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In Grief on the Road to Emmaus, experienced bereavement author and facilitatorBeth Hewettoffers help for people interested in walking with those who grieve and supporting their mourning. Using the story of the bereaved disciples walking with Jesus to Emmaus and personal grief vignettes, this message is grounded in Benedictine monastic values that emphasize love, mutuality, hospitality, listening, prayer, humility, action, and community. This readable guide introduces a ministry of consolation, complete with facilitator skills, practices, and strategies for healing to assist readers to accompany the bereaved compassionately, leading each other to hope after loss.

Where do our churches go from here? Church and Christian community look a lot different than they did before the horrors of the coronavirus pandemic, racial trauma, and economic uncertainty revealed difficult truths about the wounds we carry. The damage caused by trauma is deep and affects every part of our lives together. At the same time, the pandemic has upended or called into question many of our traditional ministry models. For those tasked with leading congregations through this disorienting new territory, the challenges are great indeed. ​ Yet God’s people are amazingly resilient. In All Our Griefs to Bear, author Joni S. Sancken builds on her own trauma-aware background and engages leading sociologists and mental health professionals to name some of the largest issues that congregations now face and will face as we process the cascading trauma of our time. Chapters focus on practices such as lament, storytelling, and blessing to help leaders and church members to nurture resilience and compassion. We cannot go back to who we were before. But the church can experience new life and renewal in the wake of trauma as God’s healing and hope move through us into our world.

In the midst of deep pain, how can you move forward? Most of us spend our lives avoiding pain at every turn, so when we inevitably experience it, it sends us into a tailspin. We begin to question why God doesn't stop bad things from happening, if there's significance in our pain, and whether or not God is truly worthy of our trust or actually cares about us. Ed and Lisa Young, bestselling authors and pastors of Fellowship Church, know the kind of pain most of us hope never to experience--the death of a child. With refreshing vulnerability and power, A Path through Pain shares their family's journey from sorrow and anger to hope and healing after the tragic and sudden loss of their daughter. As they share their incredible perspective, they will inspire and equip you to: See God's presence, love, and care in the middle of your suffering Believe that there is purpose in your pain, even if you can't see that purpose yet Rebuild your life after a season of pain Restore your trust in God and the world you live in God really does care for us, and in the darkest of places, his light still shines to show us a way through.

Hope for Widows offers you connections in your grief, guiding you to see hope, grace, and camaraderie on an unfamiliar path. With personal reflections, questions, and expressions of gratitude, join Marilyn Nutter in recognizing God’s faithful presence in details and unusual places. The 65 readings apply Scripture and relevant quotes to grief and mourning and look with transparency at how widowhood dramatically changes a woman’s life.

On a beautiful spring morning in 2004, Brian Foutz heard a car door slam shut in his driveway. He walked to his window, expecting to see his daughter, Victoria, returning from an overnight stay with a friend. Instead he saw two officers from the county sheriff's office. The officers were coming to deliver news that would change Brian's life forever. Once inside, the officers told Brian that his daughter wouldn't be coming home. At only eighteen years old, Victoria had been shot in the head and killed. From Misery to Ministry is the story of how Brian and his wife, Leah, find the strength to overcome the loss of their daughter. Brian and Leah offer a moving, intimate account of Victoria's funeral, the trial of her accused killers, and their efforts to find meaning after the grief and heartbreak caused by their daughter's death. With advice on dealing with sudden rushes of emotion, seeking professional counsel, and maintaining a loving marriage in the face of the darkest of tragedies, From Misery to Ministry is a powerful tool for any family that has lost a loved one. Brian and Leah bless all readers with their honesty, their vulnerability, and their message of hope.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl with dreams of a fairytale life. She daydreamed about the perfect little white house on a hill with a white picket fence, a wonderful husband and two children (of course a boy and a girl). A fairytale ending might seem impossible. But once you experience the love of God, your happy ending is within your grasp. Being an overcomer is the underlying message of Dori Powledge Phillips' inspiring book, A Love Greater Than Death. Through the devastation of losing her husband and four youngest children in a tragic car accident, Dori takes readers on an amazing spiritual journey. Follow Dori on her journey of loss and tragedy, faith and hope, and the supernatural healing power of God. Prepare yourself to laugh a little, cry a little, and discover A Love Greater Than Death.

What awaits us after death? Flora Wuellner brings her deep wisdom and a lifetime of study, reflection, observation, and spiritual direction to shed light on what Jesus revealed about eternal life. Her writing offers hope and comfort to those who might be troubled by mixed messages about the afterlife from church or who are simply wounded from misunderstandings on the subject. Each chapter opens with a quotation from Jesus and develops the implications of those words, and closes with a guided meditation.

From award-winning author Sara Cormany, Even When is a raw and reflective devotional that ushers readers into God’s presence during difficult times and reminds us that even our hardest stories are written by the hand of a good God. In these uniquely challenging and unprecedented post-pandemic times, the notion that God’s goodness ensures an easy journey has been met by the unfaltering truth that life is hard. It’s not a question of if there will be trials, but when. Sara Cormany knows this reality all too well. However, through personal health complications and family tragedy, she has chosen to believe that Jesus is enough. Even When beautifully weaves together the inevitability of hard times with the unyielding heart of God’s goodness and inspires readers to experience His presence amid the storm in their lives. Each devotion begins with an “Even when…” statement, followed by a poignant personal story, a Bible verse, and a thought-provoking question that will encourage readers to embrace the truth that God is enough — even in our darkest moments. This powerful devotional helps readers to: - Become more comfortable with the difficult truth that life not only can, but will be hard. - Reflect on where God has shown up in their own hardships. - Experience God’s goodness while enduring life's challenges. - Explore what it looks like to “suffer well” and trust God as Jesus did on the Cross. - Love God and know God’s love in a fallen world. Vulnerable and authentic, Even When strikes a universal chord and points readers toward the heart of God’s goodness in even the most challenging of circumstances, knowing that even when life is hard, He is always good.

I said goodnight prayers always, but had no idea of the journey I was about to find myself on. I felt lost, angry, hurt, and confused. My heart felt like it would explode. I longed for my dad. I cried until there were no more tears. My grandparents lived in another state, but God brought them to me. That is when my healing began. The loss of a loved one is always difficult, but even more so for the tender heart of a child. Adults can't always see through their own loss, but the innocent, anguished pain of a child can help open eyes to the healing power of God and with God, healing does come. In The Orphaned Son, author Debilynne Steele explores the nurturing of a child whose journey was difficult, and shows how understanding that God loves us and that we are not alone can lead to the ultimate healing and comfort. The Lord will always be there, for he knows our grief, and loneliness, and broken hearts. He sent his son to us and felt the pain himself. Join author Debilynne Steele for a journey of loss through a child's eyes, and discover the simple joy that pure, innocent healing can bring.

Grace to Handle It, My Journey Through Grief This book is about how to deal with the inevitable spiritual, emotional, mental and physical changes, no matter the gender or age, that occur while on a journey through grief. The scripture references, story and poems will: • Acquaint the reader with the attributes of the manifold grace of God. • Enable and empower the reader to endure the journey through grief with peace. • Inspire, strengthen and give hope to the grieving heart. Readers will be encouraged to know that there is still a life to be lived after the loss of a loved one. The information provided in this book will help the reader develop the scriptural strategies needed to build their faith and trust in God. Everyone will at some point in their life be introduced to grief on a personal or professional level, this book is for you.