By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites

Grief greets me these mornings. Angst for my friends who’ve endured tremendous loss. Our community has encountered much heartache, so, I storm the gates of heaven and bow before the throne of grace for healing words—there are none. As a writer and chaplain, shouldn’t I have words for the grieving? I wait patiently for the Spirit to impress some encouragement I can impart to my friends—nothing.

Then, something far superior to words penetrates my being—the warmth of God’s presence. I cry in the arms of my Creator. He cries with me. He encourages me to remind His children He’s with us, even when we don’t understand or know what to say.

Writer, we can take our grief to God. He cares about everything. He desires to walk with us on the road to healing.  Sometimes there are no words, however, the Blue Ridge faculty is here to journey alongside you, in prayer and a listening ear if you desire to share.

As the head of the prayer team at BRMCWC I implore you to find me, one of the prayer team, or a faculty member at the conference if you are grieving, or need prayer for anything. NOTHING is too big or small to escape God’s care.

 If you can’t attend the event, I will pray with you or connect you with someone who will listen. There are no lone rangers in the kingdom of God or in His community of writers. He desires us to grieve together and rejoice together.

My dear writing family, as the body of Christ, we are here not only for your professional needs but your spiritual needs. You are loved by us and by our heavenly Father.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer, coach, editor, and speaker. As former managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest. Cherrilynn is a speaker with Women Speakers. Her topics include leadership, book proposals, and the Bible.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. Her work in progress, Accidental Findings, won the first 10 pages award with, When Words Count Retreat. You can find her published in Blue Ridge Writers Blog, Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Christian Voice, Refresh, and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to award-winning, Get to the Margins-Author Anthology; Breaking the Chains; Heart Reno, Kiss Guilt Goodbye; and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles books. Her latest book, Shine Don’t Whine, released October 2020. Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her eighteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 22 years. Cherrilynn loves Christ, Chocolate, coffee, and Cats. You will often find her on the beach sea glass hunting.