When Devastating Loss Opens The Door For Powerful Ministry

Past into Purpose Series, Post #13: This series is intended to introduce you to the women on the Your Life Still Counts Contributor Team whose inspiring stories of pain into purpose were selected for inclusion in the book. To read the full inspiring story of each contributor, click here to purchase your copy of Your Life Still Counts and be inspired to allow God to turn your past into your purpose too.

Meet Kathe Posin  

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Kathe Posin lives in Metairie, LA . Her experiences have strengthened her faith and now propel her to share God’s love and faithfulness with all who will listen. She has been divinely equipped through the adversities of her past to minister to and encourage those who have lost a child, a spouse, income, a home or simply lost all hope for the future and in God. Her passion is encouraging others in her community and in her workplace to trust Him to do His Work, and to understand that although God does not always arrange life the way we might desire, He always has a grander plan and a purpose for everything. 

Kathe, in my book you share your story in detail about how you lost your 18 year old son to a fatal liver disease, your husband to brain cancer, your job and your home, all in a very short span of time. Yet, despite such overwhelming devastation and heart break, you came to a point of trusting God and allowing Him to work in your life through the hardships you had experienced.  You actually drew closer to Him during all of your losses. It’s so hard to imagine that happening when we are feeling the most defeated. What made you want to contribute your story to Your Life Still Counts? 

Kathe: I am constantly in awe of our Mighty God who turns Romans 8:28 from a printed Scripture verse into an incredible reality.

God has definitely brought that scripture to reality in your life and I so admire your strength and courage. Over the past couple years since you first sent me your story, has God opened any new doors for you to do ministry or help others? 

Kathe: God has blessed me with an incredible ministry with others who have lost both a child and a spouse. Truly, when God says He is the God of all comfort and will use the comfort He gives you to comfort others, you may count on it that He will do exactly that. My faith and trust in Him and His promises has grown and truly given me a countenance of JOY.

Honestly, your faith inspires me so much, and your story offers great hope for anyone facing overwhelming heartache. I have no doubt God has blessed you in a special way for your obedience in sharing your story, being a part of YLSC and impacting the lives of others. Can you expound on that for us? 

Kathe: I truly did not, in my own heart, initially, want to share my story with YLSC. Although the loss of my son in 2004, and, indeed, the loss of my husband in 2006, had given me the joy of KNOWING firsthand that God’s grace is sufficient, over and over again, I was shy. I felt like other people would have greater stories, plus I had never written anything. So I thought maybe I would just tell trusted friends! Yet still, the Holy Spirit kept nudging me and I obeyed, but secretly hoping my story might get cut! However,  since sharing my story with you for your book YLSC, I have found courage and boldness through Christ, and God has used my story over and over again to comfort and encourage those who have lost a child. And it has been such a blessing.

Wow Kathe, that is amazing. I think we all feel scared to death for God to use us, but once we take that little tiny step of faith to trust Him, He does more than we could have ever imagined. Thank you for your willingness to be real! 

Do you have one example you could share of how God has used your story recently to impact someone’s heart or impact their life?

Kathe: I have had the blessing of being asked to speak with someone who lost both a child and a husband in a very short space of time. The relatives of this dear lady said she would speak with no one and no one had any success in reaching her. When I arrived at her doorway, her ìwelcomeî mat said, ìGo Away!î God gave the words to speak to tell her of His love and our special bond with Him. We now see each other weekly and praise HIM!

Oh my goodness, that is incredible! God created a bond between you two before you even met, and gave you the words to speak. I cannot fathom how you have changed that woman’s life just by virtue of being willing to be transparent and loving. What are most passionate about right now, and how might you have felt God calling you to do something new lately?

Kathe: My greatest passion right now is to share with others the Great Everlasting Sufficiency of God in all circumstances, at all times. I am now involved in a ministry to encourage and comfort those who have suffered the loss of a spouse or a child or multiple losses.  I am excited to share God’s hope and comfort both with believers and with those who do not yet know God!

That is a high calling. Helping people wade through grief and loss takes a very special person is a true spiritual gift. It’s obvious that gratitude and faith are what has sustained your heart over the past few years. If you had to name one thing you are most thankful to God for, what would it be?

Kathe: When my son was diagnosed with a fatal illness at age 15, he taught himself how to juggle. He juggled for children in the hospital who had cancer. He had the same nurses, IV’s and tests as the children he visited; he was one of them. He also juggled for Angel’s Place, an organization for children with fatal illnesses. His common comment was, “When God gives you too much to handle, He will teach you to juggle.” At his funeral, people I had never met came forward to say that they had come to faith through my son’s trust in God. I am thankful for those who came forward and spoke of how my son had been used by God to bring them salvation. That was truly a sweet glimpse of God’s tender purpose in my son’s death. Through the tears that day, I smiled.

That’s something to be incredibly thankful for. I have no words, but wow.  Getting a glimpse of how God used your son for holy purposes must be life changing and a way to have helped your heart mend. And your face just beams joy in your photo! So how might people pray for you now?

Kathe: Please pray that God might use me to draw people closer to Him, and that all the gifts I have been given through this experience may be shared with others.

Lastly, I want to mention that when people purchase Your Life Still Counts, they won’t find your name in the book,  because you had asked to use the name Jaime Merlot for privacy reasons. Yet today, you asked that I use your real identity in this blog post. Has God done something in your heart or life since you submitted your story, to give you courage and confidence for sharing your story, so much so that you want to use your real name now?

Kathe: You are exactly right! God Himself has reached down and taken my hand and used the sharing of my story in Your Life Still Counts to strengthen my passion for sharing all that He has done! I used to think that a tiny circle of close friends seemed more comfortable as a ministry, but since YLSC, I have not stopped telling my story of God’s amazing grace! 

You have no idea how that blesses my heart and makes me smile!  That is the most exciting thing to hear! I love to see how God uses all of us to spur each other on towards His greatness and His goals for us, and gives us confidence to be ourselves and reach out to others through our own vulnerabilities. There is courage in Christian sisterhood! Thank you Kathe!

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Have you ever felt the heartache of great loss? How did God help you overcome and find peace?

How might the sharing of your won faith journey help someone else who is hurting and desperate, in need of the comfort that maybe only you can offer?

LEAVE A COMMENT

 

3 Comments

  1. Kathy Dache on Friday, February 27, 2015 at 9:03 am

    Kathe,
    Thank you for sharing this very moving and heart wrenching story. I have a 15 year old son who juggles, and I cannot imagine what I would do if I lost him!
    I remember reading your story when YLSC first came out and I was moved to pray for you. My dear sister, I pray that this day our Lord walks with you in the sweetness of the day, His arm around your shoulders, as He leads you on this path marked out for you.
    Grace and peace to you,
    Kathy Daché



  2. Dot on Friday, February 27, 2015 at 9:32 am

    It is amazing what God can teach us through our circumstances, walking them out is never pleasant. He is gracious and full of love and compassion. I would have never learned so much about my LORD and who He is for me had I not lost my husband to cancer. The journey was rough for myself, my 5 children but God is faithful. Thank you for encouraging me even more through this dialogue.



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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

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