MSI Press Blog

  When loss first strikes, words collapse under the weight of what cannot be explained. The heart retreats into quiet, not because it has stopped believing, but because belief itself feels broken. Silence becomes the only honest language left. It teaches us that the conversation never truly ends — it only deepens. Grief often silences prayer. But faith does not end in silence. Over time, it begins to reshape it. At first, the question is Why did this happen? — a cry toward heaven that expects no answer. Yet as faith matures, the question changes. It becomes How can I live with this? That shift marks the beginning of dialogue. The believer moves from demanding explanation to seeking companionship — from interrogation to conversation. Faith, then, is not certainty. It is relationship. It is the willingness to stay in conversation with God even when understanding fails. It is the courage to speak through tears, to listen through confusion, and to trust that the silence itself may be...

  In a post on her blog that she shared today, Marti Wells-Smith ( Lamentations of the Heart ) relates a dream about her late son that was experienced by a friend.  Here is the beginning of the post: I want to share a dream with you that a dear friend had, following the passing of my son in 2019. She said that Grant appeared in what looked like a hologram, with a radiant smile, and impressed upon her what seemed to be a telepathic message. He told her that we shouldn't be sad, because there is no sadness in heaven - and that everyone there is connected heart to heart - with a universal language...I think of this often, and rejoice for the beautiful signs I've received, and for a dream such as this. My son is blissfully happy now, forever. But my sadness? It still comes and goes, as time moves along and life continues. Yet it's not a hopeless sorrow - I have great hope for our futures. Can you feel your loved ones gone on? Do you also wait to be reunited with great ex...

SADNESS, THE PAIN OF LIVING  Because we live in bodies which constantly change and interact with the world, we have feelings. We naturally have emotional reactions to what happens to us. Unpleasant experiences repulse us, moving us to withdraw to protect ourselves. Pleasant experiences energize us to seek more of what we desire. In our ever-changing world, we naturally feel joy as new life unfolds and sadness as the old and familiar passes away. Our sadness and sorrow are natural reactions that serve survival purposes. In fact, they are signs of intelligence. Animals live by their instincts, only in the present moment. Because we are conscious, we humans are aware of the passage of time, alert to loss and gain. We are aware of changes around us and their consequences on our wellbeing, and so we make adjustments. Hardwired into our brains is a built-in threat protection and safety-seeking system. In the experience of loss, sadness prepares us to let go of the past and prepare...