Navigating the Journey of Grief

Strength to Strength Sisters welcomed Gina Martin, Laura Smucker, and Delphine Martin for a panel discussion to share about lessons that walking through grief can teach us.

Can life ever be good again after devastating loss? What questions should I be asking God about the valley I have experienced? How can I look outward in my muddled state? Join us for this panel discussion on Navigating the Journey of Grief as the panelists discuss these questions, as well as how grief matures and helpful and harmful words and how they impact grief. They plan to share ways people walked beside them to support them in their grief.

An interactive question-and-answer period follows.

Recommended: Also check out the interview where she discusses her book, “She Shall Be Praised”
https://strengthtostrength.org/she-shall-be-praised/

Gina Martin lives in southern Pennsylvania with her six children. She grew up as the oldest of nine children and was blessed to be given a strong foundation of faith in God and knowledge of the Scripture. Gina was enjoying life as a homeschool mom and serving with her husband Ed at Mt Olive Mennonite Church, when her world was rocked with Ed’s brain cancer diagnosis. Since his death in 2019, she has fought to find joy in her new role as a widow and solo mom. One of her delights is words, whether through reading, editing, or teaching. She hopes to see her community, her family, and her own heart continually transformed by Jesus Christ.

My name is Laura Smucker. John and I have been married for 34 years. We have five children and three living grandchildren. Our lifelong passion has been to share Christ to the world. We were privileged to raise our family in Poland where we served as missionaries for 10+ years. In 2011, God called us to leave this ministry and return to the states. While this was one of the hardest decisions of our lives, we were able to find peace in God’s clear direction during this difficult time.

Little did we know that He had a purpose in calling us back to Halsey Mennonite Church in Oregon, the same church we had left seventeen years earlier. Our children got to experience five precious years with their step-grandma before she was called to heaven. And I had the gift of living six years living close to my family. When my sister was diagnosed with cancer and left her earthly home soon after, I felt thankful we had given up our dreams of ministry on a foreign field. God gave us that time to make memories together.

I have a heart for grieving people because our family has been called to experience the reality of death many times. Losing my mom to cancer at thirteen started me on a path that no child ever asks to walk. I felt sure, at the time, this was the hardest grief anyone could ever experience, but little did I know the path ahead for me.

In 2017, we moved with an outreach to Madras, Oregon, where my husband serves as minister in the Palisades Mennonite church. Along with writing a few books, I have a little home candle business that is my happy place. My greatest prayer is that I would live life fully, faithfully, and know My Comforter in a real way until my days on this earth are done.

Soon after their marriage in 1981, James and Delphine were involved with the mission work in India. In 1994, they were able to return to India along with their 5 children. Two more were welcomed into the family during this 10 year stint.

Their 4-year-old son, Matthew, fell into a well and drowned, one evening after a prayer meeting in a local village. Through this soul-wrenching time of anguish, God’s everlasting arms were there to bear them up in amazing ways.

Presently James and Delphine reside in Durham, Onatrio. She supports her husband in his senior pastor role in the Gospel Light Mennonite Church.

Their children and 14 grandchildren live in Ontario, Kenya, Idaho and Alberta providing plenty of opportunity to travel! She has a deep desire to reflect the image of Jesus at home or abroad.