Every day, over 1,200 men wake up as new widowers, trying to respond well to their deep grief, often without anyone in their life who truly understands their journey.
There are nearly 4 million widowers in the United States right now, yet most have no community, no roadmap, and no faith-based community designed to help them navigate the unique challenges they face.
Refuge Widowers was formed in response to this gap. Today, it remains the only nationwide ministry dedicated specifically to widowers, and the number of men reaching out continues to grow.
We are committed to showing up for widowers in grief-changing ways and removing any barriers between them and hope. That’s why every retreat, gathering, and resource we offer is FREE OF CHARGE. This is only possible because of the generosity of our ministry partners who agree that cost should never stand in the way of hope.
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Who We Are
Founded by a Widower
Daniel Brooker became a widower at 30, with two small children. Two critical years passed before he met another young widower who understood his unique struggles. After eventually meeting more young widowers, it became clear none had a community who truly understood their journey.
Daniel remarried a widow with three small boys, while navigating the unique challenges of grief, remarriage, and blending families.
Searching for a faith-based widower ministry to join, Daniel found none. So after much prayer and counsel, he assembled a team of widowers, mentors, pastors, and close friends, launching Refuge Widowers in 2020.
Guided by Widowers
Every gathering is guided by experienced widowers. Each guide has walked through the loss of their wife, raising grieving children, remarriage and blending families.
Encouraged by Pastors and Believers
Apart from the guides who lead each gathering, there are pastors and encouragers who selflessly serve our community. These men are faithfully walking alongside hurting people and leading them to the hope found only in Jesus.
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Who We Serve
Widowers with Children in the Home
Our primary focus for our in-person retreats are widowers with children still in the home. We recognize these fathers who are stewarding the additional gift of leading their children as they grieve requires additional and specific support. Therefore, the retreat sessions and serve teams are designed to speak to their unique challenges and opportunities.
Widowers in any Season
Our small group gatherings, monthly virtual gatherings, as well as our mentoring ministry are available for every widower who reaches out to our ministry…all free of charge.
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How We Serve
Community, Counsel and Curriculum
We walk alongside widowers as a community, building relationships that speak truth in love and always point back to the Word of God.
Guides who can relate to a widower’s specific grief are available to mentor and provide wise counsel. Widowers are also invited to in-person and virtual gatherings, as well as our signature retreats.
Curriculum is provided along with a guide to encourage healthy patterns and eternal perspective. This is facilitated through virtual and in-person gatherings.
Retreats
Widowers from around the world are hosted by our retreat teams at a spacious home in Georgia.
All retreats are free to our guests, thanks to the ongoing generosity of our ministry partners.
Each guest is gifted resources including a custom Bible, curriculum, devotionals, journal, retreat cookbook and wearable reminders that God is their refuge.
Retreats provide much needed rest, educated encouragement, gospel-centered community, and ongoing connection post-retreat.
Small Groups
Currently hosted in Atlanta, GA with plans to expand across the country, Small Groups is an opportunity to connect with other widowers and learn how to respond to grief well.
Topics covered include:
How to Steward Your Story
Honoring your Wife
Your Relationship with God
Leading in Grief
Healthy Community
Your Health
Purity
Finances
Guide Groups
Monthly virtual gatherings designed to connect widowers in any season and equip them with curated teaching from Refuge Guides.
Topics covered include:
Navigating Big Decisions
Dating
Remarriage
Parenting
Seasons of Grief
Physical Health
Navigating the Holidays
Conflict Resolution
Q&A
Meet our Ministry Partners
We also want to thank the individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations who support this ministry anonymously.
We invite you to partner with us as we continue to provide gospel-centered community to widowers.
We recently launched our end-of-year giving campaign…reaching this goal will allow us to continue offering our events, resources and gatherings to the growing number of widowers reaching out to us, completely for free.
Check:
Refuge Widowers Inc.
12195 Highway 92, STE 114, #207
Woodstock, GA 30188-3603
Endowment Fund
To learn more about strategic giving through our Forge Fund, please connect with us HERE
Thank you!
Together, and by the grace of God, we are impacting generations to come.
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