Comfort Those Who Mourn
Grief and Loss
Within every body, every home, and every organization, there are sacred stories carried quietly beneath the surface, lives marked by grief, loss, and unseen wounds that ache for restoration. While pastors and leaders faithfully shepherd those entrusted to their care, the weight of human sorrow was never meant to be carried by a few alone. It is meant to be met by a living, breathing Body, filled with the compassion of Christ and moved by His Spirit. Here Comes Joy offers resources formed not in theory, but in the fire of lived experience and redeemed suffering. Jarrett and Sandi Ellis have walked through profound loss and trauma. Even before his birth, Jarrett’s life was marked by generational grief in the wake of the tragic deaths of his grand-uncle, Martin Luther King Jr., and his grandfather, A. D. King. Sandi lost three siblings and her former husband to tragedy in a short period of time, leaving complex grief that took many years to heal, by the grace of God. Yet even in this, the redemptive hand of God has been writing a greater story for them both. Their calling flows from the living promise of Isaiah 61, to comfort those who mourn and to reveal the beauty that only God can bring from ashes. What they carry is both deeply Spirit-led and thoughtfully trauma-informed, creating spaces where the presence of Jesus is not rushed, where stories are honored, and where healing unfolds in His timing, with His tenderness. These resources are an offering for those who grieve and for those who are called to stand beside them, a sacred invitation into spaces where sorrow is met with the presence of God, compassion becomes tangible, and hearts are gently led into restoration, where joy is not forced, but revealed.
Prayer for Tender Places
Held in Tender Places is a gentle prayer for those walking through grief, loss, divorce, and seasons of deep emotional pain. Rooted in Scripture and written with gentle honesty, this prayer creates space for what many are afraid to say out loud: the sorrow, the questions, the exhaustion, and even the numbness. It reminds you that you don’t have to rush your healing or hide your emotions from God. Instead, you are invited to come as you are...held, seen, and cared for by a God who is close to the brokenhearted and faithful in every step of the journey. Designed to align with the Advancing in the Valley reading plan, this prayer walks with you from the first moments of grief to the slow return of hope. It offers steady reassurance that even in the valley, you are not alone, and your story is not over. With each line, it gently anchors your heart in God’s presence, where peace can meet you before everything is fixed, strength is given for today, and healing unfolds at the pace of safety. This prayer is for the most difficult days.
Prayer
Grounding In Christ
These declarations invite you to stand in truth and reclaim your identity in the midst of life-altering loss and transition. When grief has reshaped your roles and left you asking, "Who am I now? What comes next?" these bold, faith-filled words anchor your heart in what has not changed: God’s truth about you. Rooted in Scripture and spoken with intention, this prayer helps you renounce confusion, release pressure, and realign your identity with who God says you are rather than what you have lost. Designed for those navigating major life shifts, this prayer moves beyond reflection into spiritual activation and equips you to speak truth, receive strength, and step forward with clarity. Even in the in-between, you are not undefined or forgotten. As you pray, you are reminded that you are chosen, upheld, and still called. God is not only with you in this season; He is actively forming what comes next, and your voice carries power as you declare His promises over your life.
When You Feel Left Behind
Still Healing in a Moving World is a Scripture-rich, trauma-informed prayer for those who feel left behind in their grief while life continues around them. When the world seems to move forward, but your heart is still processing loss, this prayer gently reminds you that you are not failing, you are healing. It creates space for the quiet, often unspoken struggle of feeling like your pain is too much or too slow for others, while anchoring you in the truth that God is never hurried, never distant, and never burdened by your process. With tender honesty and biblical reassurance, this prayer invites you to release the pressure to “be okay” and receive grace for exactly where you are. It affirms that your grief is seen, your pace is honored, and your story is still unfolding in God’s hands. As you pray, you are reminded that even if others move on, God remains, present in your pain, patient in your healing, and faithful to carry you forward one step at a time.
The Hidden Impact of Loss
This prayer is designed to gently support you in moments when grief feels overwhelming, disorienting, or difficult to put into words. Prayer is not about finding the right words or having strong faith. It is about bringing your honest, present experience into the presence of a loving God who is already near. As you read, allow yourself to slow down, notice what you feel in your body, and become aware of His nearness with you, even here. You are not reaching for a distant God. You are responding to One who is already with you, steady and present in every moment. Let this be a space where you can breathe, where your heart can soften, and where you can be fully honest without fear. This prayer is meant to anchor you in His peace, His presence, and His unchanging love, especially when your emotions feel intense or distant. You don’t need to rush through it. Pause where you need to, breathe deeply, and let these words become your own. As you do, allow yourself to receive what He is offering you right now. He is not waiting for you to get it right. He is simply inviting you to be with Him, right here, in the middle of your healing.
When God Feels
Distant After Loss
This prayer is for those walking through grief, loss, or deep emotional pain who feel distant from God and unsure of how to reconnect. It gives voice to the honest questions many carry but are often afraid to express, creating space for both struggle and faith to exist together. With gentle truth and Scripture woven throughout, it reassures the reader that God welcomes their honesty and remains near even when He feels far. This prayer invites a return to God not through pressure or performance, but through quiet surrender, helping the heart begin to trust again, one moment at a time.
Resources
Check Out Our New Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion
If you’re walking through grief, loss, or a season that feels heavier than you expected, we created something just for you. Advancing in the Valley: 30 Days in His Arms is a trauma-informed Bible reading plan on YouVersion designed to meet you gently right where you are. Because the truth is, feeling pain is not weakness. It is part of being human and of healing.
This 30-day journey walks you through Scripture with encouragement, prayer, and space for the tender places in your heart. You will not be rushed, fixed, or expected to move on. Instead, each day reminds you that even in grief, you are still advancing, one small, meaningful step at a time. God is not waiting for you on the other side of healing. He is with you in it.
If your heart feels tired, overwhelmed, or unsure of what comes next, this plan is an invitation to come close to Him again. Let His Word water your soul, hold your heart, and gently carry you forward. You do not have to do this alone.
We are praying this resource brings comfort, healing, and hope to all who need His presence in the valley.
Giving A Voice To Your Feelings
Giving language to your emotions is an important part of healing, especially in grief. The feelings wheel can help you gently identify what is happening in your heart when words are hard to find, allowing you to move from overwhelm into clarity. As you use it, take a few quiet moments to notice what you are feeling, then write those emotions down in a journal without judgment or pressure to make sense of them. You can also bring those feelings before God in prayer, trusting that He welcomes your honesty and meets you with compassion. Scripture reminds us that our emotions are not something to hide, as we are invited to “pour out your heart before Him” in Psalm 62:8, showing that it is safe to feel and be honest with God. You were created in His image, and throughout Scripture we see that God expresses compassion, grief, joy, and love, reminding us that our emotions are not a flaw but a reflection of His design. Journaling in this way creates space for both emotional processing and spiritual connection, helping you feel seen, grounded, and supported as you heal.
Here Comes Joy Book:
No Grid For Grief
In Here Comes Joy, Sandi Ellis approaches loss with rare honesty and deep biblical compassion, offering readers permission to grieve without pressure or performance. A #1 Amazon bestselling book in its first 30 days, it resonates with those navigating real pain and unanswered questions. Drawing from her own devastating experiences, Sandi reveals that grief is not something to “get over,” but something to walk through with God. In Chapter 5, No Grid for Grief, she dismantles the expectation that healing follows a predictable timeline and gently reminds readers that there is no formula for sorrow, only the steady presence of a God who meets us in it.
Rather than minimizing pain, Here Comes Joy validates it, showing how loss can shake identity, faith, and stability, yet still become a place where God begins restoration. Through Scripture, personal story, and Spirit-led insight, Sandi helps readers understand that even in the deepest valleys of grief, they are not stuck or forgotten. Healing unfolds in layers, and with God, even the most painful losses can be redeemed into purpose, wholeness, and ultimately, joy.
