The latest Dr. J Show features Maria Miravalle, the spiritual director of the Cleveland branch of Cornerstone of Hope, an organization dedicated to helping people grieve the loss of a loved one.

Cornerstone of Hope makes sure no one is going through this struggle alone, Maria says. They provide individual counseling and 15 different support groups for different types of loss (spouse, child, suicide, homicide, etc.) Many who go through the program find redemption and are able to use their experience to help others in a similar situation.

Hold Onto God

Maria’s own story of trauma led her to this ministry. Working with people who have had major life disruptions, are in personal crisis and don’t know how to hold onto their faith in the midst of it, resonated with her. She fell away from her faith, but came back with time and grace. “If you can hold onto God by your fingernails, even if you’re mad at him, even when you’re confused, you will be grateful for the rest of your life.”

Maria explains the difference between grief and mourning and how to handle both. “American society is terrible at mourning, but we all have grief. Talking and sharing is a type of mourning that helps grievers heal … . Grief is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith, but a symptom of love.”

Often the people closest to God struggle the most after trauma because their trust feels betrayed, Maria says. “Only God can bring redemption to the tragedy that happened in their life … . Who else can give them hope of seeing their loved one again… or to find meaning in suffering?”

Learn more from Maria here.

Ask an Abuse Survivor

Faith Hakesley is a clergy sex abuse survivor turned author who helps others dealing with abuse situations. At her blog, Ask a Survivor, she takes questions and offers advice for coping, healing, and self-care. Two of her latest posts are

Finding Freedom Through Forgiveness: Forgiving an Abuser

and

Midweek Motivation: Learning to Say No

Find these and more at Ask a Survivor.

Kids Know Grammar Better Than Ideology

In this podcast, Dr. Jennifer Morse visits with Fr. Rob Jack on his radio show, Driving Home the Faith.

The ‘love is love’ movement is destroying language. Dr. Morse points out that when the sexual revolutionaries speak of love, they really mean lust. And lust is not love!

Kids know grammar better than ideology, as Dr. Morse explains. And three 8^th grade boys from Wisconsin demonstrate this truth. For using masculine pronouns for a boy in their class who claimed he was a girl, these boys were expelled and charged with sexual harassment.

Dr. Morse also describes the hatred that sexual revolutionaries have for gendered bodies — quite an absurdity for those who cannot stop talking about gender.

Listen to Kids Know Grammar Better Than Ideology.

Wondering what you’ve missed? Check out all the Ruth Institute podcasts.

The Ruth Institute is a global non-profit organization, leading an international interfaith coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love. The Ruth Institute’s Founder and President, Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, is the author of The Sexual State: How Elite Ideologies Are Destroying Lives and Love and Economics: It Takes a Family to Raise a Village. Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to get all our latest news.