A Widow’s Journey Part 1 with Melanie Forbes Cook

Today I’m introducing you to Melanie Forbes Cook. Melanie’s story is heartbreaking but hopeful. She lost her 52 year-old husband to a heart attack just 14 months ago after almost 25 years of marriage and ministry. I know death and grief can be an uncomfortable subject to deal with, but Melanie has so much wisdom to share with those who are either walking their own grief journey or have someone in their life who is. She also shares how she and her husband adopted three children from foster care and how one of those children in particular stretched her faith in a huge way and taught her how to trust God more. It’s a lesson she still clings to as she walks through the grief of losing her husband. I know you’ll learn so much from her story.

Highlights From This Episode

“All of my years in ministry, all of my years in church, all of the times I spent with the Lord came back.” – Melanie sharing how scripture was such a comfort to her when her husband was in the hospital and in the days following his death.

“I promise you that I will continue to write our story well and I will live it and the kids and I will be okay.” – Melanie speaking to her husband just before he passed away.

“The devil thought his dad’s death would devastate us, but instead he’s going to youth camp this summer to minister to kids just like his dad did.” – Melanie sharing about her son’s decision to not let Satan cause defeat in their family.

“We had preached that [the scriptures] to kids and they needed to know that the scriptures still stood and that God was still good even when the story wasn’t… and they needed to hear it from me. That I didn’t blame God. That I was still going to serve God and that answering prayer doesn’t mean it always turns out the way that [you want it to].” – Melanie referring to why she felt she had to speak at her husband’s funeral.

Scriptures

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. – Isaiah 26:3

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. – Revelation 7:9

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1

Resources

Note: If you purchase any of the items linked here I will receive a small commission that helps pay for my podcast.

Griefshare

Visit Melanie Forbes Cook on Facebook at Melanie Forbes Cook and Instagram at melanieforbescook.

Check out Melanie’s upcoming books here.

Another excellent grief resource is Hope for an Aching Heart: Uplifting Devotions for Widows by Margaret Nyman

Listen to A Widow’s Journey Part 1 with Melanie Forbes Cook

Mentioned in this episode: Listen to Beating the Cancer That Stuck Me with Kristen Gault