Bethany Church GriefShare

My name is Marty Smith. I’m a native New Englander, having been born and raised in Massachusetts. I’ve lived in New Hampshire for almost 30 years, living in Hampton for the last seven. I’m happily married to Lyn, and we live in Hampton with our cat, Maggie.

My father was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in January, 1972. I was 14 years old. He passed away in August of that year. That was my first experience with the loss of a family member. The feeling of loss has never completely gone away, although my grief has become much more manageable over the decades since then.

In July, 2011 my youngest sister lost her battle to esophageal cancer after a six month battle. She was the first of the six siblings to pass on. In January, 2012, my wife of 25-years was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. We lived as best we could as she went through chemo and radiation therapy. She did well for about six months, until the cancer spread to her brain and spine. I cared for her for another six months as she lost her battle. In April, 2020, my oldest sister passed on from complications of dementia after a long battle.

I have grieved differently over each of these losses. Some losses were more sudden than others. I was more mature for some than for others, and I had more support during some of the grieving than at other times. In all cases, the passage of time and speaking with others has helped in the grief process. Sharing my feelings and challenges with others has helped me understand and process each loss. I hope to be part of a program that helps you process your grief in a healthy way.

My Name is Lyn Vail. I’ve lived most of my life in Massachusetts but moved to New Hampshire after Marty and I married. Ours is a blended family; Marty has two adult children and I have three grown children, all living in various parts of the country.

Throughout the 2000’s, I experienced a series of significant losses, including that of a very dear friend and mentor. Walking through this difficult season in my life was extremely challenging but over time God renewed my hope and ultimately strengthened my faith in Him.

Marty and I want to share our hearts and experience with you as we walk together through the GriefShare material. Our hope is that you find our time together to be a safe place, one that is encouraging and hopeful. Whether your loss is recent or not, and regardless of where you are in your grief journey, we believe you will find support and healing through our time together. Please come!
You can register for the class directly through Bethany Church by filling out this form: https://mybethany.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/241/responses/new"