It’s been one of those weeks, or I guess two weeks.

One day a couple of weeks ago I learned that a former classmate of mine had passed away.

A few weeks before that, a good family friend passed away and last Saturday we attended a memorial service for her.

While working on edits for my recent book, my husband called to tell me a friend of ours, who we hadn’t seen in years for various reasons, had passed away in a house fire. A half an hour later a fellow writer learned that a child in her Sunday School class had been removed from their home because they were being abused.

When bad things happen, I want to pull a bubble or shelter up around me and hide inside that shelter so nothing else bad can reach me. Sadly, that’s not possible. The bad news will still get through and defile that clean, stress-free space I tried to create.

What is possible and real is that God can climb inside that shelter with me and while he may not take the bad news away, he can hold me and walk through the grief, heartache, or fear that stems from the bad news. God never promised us a life free of sorrow or trials, but he did promise that he would be there with us to shelter us in his comforting arms.

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.