Divine Comfort For The Wounded Soul

By Pastor Katherine Aguirre

Saying goodbye is never easy. Burying a loved one can be unbearable. I’d never have imagined witnessing so many losses within my lifetime. There have been so many tragedies. We are living in trying times, where lives are being lost daily. Many families are destroyed by grief. Bearing loss after loss leaves one with many unanswered questions. How do I cope? How do I move on? The answer is through God’s Divine Comfort.

Divine Comfort For The Wounded Soul was birthed from my losses and tragedies. I want to speak to every wounded soul that has lost a parent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, spouse, child, leader, pastor, cousin, friend, or simply a loved one. Maybe you lost a loved one to divorce or an addiction. You might find yourself at a loss for words. Maybe you’ve become overtaken with grief and feel like there is no reason to continue living. Regardless of the cause, my heart is with you. I want to bring awareness to the different stages of grief. In no moment am I saying that going through the stages of grief will bring healing or comfort to the wounded soul. But God can. Avoiding the stages and allowing grief to consume you will keep you bonded.

This book details how I coped with my grief. The true purpose is to help bring hope to those that need it. I also want to bring honor to the Healer, Jesus Christ. He healed my wounded spirit and carried me through. He became my Friend and Divine Comforter. He walks by my side throughout my pain. During my moments of loneliness and questioning, He helped me through my grief process. His Word lifted me. God's ultimate love and compassion for the wounded soul is the remedy. My grief almost destroyed me, but God saved me. He can save you too. God is always available to help in the grief process. We just need to allow Him to do so. I pray this book helps, even if it’s just a little.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369406946

Pastor Katherine Aguirre

Pastor Katherine Aguirre has been pastoring alongside her husband, Bishop Dr. Eric Aguirre, for 18 years. They are senior pastors at Living Word Christian Church Inc. in the Bronx, New York. Pastor Katherine is also a co-founder and professor at Living Word Bible Institute. She has a Masters degree in Biblical Theology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Historical Studies. She is an accomplished product of a praying grandmother. She has a passion to reach the unreachable and has embraced the call God has for her life.

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Copyright © 2023 by Pastor Katherine Aguirre.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/14/2023

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

813018

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1 I Have Lost It All

Chapter 2 My Pillar Is Gone

Chapter 3 Daddy, It’s Okay!

Chapter 4 Not Again!

Chapter 5 Road To Healing

Chapter 6 Birth of Hope

Chapter 7 Shock

Chapter 8 Denial

Chapter 9 Isolation

Chapter 10 Sadness

Chapter 11 Anger

Chapter 12 Unforgiveness

Chapter 13 Numbness

Chapter 14 Guilt

Chapter 15 Shame

Chapter 16 Acceptance

Chapter 17 Talk About It

Chapter 18 Coping With The Peace Of God

Chapter 19 Holiday Blues

Chapter 20 A Voice For The Voiceless

Chapter 21 Complicated Grief

Chapter 22 PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Chapter 23 Back At One

Chapter 24 I Will Miss You Forever!

Chapter 25 Time to Live Again

Epilogue

References

Dedication

First, I want to dedicate this book to my Divine Comforter. Father, I adore You. Jesus, I love You. You have truly been my Savior. Holy Spirit, You have been my Wise Counsel. I am forever indebted to You.

Secondly, I want to dedicate this book to the lasting memory of my dear friend, Minister Elizabeth Wolmart. Having to bury you has been extremely difficult for me to bare. I can still hear you say Kat, you can. So, my dearest friend, I promise I will.

This book is also dedicated to the loving memory of all my loved ones that have passed. I miss you all.

Kat

Dedicated to the loving memory of my mother, Carmen Lydia Alvarez

(December 4, 1957 - October 19, 2006)

The Letter You Will Never Read.

It’s been years since I spoke to you last. Years since I heard your voice. Years since our last embrace. Years since I heard your heartbeat. These past years without you have been difficult. There aren’t enough words to articulate the pain that comes with telling my story.

I’ve had to deal with many betrayals without you. Somehow it would have been bearable if you were alive to be there for me. Losing family and friends is always a reminder that I buried you first. Each person took a piece of my heart with them. Some of the things I’ve endured left my children clueless on what to do or say. I was hoping that maybe someone would tell me what to do next.

The silence of the night made me realize how alone I have been all these years. Even when I am surrounded by many, I feel lost. I have been missing you, waiting for that void to be filled. But no one could ever equate to you. Every morning, I wake up telling myself I can make it.

Life is what you make it. But trying to cope and survive without you leading me has been hard. I miss you bringing comfort to my unsettling and uneasy life. I have cried myself to sleep knowing that you will not be here when I wake. Throughout the day, I keep myself busy to not feel or think. For me, your voice inspired strength. Knowing I can’t call you, simply to hear your voice, leaves me breathless.

You have been my confidant, that person I would seek counsel from. Who do I tell about the latest trials and disappointments I am facing? Who do I vent to, without sounding condescending? Who do I share my dreams with? Better yet, who do I confide in that I stopped dreaming years ago? Who do I tell about my latest accomplishments? I just needed you here to witness them all come to pass.

People say time heals and things will get better. Honestly though, I just learned to cope with the fact that you are no longer here and to hold on to the Divine Comforter, God. He is the Mender of the broken. But that does not erase the crude reality that no one is ever ready to let go of their loved ones. Missing them lasts forever.

Days like today where your absence stands out, missing you hurts. It hurts bad! I’ve learned to write about my feelings. I know you will never read this. But something deep down inside tells me writing will liberate me from drowning in my sorrow.

With each year that passes, I take comfort that you are no longer in pain. You are no longer suffering. You are in a resting place. You are with God. I wanted to write you this letter to tell you I will love and miss you forever!

Your daughter,

Kathy

Dedicated to the loving memory of my grandmother, Margarita Arvelo

(November 25, 1930-February 15, 2015)

How I miss you!

In Loving Memory Of You, Grandma.

I remember your eyes and how they told a story. It was a story no one ever really knew. It was a long, blessed one. There were a thousand chapters in her amazing story. I remember those summers we spent on your island La Isla Del Encanto, our beautiful Puerto Rico.

The look you gave will stay with me forever. You went through so much and saw so much that your stare eventually grew tired. But the light in your eyes never grew dim. I remember the light and how it reflected the strength you carried. The light reflected Jesus. God was your strength. I will always remember your smile, and what a smile it was! It projected peace. Your light and smile will forever be in my heart.

What a legacy you left Grandma! I will continue your dreams. Those dreams began and ended with Jesus. I miss you so much and still love you. I remember you and your hands Grandma. Your beautiful hands worked hard, but not in vain. Every wrinkle reminded me that I was loved, cared for, and prayed for. You prayed for me and many others. Those prayers have become reality and have kept many of us alive.

I am honored to be your granddaughter. I am honored to have known you and grateful for our moments together. To care for you! To love you! To spoil you! Today I am remembering you. Your memory will live for generations to come. It will be the strength of many. I spoke to you two days before you passed. You said you loved me but that you were ready to go home to God. You told me how proud you were of me and sung me one last song. Your voice sounded amazing! Words cannot express how amazing you were.

Sorry for all the times I didn’t say it. I’m sorry for all the times I was not there for you. But thank you for all the times that mattered. You left a godly imprint in my heart that keeps me going. Te amo! Mi Abuelita Bella. I hope to see you again.

Until then,

Your granddaughter, Kathy

Dedicated to the loving memory of my father, Jorge Adalberto Natal

(April 30, 1940 - January 28, 2018)

How I miss you!

A Tribute To An Unknown Hero.

On April 30,1940, a hero was born to two very humble people. Having such an incredibly precious boy was nothing but amazing. He was the third born out of ten children. He was born on a few acres in the beautiful San Sebastián Del Pepino, Puerto Rico. Having to till the land and work hard from an early age, this boy had to grow up too fast, too early. He lost his father very young. This left him and his older siblings to step up and care for their mother and younger siblings.

An opportunity for work arose in New York. His beloved uncle cared for him in Spanish Harlem. There this unknown hero worked and worked hard. He became a waiter at a very prestigious Italian restaurant on the upper east side of Manhattan. He found favor and later brought his whole family to the states. He then saved money and purchased a house with one of his sisters.

In the summer of 1973, he met his future wife during a vacation back in Puerto Rico. The moment he first laid eyes on this young girl, his heart knew he would never be the same. Her name was Carmen Lydia Alvarez. Two years later they married. He brought her back to the states and began their life together, eventually having two kids.

During this time, this unknown hero helped many. He became a father to many of his nieces and nephews and to all of his sisters. He even walked them down the aisle at their weddings. He helped his family in many ways. As the pillar of the family, he buried many loved ones.

This unknown hero left a legacy