Rutledge Etheridge III

Inside the fortress of my heart, there was a heavily bolted door labeled “father issues.” After my father died in 2021, I gathered the courage to unlock the door and walk into the cobwebbed and haunted room. My father and I weren’t close. He and my mother divorced when I was 5. For 10 years afterward, I saw him sporadically. In the 20 years afterward, we spoke on the phone three times. I called him every time. He always ended the conversation sooner than I wanted.

It’s that time of year. At Easter, parents will buy their kids cute outfits and fill baskets with plastic eggs and chocolates. Holy Week provides an opportunity to invite neighbors to Sunday worship and to hunt eggs with the kids in your backyard. Most importantly, this is a time to share the story and joy of the resurrection. Here are 10 great resources to help. Advertise on TGC Storybooks 1.

Both my parents passed away in the month of March. The anniversaries of their deaths are within one week of each other. It’s now been 20 years since my father went to glory and seven since my mom opened her eyes to the full presence of Jesus. Two dear friends lost a father within the last year, and one—through burning tears—asked me if the intense grief will ever go away. She was close with her father, and his sudden loss caused overwhelming pain and longing.