Talking about tragedy with your children

Remember when talking with your children, no matter what the circumstance, communicate that our hope is in Jesus Christ.

Article on the Gospel Coalition website:
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4).
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/12/16/where-shall-we-put-this-grief/

Taken from an article at http://pastors.com/after-tragedy-help-your-congregation-ask-what-can-we-do-now/

To help people rebuild their lives, we must help them understand this:

• Express your grief. It is OK to mourn, but it is not good to resist, rehearse, reduce, or repress our grief.

• Get help from others. The best way to do this is to get in a church and in a small group. Build a network of support to help you through your grief and recovery.

• Refuse to be bitter. Becoming bitter or maintaining bitterness is a choice, one that will only destroy your life. Bitterness only prolongs the pain, so ask yourself, “Do I want to stay bitter or get better?” Pray for good to come out of the tragedy, for the comfort of God’s love, and for hope.

• Clarify what matters most. You cannot change what has happened but you can live the remainder of your life focused on loving others and doing the things that are most important.

• Rely on Jesus. We can lose everything, but there’s one thing that can’t be taken away – a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Focus on the Family:
How can I help my child cope with disaster and trauma? http://family.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26257/