Sympathy Card Wording
Sample Sympathy Messages

Thoughts on Messages for Sympathy Cards

People often ask me about sympathy card wording. Writing appropriate messages for sympathy cards is something I'm learning about as well. Further down there will be some sample sympathy messages.

Sympathy cards came in great number those first weeks and months after my husband’s death, but the ones that stood out to me were the ones with a lot of handwriting. In fact most of the time, I didn’t have the energy to read the typed greeting card poem. The card that I remember to this day had no typed message at all—it was a blank card with a handwritten message from my pastor’s wife. And although she was a pastor’s wife, I don’t believe she included any religious reference other than to say she would be praying for me.

In her book When People Grieve

, Paula D’Arcy similarly notes that the sympathy cards she treasured the most were filled with the sender’s recollections of her husband and their own feelings of grief at his death.

Suggestions for Sympathy Card Wording

“No one can truly know what you are experiencing in this time of loss. Please accept my condolences and know that you are in my thoughts.”

“During this time of sorrow, may the gentle presence of friends and the caring love of family help to comfort you.”

“I want so much to help you and be there for you. Yet I know nothing can fix this heartache. Please know that you are not alone. You are continually in my thoughts and prayers. I want to help in any way I can.”

“We cannot imagine what you are experiencing these days. Please know that we are thinking of you, and our prayers are with you.”

“We were so sad to hear of your loss. We have such good memories of (name) and the times we spent together. We will never forget the time . . . . (share a personal fond memory of the deceased).

“We were so sorry to hear about the death of (name). We love you and are thinking about you often these days.”

“Our thoughts are with you and (deceased) during this journey of grief. May you find courage and peace for the road ahead.”

“Words seem inadequate to express our feelings on hearing of the death of (name). We are here to support you in this season of grief.”

My Photo Sympathy Cards
See sympathy cards that I made using photos I took during my grief journey. You are free to use my sympathy card wording and poems in your own sympathy cards if proper credit is given.

Poetry helps people in grief
In his book Poetic Medicine, John Fox says that people have told him that reading poetry was the only thing they could do to make it through the brambles of their grief (p.161). In your expression of sympathy, consider Seasons of Solace as a sympathy inspirational gift.

Christian Sympathy card messages

“What can we say? Nothing, except do what Jesus did for Mary and Martha when he wept with them.”

“May the God who makes prayer out of our speechless grief be present to you today.”

“In the depths of your pain may you find the place where deep calls to deep.”

“May the God of all comfort surround you with peace as you walk through this time of sorrow. Our prayers are with you.”

Sympathy Card Sayings to Avoid

“Time heals all wounds.”

“God picks the most beautiful flowers first.”

“She’s in a better place now.”

“God never gives us more than we can handle.”

“It must have been her time to go.”

“God will bring good from this.”

Struggling to find the perfect sympathy gift? So was Renee Wood, so she designed her own. Read my interview with Renee, Founder of The Comfort Company.

More articles related to sympathy:

• My Sympathy Cards
• Comfort Poems Death
• Expressions of Sympathy
• Personalized Sympathy Gift Memory Book
• Poems of Sympathy
• Inspirational Sympathy Poems
• Sympathy Bible Verses
• Sympathy Quotations
• Sympathy Words of Comfort