Gripped By God’s Grace (Part 1)

It’s been a little more than two weeks since my Dad went to be with Jesus. I thought I’d take a moment to thank everyone for your outpouring of love and support and prayers.

I also wanted to take a moment to share how I’m doing and what’s been helping me during this time.

Everyone processes grief at a different pace and mourns differently. I wasn’t even sure of the difference between grief and mourning, but I recently learned that grief is what you feel on the inside when a loved ones dies and mourning is how you express that grief.

I’m no expert in grief, but I would like to share a little bit of what has helped me through this mourning process in hopes of perhaps encouraging you and even hearing what’s helped you process the death of a loved one.

I plan to continue to share some thoughts about this journey as the Lord leads. It won’t be all the time, but as I feel led to share. I hope you find something in this post helpful. Blessings to you on your journey:

Writing Tributes and Memories – The writer in me finds it very healing and cathartic to write some of my favorite memories of my Dad for myself and to share with my family and friends. It’s my nature to want to record memories and chronicle stories, so when the words are flowing (like now) I find it very helpful to write away. Right now they’re bits and pieces of memories, quotes, Dadisms, etc. Nothing too formal or fancy. There’ll be plenty of time to organize everything. For now, it’s just a matter of getting some favorite thoughts out of my head and onto the page or computer screen. As a journalist, we’d never write about our parents. As a former journalist, I can type away freely. I’m very grateful for that. I want to write down memories now that they’re fresh. I guess if I were a poet or songwriter, I would be writing poems or songs right now. Whether it’s a sentence or a blog post, writing is key for me. My Dad was also very supportive of my writing career, so it’s a great way for me to honor him. These tributes are a sweet way for me to help keep his memory alive.

Sharing Priceless Pictures – The photojournalist in me is loving sorting through photos and telling parts of my Dad’s story through images. I’m delighting in going through photo albums and organizing tons of pictures by themes or years. There are the childhood pics, the teen years, our travels, just me and my Dad, pics with our pets and pics of Grandpa and his grandkids, etc. I love seeing pics of my Dad smiling. I love seeing pics of the good times. It reminds me that we squeezed in a lot of life and joy and memories together. When I’m ready, I’ll go through my family’s pics as well and enjoy seeing even more snapshots of my Dad. Our family could sometimes be like paparazzi with our cameras. It could be a little annoying in the moment, but those pictures are so precious now. And I haven’t even begun sorting through my digital photos or videos. There’s no rush. I have the rest of my lifetime to sort through the pics and to soak in the memories.

Talking to Family and Friends – Mi familia and friends have been awesome. My close friends know how to reach out to me while giving me the privacy and space I need. It was so healing to speak to a different close friend daily after everything happened. I’m grateful that they didn’t pry. I’m grateful for their listening ears. They didn’t have the answers and I didn’t expect them to. I was just grateful for a safe space to talk, ponder, process, cry and even laugh. It was so helpful to talk about my situation, listen to how they’ve coped with losing their loved ones and to even talk about other topics. Sometimes it’s nice to talk about something else for a change. Even if it’s just for a moment. Of course, it’s been healing to speak to my family and to share memories and thoughts, etc. I’m grateful that we can talk about my Dad and smile or cry and then move on to other topics as well. We’re finding a nice balance of not over talking about things while also not ignoring them either. It’s also been sweet hearing people’s feedback to the tributes I’ve shared on social media and here on my blog.

Remembering Where He is Now – Whenever I find myself feeling sad or maybe even a little guilty for enjoying a moment, it helps me to remember that my Dad is with Jesus now. Nothing beats heaven. Nothing. My Dad is no longer suffering. He has been promoted to heaven. The Bible says that as believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). While I miss my Dad, I’m at peace and can rejoice that my Dad is with Jesus and that one day I will see him again in heaven. No sunset or song or meal here on earth can compare to what my Dad is experiencing in heaven. That makes me smile and brings me peace. Will I feel sad? Sure. But I don’t have to stay there. My “One Word” for this year is “Stand Firm” and that’s what I hope to do. By God’s grace, I will stand firm on the promise that through Jesus we have eternal life in heaven with our Heavenly Father. My Dad is not lost. He just moved to his eternal home. One day we will be reunited. Until then, I will rejoice in remembering my Dad and will remain grateful for all the time we had together. And I will continue living by faith, hope and love. Here are three Bible verses that have been really helping me:

  • “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV)
  • “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NIV)
  • “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'” (John 11:25 NIV)

Taking it One Day at a Time – It’s been very helpful for future-focused me to slow down a bit and to simply live in today. Sometimes that includes reminiscing about the past. Other times it means talking about what I’m feeling. Some times it means being silent. I’m not following a timeline or giving myself deadlines. I’m just taking it one day at a time. I don’t have to have neat answers or seek explanations. I don’t need to be anxious about the future. I can just rest in knowing that God is with me and is guiding me every step of the way.

I can be at peace knowing that I am gripped by God’s grace.

And so are you!

If you’d like to share what’s helped you through your journey of losing a parent or other loved one, please feel free to comment below or on Abounding Faith’s Facebook page.

Thank you for your prayers for me and mi familia during this time.

If you’d like to read more about my Dad, you can read about some of our adventures in By Faith: Adventures and Reflections on Walking With God Here and Abroad.

You can also check out these blog posts I’ve written over the years:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Spanning the Globe with Abounding Faith’s Books

I’m thrilled that Abounding Faith’s books are now in 14 states, 5 countries (outside of the United States) and 4 continents! God is Good!

YOU have helped make this possible! Thank you! I love how these uplifting and empowering books can cross state lines, cultures and continents and encourage, empower and edify readers near and far.

I’ve listed the locations below. If I’ve missed your state or country, please let me know. And thank you for your prayers and support. Let’s pray that these Bible-based books continue crisscrossing the globe. My travels may still be restricted, but there’s no limit to how far these books can go. To God be the Glory!

5 COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.

  • Canada
  • Ecuador
  • Philippines
  • Russia
  • Taiwan

14 STATES

  • Alabama
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Illinois
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • New Jersey
  • New York (all over)
  • North Carolina
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee

4 CONTINENTS

  • Asia
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South America

Don’t see your state or country on the list? You can change that easy peasy.

You can order Abounding Faith’s books for you and your loved ones near and far on Amazon. Blessings!

By Faith – Motivation Monday With Coach Nancy of Abounding Faith Coaching and Consulting

Ever wonder how introverted INFJ me has had the courage, audacity and grit to go on 5 short-term missions trips over the years (including to the Amazon Jungle, Andes Mountains & AFRICA – Ethiopia) as well as to write 5 Christian Living books, host conferences and a podcast and speak to a group of Christians at the United Nations, students at Nyack Christian College and give my brief testimony at my home church, Times Square Church, etc …

Can I tell you a pretty obvious secret? None of it was my idea. It was all …

BY FAITH!


When God called me to lay down my successful journalism career years ago, I had NO idea what He had in store for me. He’s been leading and guiding me all along the way. Has it been easy. NO! Has it been worth it? YES!


God knows what’s on the other side of our yes.


If you’ve got some kingdom dreams burning inside of you and you’re unsure about your next steps, I’d love to prayerfully help you gain the:

  • Clarity
  • Confidence
  • Courage

to live your God-given dreams. You can learn more about having me be your personal Christian Life Coach by clicking here.

Keep moving forward by feisty faith!

Blessings on your faith journey,

– Coach Nancy, Abounding Faith Coaching and Consulting

P.S. You can read about how I’ve seen God’s fingerprints on six continents in By Faith: Adventures and Reflection on Walking with God Here and Abroad.


“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45 NIV)

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

5 Ways to Show Your Love for Abounding Faith

I’m so grateful that I get to inspire, encourage and empower you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and live your God-given dreams.

Abounding Faith’s books, blog, podcast, YouTube channel and more exist to help fuel your faith, ignite your hope and set your heart ablaze with the love of God.

If you’re being encouraged and inspired by Abounding Faith’s work, here are 5 great ways to show your love and support for this Indie Christian Latina Author, Creative and Communicator and to stay connected to all the uplifting and Bible-based content that Abounding Faith has to offer you along your faith journey:

Join the List: Did you know that when you sign up for Abounding Faith’s FREE email list, you get a FREE 5-day sampler PDF of the Feisty Faith devotional and you get weekly email updates about different upcoming projects? Sign up right now right here.

Treat Yourself and Your Loved Ones to Inspiring Books: One of the best ways to show your love for Abounding Faith is by spreading the word about Abounding Faith’s books and buying copies for your friends and loved ones or favorite nonprofits. Leaving a kind Amazon review is also greatly appreciated. Reviews help to encourage others to check out these edifying books. Get your copies today.

Connect on Social Media: Abounding Faith is very active on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. Your follows, likes, shares and kind comments are always welcome.

Buy Me a Coffee: If you’d like to show your appreciation for Abounding Faith’s work, a new and easy way to show your support is by buying me a coffee or two or more right here.

Let’s Get Dreaming: Let’s SHINE and STAND FIRM in our faith together. Check out all the benefits of becoming a member of Abounding Faith’s Dream Team here.

Your prayers, encouragement and support are greatly appreciated. I look forward to continuing to help you grow deeper in your love for and faith in God. Blessings!

February Meet Up

You’re invited to Abounding Faith’s February Virtual Meet Ups!

Let’s come together to spur each other on as we live by abounding faith, hope and love!

  • Ladies, join us for this sweet time of fellowship via Zoom on Saturday, February 20 from 10-10:30 am (EST) for FREE.
  • Ministry and Marketplace Leaders, let’s connect via Zoom on Thursday, February 25 from 8-8:40 pm (EST) for only $10.

Please email the address on the flyer to RSVP and to get the Zoom link. Invite your friends. Hope to see you there! Blessings!

Leadership Lessons From the Life of Ruth – Podcast & Blog Link

What a delight it was to teach leadership lessons based on the life of Ruth at a recent seminar hosted by my friends at WOW! Women of Wonder. You can check out the podcast episode and blog post by clicking here.

I’m grateful for the lovely feedback I received about this seminar and for the kind words from my friends at WOW! (below) about having me teach this seminar. To learn more about inviting me to speak at your next virtual event, click here.

Blessings to you as you prepare for Christmas and to end the year strong!

P.S. If you’re interested in ordering signed copies of Feisty Faith to be delivered in the U.S. by Christmas, please contact me A.S.A.P.

Abounding Faith’s books, journals, mugs, magnets and more will encourage and inspire you as you walk by faith, hope and love and live your God-given dreams 🔥 Find inspiring Christmas gifts for everyone on your list:
Books: https://www.amazon.com/author/aboundingfaith
Online Store: http://bit.ly/1YsKVlW

Abounding Faith’s Christmas Gift Guide – Happy Cyber Monday!

Abounding Faith’s books, journals, mugs, magnets and more will encourage and inspire you as you walk by faith, hope and love and live your God-given dreams 🔥 Find inspiring Christmas gifts for everyone on your list:

Books: https://www.amazon.com/author/aboundingfaith

Online Store: http://bit.ly/1YsKVlW

There’s a story (and prayers) behind each of the inspirational items I create. Your generous support is greatly appreciated. Blessings ❣️

P.S. – Don’t forget to join me for this Saturday’s very first Abounding Faith Meet Up Day. Please email the address in the invite below for more info and to rsvp.

Abounding Faith Virtual Meet Up Day, Sat. Dec 5th!

You’re invited to Abounding Faith’s very first virtual Meet Up Day on Saturday, December 5!

Come be encouraged, empowered and inspired as you connect and fellowship at these virtual gatherings via Zoom.

Ladies, you’re invited to a special time of inspiration and fellowship from 10 am – 10:30 am (EST) for FREE.

Ministry and Marketplace Leaders and Workers, you’re invited for a special time of inspiration and networking from 11 am – 11:40 am (EST) for only $10.

It’s been a challenging year to say the least. Let’s come together to spur each other on as we fight the good fight of faith and live our God-Given dreams! Looking forward to seeing you and your friends there.

To register, email info@AboundingFaith.com. Blessings!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV)

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

“Stay in the Race” – Today’s Feisty Faith Devotional Entry

NOVEMBER 9

Stay in the Race

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24

The only way to finish your race is to keep, prayerfully, putting one foot in front of the other.

Don’t let quitting your race be an option.

Exercise your spiritual muscles by staying in the Word, praying, serving, and following God’s lead.

Just when you think you’re never going to make it, may you feel God’s grace strengthening you and carrying you toward your big finish.

You can do it, and God is with you all the way to the end.

© 2020 Feisty Faith: Trusting God Day by Day

If this entry has encouraged you, be sure to order a copy of the NEW empowering, edifying and enriching Feisty Faith: Trusting God Day by Day devotional in print or on Kindle on Amazon. Blessings!

P.S. I plan to do a few “Feisty Faith Chats” via Facebook live. Be sure to follow Abounding Faith’s Facebook page. 

Speaking at WOW! Virtual Seminar Tomorrow Tuesday, November 10

I’m so delighted and honored to be speaking tomorrow at the WOW! virtual seminar from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. You’re invited to join us via Zoom as I share a few leadership lessons we can glean from the life of Ruth. You can sign up for this FREE seminar right here. Hope to see you and your friends there.