In times of grief, isolation is often a most preferred state. One can wallow without being pressured to “move on as soon as possible.” However, what really should be done in these trying times is to establish an open line of communication with the people who cares for us the most, with the people who understand the pain too. In cases like this, oftentimes, connecting with people who are undergoing similar situations can be uplifting.

I learned this by being a part of a church-related group called the Teams of Our Lady. Teams of Our Lady (TOOL) is an international Catholic movement for married Christian couples. It is present in over seventy countries. The movement’s purpose is to “help couples discover the riches contained in the sacrament of marriage and to help them live together in faith.” The couples of this movement aim to “bear witness to Christian marriage in Church and in the world.” It is named after Our Lady, Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the movement aims to live by her perfect example of saying yes to God’s call. Mary has been the patroness of the movement since it was first conceptualized in late 1930s in Paris, France. The movement began rather simply with several married couples of a Catholic church seeking the counsel and guidance of their parish priest. The couples wanted to establish a spiritual-based way to share how faith in God is interlaced with marriage life. They wanted to share their personal experiences in their marriages and how they incorporated faith to grow deeper in love with their spouses and with God. It was in 1947 when the movement was officially named Equipes Notre Dame or Teams of Our Lady. Around eighty years after its birth, the movement is actively helping couples in over seventy countries across the globe.

The couples in a team provide courage, mutual comfort, and counseling for each other through living by TOOL’s five universal endeavors: daily prayer together, reading scripture daily, annual retreat, monthly sit down, monthly meetings, and lastly, code for living. These are faithfully observed by the members to strengthen their spirituality as a team, as a couple, and as an individual.

The married couples of TOOL commit to becoming a “team” in every sense of the word. Each member aims to support each other in their daily grind to be God’s children in a world dreaded by hopelessness and loose morals. My husband, Ron, and I joined several years after the death of my first husband, Chet. We have been on the same team for ten years, and they have become family to us. Had we known about TOOL earlier, we would have joined sooner than we did. We meet monthly to share a meal together and talk about our spiritual highs and lows. We have our scripture reading and discuss study topics during our gatherings. We conduct business meetings too. Other couples have also regarded the Teams of Our Lady as a real “tool” for marriage. They found inspiration and encouragement from each other to continue to live by their marriage vows. Together, the couples in a team grow in their journey of faith and love for the glory of God.

In TOOL, couples voluntarily share their stories and struggles, and they receive the love, comfort, and courage they need to overcome the hurdles. Being part of TOOL has opened an entirely new chapter for me and Ron, one which held promise for happier and more God-centered days. There, I also witnessed how other couples dealt with their grief over a loved one’s death. As someone who underwent the same situation, my heart went out to them. I learned that people undergoing hardships can find the sincerest comfort and encouragement they need from those who already underwent similar hardships. This has become one of the roles Ron and I had in our team.  I have grown spiritually in my time with TOOL. It helped me gain different perspectives in my career in terms of understanding grief for each story was different from the other, each means to move on unique in many ways. Indeed, connecting with people who understands and wants to understand you in times of your struggle and your walk with Christ is the best way to face your loss. Teams of Our Lady inspired me to conquer grief, better live by the sacrament of marriage, and live out my faith in the Lord, the Loving Father. It is a great movement to be part of if you and your spouse seek greater purpose for your marriage. But don’t just take my word for it. Sign yourself up in the movement and discover for yourself!

I would you especially love to hear your thoughts about your experiences about connecting with people who goes through the same things as you. Comment them down below. You may also reach me via Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

References

For Your Marriage. 2014. “A TOOL For Your Marriage: Our Experience With Teams Of Our Lady.” Accessed June 14, 2017. http://www.foryourmarriage.org/a-tool-for-your-marriage-our-experience-with-teams-of-our-lady/.

Equipes Notre-Dame. n.d. “Why the Teams?” Accessed June 14, 2017. http://www.equipes-notre-dame.com/en/teams-of-our-lady/team-life/the-endeavours.

The post Teams of Our Lady: Its Importance in Our Life appeared first on My Journey.