Held in the shadow of His wings

”He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” — Psalm 91:4

When my mother died, something delicate and irreplaceable left with her. Her presence may not have filled rooms with prayers or spiritual words, but it filled them in quieter ways—through the things she touched, the beauty she created, and the care she put into the little things.

She loved flowers—living bursts of color and softness. She collected thimbles, tiny symbols of attention to detail and protection. She was a crafter, always working with her hands, making something meaningful out of simple materials. Her life was, in many ways, like a handmade creation — stitched together with patience, purpose, and quiet love.

In the days after her passing, I found myself returning to these small things. A thimble on a shelf. A pattern she was working on. A flower blooming that she would have taken great joy in receiving. They hurt to look at—but they also comforted me. These pieces of her life remind me that love isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s in the beauty someone leaves behind, in what they created, collected or cared for.

Grief, though, isn’t tidy. Some days it’s hard to breathe through the missing. I find myself reaching for God not because I have all the words or answers, but because I simply need a place to rest. Psalm 91:4 reminds me that God offers shelter — not in explanations, but in presence. He gathers us close, like wings covering the vulnerable. He holds us steady when the sorrow shakes us.

I don’t have to pretend the pain isn’t there. I don’t need to resolve everything I wish had been different. What I need — and what God gives — is comfort in the middle of it. Refuge when I feel lost. Steadiness when I miss her most.

Today, I remember my mother. The woman who loved flowers, cherished small treasures, and created beauty with her hands. And in the remembering, I grieve with hope — knowing she is now held in peace with my father, and I am still held in the shelter of His wings.