I became widowed this year and I am raising three teenager sons. I have moved to another city and am so lonely. Can you help?

Advice: Thanks so much for asking us to help with your situation. You have been through a lot of grief and stress in a short amount of time. Grieving the loss of a spouse is hard. Raising teenagers is hard. Moving to a new city is hard. Both you and your teens need to find support groups to work through your issues of loss.

Find ways to appreciate your sons. Do fun things together – even if its goin’ fishin’. Your sons will probably need some help getting through the death of their father. You might want to check at a local church or teen centre to see if there are any youth counsellors who might be able to play a little basketball, take a walk, and/or talk with them. Many children have no one to talk to them about what it means for a kid to lose a parent. Counselling of some kind can make a difference.

There will be emptiness and loss in your heart for many more months; acknowledge it, but don’t focus on it. Many spouses who are widowed are told by their doctor to get out and get involved somewhere in order to heal.

There is a verse in the Psalms that says that God puts the lonely in families (Psalm 68:5-6a). He has given you a family of boys. Acknowledge them, spend time with them, but also go out and make new friends as you feel able. Healing is a process. You have begun – continue your efforts.

Read Vida’s powerful story of facing the loss of her husband.