Embracing Faith after Losing a Family Member
with Linwood Dillard, Founding Pastor of the Citadel of Deliverance Church
Faith Brings Healing
Have you ever lost hope? Maybe you feel hopeless right now. God sees your suffering and past trauma, and He wants to bring healing. This week on Relentless Hope, Pastor Linwood Dillard teaches us how to embrace faith, especially in times of tragedy. Let’s be inspired by his story.
Words of Hope:
“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.”
― Corrie Ten Boom
LIFE
Part 1 of Relentless Hope discusses how Pastor Linwood Dillard dealt with his faith being tested after his nephew’s death and niece’s near-death experience caused by a drunk driver. He relied on his friends and counselors trained in grief, trauma, and, most importantly, his faith. Faith may not exempt us from bad things happening, but through difficult experiences, we draw closer to God. Linwood also encourages us to be bold and firm in God’s Word, especially when we feel weak and hopeless.
LEADERSHIP
In Part 2 of Relentless Hope, Pastor Linwood voices his belief that God teaches us leadership through past experiences and is always preparing us for great things. He shares that real leadership involves influencing others and handling pressure. Good leaders are faithful, committed, disciplined, and have character and integrity. Building a faith community, maintaining humility, and being around others who challenge you are vital to be someone people respect and choose to follow.
LEGACY
In part 3 of the podcast, Pastor Linwood expresses his desire to leave behind a legacy of inclusive, compassionate, and sacrificial leadership. He believes the most important message is spreading love, as Jesus does. Linwood encourages us to see the good in people and their potential because God has placed a purpose inside us all. He also reminds us to be grateful and present every moment because we never know what could happen. As we allow our faith to grow, peace blossoms in our hearts.
Scripture to reflect on:
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
– Mark 9:23
Closing prayer for Linwood’s story:
Dear Lord, I have faith that You are leading my life well. While I may not understand why certain experiences come to pass, I trust there is a divine purpose to everything in my life. I trust in Your perfect plan. Knowing that You are on my side and with me through everything brings me so much comfort and peace. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
God invites us daily to surrender fears and doubts and replace them with hope. Let’s unify in our faith in God, trusting Him and seeing beyond our brokenness toward what we become! We’d love to hear what you think in the comments.