Joseph Attoh 
Barely two months into 2026, many families have already been confronted with painful loss. For believers living abroad, especially students far from home, such moments carry a unique weight. Grief is experienced from a distance—through phone calls received with trembling hearts and messages opened with quiet fear. The news is often sudden and heartbreaking: a loved one has passed on, a promising life cut short, a family left in mourning.
For students, sorrow does not pause academic schedules. Lectures continue, assignments remain due, and examinations proceed as planned. Many find themselves carrying textbooks in their hands and grief in their hearts. The inability to return home, to sit with family, or to mourn physically with loved ones deepens the sense of isolation. Yet, even in these difficult circumstances, faith remains an anchor.
The words of Scripture take on renewed meaning in seasons of loss. Psalm 23:4 reminds believers that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are not alone. The valley is not evidence of God’s absence but a path where His presence becomes more real. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 4:8, the Apostle Paul affirms that though we are hard pressed, we are not crushed. Grief may press heavily, but it does not have the final word.
Christian hope rests in the finished work of Christ. As taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, believers grieve, but not without hope. Death is painful, yet it is not ultimate. The resurrection assures us that separation is temporary for those in Christ.
In times like these, faith may feel fragile, but it remains steadfast when anchored in God’s unchanging character. Even in the valley, the Shepherd walks beside His own.
Written By Hulda Sakyi (E-church, USA)
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