We grieve when a loved one dies. It should be expected. It is natural. It is healthy, but it can be devastating if we get “stuck” in grief. I have written two books on the subject of grief and they are available at Amazon.com or by contacting me personally. These will answer many of your questions about your own grief as well as help you to give comfort to others who are grieving. The books are written out of my 60+ years working in a cemetery, from teaching classes on grief, but also from my own journey through grief. They are not written from the perspective of a professional but from a fellow traveler.
This book uses the scriptures to help us understand the purpose of grief and how to move through it. While we may always have a hole in our heart that is left by the death of a loved one, we should be able to live productive lives and help others through their time of grief. This book is not intended only for those who are grieving the death of a loved one but for those who are suffering grief for any reason. There are many types of loss that cause us to grieve, and I believe this book will help you walk through those times.
Excerpt:
Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 defines the word grief as: “The pain of mind produced by loss, misfortune, injury or evils of any kind; sorrow; regret. We experience grief when we lose a friend, when we incur loss, when we consider ourselves injured, and by sympathy, we feel grief at the misfortunes of others.”
The above definition may satisfy the inquiring mind, but it does not satisfy the heart – it is much too sterile. We do not need to go to a dictionary to know that grief means more than “pain of mind.” Our heart tells us that grief is “a pain in our heart that won’t go away;” “an ever-present ache in our bones;” “a mind that is overwhelmed with thoughts yet unable to express them” or a mind that is unable to think at all. We know that grief takes a normally functioning life and places it on an interminable hold, seemingly with no way back to “normal.”
God’s grace is sufficient for whatever we face in life or in death.
This little book discusses God’s promise in Psalm 23 to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.
The Lord’s presence at the time of Moses’ death shows us that He keeps that promise.
If He promised David that He will meet us in a special way to help us move from this life to the next, and proved it to Moses, He will keep that promise for His children today as well.
Please send me an email at karl@pinetreeministries.org
If you cannot afford to purchase one of the books, please contact me at the above email address. I will send you either one of the books free of charge.