I wrote a chapter called “Mrs. Who?” in a widow’s devotional book which I published in 2010 called I’m Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord. Think about it! When a woman chooses to get married in a western culture, she takes on a new name and identity. After my spouse Dave died, I was still Mrs. Woodbridge without my husband by my side. My name did not change but my identity had. There was no choice involved in going from happily married to grieving widow.

Fortunately, I had an identity in Jesus Christ and had my faith to support me. It also was not my first loss, so I was familiar with the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with losing a loved one. Dave and I had both lost 4 babies that did not live their full term of pregnancy. Our dreams for each pregnancy encountered an immune response from my body that attacked the unborn child and ended in miscarriage or premature delivery. I was still a mother during these times of loss. We had a biological daughter, an adopted son from birth, and adopted two older girls with health issues who had been in foster care for most of their lives. Parenthood was challenging before Dave died but single parenting was extremely difficult because we were all grieving through their teenage years.

After the funeral, readapting to life without husband and father financially, emotionally, and spiritually really made us question who we are and how do we get through this. I went to the scriptures and read everyone that focused on the widow and orphans. The Lord treasures the widow. There are quite a few scriptures that warn others to not oppress the widow or the fatherless but help those in need.

“I found it very encouraging as a widow to see that we are of great value to the Lord. It does not mean that we will not have difficulties or that we will not be taken advantage of in this life. Every widow has the opportunity to make a decision to honor her Lord, her husband, and herself and allow the Lord to prove daily, He is at work in her life” (Woodbridge, 2010, p. 14)

It helps to know who the widow is in the Lord’s eyes when her world is overturned.

Adapted from: Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord (2010) by Jerry L. Woodbridge

Scripture references: Deuteronomy 10:18, Deuteronomy 24:7, Exodus 22:22-24, Psalm 68:4-5, Psalm 82:3-4, Psalm 146:9, Proverbs 15:25, Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 10:1-2, Job 31:16-22, Jeremiah 22:3, Zechariah 7:10, Malachi 3:5, Luke20:46, Mark 12:40, 1 Timothy 5:3, and James 1:27