💜 Agape Love Daily Grief Support Devotional

💜 Agape Love Daily Grief Support Devotional

Friday, October 23, 2026

🍂 The Plans We Never Got to Finish

When Grief Includes the Future We Lost

📖 Today's Scripture — KJV

"My times are in thy hand..." — Psalm 31:15

☕ Good Morning, Sweet Friends!

Happy Friday, everyone!

As I sit here with my morning coffee, watching the beautiful autumn leaves change colors, I've been thinking about something that is often overlooked when we talk about grief.

Sometimes we aren't just grieving the person we lost. We're also grieving the future we thought we would have together.

We make plans without ever imagining they won't happen.

We talk about vacations.

We dream about retirement.

We imagine our children growing older, getting married, having families, and making memories.

We plan holidays, family gatherings, and ordinary weekends.

We assume there will be more time.

More birthdays.

More conversations.

More opportunities to say, "I love you."

And then something happens that changes everything.

Suddenly, the plans we made become reminders of a future that will never look the way we imagined.

Oh, sweet friends, that is a difficult part of grief.

💜 The Future I Imagined for My Son

As many of you know, my youngest son, Michael, was only 23 years old when his life was taken.

Seven years have passed since I received that heartbreaking news.

And while I treasure every memory I have of my precious boy, there are times when I think about all the things I will never get to experience with him here on earth.

I wonder what his life would look like today.

What he would be doing.

What dreams he might have pursued.

What conversations we might be having.

What memories we would be making.

As a mother, you don't stop imagining a future for your child simply because they become adults.

You continue hoping, praying, and dreaming for them.

And when that future is taken away, you grieve those dreams too.

I don't just miss who Michael was. I miss the opportunity to see who he would have become.

Perhaps you understand.

Maybe you lost your husband before retirement.

Maybe you lost your wife before you could celebrate another anniversary.

Maybe you lost a parent before your children had the opportunity to know them.

Maybe you lost a child before watching them graduate, marry, or pursue their dreams.

Those losses are real.

And it's okay to acknowledge them.

🌷 It's Okay to Grieve What Never Happened

Sometimes people don't understand why certain milestones hurt so much.

They may say, "But that hasn't happened yet."

Or, "You can't keep thinking about what might have been."

But grief isn't always limited to memories of the past.

Sometimes it reaches into the future.

You may find yourself crying at someone else's wedding because your loved one won't be there for yours.

You may struggle at a graduation because your child never had that opportunity.

You may feel an ache when friends talk about retirement plans you once shared with your spouse.

And sometimes the hardest moments are the ordinary ones.

A beautiful autumn afternoon when you wish you could take a drive together.

A new restaurant you would have enjoyed visiting.

A family photograph with someone missing.

Sweet friend, you are allowed to grieve the future you imagined.

You don't have to pretend those dreams didn't matter.

They were part of your love.

✝️ Trusting God With the Life We Didn't Choose

Psalm 31:15 says:

"My times are in thy hand..."

David was expressing his trust in the Lord during a time of distress.

I find comfort in remembering that even when my life has taken a turn I never wanted, I am not outside God's care.

That doesn't mean God caused every tragedy or that we must call something terrible good.

It means we can trust Him to sustain us through circumstances we cannot understand.

There are things I will never understand about losing Michael.

There are questions I may carry for the rest of my earthly life.

But I know that God has helped me through days I once thought I couldn't survive.

And I believe He will continue giving me strength for the days ahead.

We may not get the future we planned, but we can still trust God with the life we have today.

🌿 Making Room for New Blessings

One of the hardest things about grief is learning that accepting new blessings doesn't mean we're replacing what we lost.

A widow may eventually find enjoyment in traveling with friends.

A grieving parent may discover purpose in helping other families.

Someone who lost a parent may create new traditions with their own children.

And none of those experiences erases the love they still carry.

I will always be Michael's Momma.

Nothing will change that.

But I also know God has given me opportunities to love my family, serve others, and encourage grieving hearts.

My son's death is part of my story, but it does not have to be the end of every dream I have.

And sweet friend, the same is true for you.

You can treasure the future you once imagined while slowly discovering what life may still hold.

You don't have to figure it all out today.

One day, one prayer, and one small step at a time.

🙏 Friday Morning Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for another morning and another opportunity to experience Your love.

Lord, today I lift up every grieving person who is mourning not only someone they love but also the future they thought they would share.

For the parents who will never see their children reach certain milestones.

For the husbands and wives whose plans for growing old together were interrupted.

For the children who wish their parents could still be part of their lives.

And for every person who looks toward tomorrow and feels the ache of someone missing.

Father, You know the dreams we carried.

You know the plans we made.

And You know how painful it can be to realize those plans will never happen as we imagined.

Please comfort those who are hurting today.

Help us trust You with the things we cannot change.

Give us strength to face the future without feeling that we're leaving our loved ones behind.

Lord, I thank You for my precious son, Michael.

Thank You for the 23 years I was blessed to be his Momma.

You know how much I miss him and how often I think about the years we should have had together.

Help me treasure his memory while continuing to walk in the purpose You have for my life.

Thank You for Jesus Christ and for the hope we have through Him.

In Jesus' precious Name,

Amen.

🌻 Friday's Grief Support Challenge

Honor a Dream or Plan You Once Shared

Today, think about something you and your loved one hoped to do together.

Perhaps it was a trip, a family tradition, a project, or simply growing older together.

If remembering brings tears, give yourself grace.

If it brings a smile, treasure that moment.

And if there is a meaningful way to honor that dream, consider taking one small step toward it when you're ready.

💬 Let's Talk About It

What is one thing you wish you could have experienced with your loved one?

If you're comfortable, share your loved one's name and the dream or plan you remember.

Your story may help another grieving heart feel understood.

If you need prayer today, simply leave a 💜.

🤍 Need Prayer?

📩 agapeloveministry@outlook.com

If your grief becomes overwhelming or you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States.

💜 Friday's Reminder

"Sometimes we grieve not only the memories we made, but also the memories we never got the chance to create. God understands both."

Have a blessed Friday, sweet friends.

Agape Love MinistryServing Others Through Faith, Hope, and Love

💜 Anchored in Christ Through Loss💜 Hearts Held in Hope — Grief Support of Wilkes County