Loss and faith are each very personal to every individual. Our “faith” shapes who we are, our world view, and our goals. Hannah’s life was marked by her faith. It influenced how she lived, how she treated others, what she worked for, and who she wanted to become.
She worked diligently in school and in her jobs. She got up early and stayed up late doing schoolwork. Hannah was a friend to everyone, and she was known for her constant smile. Although she had the personality of a leader, it was her love that made her someone that others wanted to follow. As our faith makes us who we are, our faith also affects the way in which we view and handle loss.
The guilt, shattered dreams, intense emotions, and the separation, each are monumental. Feelings of depression and the desire to “give up” can be constant and debilitating.
While we were in the darkness of the hospital room, as we waited to hear if Hannah’s life was coming to an end, we adopted the motto Do Right: Breathe, Take Small Steps, and Keep Moving Forward.
This has been a guiding thought as we work through the loss of our daughter. We hurt, we grieve, but we also continue to push to move forward, little by little. We don’t just “move on”, we carry Hannah’s memory and our loss with us. They are shadows attached directly to our hearts, and we use them and our faith to make us better than we were before and into who we need to be.
Hannah Helps shares the life of Hannah as it was influenced by her faith, and we work to encourage and empower others to use the perspective of faith as we deal with loss.
We help with loss and faith through 1. Hannah Story Tracts: These share the story of her life, the tragedy of her loss, and about the One in whom she placed her faith. 2. Social Media: Hannah Helps began as a simple Facebook page through which we intended to update family and friends on her condition and improvement. This page grew, and we also began to share our experiences, as parents, as we have lived worked through this tragedy. It has become a shared experience, and one that directs people to God, the source of our faith. 3. Personal Support: We are available to answer questions and support people through their grief after loss in a personal, yet private way. We do this through email, Messenger, and personal interactions. We help provide faith-based support, strength, encouragement, hope, and healing.
