About the Author

Melissa Zaldivar is a social in the world of academics and an academic in the world of socials. She's an author and podcast host with a BA in Communications and an MA in Theology. She loves a good sandwich, obscure history, and wandering around New England antique shops.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa, thank you for giving us this article of raw words—for letting your insides show so that our insides have a chance to be held and known.
    This makes me ache and re-fasten my grip on hope.

  2. Melissa,
    Your post is beautiful! I was totally captivated by your dream and story. I have a couple friends that have recently lost their husbands and your story will surely be a comfort for them. I’m sharing!

    Are you a ghost writer by any chance?

  3. Thank you. I lost my husband of 59 years in December and I’m trying to move on. I really needed this message this morning.

  4. Thank you, Melissa. I was so struggling this morning with missing my husband of 34 years, who passed away in October, and I needed this message, Our God is so on time always!!! He blesses me through my grief with people and words just at the right time. May God continue to provide you His peace through your grieving process.

  5. Thank you. Melissa, I lost a beautiful friend and mentor to cancer approximately 1 1/2 years ago, and have had dreams like this. I cling to the fact that she is in Heaven enjoying Jesus and waiting for the rest of us to join her.

  6. How beautifully expressed! The heartbreak of loss & the hope of restoration commingled in life as only seeing the Lord can offer! Sorry for your loss and thank you for passing on the seeing God in the midst of your pain to bless others.

  7. Melissa, Your message was right on time. My husband went to be with the Lord last July and I miss him so much.
    But God has given me peace that I know I wouldn’t be able to handle it without Him.
    Thank you so much for this message, because when you love someone so much, and they’re no longer a part of your life here on earth it’s hard.
    But one day we will see them again.

  8. Beautifully written, expressing my thoughts of loosing my husband 31 months ago. I have “seen” and heard him briefly, thanks be to god for giving me the ability to “see and hear” him.

  9. I am sorry for the loss of your dear friend and I know the grief truly never goes away. God gives us the grace to go on without our loved ones, but our lives are never really the same without our loved ones in it. I lost my parents, four months apart and then lost two younger brothers in the next few years. I dream of them often and can remember the joy and the happiness of seeing them. But then realize it was a dream…I am always sad at first, but then give thanks to God for sharing them with me again in a dream. The Bible says, we will be known as we are known, and I believe that there will be hugs and jubilation when we are all in the Kingdom of God to share Him and all those who have gone on before us. May God’s peace comfort you on your journey, and all the others who have commented on their loss.
    I know how sad and lonely grief is.

  10. Thank you for another reminder of what our future holds in heaven.
    I cherish those who return to us in a dream. We can not call upon those memories to come on demand. I am thankful for that fleeting moment of time with my dad, reassured that heaven will be beyond what we know here on earth.

  11. Wow. Just wow. Thank you for sharing your loss with us. May Jill’s love shine on you through her memories.

  12. I know that dream! My husband has been gone nine years and I have it often; thanks for sharing

  13. Oh how I wish I didn’t know what you were talking about. The end of 2020 took my mother-in-law and my best friend quickly. Some days the grief sneaks up on me. I hold onto the hope that I will see them once again and I will cling to Jesus until then.

  14. Loss is the hardest part of Life. My husband passed in 2019, the pandemic hit in 2020, and all our lives have continued to change. I try to be positive and hang on tightly to my faith, but honestly some days are lonely, sad, and difficult. When I go to the cemetery, I see my name on the stone marker but it was what we had planned together, and I remember that purchase day during healthier, happier times. One day at a time and one night at a time is all I can handle with the help of our Lord.

    • Wow, I am so sorry for your loss, Connie. One day at a time is right, and I’m so thankful for new mercies every morning. Praying for you as you grieve, friend.

  15. Melissa, this is lovely. Sometimes I feel this way when I dream-visit with my mom. She’s been in heaven for about 20 years now. Someday.

  16. Such a beautiful, beautiful devotional today. It’s been 31 years since I lost my daughter, and there are days the words you wrote describe my heart. But Jesus … I love those two words because they define two things: Who He is and where my daughter is. In those two words, I find my peace.

    • This is such a good reminder, Janet. I can’t imagine the loss of a child. So sorry to hear that and praying for peace for you as you continue to process this unfathomable loss.

  17. Just loved this, Melissa! So thrilled we get to read more from you through (in)courage!

    Thank you for sharing your heart story about Jill. I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending prayers and hugs your way.

    My heart hurts with yours.
    I have dreams where I’m reunited with my late little sister but awaken yet again to the heartache of her missing from both life’s mundane and milestone moments. I also wonder about all the “what if’s” and “Where would we be now’s” if we could really reunite in the flesh. But my favorite is to imagine our reunion in heaven, where, like you, I’m hopeful we will press into each other, blanketed by Christ’s boundless love and light. ❤️

  18. What a wonderful message. Especially for today as it’s my Momma’s birthday. I still talk to her in my mind, I still dream of her, and I’m so very sorry for misunderstanding her and not giving her what she needed. You see we had a very rocky relationship and I was not the kind loving daughter I should have been. I weep when thinking of my selfish actions and wish I could give her the love and attention she needed.

    • The regrets hit hard after losing someone. Things we wish we could have said or not said flood our minds often. Praying for you to have grace for yourself and for Jesus to keep healing those tender places.

  19. Grief is so strange and unexpected. I see my dad in dreams sometimes. It’s been ten years since he left his broken body and broken world to see the Lord. Your words remind me again that God meets us in the winding sorrow and slow healing and there is always hope. I’m so very sorry for your loss, and so very glad you’re here, Melissa.

  20. Melissa,

    Sweet sister. So sorry for the loss of your friend. May God send His peace & comfort to you.
    Everyone grieves differently. There is no time line for sorrow or heart ache. We all yearn to be held & loved. Often times when people die a part of us dies with them. But thankfully one day we will see our friends & loved ones in Heaven. Thank you for your raw honest words here.

    Blessings 🙂

  21. So blessed by your words. A good friend of my daughter and also to the rest of us was killed in a car wreck last night on the way home from a birthday party. The other car crossed the medium and hit her head on, maybe under the influence. We are all reeling from the shock but know one day we will see her again.

    • Easter said a prayer for you and your Daughter. The Lord is with you keeping you all close by his side. Psalm 23 verses 1-4 come to mind for you all
      Love Dawn xx

    • Oh, wow. I simply can’t imagine how raw this must feel for you and your community. Praying for you as you process and grieve. Christ is near, friend.

  22. Sorry or your loss. Death is the unwelcome guess that knocks at every door. I lost my Mum 3 years ago in January this year. I not like you. I don’t know if I will see my Mum again. As she I never knew if said the saviour prayer to ask Jesus into her life. I am the only one in my family saved. Apart from my Husband. I did pray for her. You could not tell her she needed to get saved. Or you get you keep your religion to yourself. I know you believe. You are so good to believe. Then one day she Dawn were did I get you from you go Church say prayers and read your Bible. I just said as I knew to say nothing else. God has me here for reason. But my parents sent me and my sister’s to Sunday School. I am very thankful to them for doing that. Even though they never believed themselves. I have to believe that she said the Salvation Prayer. I will see my Mum one day again. I don’t want anything else from my Dad. Just to know before he leaves earth he is saved. I pray for that and all my family. I can’t tell them in person they all need the Lord. As they say Dawn just keep your thoughts to yourself. So I just live my life for the Lord in front of them as well. You Melissa have that great joy of knowing when your time up on earth. You will see your friend again. It said you lost her when you did at only the age she was. I know in my heart. She not want you to be sad about not having her on earth any more. Like my Mum wouldn’t want me to be sad about not having her on earth any more. I do miss her more and more each day. I believe in my heart. You friend like my Mum would want you look at photos and go to the places you and her did together. Plus laugh at the things and saying you did together. Not be sad you don’t have her on earth and be glad and thankful to the Lord you will see your friend again in Glory one day. What at day that will be for you both. I have to keep hope that my Mum said the Salvation Prayer. I will see her there one day in Glory when my time up in earth. But I do what she want that is be happy not sad laugh at the things she said and done look at the photos of us together. Smile say yes she was my lovely Mum who gave me life. You if have photos can do the same. Say yes she was my lovely friend. I going not be sad be happy and laugh at the things we did together as that what she what me to do. Know I see her again. Love today’s reading. Love you all incourage in my prayers. Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xxx

  23. Melissa, your piece ministered to me, for I have also awakened from a dream to start feeling a friend’s loss all over again. So grateful for Christ’s promised defeat of our enemy, death. One day…

  24. Praise God for the hope of resurrection that outshines the grief we carry now. “Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past. We’ll cross the great divide to glory, safe at last . . . One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race ’til we see Christ.” (That’s part of an old hymn, “When We See Christ.” You brought its uplifting lyrics to mind!)

  25. Thank you for this. My daughter died when she was 3 1/2 yrs old. That was almost 25 yrs ago. The grief comes and goes. For whatever reason it’s been hitting me again this week. I know I will see her again and she has been safe with Jesus all of these years. Praying for you while you are missing your friend. One day we will all be together!!

  26. Melissa, your article itself touched me, but then I got to the comments and realized how many of our sisters needed your words. Thank you!

  27. One day I hear a song that reminds me of her, and well up with tears. Another day, when I hear the same song, I think of her and smile. With one breath, I grieve that she died so young (age 14) and with the next breath, I am grateful that she is no longer in pain.

    Grief has a life of its own.

    Thank you for helping settle this in my soul.

    Peace!
    LCB

  28. Thank you for putting this into words. Like a scab that never heals completely. Thank God for His comfort and presence. Thank you for these words.

  29. Thank you for this post. I’ve been dealing with the loss of my dear cousin who I loved like a big sister, mentor, spiritual counselor. She was one of the most humble people you ever want to know and she just went away in her sleep. This has been most difficult but to know that I will see her again gives me peace & hope.

  30. Thank you for this, it truly does describe grief and missing those who have had an impact in our life. May your loss only remind you of the fun you both had.