The wife of a pastor who took his own life last year has shared the lessons she's learned about grief in the five months since his death.
Andrew Stoecklein, lead pastor at Inland Hills Church, died last August from the injuries he sustained during an attempted suicide at his church. He had been struggling with anxiety and depression at the time of his death.
His wife Kayla said in a recent Instagram post that she had finally said goodbye to his 'prized possession', his truck, and cleared out the contents - 'a few old Home Depot receipts, a tape measure, a sunglasses case, and a couple pieces of mail,' she wrote.
Writing alongside a touching picture of her and Andrew embracing in front of the truck before his death, the mother-of-three boys admitted it was still 'hard' to talk about his passing.
But she took the opportunity to share what she had learned about grief in the time since his death
'What I've learned these last five months is weathering grief is unpredictable. Grief requires grace,' she wrote.
She then listed some of the best advice she has received from others.
'Never compare your grief with others,' she said, adding, 'Run to God and pin your hope in Him. The best is yet to come.'
Kayla has spoken openly on her Instagram page about her husband's tragic death and her struggle to come to terms with it, as well as the challenges of raising their three young sons on her own.
In another recent post, she reached out to her Instagram followers for tips and advice on what books she should be reading to take care of her boys.
She also admitted she missed having her husband around to raise the kids together.
'Real life: I am in over my head! These three are non stop. The competition runs deep and the energy level is high! Lately the reality of being a single mom has been hitting really hard. I miss parenting together,' she said.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, help can be found at the National Suicide Prevention Helpline (US) on 1-800-273-8255 or the Samaritans (UK) on 116-123
