You Are Not Alone
We grieve when a loved one dies. It is natural. It is healthy, but it can be devastating if we get "stuck" in grief and cannot move on with life. I have written two books on the subject of grief and they are available at Amazon.com or by contacting me. These will answer many of your questions about your own grief as well as helpful tips to care for others who are grieving.
The books are written out of my 50+ years working in a cemetery but also my own journey through grief. They are not written from the perspective of a professional but from a fellow traveler.
Pine Tree Ministries
906 Eppler Road
Petoskey, MI 49770
karl@pinetreeministries.org
Grief and Comforting
the Grieving
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 own grief.
This book is not just intended for those who are grieving the death of a loved one but those who are suffering grief for any reason.
The Grace of God Revealed in the
Death of Man
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. He promises to His children that He will meet them in a special way to help them make the move from this life to the next. This is shown in the life of Moses and others from the pages of Scripture.
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 don’t 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.’
Collision
Here's what Amazon says about my friend, Susan's book:
"Where do you turn when the unthinkable happens? How do you go on when all your dreams are shattered? This is the story of one family’s heartbreaking loss of their extraordinary daughter. It follows their precious Christi’s life, from the day she was born, until she met her Savior one brisk winter morning. The author shares openly, praying you will find hope and encouragement as you see the strength Jesus gives as our companion in sorrow. Come along on the journey as this family and their friends experience God’s loving care and faithfulness together. Come and see how they learn to trust Jesus more deeply even when they don’t understand, as all their plans collide with His."