Grey Hair Lady Speaks Out

Intro for This Blog Post

Sometimes God brings us through seasons we never imagined walking, ones that break our hearts, stretch our faith, and yet somehow deepen our trust in Him. I’ve learned that love and loss can both be sacred places when we let God meet us there. This piece is a glimpse into that part of my story, where faith carried me through goodbye and gently led me toward a new beginning.

When Love Walks You Home: A Journey of Faith, Loss, and New Beginnings

Sometimes love stories don’t end where we think they will.
They change shape, finding new meaning in the hands of God.
I’ve learned that faith doesn’t just hold us together in love, it carries us through loss and gently leads us toward life again.

This is my story of learning to trust God with both goodbye and hello… and finding grace in the space between them.

A Love That Grew Through Faith

You know, when I think about how marriages came together in biblical days, it touches me in a different way.
Back then, love didn’t always begin with a spark, it began with faith. Families prayed, trusted God’s direction, and let love grow within His plan. There’s something so peaceful and steady about that… a love that wasn’t rushed or uncertain, but one that deepened through trust and time.

“Love that begins in faith grows stronger in grace.”

That’s the kind of love I want is one guided by prayer and grounded in purpose. I don’t need it to be perfect; I just want it to be real, honest, and blessed by God’s hand. If it keeps growing with that kind of faith and tenderness, I know it will last.

And that kind of love was exactly what I was given.

When Love Meets Faith in the Hardest Season

When my late husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, we talked every night about what the future would look like… his care, his wishes, his prayers. He wanted me to know exactly what to do when the time came: when to call for palliative care, when hospice might be needed, and what he hoped for most.

His three greatest prayers were that he might see another birthday, be able to die at home, and see or talk to all 5 of his grandchildren one last time. God answered most of those prayers. The one that remained unanswered was seeing his oldest daughter’s children, and that weighed heavy on his heart.

But even so, his faith never wavered. His courage, his laughter, and his smile remained until the very last moment. I held his hand as he drew closer to heaven’s door, and I was grateful to be there to escort him to those pearly gates.

“Absent from the body, present with the Lord.”

Knowing he had simply changed his address, from earth to heaven, gave me strength in the days that followed.

The Promise That Kept Me Moving Forward

In our final weeks, he made me promise something that felt impossible at the time; he wanted me to promise that once I had walked through the deep grieving, I would go on living. He wanted me to laugh again, to find joy again… even love again. Being ten years younger, he knew I might have many years left to live, and he didn’t want them spent in sorrow. He made sure our daughters knew that was what he wanted for me.

At first, I couldn’t imagine wanting anyone or anything beyond the life we’d shared. But as time passed through all the firsts, the holidays, anniversaries, and milestones without him I began to understand what he meant.

Grief doesn’t end a love story; it changes how it’s told.

Because Scripture reminds us, “There is no marriage in heaven.” When he stepped into eternity, that sacred vow of “till death do us part” was fulfilled. The earthly bond of husband and wife ended, and with it came a gentle truth: my story wasn’t over.

Through the Firsts and Into Grace

The first year felt like learning to breathe again. Every milestone carried both ache and gratitude, the first quiet Sunday, the first holiday without his laughter, the first anniversary of his passing.

Each one stretched my faith, teaching me that healing doesn’t erase love; it transforms it into gratitude, courage, and grace. Step by step, God reminded me that love doesn’t end, it changes shape. It becomes gratitude. It becomes courage. And it becomes the gentle strength to open your heart again.

When God Writes the Next Chapter

So yes, I still want to live. I want to laugh. I want companionship and partnership, those are real, human desires that God placed in us. And with that faith, I took a small, brave step forward.

On a dare, I created a profile on ChristianMingle.com, and another online dating site, just to see what God might have in store. Maybe a new friend. Maybe a new love. Maybe a new beginning.

I don’t know what this next chapter will look like, but I trust the Author. Whether it brings friendship, laughter, or even love again, I know He will lead me with the same faith that carried me through loss.

Maybe this next part of my story isn’t about replacing love but about rediscovering it with God still at the center. Because the same faith that walked me through goodbye is the faith that now walks me toward whatever hello He has waiting.

Author’s Note

If you’re walking through loss right now, I hope this reminds you that your story isn’t over. God’s love still writes in the margins of your pain, gently turning pages when you’re ready.

Healing takes time, and that’s okay. Be patient with your heart. There will come a day when laughter feels natural again, when memories bring more smiles than tears, and when you realize love didn’t leave you. It simply changed form.

May your faith guide you through the goodbyes and into the grace of new beginnings.

With grace and faith,
Marie