By Rev. Dr. Ed Hird

Writing and books have a tremendous influence on all of our lives.  Sometimes the most powerful writing we do is when we say ‘Goodbye’.  Most eulogies at funerals are an opportunity to say Goodbye, to pay our last regards.  Most of us say ‘goodbye’ thousands of times in our lives.  Saying goodbye to our loved ones is always the hardest.  As most of us are immigrants to Canada within the past number of generations, we know the story of how hard it was for ourselves, our parents or grandparents to leave our homeland and come to this strange land named Canada.  My Nana Allen was born in Canada, but she still called England the mother country.  She longed deeply for a land that she never saw until she turned 80.   When the Irish left Ireland to come to the new world, many of their relatives had a wake, in effect burying them as dead.

Unless we learn to say goodbye from our hearts, we can never move forward in our lives.  Many people will never let go.  They easily become bitter, discouraged, and even physically ill.  Letting go and letting God is not just a slogan.  It is a vital key to restoring health in our lives.

Jesus said ‘Blessed are those who mourn/grieve for they shall be comforted.’  Saying goodbye is the heart of genuine, healthy living.  The term ‘goodbye’ is an English contraction of the phrase ‘God be with you!’   Why were our ancestors always saying ‘goodbye’ to each other? Because they wanted God to be with them.  What better gift can we give each other that the gift of God being with them?

 Jesus had to say goodbye on Good Friday before he could say ‘hello’ on Easter Sunday.  Why did Jesus leave his best friends on Good Friday?  He left them because he loved them and wanted God to be with them.  As Jesus hung on the cross, he said ‘Goodbye’: “Into your hands I commit my spirit’.  Jesus knew that unless he let go and surrendered to the cross, there would be no way forward.  The resurrection joy of Easter Sunday is a direct result of Jesus saying goodbye on Good Friday.  My prayer for you is the words ‘goodbye’.  May you discover that God is really with you, that you are deeply loved.

Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin

-an article previously published in the North Shore News/Deep Cove Crier

P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.

“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”

Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.

Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…

A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.

Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?

Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.

If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or  kindle.

-Click to check out our marriage book For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you. 

-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form.  Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.

In Canada, Amazon.ca has the book available in paperback and ebook. It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperback and ebook), Amazon France (paperback and ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperback and ebook).

Restoring Health is also available online on Barnes and Noble in both paperback and Nook/ebook form.  Nook gives a sample of the book to read online.

Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version.  You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.

To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.

-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca 

Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version.  You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.

-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca