Press Release: NAACP Responds to Coup Attempt
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Learning to Grieve, Part 2

Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator · November 18, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Grieving is a healthy response to life’s brokenness. When we grieve we allow our emotions to catch up with our minds. It allows us to think more clearly, make better choices, and we might be able to avoid the “comfort” foods that can mask our pain or negatively affect our own health.

I noticed that when I go to funerals, there is often a lot of pound cake, chocolate sweets, and more. The food is certainly southern comfort food, perhaps pork BBQ, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and the like. But I have started to wonder if we are replacing our grief with these foods. Why is it when my dad passed, according to his death certificate of congestive heart failure, the hospital, out of an act of graciousness, brought our family donuts and sugary drinks? I was baffled because processed high-sugar and high-fat foods are known to harm the heart, and here we were being offered these in the hospital room where my dad’s heart stopped. And my family ate the foods.

It occurred to me that there is a disconnect between our reality, our actions, our knowledge, and how to combine them in highly emotional situations. Perhaps grieving well is what is missing. We often don’t allow ourselves room and space to grieve, and it clouds our thinking. Here are a few tips that have helped me to grieve, and I have noticed that I am much healthier after I have intentionally started this grief process:

  1. Cry. I remind myself that it is OK to show my emotions in this way.
  2. Walk. I go for long walks, and it is helping me out of depression.
  3. Write. I express what I am thinking on paper, napkins, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
  4. Commune. I feel less along when I am with people, showing love to them.
  5. Pray. I ask for comfort and healing.

I hope these ideas will work for you. I pray comfort and healing in the areas of your life that need it most. And we can celebrate that a new day will come.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Food, Health, Mental Health

Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

About Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

I am passionate about health and faith. Children, families, and elders have my deepest love and concern, and I've cultivated a heart for dance, plants, cooking, water, chilling with great friends, and talking about the matters of the heart. I love the Lord and seek to bring myself and others closer to The King Most High.
Learn more about PHW and our efforts to improve the health of God’s people: healthandwholeness.org

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Because of Jesus
Partners in Health and Wholeness Mini-Grant Cycle Now Open
Politics of Eating

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Learning to Grieve, Part 2

Latest Tweets

Are you interested in Christian unity, peace, and social justice? Do you know someone who is? Share this post and stay updated on what is coming up this year by signing up for our weekly newsletter! ncchurches.org/email…

About 14 hours ago

The 2021 MLK Brochure edition from @democracync features info about voting in local elections this year, advocating for fair & transparent redistricting, and more. Follow the link to get these brochures! docs.google.com/form…

Yesterday

RT @NCPolicyWatch The real perpetrators of fraud regarding the 2020 election shar.es/ao4BUi via @NCPolicyWatch #NCPOL #NCGA #ElectionIntegrity #Trump @ncchurches

Yesterday

RT @healthandfaith Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

Yesterday

"The United States Congress, a week after the nation’s Capitol was overrun by a violent mob while lawmakers were carrying out one of their paramount duties, now faces a paramount challenge.." Read more from this Raleigh Report by Steve Ford. ncchurches.org/2021/…

About 2 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

Awesome things to come this year - subscribe and stay in touch! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncchurch…

About 13 hours ago

So important and needed. You are so loved. twitter.com/NAMINCar…

About 14 hours ago

Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

About 2 days ago

Check it out! twitter.com/CityofDu…

About 3 days ago

Don't forget to register for our final Becoming a Trauma-Informed Faith Community webinar next Tuesday. Join this whole-person driven conversation as we support and honor one another's stories and experiences. Register here: ow.ly/xNNI50D3lHp #mentalhealth #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/mtZM…

Last week

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/yDlx…

Yesterday

RT @CCLTriangle This is the jobs engine the country needs @SenThomTillis @SenatorBurr @GKButterfield @DeborahRossNC: 81% of additional generating capacity in the USA last year was solar, wind or battery. Great news. Please make sure the percentage rises this year! eia.gov/todayinenerg… pic.twitter.com/zarU…

About 3 days ago

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/zSKE…

About 5 days ago

RT @noel_johnny Oil & gas corporations, including Chevron and Exxon, have donated a total of $5.4 million to the seven Senators who voted to overturn the presidential election and bolstered a violent, failed attempted coup by pro-Trump extremists. greenpeace.org/usa/n…. #RemoveOrResign

About 5 days ago

RT @UniteThePoor Nine moral witnesses with the #PoorPeoplesCampaign were arrested on June 12, 2018 for praying for repentance & justice on the steps of the US Supreme Court. They were taken to jail & held till the following day. #TBT 📷: #HopeInFocus pic.twitter.com/66Zn…

Last week

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine