Introduction: Moving Forward Doesn’t Mean Forgetting
There’s a fear that comes with healing.
We’re afraid that if we move forward, we’re somehow saying goodbye to what we lost. That if we find joy again, we’re dishonoring the memory of who or what is gone. That moving on means moving away from the love we still carry.
But here’s the truth that has set me free: Just because we move on doesn’t mean we forget the people or things we have lost.
Moving forward isn’t about leaving them behind. It’s about carrying their love with us as we continue to live.
The Reality of Grief
Grief doesn’t have an expiration date.
Yes, it’s important to take time to grieve—it’s part of the healing process. But it does no good for us to dwell in sadness forever, to let it consume every moment, to refuse to let life back in.
Even now, years later, there are times when things happen and I think, Wow, I wish my dad was here to experience this with me. Or something will trigger a memory of a part of life I no longer have. We will have those moments. They’ll catch us off guard, and that’s okay.
We don’t stop missing people. We just learn to carry the love differently.
What Would They Want for You?
I often think of my late grandmother. She was the sweetest lady—never complained, even when she didn’t feel well. She never had enemies. She welcomed everyone, and everyone completely adored her.
I think back to her often and ask myself: How would she want me to live?
My grandparents raised our family to be close to each other, to always do for others, to show compassion and kindness. And I know—without a doubt—that my grandmother would want me to live a happy, full life. She wouldn’t want me stuck in sadness. She’d want me to keep loving, keep serving, keep showing up.
So I ask myself: What would Grandma do?
And the answer is always the same: She would love well. She would move forward. She would live fully.
Turning Loss Into Motivation
Here’s something I’ve learned: The things we’ve lost or the dreams that didn’t happen can become motivation for what’s ahead.
Maybe you didn’t get to experience something you longed for. Maybe life didn’t turn out the way you thought it would. That doesn’t mean your story is over.
You can use what you’ve been through to fuel the future version of you. You can let your grief shape you into someone who loves deeper, serves more intentionally, and lives with greater purpose.
I love trying to be there for others. I love being there for my community. And a lot of that comes from knowing what it feels like to need someone—and finding that person when I did.
Grief can make us bitter, or it can make us better. The choice is ours.
God’s Call to Live Fully
God doesn’t want us to stay stuck. He wants us to move forward—not away from the love we’ve known, but deeper into the life He’s given us.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
— John 10:10
A full life doesn’t mean a life without grief. It means a life where we choose love, hope, and purpose—even in the midst of loss.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
— Isaiah 43:18-19
God isn’t asking you to forget. He’s asking you to trust Him with what’s ahead.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
Even in your grief, God has plans for you. Plans for hope. Plans for a future. And moving toward those plans doesn’t dishonor what you’ve lost—it honors the gift of life you still have.
Love Is the Way Forward
At the end of the day, love is what remains.
The love we had for those we’ve lost doesn’t disappear—it transforms. It becomes the love we extend to others. The compassion we show. The kindness we offer. The way we choose to live.
Moving forward with love means:
- Honoring those we’ve lost by living the kind of life they’d be proud of
- Choosing to love others well, even when our hearts are still healing
- Believing that our story isn’t over, even when it feels incomplete
- Trusting that joy and purpose are still possible
You don’t have to forget. You don’t have to “get over it.” You just have to keep going—one step at a time, with love leading the way.
Reflection Prompt
Take a few moments today to reflect:
If the person I lost (or the version of myself I’m grieving) could speak to me today, what would they want for my future? How can I honor them by the way I choose to live?
Write it down. Let it guide you. Let it be the foundation for how you move forward.
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the love I’ve known—the people, the dreams, the moments that have shaped me. Even in loss, I am grateful for what I had.
Help me to move forward without forgetting. Teach me to carry love with me, not as a weight that holds me down, but as a light that leads me forward.
Give me the courage to live fully again—to laugh, to hope, to dream, to love. Remind me that moving forward doesn’t mean moving away from what I’ve lost, but moving deeper into the life You’ve given me.
Use my grief to make me more compassionate. Use my pain to make me more purposeful. And help me honor those I’ve lost by living a life of love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
💕 You are allowed to move forward. You are allowed to live fully. You are allowed to love again—starting with yourself.
Closing Thoughts for the Series
Thank you for walking through these five days with me. Grief is not a straight line, and healing doesn’t happen all at once. But I hope these reflections have reminded you:
✨ It’s okay to acknowledge the empty chair
✨ It’s okay to feel both joy and sadness
✨ It’s okay to create new traditions
✨ It’s okay to lean on community
✨ It’s okay to move forward with love
You are not alone in this. You are seen. You are held. And you are SO deeply loved.
Keep going. Keep healing. Keep living.
💕 With love,
Kalee
This is part of our 5-day series on grief during the holidays. View all posts in the series → https://wonderfullyher.com/category/5-days-on-grief/