Feeling God powerfully move us to use our experience with grief to help others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), we founded Hope Thru the Valley in January 2024.
In 2018, we both experienced the loss of our spouses at relatively young ages. Amanda was 44 when she was suddenly diagnosed with advanced cancer, and the Lord called her home a short 7 months later. Rick was 49 years old when he suffered a massive heart attack and was in the Lord’s arms within 45 minutes of its onset.
Quickly realizing we needed help to navigate the dark and painful valley of grief, we sought nearby opportunities for support, one of which included the group at which we met.
God continued to work in and through our pain, brought us together, and led us to later marry. We are thankful He provided us with His love, comfort, and guidance to move through the valley of grief – continuing to praise Him and remain open to the good plans He still has for us regardless of our pain and grief. It’s our prayer to continue to use the comfort He gave us to comfort others.
In 2021, we began leading a GriefShare support group at our church. It has been a blessing to see others process through their pain to a place where they can once again smile, laugh, and feel God near them. We continue to lead GriefShare sessions in the Spring and Fall.
Our experience in leading GriefShare has validated our mission and has shown us the need for additional services. Hope Thru The Valley commits to providing a variety of Christ-centered services.
Hope Thru The Valley, located in Wantage NJ, offers services both locally and regionally. It is a registered NJ Non-Profit Corporation and an approved 501(c)(3) organization.