BEREAVEMENT COLUMN

STP RECOVERY, PART 2

By TRACY RENEE LEE

Last week, I wrote a review showcasing the first suggestion, one of two sentinels, from my STP Grief Recovery Formula. That sentinel was Service. This week, my article will showcase the last suggestion, the final sentinel from my formula, Prayer. Service and Prayer are the two sentinels of my STP Grief Recovery Formula because they are the most powerful. They are the most powerful for several reasons.
Primarily, these two sentinels, Service and Prayer, are powers that are greater than self. When invoked, they involve growth and spiritual movement toward a higher power than ourselves. They incorporate a multitude of additional growth movements that all lead toward recovery.
As referenced in last week’s article, when Christ was upon the earth, he replaced the Law of Moses with His New and Everlasting Law, a higher code of new enlightenment: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40.
Today, I shall address the first of these two commandments, to “…love the Lord they God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind…” We communicate with those whom we love, and in return, they communicate back with us. Fortunately for us, God has given us a way to communicate with Him to show or love and to ask for His help and inspiration in life. This help and inspiration comes through a mode of spiritual communication.
Christ states that before all else, we should love the Lord our God. If we must love our Lord before all else, perhaps our Lord loves us before all else. If that is true, wouldn’t it stand to reason that He would not want to see our hearts broken? And, that He would do all that He could to help us recover from our pain, to comfort us, and to love us?
I love my children beyond belief. There is not a person, nor an item, that could ever come before them. In that reality, whenever they are injured, sick, lonely, afraid, or unhappy, my quest is to help them.
Because my children are adults, I have to help them within the confines they impose. Sometimes that is hard for me, because I want to jump right in and fix their problems. However, I must allow for their freedom of choice, their agency, and their liberty. I must work within their boundaries to help them in a manner that is acceptable to them.
If I see that one of my children has a problem, I can’t just take over and fix it for them. If I did that they would be so angry, and most likely, would immediately reject my help as interference. Sometimes they want to do it on their own and they don’t even tell me about it until they have taken care of it. However, if they allow it, I’m on it.
I think that might be how God works. He can’t just interfere with our lives and our choices, if He did, we might reject Him. I think He has to wait for us to ask for help, the same way I have to wait for my children to ask. Of course, I wait for a phone call; I think He waits for a prayer.
My assistance to them is rarely monetary. As parent’s themselves, they do not want their mom paying for their issues. Most of the time, my assistance is in the form of suggestions based upon my past experiences; or brainstorming for solutions. Sometimes, it’s just a redirection, or a fresh idea that is needed. Regardless, whatever their needs are, I jump at the opportunity to help them because I love them more than life itself.
I think that is how God feels about us. I believe that I am a child of God. I believe also, that my children are children of God. If God is my spiritual Father, I believe that He would love me at least as much as I love my children. If that is the case, I also believe that He would want to help me as much as I want to help my children. Under that premise, I believe that if I call upon my Heavenly Father for assistance, He would jump at the chance to assist me through whatever trials I face; especially the trial of grief.
Communication with deity brings comfort and peace to my existence. Bearing my soul through prayer fills me with inspiration and answers are distilled upon me. As I call upon Him, my mind calms down and I am still. The ravages of grief are quieted, and I am free to focus on healing.
Throughout the losses I have suffered in life, God has yoked me to Him, and has lifted my burdens from me. When I have crossed the river of no return, He has helped me back to a place in life of peace and joy. This transformation does not happen overnight, but He makes my journey possible, and I know that without Him, it would not be so.
Christ’s commandment to love God with all our might, mind, and soul, is reciprocated through the glorious answers, comfort, and assistance received through prayer.
As you review and implement my STP Oil Recovery Formula, please remember that prayer and service are the two strongest grief recovery strategies available to you. You might also remember that they compliment the greatest commandments given through our Lord and Savior. I fervently testify to this truth, as I have successfully utilized prayer and service for grief recovery myself. The truth is, they are truth; they work.
My humble prayer is that God will bless each of us as we strive to overcome the ravages associated with loss and life.

My name is Tracy Renee Lee. I am a Certified Grief Counselor (GC-C), Funeral Director (FDIC), published author, syndicated columnist, Podcaster, and founder of the “Mikey Joe Children’s Memorial” and Heaven Sent, Corp. I write books, weekly bereavement articles, Podcasts, and Grief BRIEFs related to understanding and coping with grief. I am the American Funeral Director of the Year Runner-Up and recipient of the BBB’s Integrity Award.

It is my life’s work to comfort the bereaved and help them live on.

For additional encouragement, please visit my podcast “Deadline” on Spotify and follow me on Instagram at “Deadline_TracyLee.”