Today, May 1st, is the official launch date for a new website/project I have been helping with over the past few months. My involvement has largely just been reading emails, voting on polls, and shooting ideas around with more than a dozen other bereaved mothers. When I was first asked to be part of this new project (as the RPL expert — RPL means Recurrent Pregnancy Loss), reaching out to and supporting bereaved parents, I wasn’t sure why we would need one more website out there like this and what I could possibly do to make a difference. I have been part of two online forums over the last fifteen months that have greatly impacted me (one Christian, one secular) as well as used me to impact others, but wanted to know what would be different about this site. I think the key difference may be the level of personal involvement. It isn’t just a forum or chatroom where bereaved parents can find five minutes of camaraderie with others in similar grief. In fact, at this stage anyway, there is not a forum function for Grieve Out Loud at all.
What can be expected from Grieve Out Loud is an opportunity to learn from others’ stories and experiences. Parents who have lost a baby (from miscarriage, stillbirth, or postnatal death) will share their own stories, be your penpal as you work through your own grief, give book reviews to help you narrow down what book may be the most encouraging for you, send you a care package, help you find links for other sources, and be there for you in a way that many other people simply can’t be — because everyone putting an effort into this site is also grieving their child(ren).
The site is called Grieve Out Loud, serving as a reminder that grief should not be bottled up, hidden, or forgotten. Grief should be lived, breathed, spoken, heard.
If you think of it, please pray that my part in this project would be a blessing to others. I am sharing “my story” there, as well as submitting my “Miscarriage Etiquette” and a book review. I don’t know when these things will be posted on the site, but please pray that the Lord would use my input for His glory and for someone’s encouragement. It isn’t a solely Christian site, but all input I share is overtly Christian: please pray that this would impact people (when they are at their lowest, most broken) for Christ.
May God be glorified through my part in this project.
Melissa,
What a wonderful idea! I have have three precious children in heaven and the grieving process was so very important for my healing. I have counseled many woman in the grips of losing their little ones and I always share with them that God uses the grieving process to heal, so that we can truly say;
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and
girded me with gladness.” I am so glad you are participating in this project and I will be praying that God will use you and your story to encourage and strengthen grieving parents. Please know that I am praying for you and your new little one.
In Christ,
Jess Klier (Reiter)