In this series of articles, I've shared how God has shown me that he’s better. It’s become somewhat of a mantra in my life, especially when pain besets my heart or a tragedy or injustice stares me in the face, and I wrestle with the question, How can God possibly be good in this situation?… Continue reading God is Better than You Think, Part Three: A Better Faith
Author: Heidi Treibel
I choose to share the raw reality of the sorrow of loss through the filter of hope in Jesus Christ.
I am a writer, an educator, a mom, a wife, and a coffee fiend. My two daughters and my son on earth teach me daily what grace is (for them and for myself). My children in heaven open my eyes to see the unseen. I write candidly about the wrestling that results from spiritual trauma. My hope is that those who've endured spiritual trauma and other painful life circumstances can meet a Jesus who is better than my meager words could describe. I believe that wrestling with God is necessary and healthy as my belief system is redefined and my relationship with Him is refined.
If you are reading, it is my hope that you will be moved to listen to others with deep compassion and share your own stories of life, love, and loss with deep conviction. We are all pilgrims in a broken world; I hope we walk together as we journey to the land "where no storms come."
God is Better Than You Think, Part Two: A Better Throne
Not having lived in any sort of actual monarchy, the thought of being subject to the reign of a king is unfamiliar to me, and I think most of us alive at this time. As I mentioned in Part One: A Better Parent, however I perceive God now, he continually shows me with each new… Continue reading God is Better Than You Think, Part Two: A Better Throne
God is Better Than You Think, Part One: A Better Parent
I grew up in a church that didn’t believe the theology of the Rapture, so I never had a true fear that some of my late-nineties teen contemporaries did, especially after the Left Behind books. I never worried that I’d wake up one morning and find my house empty except for myself, all my family… Continue reading God is Better Than You Think, Part One: A Better Parent
The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot #3-Sharing the Gospel
Thank you to those of you who've taken the time to respond to the previous two topics in this series. Your experiences with hearing God's voice and with the church have beautifully illustrated for me the uniqueness of each individual's journey with God. Your insights also show how universal many aspects of faith can be.… Continue reading The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot #3-Sharing the Gospel
The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot #2-CHURCH!
If you ever have or still do attend a church, why do you do it? Is it a practice that brings you closer to God? A ritual you feel obligated to do based on some understanding of Scripture? A chance to connect with fellow believers and socialize with friends? Now, here’s an even more telling… Continue reading The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot #2-CHURCH!
The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot#1-Hearing God’s Voice
In my previous post, an introduction to this series, The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma, I invited readers to share their own experiences of loss and trauma to their faith and/or relationship with God. I deeply appreciate the courage of fellow travelers who reached out to me in response to my previous blog article. I’d… Continue reading The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Stuck Spot#1-Hearing God’s Voice
The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Introduction
When I released my memoir, Me Among the Stars, the week of Elliot’s birthday this past May, I felt like some part of the grief and trauma journey was completed. The death of my son forever altered me, and I spent the first six years of aftershock recovering from grief, loss, and some post-traumatic stress.… Continue reading The Stuck Spots of Spiritual Trauma: Introduction
The Good “And”
When my son Elliot died, my response was, understandably, railing against the evil of his being taken from me. I couldn’t see any grace in it, and I will still bristle if an off-handed comment, especially from a religious onlooker, tries to bring “good” from the daily aching pain of being separated from my child.… Continue reading The Good “And”
Redeeming Time
In Ephesians 5, Paul exhorts his readers to redeem the time, because the days are evil. Many other translations call it “making the most of every opportunity.” But I like redeeming the time. That phrase from Scripture has always struck me as poetic. Webster defines the word redeem as to free from what distresses or… Continue reading Redeeming Time
My Son Can Hear You
“How old is he?” “Four.” “He’s SO TINY!” My son looks up at me, those big brown eyes questioning. My face grows hot, but I smile and continue checking him in for children’s church. I don’t say anything. She did not mean to offend. I know this. She does not know the conversations and struggles… Continue reading My Son Can Hear You
Raw and Filtered 