Posted in Answer to Prayers, tagged faith, God's love, Grieving, heaven, hope, love, peace, prayer on August 31, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Sometimes we just need a subtle reminder that God is still with us. There are times and circumstances that are beyond our control. So this is just a reminder, that whatever you are going through….YOU ARE LOVED and this is God’s reminder.
This picture shared from my friend Ferree Hardy’s website….Widow’s Christian Place.
Posted in Answer to Prayers, tagged Christmas Ideas, faith, healing, hope, miracles, peace, prayer on November 17, 2018| Leave a Comment »
![51Z4f-7MOnL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_[1]](https://awidowspursuit.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/51z4f-7monl-_sy344_pjlook-inside-v2topright10_sh20_bo1204203200_1.jpg?w=500)
My story “A Serious Back Injury” is included in this book of testimonies. (Page 122-124) These stories can strengthen your faith and inspire you to trust God during times of sickness or injury.
For the entire month of November, the ebook version of I Believe in Healing: Real Stories from the Bible, History and Today is on sale for 99¢ at most major online vendors. This book from Cec and Twila is a one-of-a-kind collection of stories that demonstrate God’s healing power.
This may be a Christmas Gift idea for someone who is struggling with sickness or injury.
Posted in Shared Stories, tagged death, faith, grief, healing, loss, peace, prayer, purpose, widowhood, widows on October 15, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Cynthia A. Adams’ Book Signing Event
You are invited to attend a book signing for author Cynthia A. Adams:
Friday 10/28/16 – From 4 to 6 pm
INMAN PERK COFFEE
240 North Highland Ave.
Suite H
Atlanta, GA 30307
(678) 705-4545
Please join Cindy for this special event
and invite a friend!
If you already have a copy of A Widow’s Pursuit,
buy one for a friend – this book makes a great gift!
We hope to see you there!
For more information, please email Cindy at: cindyspursuits@yahoo.com
Can’t make the event? Visit our online bookstore to get a copy!
https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-68187-394-7
Posted in Revelations, tagged death, faith, grief, Grieving, heaven, hope, loss of loved one, peace, purpose, widow, widowhood on September 9, 2014| Leave a Comment »
![images[9]](https://awidowspursuit.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/images9.jpg)
Sometimes I can’t help but think…is this life on earth all there is? I want to believe, that when our loved ones die, there has to be something else! I admit that if I didn’t have faith in an eternal life, I wouldn’t be as at peace that I am now. Knowing I’ll see my loved ones again in Heaven, goes a long way in continuing on in this life that’s filled with pain, sickness, loss, etc.
Just thinking about Heaven puts life in a different perspective. I live my days knowing that this is not my final home. Just as in the book I wrote, “A Widow’s Pursuit: Finding Out There’s More to Life Than Grief“, life is also about finding purpose to help others through their grief. And to know there is another final destination. It’s not here!
For widows/widowers this can be painful because we won’t be married in heaven. However, we will know our loved ones in heaven….”At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30) I’ll also admit that I didn’t like this verse for quite a while. I began to accept this more when I read a Billy Graham book, “Hope for the Troubled Heart”.
Excerpt from “A Widow’s Pursuit“:
Reading books brought comfort, too. I read Billy Graham’s book, Hope for the Troubled Heart, and then focused on the last two chapters that pertained to death and heaven. He regarded death of not being final, but another phase of life. That lifted my hopes.
“Someone has said that death is not a period, but a comma in the story of life.” Graham continues, “Everything that happens prior to death is a preparation for the final voyage. Death marks the beginning, not the end. It is our journey to God.”
Going into Graham’s last chapter, he talked about what heaven could possibly be like through quotes from the bible.
In Revelation 22: 3, John wrote: “His servants will serve him.”
Graham adds,
“Each one of us will be given some task that we will enjoy doing. Some may be the cooks who prepare heavenly dishes, some may play with the children. Perhaps we will be called upon to tend the gardens or polish the rainbows. Our imaginations are limitless. Whatever we do, the Bible says we will serve Him. Just think – loving the work you are doing and never getting tired!”
This must be where Nicole serves the food!
Heaven felt like a whole new world opening up for me. I found these chapters exciting to read. He described heaven as, “The Ultimate Family Reunion.” However, one part remained hard to digest.
“We may not be married in Heaven. Some of us who love our wives and husbands very much may find that sad, but the more I think about the promises of Heaven, the more I believe whatever God has in store for us will be unbelievably more joyous, more delightful, and more wonderful than what we now enjoy.”
Maybe when our reunion comes, it won’t matter. Until then, my wedding bands stay on.
I wore Nelson’s wedding ring on my left hand next to my ring. This notion of not being married in heaven persisted as the most sensitive area to talk about in my grief. Our wedding song had been, “Always and Forever.” In Graham’s last chapter, he concluded with a poem from an unknown poet that touched my heart.
“Together Forever”
In this dark world of sin and pain
We only meet to part again;
But when we reach the heavenly shore,
We there shall meet to part no more.
The joy that we shall see that day
Shall chase our present griefs away.
I can’t wait for that day to come. Heaven will be my eternal home and Nelson will be there waiting for me!
Please visit my friend Ferree’s blog, Widow’s Christian Place, and watch an amazing video, Knowing What I Know About Heaven!
Posted in Answer to Prayers, Shared Stories, tagged faith, God's plan, God's voice, grief, grief journey, loss of loved one, peace, prayer, renewed life, widowhood on July 31, 2014| 1 Comment »
In my widowhood, over the years, I can now look back and see how much I listened to God’s voice by the way my life turned out. My transformation began after my spouse’s death by surrendering my trust over to God. Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him. And He will make your paths straight”.
Living in this world can be very confusing when a loved one has passed. There’s a lot we don’t understand. We don’t know what the after life will really be like. We only know that we have to trust God that He knows best and has our best interests at heart. I craved to be closer to God knowing only He could get me through grief.
The first thing I did to hear from God was to pray. I prayed for direction in my life. I prayed for my children without a father. I prayed for God to watch over and protect my children because I couldn’t always be with them. Rarely did a day go by without having a prayer to start my day. Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
The second thing I did to hear God’s voice was to be obedient. This began at a time when I was desperate and God was all I had. It seemed the more obedient I was to God’s Word, the more the channels were open to hear from God. I rested every Sabbath (Sunday) and kept it holy. Though I dated, I reserved ever having sex again unless I got remarried. You got the picture. It was really a simple equation for me: Prayer + Obedience = Hearing God’s Voice.
The third thing I did to hear God’s voice was to listen and watch for signs. Sometimes it was a feeling of peace that washed over me when I was doing what I felt He wanted me to do….
Two years into widowhood as I prayed for direction in my life, I considered a move to Puerto Rico to live with my in-laws for a year. I felt my two daughters, 8 and 9 years old at the time, would benefit from having the love of their father’s family ingrained in their hearts forever. I just happened to cross paths with an individual that had moved to Puerto Rico for a year and he stressed how beneficial it worked out for him. I considered it a sign and began working towards that goal for the following summer. It wasn’t easy and it was a huge sacrifice for me. I had to rent out our home in Florida then pack our belongings and car in storage for a year. But everything fell into place PERFECTLY. That’s when I felt God’s peace and knew I had heard His voice!
Sometimes there were signs after I prayed that seemed so obvious….
Five years into widowhood, I had journaled 450 pages of my grief journey. That summer, at a friend’s home, I was typing them up on my vacation. Each day I’d spend a few hours every evening typing up a chapter. On the third day, I was wondering if this was worth it. I prayed to God that day for a sign to continue this laborious project on my vacation. As I was typing up my third chapter that evening (being obedient), my friend came rushing into the family room. “Cindy, you have to watch this program that is on!”. It was titled “Mere Coincidences” about spiritual occurrences that happened after loved ones passed and signs that they were still around. My mouth dropped, I said, “Carol! Look at the title of the chapter I’m typing up tonight!” I flipped it over to the title page and it revealed, “Mere Coincidences- or signs from above?”.
And so I completed my book, “A Widow’s Pursuit, Finding Out There’s More to Life Than Grief”.
And not only did I hear God’s voice through the years, God also heard my prayers. My daughters had God as their father growing up and are now 2 beautiful young ladies pursuing their own goals and dreams in which I am so proud of!
Posted in Shared Stories, tagged death, faith, God's plan, grief, grief journey, grief support groups, healing, hope, instant gratification, loss of loved one, peace, prayer, widow, widowed parents on January 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »
This past year, September 19, 2013, I had the opportunity to speak to a H.U.G.S. (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty) Grief support group in Deltona, FL. My dear friend, Carol Keefer, who facilitates this ministry for grieving parents, arranged a weekly meeting where I shared a message about FILLING THE VOID.
Losing a child is quite different than losing a spouse, however, any void that results from a loss of a loved one, has to be filled with something. The following youtube video is the message I shared with these grieving parents and I’d also like to share it with anyone that has a void to fill during his or her grief.
A Widow’s Pursuit: Filling the Void
![mqdefault[1]](https://awidowspursuit.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/mqdefault1.jpg?w=300&h=168)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SHE7ilbwuzs
A special “Thank You” to my friend, Lisa Dolce, for helping me put this together.
Posted in Shared Stories, tagged faith, God's plan, grief, grief journey, peace, renewed life, widow on October 19, 2013| 4 Comments »
Hi friends! I was born Cynthia Ann Abramovitch and go by “Cindy”. I grew up in New Jersey and at 21 yrs old, I had to spread my wings and moved to California. There I pursued a hairdressing career and got married, becoming Cynthia Acevedo. Soon we were a family of four and decided to move back east, closer to our families. We settled in Florida and 3 years later, at 34 years of age, I became a widow. My husband, Nelson, went into the hospital with pneumonia, and 3 weeks later he died. We had been married for 11 years, and our two daughters, Jessica and Nicole were 6 and 7 years old at the time. I guess one never knows what tomorrow will bring, when dreams of happily ever after are shattered!
I began to work through grief. I tried doing it my way…but that didn’t go so well. There were many foolish things I did while I wasn’t in my right mind. So I pursued my faith and surrendered to God’s new plan for my life. As he led me through grief, my heart healed, and I was able to let go of the past. I then awakened to a new life of being a single mom with new dreams and goals.
I did some more traveling and moved a few more times before settling in Georgia. Then, after 14 years of single life, I fell in love again, and married Joseph in 2009. I’m now Cynthia Adams. So I went from “Abramovitch” to “Acevedo” to “Adams” …AB…AC…AD. I don’t know why, but I find that fascinating. LOL! And… I’ve always been able to keep my initials of CAA!
Living in Georgia, I pursued and completed a master’s degree in social work and obtained my LMSW in 2010. I presently work as a medical social worker for a home health agency. Through my writing and social work career, I continue to reach out to others that are grieving and looking for hope.
In 2012 I published my book, “A Widow’s Pursuit: Finding Out There’s More to Life Than Grief“. I spoke this past September (2013) at a grief support group “H.U.G.S” (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty) about Filling the Void in Grief. I’ll continue to spread the Word, that it is only with God’s Grace, that he is able to fill our void with his PEACE.
10 Fun and/or Interesting Facts About Cindy:
1) I love motorcycle riding (especially in the fall in the Georgia mountains!)
2) I’ve lived in New Jersey, California, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Georgia
3) I have to visit a Beach with Palm Trees at least once a year for tranquility
Puerto Rico 2013
4) I’ll keep my daughters now that they’re grown 🙂 (I was willing at one time to give them away!)
5) You can’t go wrong with a fine dinner, glass of wine, and good company
6) I believe taking vacations is one of life’s greatest pleasures (and also when I get to visit family & friends)
7) I’ve been sky diving (A Christmas present from my daughter!)
8) I’m a Nana to my 4 year old grandson
9) I met my present husband, Joseph, the night he was playing guitar at a Christmas party
10) Jesus is my Savior and he helps make my life Peaceful and FUN!
![god-brings-peace[1]](https://awidowspursuit.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/god-brings-peace1.jpg)
Posted in Revelations, tagged faith, forgiveness, God's grace, grief, peace, surrender, widow on September 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »
And by Grace you’ll receive God’s PEACE!
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9 ESV)Posted in Answer to Prayers, tagged faith, God's plan, grief, grief journey, peace, purpose, widow on August 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »
We all need a break. Especially after we complete a life time goal. I completed my book, “A Widow’s Pursuit”, last year. I self-published it, put it on Amazon, and then threw a couple book parties to celebrate my accomplishment. After that, I converted the hard-copy into a kindle version to reach more readers. I know I have more marketing to do, but the book is done.
If I add up the time it took to journal, attend a writer’s group, (now that’s pain and suffering!) write endless drafts, have it edited, and have others read it for reviews and comments, we’re talking a total of about 17 years. An interesting fact is that I knew my first husband, before he died, for about 17 years!
So I closed this chapter of my life and celebrated my achievement. I choose to splurge with some of my closest family. My present husband, Joseph, agreed to a family vacation to Puerto Rico with our three daughters, my 4 year old grandson and his daddy. Seven of us in PR celebrating life!
Since my first husband’s parents still lived in Puerto Rico, it felt like a grand finale when we reunited and brought our blended families together. My daughters and I had traveled there several times and we also lived there for a year. So going back, one more time, felt like the circle of life was complete. It was a place I felt peace, joy, and purpose. It was a wonderful break this summer!
So what’s next? I’m planning to continue my pursuit to reach not only young widows, but others that are going through grief. There’s a purpose for everyone’s pain and suffering. It’s just a matter of pursuing God’s peace to help us through our darkest moments. During this time, our faith will grow and our purpose will be revealed. It’s actually a simple formula that promises us, life can be joyful and purposeful again!
I was widowed at 34 years of age, with 2 young daughters, 6 and 7 years old. After raising my daughters, and pursuing a second career, I've recently remarried and wrote a book on my grief journey and beyond. My purpose for writing my memoir, "A Widow's Pursuit", is to encourage other young widows, that life goes on as we make new and joyful memories. We all have a different grief journey but we can help and encourage each other to persevere through grief and pursue new dreams!
PURCHASE HERE
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Click on picture for Rick's website
a widows pursuit 