Even when a widow accepts invitations to join family and friends at their table, she faces empty chairs at her table and elsewhere. The Bible teaches us to care for widows. In addition to visits, invitations, and offers to assist with various tasks, I want to share another way we can help.
In Marilyn Nutter’s BRAND NEW book, Hope for Widows, she provides comfort, encouragement, journal prompts, and practical suggestions for her fellow widows. She shares her grief with candor and tells readers how God’s faithfulness buoys her on challenging days. What a wonderful gift or recommendation to share with widowed friends or family members.
A New Year’s Gift for You
Today I welcome my dear friend and author Marilyn Nutter who shares a sample devotion from her recently-released book, Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change, published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. After you read the devotion, meet Marilyn in the bio below and find a link for her book.
Sample Devotion:
Dinner Invitation and an Empty Chair
All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
PSALM 38:9 NIV
Has it happened yet? You’re invited to dinner at a friend’s home and couples are seated around the table. You’re the odd number. Years later, I vividly remember my first experience as if it were yesterday. As if being solo in a couples world isn’t bad enough, being seated at a table next to an empty chair is downright painful. Why couldn’t someone sit next to me? I thought. I tried to ignore the empty chair, but how do you do that when you need to stretch to pass the vegetables around the table?
I ate a meal, though I can’t remember the menu. We talked, but I don’t recall the conversation. I do remember the empty chair. When I returned home, I sighed. “Glad that’s over,” I muttered, thinking about the empty chair. As I got ready for bed, I evaluated the experience. My friends were loving and kind; it wasn’t being a single with couples that bothered me as much as being placed next to an empty chair. The emptiness was glaring—literally and figuratively.
Laying my head on my pillow, I was thankful I’d gotten through it, like so many other firsts on my grief path. The experience prepared me for the next time, because there were going to be many “next times.”
God’s grace met me then. It promises to meet me each time; and with each meeting, there will be less pain—even when I sit next to an empty chair.
Treasured Reflections: How was your first experience at a couples dinner or event? Did you see the treasures of experience and grace get you through?
Treasured Thoughts: Journal your thoughts about the part experiences play in your grief journey, especially how you’ve changed from first-time experiences to now. Do you see fewer stings of hurt and more moments of grace, growth, and patience? Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” It’s an ongoing process, not an overnight experience. How do you see that verse becoming real for you?
Taken from: Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change © 2024 by Marilyn Nutter All rights reserved.
Published in association with Books & Such Literary Management, www.booksandsuch.com.
Requests for permission to quote from this book should be directed to: Permissions Department, Our Daily Bread Publishing, PO Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, or contact us by email at permissionsdept@odb.org.
Here’s the Amazon link: https://tinyurl.com/2mu5becz .
About the Book
Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change offers women connections in their grief, guiding them to see hope, grace, and comradery on an unfamiliar path. With personal reflections, questions, and expressions of gratitude, widows will join Marilyn Nutter in recognizing God’s faithful presence in details and unusual places. The 65 vignettes apply Scripture and relevant quotes to grief and mourning and look with transparency at how widowhood dramatically changes a woman’s life. The book not only ministers to widows, but offers insights to their friends and family showing the life changes and challenges a woman faces on a new path.
About the Author
Marilyn Nutter writes, not as a professional counselor or through research about grief, but as one who walks that unwelcomed, personal experience and has found God faithful in every step. In her journey, she continues to experience the grace of God-sent treasures in puzzling and new circumstances and desires to encourage others. She is a contributor to compilations, author of devotional books and co-author with April White of Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart. Visit marilynnutter.com where you will find encouragement to weave hope and purpose in your life stories.
A Quote from Hope for Widows
I know I’ll never be over my loss, but I know I will continue to get through it and find life again, as will you.
–Marilyn Nutter, Author of Hope for Widows
I know I'll never be over my loss, but I know I will continue to get through it and find life again, as will you. --Marilyn Nutter, Author of Hope for Widows Share on X
A message from Leigh DeLozier, a mutual friend of mine and Marilyn’s:
Whether she’s your mom, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, friend, friend of a friend, or neighbor – almost everyone knows someone who is widowed. Show her you care by sharing “Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change” by Marilyn Nutter.
–Lee DeLozier
Here’s the Amazon link: https://tinyurl.com/2mu5becz .
Your Turn
Share your thoughts on widowhood from a personal perspective or from helping friends. How do you think this book might help someone you know? How did the sample devotion help you? Marilyn will appreciate your responses.
I don’t believe we ever stop grieving the loss of our loved one. But support of family, friends, and those who understand the hardship of sorrow, loneliness, and loss is helpful. We need hope to continue to take the next step in our journey. Even now, after severa years of being a widow, I find hope and encouragement in Marilyn Nutter’s Hope for Widows. If you or someone you love is grieving from the pain of loss, she or he will benefit from this book. Thank you for sharing, Jeannie.
Hugs to you, Katherine. I’m grateful you found help in Marilyn’s book. We often struggle to know how to help a widow, but Hope For Widows provides guidance. Thank you for sharing.
This is such a helpful book. It does bring out many instances widows face that no one thinks about. We are helped with being more sensitive to these situations by Marilyn’s experiences.
I agree, Barbara, that we learn ministry tips as we read, and widows gain comfort and support as they turn the pages of this marvelous book.
This is a tremendous reminder that I need to look into the matter more thoroughly as I navigate the journey of multiple widows here in our retirement community. Thanks, Jeannie and Marilyn.
Peggy, every widow I know says “I never knew it was like this.” One of the reasons I wrote the book was to help widows see they are not alone but to give others (like the hostess and the empty chair) see into a widow’s life in ways that are not obvious or even considered. Marilyn
Thank you so much for writing this book, Marilyn, and for sharing, dear Jeannie. My sister-in-law just lost her husband before Christmas and the title “widow” is new to her. I pray this book will bring comfort, healing, and encouragement.
Maureen, I know God will bless Marilyn’s words and your generosity. Thank you so much for sharing. I stopped to pray for your sister-in-law.
What a beautiful and needed message. The Bible is very clear about caring for widows and orphans in our midst. I pray we all do a better job. Thanks for sharing about Marilyn’s new book. Blessings on your New Year Jeannie
Yes, Yvonne, I agree we need to do a better job in meeting the needs of widows. Hope for Widows offers many suggestions to help us. Thank you for your comments. Happy New Year!
Marilyn, I have not yet had to walk the road you’re on. But I have so many friends who are walking it. You made me keenly aware that no one should ever sit next to an empty chair, since it is easy to remove an extra chair from around the table. Thank you!
I’m glad you gained a suggestion from Marilyn’s excerpt, Glenda. Hope for Widows helps us see through the eyes of widows and know how we can serve them better.
Glenda, thank you for commenting. Every widow I know says ,”I didn’t know it would be this way.” We just don’t know until it is personal. I’m glad this illustration was a help. There are many other “unknowns” in the book. I wrote it not just for widows but for insights for others.
Thank you Ms. Jeannie. I remember Ms. Marilyn sharing her grief journey with me. As she spoke of her late husband, I heard her longing for her lifetime friend. I heard the sadness in her heart. And I heard the hope in her voice that was certain she would be standing beside him as they worshipped our Lord together again one day. I knew that weekend at a writer’s conference that God had placed a calling upon her life. To see her masterful answer to that call has blessed me mightily. Thank you for sharing Ms. Marilyn’s book with us readers ma’am. And thank you Ms. Marilyn for heeding God’s call to help others in your common journey. God’s blessings to both you ladies.
Yes, J. D., those of us who know Marilyn rejoice over her dedication to the Lord’s work and her desire to share His comfort and hope with others. Thank you for your kind comments. I know Marilyn appreciates them.
Thank you JD for your kind words. You were an encourager to me in that conversation that day and you continue in many ways, including this comment. God bless you, as you too, share your love for Christ on many platforms. Marilyn