One year ago today, my amazing 30 year old husband suddenly and unexpectedly died when his heart went out of rhythm and he was ushered into eternity. I was thrust into a life I never wanted nor could have imagined. I became a widow and a single mom at the age of 25 with three boys under the age of 3.
It has been a year filled with unimaginable pain, so deep you don’t think it’s possible to live through it. BUT it’s also been a year filled with so much grace and goodness from Jesus that the only explanation of how we are living is HIM.
I have learned how faithful, constant, trustworthy, gracious, and kind God is. I have felt more gratitude than ever before because of the amazing gift Christ gave us. When you experience the GREAT sting of death, you also feel the GREATER gift of eternal life and victory over the grave through Jesus. Even though my life is forever changed, and my heart is forever missing part of it, I have HOPE. Jesus is hope and He is the same good God He was when my life was comfortable, as He is today when everything about my life is out of my comfort zone. Jesus is my greatest treasure.
I have learned about the power of the body of Christ. I have never before witnessed a living, breathing, God-story like I have before we began to walk this road. The Holy Spirit has led His people and they have been obedient. I can truly say God is a Father to the Fatherless and a husband to the widow, we just have to look for it and believe He is going to do what He says. He NEVER fails. I could go on for days about how the Lord has used people to uphold us and encourage us. Every card, text, meal, gift, word of encouragement, and act of kindness, and MOST OF ALL PRAYER, has been used by God to encourage our hearts and enable us to survive another moment in the sea of hurt. He shows us He sees and cares for what we are walking through and we are never alone. Thank you SO much for being obedient to the Lord and allowing Him to use YOU to be Jesus with skin on to us.
As I process the events of this past year, I have seen in a very real way how legacy survives death. When a godly person dies, their death doesn’t take away their impact, but rather furthers their reach as it reminds those living of what truly matters. It changes perspective and it encourages us to live better for the glory of God. There is no one I have ever met more humble, humorous, and handsome than my man Patrick, but there is also no one I knew that loved others and Christ so well. Patrick’s legacy continues not because of what he did by himself but what Christ did through him. He would always want God to get all the glory for what HE has done. Patrick’s death has made people ask themselves, “What’s my legacy? What am I doing that will outlive me?”
As I reflect on this past year, I can say that it has been a year of trusting what I can’t see, hoping when I can’t feel, and believing that there is life ahead even when I feel like death has stolen my future. We are hurting deeply, but hurting with hope. This doesn’t mean it hurts less, but it means our perspective has been changed in the midst of the pain.
God never wastes suffering. One day the pain of this world will be conquered and Christ will make all things new. But until Christ calls me home, I have a mission and a purpose and I want to do that to the best of my ability. I will run this race, and do it for His glory, although I am running with a limp. My heart is wounded, but by His grace I am still on the road, carrying out my God-given purpose. We are trusting the same faithful God who has upheld us this past year to continue to carry us for the rest of our lives as we grieve our Patrick. NOT ONE DAY HAS HE EVER FORSAKEN US. To GOD be all the glory for who HE is!
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Comments 43
You are precious and God is so faithful, thank you for sharing this journey with us, God is using you and your story, and you are the encourager! Live you!
Thank you so much Anne! Love you and your amazing family so much!
Good Evening Brittany , my husband & I first found out about your story thru Christian Heath Care . I shared your story w our small group and we all have been praying for you and your 3 sweet boys .
Under His Wing & In His Service, Rebecca
Brittany:
I have read every one of your posts since Patrick’s death a year ago. Your blogs are an encouragement to me and continually remind me of why I am living, for God’s glory and not mine. Patrick was special to us and our son Jack and always will be. Jack was able to identify with Patrick in a way that we had never seen before. Patrick could get Jack to open up and talk about things that were hard. Jack still has letters in his hope chest that Patrick wrote him when Patrick was his Sunday school teacher. They are letters that when times have gotten tough for Jack, I will find him re-reading those letters reminding him of whose he is and where and whom his identity can be found in. Our family moved right after Jack graduated 5th grade but when we came home for visits Patrick was the first person Jack would make sure he would visit when we were at Woodstock. Our family is grateful for Patrick and for you and the boys. I really do not have the words to say thank you for what you are doing with your blogs and how you are carrying on Patrick’s legacy, but THANK YOU. Please know that we are still praying for you and will continue to. I am sorry for your pain but I also know that you are being used in ways you will not see until eternity. We are honored to be able to say that we knew Patrick and are now getting to know you.
In His Love,
Sherry McPherson
Sherry,
You are so precious! Thank you so much for taking the time to write me an encourage me in such a great way! Patrick sure did love your Jack! We love your family and are so thankful for your faithful prayers and encouragement in our lives!
Blessings,
Brittany
Only eternity will reveal how the Lord is using (and has used) Patrick’s and your story. Every word of every blog has been a blessing and rich encouragement to everyone who has read them. I know the Lord will continue to be honored and glorified through your faith-filled, God-honoring lives. Praying He will hold you especially close today as He reveals more of Himself, His faithfulness, and His plan for you and your precious boys. Thank you for your transparency and for sharing the precious blessings of the Lord as He continues to shower you with His love, grace, and faithfulness. Love you so much!
Psalm 91
Mrs. Miller,
Thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me and for walking alongside us as such a prayer warrior and encourager! We are so grateful for you! Know we love you and are grateful for you! Love you!
Brit
Wow. I cannot even imagine losing my husband! I cannot even imagine the pain! I mean I have childhood pain of abuse and trauma and I have used this as my excuse to be angry and sin and sub but your posts have helped me so much to see how I can give it to God and how I can fight the good fight. I do not respect my husband as I should in fact I have grown quite bitter but today I am choosing to forgive him and I’m choosing to do whatever it takes to love him like Christ does and to enjoy life as Christ would want me to glorifying him daily!!!!! Thank you so much!!! You’re so beautiful inside and out. I went back to a war ago and to see how you kept your self so composed in that season. You are such a strong woman. You’re like an angel!
Samantha,
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I am so sorry for the great hurt you have walked through in your life, I know that has to be such a hard battle to overcome. But I am SO grateful you know Jesus the HOPE of glory and are allowing Him to work in your heart, life and marriage. Thank you for sharing your story, it encouraged my heart so much! Thank you so much girl!
Dear Brittany,
I have followed you through this journey the past six months or more. I have been challenged each day of my walk with God. I have questioned myself so many times each day, “When I leave this world, What will my legacy be?” Patrick was called to heaven to make it more special. But His testimony and life and love you have shared with us and the road you are walking now is the real deal. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful blessing in my life. I pray God will continue to uphold you and the boys!! Blessings!! <3
Esther,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write me and encourage me! What a great blessing you are to me! So thankful for you and your prayers and encouragement to our family!
Thank you for sharing your journey, Brittany. You will not know until you get to heaven how many others you have helped and encouraged by your Christian witness. Praying God’s protection and blessings for you and your three precious sons.
Pamela,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write me and encourage me! Praying that one day this affliction will be turned into an eternal weight of glory! Trusting and believing the Lord at His word with that. Thank you so much for your amazing prayers for our family! So grateful!
I really thank God for you and the boys Brittany. Recently I’ve been praying to God to help me see His dealings with me as a Blessing because they actually are. I thank God because He is so thorough and He won’t leave us till His work is perfected in us; To be conformed to the image of HIS DEAR SON. I love you guys so much By God’s Grace alone. God bless you☺
Doubara,
Thank you so much for your prayers and for sharing that! AMEN! He is so faithful to conform us through affliction. You are loved girl!
God continues to mold you into a very strong young woman who is facing more than anyone should have to. He is using you to encourage others and to be a light to those that are struggling.
Thank you so much for your sweet encouragement to me! To God be the glory for the great things He does! So thankful for Jesus! Thank you Merry for your sweet words!
I’ve thought of you often and prayed for you over this past year. What a gift God has given you to write! Thank you for sharing your testimony of God’s faithfulness in your lives so boldly and beautifully. I’ll continue praying for you and your handsome boys.
Sarah
Sarah,
Thank you SO much for your faithful prayers for our family! So grateful for your encouragement and for bringing us before the throne of God in prayer, what an amazing treasure your prayers are! Thank you SO much for not forgetting us and for continuing to pray! Blessings to you girl!
Thanks for your honesty. I’m sorry you have had to walk this hard road. But so glad you have God’s comfort and hope. Have you heard of the book Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko? A lot of what you said reminded me of what he says in this book and how his perspective has changed since the sudden loss of his daughter. I think it would resonate with you. You should get it.
Stephanie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write me and to encourage me. So grateful for you! And yes I LOVE that book, so good and so much truth in it. The Lord is so gracious to walk with us through affliction and not leave us the same as we were before and I am grateful for that! Thank you girl!
Amen, Brittany! I understand your pain b/c my story is very similar. My husband passed away suddenly almost 17 years ago at the age of 42. We had four children 15, 13, 9, and 7. I walked your path and I too can testify to God’s faithfulness and the goodness of His people. I read your story on Sandra Breaden’s Facebook page. Sandra and I have know each other since high school. I’d love to meet you and maybe be an encouragement to you. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to get together sometime. Tight hugs and God’s blessing on you and your boys.
Becky,
I am so sorry for your pain that you have had to walk through and walk your precious children through. Would love to connect with you! My email is mrsbrittanyprice@gmail.com I love Sandra, she is such a blessing! Thank you for writing and encouraging me! Blessings to you and your sweet family!
Just wanted to let you know….His grace goes on. My husband died when I was 34, our son was 6 years old and our daughter was born 9 days later. I learned exactly what the Bible means when it names Jesus as the Wonderful Counselor. I learned how God provides for widows and the fatherless. I learned how He is our protector. The most important thing that I learned was to trust Him. I learned that everything that I worried about, everything that terrified me on my own, everything that people warned me about–God already had it covered. I’m not saying that life was peaches and cream nor that I never had problems, I’m saying that when I look back, I can see how God worked things out for the best. every time. My son is now 34–a wonderful godly man. My daughter is 28–a precious godly woman. God is faithful. Where I messed up–God made up.
This was SO SO encouraging to read! Thank you so much for testifying of Gods goodness and His faithfulness in your life. What a testimony that your children love Jesus! So grateful for your encouragement! Blessings to you and your sweet family! Thank you again for contacting me, you are a blessing!
Thank you so much for sharing your heart. Your words echo what I’m feeling. I lost my youngest son tragically when he was killed by a car seven weeks ago. He was the light of my life but Jesus is the only way we are getting through. I have a gaping hole in my heart but I know he still has goodness in store. And I cannot wait for Eternity. My eyes are fixed on Christ and My hope is in him! Thank you for sharing your heart and your message. if you have not read “through the eyes of a lion” I think you would absolutely love it. It reiterates everything that you just said and more.
Summer,
I am so sorry that you are walking through this gut wrenching hard time. I am sorry for the pain and the hurt. My heart just aches for you. I am SO thankful to hear that you know the HOPE of glory Jesus! Praise the Lord for eternity and Christ who carries us through the great hurt. I read that book right after my husband died and it is so good. SO proud of you for pressing into Jesus even when its hard, He will bless that! Blessing to your sweet family!
Thank you for sharing your journey. This is exactly what I needed to read this morning. I have lost a husband and now a fiancé in the blink of an eye but God is faithful and his Christian family is faithful to walk this journey With me.
Oh Anne how my heart just absolutely aches for you! I am SO SORRY for the great hurt and pain you have walked through and are walking through. Praise the Lord for the great HOPE in Jesus and eternity where all things will be made right. So thankful for that! Blessing to you and your family!
Thank you for sharing it couldn’t stop crying as I was reading your story , I lost my husband 2 years ago suddenly, he had a stroke and died at the age of 52 leaving me and my six children and yes I will say that God is the father for the fatherless and husband for the widows he is faithful and true .
Daniella,
Oh girl I am so sorry for the great hurt you are walking through. Such a crazy journey but also a God filled one. Thank you for sharing the faithfulness of God through your family! I know the Lord is going to carry us through this great pain! So thankful for that! Blessing to you girl!
Thank you for sharing such beautiful words. I have been having a pity party lately for myself due to some situations my family has been walking through, and your story totally puts things in perspective for me. It can be so hard to go through pain when you don’t understand why God allows it, or what good it’s going to do you. You have such a great and positive attitude, keep on going mama!
Thank you so much for your encouragement Heather! I am so sorry you are walking through a hard season too. I know the Lord will carry us through it all! Blessings to you girl!
Typical white-trash Jesus freak!
Dear Paul,
I don’t know you and I have never met Brittany. Her blog is open to anyone. No one is forced to read it.
No matter what you believe or what you think about what she believes, she is also a PERSON grieving the loss of her husband whom she loves. She has value as a person, just like you do. Your comment is stereotyping and debasing someone you don’t know to something less than human so that you can make a comment that acts as though she is less than human. Unfortunately, we all seem to have something in us that wants to dehumanize others who think/look/act too differently than us. Even Christians. But it doesn’t make it right.
You are valuable as a human, no matter what you believe, and so is Brittany.
Paul I am sorry you feel that way, but feel free not to read my blog and our journey. Everyone’s lives are different and I am just sharing mine. And I am honored you would call me a Jesus freak, I LOVE Jesus and I am honored to be call that. And the white part, well I am super white haha so right call on that lol
Hope you have a blessed day!
Dear Paul,
I don’t know you and I have never met Brittany. Her blog is open to anyone. No one is forced to read it.
No matter what you believe or what you think about what she believes, she is also a PERSON grieving the loss of her husband whom she loves. She has value as a person, just like you do. Your comment is stereotyping and debasing someone you don’t know to something less than human so that you can make a comment that acts as though she is less than human. Unfortunately, we all seem to have something in us that wants to dehumanize others who think/look/act too differently than us. Even Christians. But it doesn’t make it right.
You are valuable as a human, no matter what you believe, and so is Brittany.
Thank you Sara! 🙂
Britanny,
I’ll pray for You and Your family. You are amazing! Your story touched me very much… God is great! God is good! God bless you! 🙂
ps. I’m sorry for the mistake in your name..
Elizabeth,
Thank you for your precious words of encouragement and prayers! Thankful for you!!
Wow! What an awesome testimony! I needed to hear this today! Thank you for your obedience because what you are doing is sure to change lives! God bless you and your family.
Shonda,
Thank you so much for your precious encouragement. You are so sweet and I so appreciate 🙂
Blessings,
Brittany