Hey, guys. I know a life update video isn’t what I normally post on Mondays, but this was on my heart to share. March 4, 2017 we lost my brother, Adam, to suicide. It’s not something we ever expected or ever thought could happen to us. This past year has been the most challenging season we have ever had to walk through as a family. Grief is so hard: it is suffocating some days. Some days the pieces are lighter. They are all pieces I didn’t choose to carry, but they are the price of love and I couldn’t imagine not carrying them. I am so thankful for our community, for the love and generosity you have shown, for having a place to share passions. Thankful that we are real and authentic. Thankful for a God whispers a promise of victory over circumstance and lavishes His children in forgiveness and eternal hope. I also wanted to share a bit about my tattoo with you, so when you see it peeking out in videos you know why. Thank you for sharing all of it with us: organizing, DIYS, and family. Doing life means doing the real stuff, too and I’m so glad you are on this journey. May you always find encouragement and joy here.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicide or suicidal thoughts, there is hope and there is help.
You have such a beautiful and generous heart, thank you for everything you do. God bless you and your beautiful family always.
Hugs from Colombia.
Thank you for your comment. Your sweet words mean so much!
God bless you and your family. Thank you for the help you have brought me with your uplifting organizational videos! And, your adorable children!
Thank you for your kind words!
You are a blessing to many, Kathryn. Your courage to speak about your brother and your loss is helping many others who may carry shame, guilt, etc. I enjoy you “from afar!”
You have blessed me today….tremendously! 🙂 My thoughts and prayers to your family. Yes, I do know the pain. Lost my father February 13, 2018. 🙁 Thank you for your work in community love. We so need it in this world today.
Thank you for sharing. I lost my husband 6 months ago and it hurts so very much. If it wasn’t for the Lord and my close friends, I wouldn’t know what to do. May God give you the comfort that he only can.
I’m so sorry for your loss. 🙁 Losing a loved one can leave such a big hole. Thank you for sharing your story.
I lost my brother to an unexpected death and several friends to suicide. I am so sorry. Your words are true! Thank you so much.
I’m so sorry for the loss you have experienced. Thank you for being part of this community. It means so much.
I’m a subscriber…I read your post this morning and my heart goes out to you and your family….I’m so sorry for your loss
Thank you. I appreciate this so much.
Im so sorry for your loss. I will send you my prayers, love, and compassion. I hope God will carry you and your loved ones during this difficult time.
Thank you for your prayers and kind words. I appreciate all the wonderful people who have reached out.
Keeping you and your family in my prayers… Thank you for all you do!
I am so very sorry for your loss. I never know what to say except that I’m sorry. May the spirit of God bewith you and comfort you and your faily during this tragic time. May you find peace as you gather as a family and focuson the beautiful memories. I will keep you and your family in my prayers and I hope you find comfort in knowing tht you will will one day be united again with your brother. Al my love and hugs, Mary Casey
Thank you for your prayers!
That was beautiful! Thank you for sharing Katherine. Love your blog.
I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my husband, due to illness, in October. Not expected but at least I did get to be with him for 10 days and with him when he left this world. I have read a wonderful book by Tom Zuba, Permission to Mourn, A New Way to Grieve. It is a short read but has been so helpful in my grief journey. Prayers as you walk this journey. Yes, we are not alone
Thank you so much for the book recommendation. I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m sure you miss him dearly. 🙁
Hello Kathryn – I am a survivor! I struggled with depression after my divorce and was on the brink of suicide. My strong family and FAITH pulled me through. I also have a tattoo on my wrist. It says LOVE – the O in love is a semicolon. The semicolon depicts that there is more to the sentence. It represents “my life isn’t over yet”. I’m reminded to love myself everyday. Thanks for sharing. I feel I’m part of your family and I enjoy watching Carson and Owen grow up
Thanks for being you
XOXO
Thank you for sharing. God bless you!
Love you God Bless You
Thank you.
Wow, thank you. Just thank you so much. God bless you and your family.
Blessings to you as well! Thanks so much.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I know how it feels because I lost my dad to suicide 47 years ago, but it still hurts like yesterday. Thankfully, people today are less inclined to see mental illness and suicide as topics we don’t talk about outside the family and, sometimes, even within a family. It’s hard to heal when you keep things bottled up. I just want you to know how much I enjoy all your vlogs, and I watch everyone start to finish, even if I think I don’t “need” to know the topic. I learn something anyway. One think I’ve always felt is that you can’t know what is good unless you can somehow distinguish it from what is bad, and likewise joy and sorrow: to know joy is to have experienced sorrow, and thereby to know the difference. Thank you for sharing your personal sorrows with all of us, who typically know only your bubbly, sweet and helpful side, and for including us in your life. It makes me feel like family. Wishing you success and all the best.
My heart break for you and your family. Thank you for sharing your pain with us. Take the time that you need and when you’re ready, we’ll all be here waiting for your next genius Dollar Store idea !
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you!
Oh my goodness, I had not heard about your brother. I am so sorry for your loss. Suicide is one of the hardest things to deal with in grieving. I will be praying for you and your whole family as you come to mind.
Your message was precious, the music beautiful and the encouragement to others priceless. You are a blessing
Bless you. Kathryn, I know it must be so tough. My heart hurts for you. Thanks for sharing your heart with us.
I am so sorry for your loss. I feel your loss, as we lost my brother at age 39 to cancer and not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. Much love and all our prayers to you. You are an inspiration and someone this world could use a lot more like. Love you!
Iam so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I lost my father last July 18,2018 to cancer. I miss him so much everyday. It was so much that happened after his death that Iam still trying to get over. But with God and my family this too will pass.
I’m so sorry for the pain and hurt you are still working through. It’s an ongoing journey, isn’t it? I’m sure he was a special man that you miss very much. Many prayers!
An Amazing SHARE.
Thank you !!!
C.A.
Ottawa
Thank you for sharing this. May God be with your family and with each of us who are going through our own struggles each day. God is faithful!
You are an inspiration!
I have found joy, answers, and good ideas in watching your videos: for that I thank you so much.
As you go through this time of life’s challenges I pray that the peace of God constantly rule in your heart, mine, soul, and body. And when it gets too hard to bare you’ll feel his loving arms surround you like Lamb’s wool.
So sorry for your loss go in peace x and may you and your lovely family find comfort with each other x
Thank you for this. It means so much!
Kathryn,
Thank you so much for your message today. I look forward to your videos, but this one really hit home. I am a 12th Grade AP Government teacher and in the last 30 days I have lost 2 students to suicide. Your videos give me a moment to not think about the loss and the tragedy of it all.
Thanks for all you are doing!
Thank you for sharing such a personal story. My thought are with you and your family.
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it!
Kathryn – I am so very sorry for your loss. You are so brave and strong and such an inspiration. God bless you and all your family. I love all your videos. Thank you for all you are and all you do. Pat
Thank you, Pat!
We never know the burdens other people carry do we. I’m so very sorry for your loss. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. God Bless you and thank you for this sight. I love reading all your ideas and suggestions.
Thank you for your kindness. It means so much to me to have such a supportive group of people always there to lift me up with their encouraging words.
I just read about your brother and I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my daughter to suicide 10 years ago. She just turned 34. She left an 11 yr old daughter, my precious granddaughter. She is 23 now, married for 1 yr to a precious young man who we all adore. We all have survived this unspeakable act thanks to God and our Christian friends. She is never out of my mind. I miss her more everyday. I still have my days where I cry but I know she’s in Heaven with God and both her grandparents and I will see her again one day. Thank you for sharing your loss. We will never know why they did it. I will always wonder if I missed something that I could do or say.
I’m so sorry to hear about the loss your family has experienced. 🙁 Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure a day doesn’t go by that you don’t miss her dearly. Thinking of you today!