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Introduction

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

— PSALM 34:18

I believe that prayer is a necessity of life for people of faith. It is a gift from God for our own sake. He gives us this avenue to express our gratitude, to confess our shortcomings, to make our needs known, and to mightily praise His name. Prayer keeps the soul united with its Creator. It gives voice to the joys and sorrows of this life.

Prayer is an essential part of the Church community as well. It is the chain that links us together with God. And as God holds a special place in His heart for the widow, as evidenced in Scripture, so does His Church. He has held His Church accountable for the widows in its midst through the ages, and the Church has stood willing to honor them in their time of need. James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” This rich tradition of my faith and prayer has brought me hope. So, with the Church, I aspire to honor the widow and bring her hope in her affliction with these prayers.

This book of prayers was born out of my own need to express myself to God on a heart level. These prayers give voice to the wanderings of my own personal grief journey.

Following the death of my husband, I was forced to begin a life that I could never have imagined or ever asked for. My faith was in God and His mercy, yet there were many times I felt so bereaved that I had no voice to express the pain I felt. No prayer came to unite me with God and keep me in His comforting presence. As I traveled the path of grief, in God’s time and with His healing power, I began to write these prayers. I share them with you now — you who have lost your husband and are suffering the pain and confusion of loss.

Though we can acquaint ourselves with the logical stages of grief, we who experience loss know it is a journey of the heart. So, my hope is that if you find yourself, as I did, without strength to give voice to your need, this prayer book will be a starting place to find that voice.

May these words of prayer be helpful to you as you wander on your journey. I believe that the Lord knows our hearts, and that we feel His loving presence when we stay close to Him in prayer. Pray and take courage. Do the work of grief. May you find comfort and lasting peace as you travel this heart journey. And may the Lord turn your mourning into joy.

— Kay Cozad