MASKING THE PAIN

Julie Busler grew up in a Christian home in Kansas. When she was only 8 years old, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Eleven years later, her mother passed away when Julie was 19. She explains, “My grandma woke me up and said it’s time. When I got into the bedroom mom got still. It’s really shocking to watch your mom being carried out in a body bag.” Julie was responsible for picking out her mother’s outfit for the funeral. After her burial, the family carried on with life as usual and didn’t discuss their grief. When Julie returned to college, she did her best to hide the pain and none of her friends knew that her mother just passed away.

As her despair deepened, Julie turned to God for comfort. The dichotomy of Julie’s life puzzled her. On one hand, she had joy. Her

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