensed His presence in ways I never have before. Through your prayers, through quiet moments of peace, through random texts that arrive at just the right time, it is clear that God has not gone anywhere. He continues to give those heavenly hugs that help so much.
Psalm 34:18 says: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
That is what He has been doing. Rescuing, restoring, and reminding us that we are not alone.
What I’m Learning
This journey has been teaching me a lot. Not lessons I would have chosen to learn this way, but lessons that are shaping my heart, my leadership, and my faith. Let me share three things God keeps showing me.
1. God’s Presence Is Enough
When you go through something like this, you stop needing explanations. You start needing presence. There are questions I will never get answers to on this side of heaven. I have learned that God’s presence fills the space where the answers do not.
Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
He does not say we will avoid the waters. He says we will pass through them, and He will be there. That promise has become oxygen for me.
2. Pain Can Be a Platform for Purpose
I have come to believe this: God is trusting us with this. Not punishing. Trusting. As a pastor and leader, I have always felt my job is to show people how to live for Jesus. Sometimes my job is to show how to live for Jesus when someone you love deeply dies. Janie not only showed how to live for Jesus, she showed us how to die with Jesus. Never wavering. Holding firmly to the hope of Heaven.
Now we carry on by helping others understand the reality of Heaven and the calling God has placed on each of our lives. That is a sacred responsibility.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others…”
God is not wasting this pain. He is repurposing it to help others find hope, to give comfort, and to remind us that faith is not just for the mountaintop. It is for the valley too.
3. Heaven Feels More Real Than Ever
When someone you love is in Heaven, your heart starts living in two places. Eternity does not feel far away. It feels close.
Jesus said in John 14:2–3, “In My Father’s house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you.”
Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, “We do not grieve like those who have no hope.”
We do grieve. We grieve with hope. Heaven is real. Hope is real. The promise of seeing our loved ones again is real.
The Mission Hasn’t Changed
Through this I realized something powerful. Grief does not pause God’s calling. It deepens it. God’s mission for us has not changed. If anything, it has become even clearer. When you walk through loss, you understand eternity in a new way. You realize how much people need Jesus and how much hope matters.
That is why I can say to you today, from the bottom of my heart, I am fully committed to you, to this church, and to the mission God has given us: helping people find and follow Jesus seven days a week.
We are in this together. I believe with everything in me that the best days for Skyline are still ahead. We are just getting started.
Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
That is the truth I am holding onto. Good has come out of this and more good is coming. The devil made a huge mistake in messing with Skyline.
Thank you for walking with me, for praying for my family, and for helping carry the mission forward even when the leader has been limping. You have shown me what love looks like in action. We are going to keep walking. God is not done. He is writing something beautiful, even through the pain.
Let us keep trusting Him and let us keep helping people find and follow Jesus every single day.
33 thoughts on “Walking with God in Grief”
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God is not finished with you yet, in fact, He’s just getting started. It hurts me to know that you and your family have had to go through such sadness, but your faith absolutely spills out of you and ignites all of us each and every Sunday. I will continue to pray for you and your family, but our family feels OH so blessed to have a pastor like you at the helm. May God continue to hold you in His arms and give you immeasurable strength.
You are awesome Pastor Jeremy ! We will keep going forward together ! We could have asked for a better Pastor and leader! May Our Lord keep you in HIs arms as well as the boys… thank you so much !
WOW, Pastor Jeremy, My wife Karen and I have followed Skyline for years online. We have been through dealing with another Pastor who had to deal with a difficult loss. I wish he could read your post, but it seems like he has lost his faith and has given up. That’s how we found you and Skyline. I want to express how much we believe in your teaching and we “Have Your Back”!!
Thank You
Wow. Great post Pastor Jeremy. I lost my husband a few years back. This message really touched my heart. Has helped me realize how much God has been with me during his cancer and after his death. Thank you. Prayers continue.
God Bless
Your words have touched me deeply and I’m writing this through tears that still come frequently. I lost my husband on May 1. I understand the day by day and the hour by hour. I read Psalm 34:18 every single day and it refreshes my soul. I truly feel like Skyline has plans for me. Perhaps it’s helping someone else walk this walk that no one ever chooses. I’m here, Lord. Use me. Thank you for sharing your heart with us. I am so happy to call Skyline home.
Hallelujahs through the tears.
Thank you for sharing
Prayers continue
Thank you for sharing. 🙏
Oh how, I love this! Thank you for your honest heartfelt sharing! Since, I am just a little ahead of you in being a widow, I get it! I feel it! I pray for you and family often! Thanks for leading well in-spite of your great loss! You are loved!!!!
Thank you Jeremy. You are so inspiring. I feel connected to you even though we’ve never met. I hope to shake your hand some day. I feel close to Jesus and continue to live my life to share, love, have faith and be a better person every day. Your efforts to push through the challenges gives us all hope.
Words escape me right now. Grieving is a real feeling. When my dad passed many years ago I was devastated. He was Pastor William Larson that served the Lord wholeheartedly. He was pastor of a small church in Serra Mesa. Memorial Baptist Church. We never lacked for anything being a preachers kid. My dad and mom loved the Lord with all their hearts.
I have enjoyed listening to your sermons online from Spokane. You have a great sense of humor which is needed at a time like this missing Janie. You have a great oikos as you like to say and have been blessed with people responding to your sermons online and in person. Keep up the good work. You are blessed and I wish only the best for you and your family.
Thank you pastor, for sharing.
We are so blessed to have Skyline as our church family.
We love you and our heavenly Janie and keep you in our prayers.
I am so excited that the church of God is moving forward despite the plans of the devil. God will always win as well as his children. I am glad that you and your family are doing well and this message teaches me that despite trials and temptations we have to keep going and never give up on God because he has good plans for us. Indeed eternity feels closer when a loved one dies which I have experienced when I loss my 2 sisters and my Dad. Heaven is our goal and no power of hell can stand against it. Hoping on the promise of God that one day we will meet again to part no more with our loved one. Thank you pastor for this great inspiring words. Praying for you for more of God’s grace to keep you and your family going through this moment. Skyline is a place to be.
Thank you for sharing your heart and how God continues to hold you close as He continues to light the way forward. We are blessed to be a part of the Skyline family . Janie lived and led so well…Her life and memory are a testimony to His love for us.
Dear Pastor Jeremy,
I’m deeply sorry for your loss. May God continue to comfort your heart.
He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10
Your passion for the Lord and commitment to his people are such blessings.
You are very appreciated. I Thess 5:12-13
I will continue to pray for you and your family.
With gratitude and respect,
Thank you for always being transparent! Worship brought me to skyline, but your teachings and guidance keep me there. God is present and I’m so grateful have and to call Skyline home.
XOXOXO
Thank you so much, Pastor Jeremy,
I have been wondering and praying for you and your beautiful family. Grief, spousal grief, is awful. Thank goodness we have tthe grace of God to help us through. Your words are like balm to the grieving. We are thankful to you and your beautiful spirit. I was blessed on the day that I waited on you at Vons Lakeside, many, many years ago.
Continuing to pray and be grateful for His presence.
Tracey Alvernaz
Oh Pastor Jeremy, Thank you for sharing your heart with us. Miss seeing Ms. Janie and talking to her, such a sweet lady.
Beautiful reminder God is with us in the darkest, deepest waters of grief, they don’t drown us.
He Gives us strength to keep swimming and breathing.
The shoreline is in view, Rest is ahead.
God has Good things for Skyline. Love y’all.
Through Chad and Kelly Bickley (my daughter and son in law), and with your ministry, I have been able to re-open my heart to the wonders of Jesus’s promises and teachings. Your raw, honest, and sometimes humorous approaches to life’s ups and downs has given me a new vision of what life can be with Christ. I remain a very back-slidden, baptised
Christian who is still seeking answers, but your ministry is giving me
a path to follow. I just hope, at 80 yrs old it’s not too late! Thanks, Jeremy, for the spark you’ve reawakened in me. God bless.
Jeremy I love your beautiful message and I love your beautiful wife. Our churches help me get through so much grief in so much loss in my family and I wanna thank you off from the bottom of my heart yesterday we lost my son’s father and today we lost my nephew and if I can be a strong example that I see in you and your family for God and help my family I will be so grateful. My heart is broken with Grief with my family and with Janie. You and your family have all my love and my prayers I’m gonna start coming to Skyline Rancho so I can see you more often. You have no idea how much Seven Sd and Skyline has changed my life. And for that, I thank you❤️❤️❤️❤️
We love you and your family pastor, as our own. We are in this with you together. Thank you for sharing your heart with us all🫶🏼
Thank you for sharing your heart pastor Jeremy. Thank you for trusting us! You are so loved and I know He has you. Always.
Thank you for giving us your most personal connections with God. My husband past 8 years ago and it has been quite the journey with God by my side Always there and never have I been closer to him. Open to where ever he leads me. We are so blessed to have you as our Pastor. You helped to get me through some tough times
Thank you for sharing God’s message every day🙏
Agree and amen….Your vulnerability and words are absolutely true! Thank you for sharing the process of grieving . Your words will comfort so many. Praying for you and your family.
Jeremy… I am overwhelmed with your God-filled purpose. Even in the hardest struggles of life, you breathe hope and encouragement into your Skyline. family . My faith is stronger and my desire to be worthy of those gifts continue to grow Thank you for sharing,
Great message of faith & courage. We learn from our pain & one way or another we experience pains we do not wish to. Pastor Jeremy, your leadership & faith are resonating with us & ultimately making us stronger, also preparing us for the losses in our lives to come, so that we stay in the word & our faith in Jesus Christ. May God bless you, your family, & Skyline Church 🙏🏼
Your transparency and heartfelt thoughts really blessed my soul. Thank you for sharing how you and your family are doing , and how the Lord is helping you all every single step of the way each and everyday. It pierced my heart with joy bring ing tears of tenderness and joy knowing that God is answering my prayers and the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ over your life and the lives of your family.
In a world we’re sometimes it’s to tempting and and far to easy to do the wrong thing. I praise the Lord God that you are our Pastor.
May the Lord Jesus Bless you and your family as we all stand on the promises of God over Your Lives.
He is composing a symphony, and it is truly an awesome reassurance for Skyline community that our Pastor is here for the long haul—we have a strong leader that’s here for the win. ✝️
I am so glad to hear this because we have missed you so much. And we are so glad to have you back. You are the best pastor I’ve ever had in the whole 77 years of my life. And I am so relieved to hear your commitment to staying with us! God bless you and your family!
Went through a spiritual valley this week when you posted this. Drove my daughter to AZ on Monday to plead guilty and self surrender to be incarcerated. I was given a website to purchase communications with her through inmatesales.com and there was a link for “inspirational”. I clicked on it and it was a “verse of the day”, followed by a short devotion and prayer. It was on Psalm 34. Each day focused on a new verse and for Friday, it’s on Psalm 34:18. God is close to the broken hearted and I am so thankful for our church family.
Pastor Jeremy, your message and your commitment to the church are truly the marks of a man of God who’s suffered great loss but with God’s hugs keeps going. I think we should all pray for the fruits of ministries whose leaders have suffered such deep personal losses. In Psalm 23, David essentially summarized our walks with God. We walk through the darkest valleys but He is with us, until we graduate to Heaven and then forever more. You have been AMAZING since coming back in August. Run the race well and just think that one day you’ll see Jesus, Janie again, and everyone that came to Christ through your commitment and ministry, whether before or after this storm. Happy Pastor Appreciation Month!