HURT HELP HOPE

“It was the worst news, the worst time, and the worst day of my life.”

Drawing on their own experiences of losing a husband and father, the mother and daughter co-authors of this faith-based handbook help to normalize grief. They encourage readers to embrace their unique nonlinear journeys through this universal experience and all its physical, mental, and emotional challenges. The work is designed to be useful whether read through or dipped into as needed. Text boxes throughout the work invite moments of self-reflection, testimonial, and prayer. A rich appendix offers information on U.S.-based health resources, along with playlists, books, and films. The tone of the writing has an easy intimacy to it that’s both approachable and sincere, evoking the authentic voice of a trusted peer or empathetic adult (college student Fiona’s mom and co-author, Clarissa, is a middle school teacher). The Molls’ sensitivity in contextualizing feelings provides teens with the ability to understand and discuss their responses and symptoms. The authors also help readers understand when they should reach out to health care professionals and other forms of support. The duo deftly navigates questions of faith and the fluctuating relationship to God that readers may experience when navigating loss.

A thoughtful Christian grief guide that will comfort and support teens and adults alike.