Aftermath: Growing in Grace Through Grief
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Help and comfort for the grieving
Are you grieving over the loss of a loved one? Do you know someone who is? If the answer to either question is yes, then I want to recommend this book to you.
Margaret McSweeney has written a wonderful, heartfelt, and an open-hearted book about her own time of grief through the loss of her mother, father and brother. She bares her heart and soul in this book as she writes what she went through. She also incorporates her mother's poems and letters and various family letters from when her mother lost her husband to a heart attack.
I found Aftermath to be a helpful book for myself. It allowed me to look at what I went through when I lost my own mother to cancer. It opened up areas I didn't realize I had closed off, and has allowed the healing love of God to come in and apply His balm over these places in my heart.
At the end of each chapter Margaret has a section that allows the reader to write down thoughts and feelings such as: "What grief-guilt and I holding onto? Am I ready to give God the burden of this grief-guilt? What would I like to say to Him?" (That one hit home for me.... I didn't realize I was still holding onto grief-guilt.)
Also she provides scripture that gives hope to the reader. Not a lot. Just enough to ponder on and hold onto. My favorite one in one chapter is "And the peace that passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
You will also find counsel from various reputed ministers, councilors and authors on the subject of grief and how to help someone through the grief process or yourself.
Margaret, through her openness, shows us that grief is natural, understandable, and for each person it lasts as long as necessary. She also reveals to us that God is more than aware of our grief and He is more than able to bear that load for us so it doesn't have to weigh us down into the mire. And if it does, He is able to pick us up and set our feet on the high places.
This is a book that will be a help and comfort for many who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
I received this review book from Litfuse Publicity for the purpose of review, free of charge. I am under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions I have given are my own.
August 19, 2012
Receiving Grace While Dealing With Grief
Margaret McSweeney in her new book âÂÂAftermathâ published by New Hope Publishers gives us some thoughts for Growing in Grace Through Grief.
From the back cover: Experience Grace in Grief.
Comforting, wise and practicalâÂÂwith the outpouring of her own motherâÂÂs words about griefâÂÂthe author shares emotions experienced along the spectrum of loss after her parentsâ deaths.
Five sections give: common emotions â comfort Scripture lists â counsel from grief experts â chronicling sections with detailed helps â tangible handles on dealing with grief during holidays â capturing loved onesâ legacy, and more.
If you read the the âÂÂPeanutsâ comic strip then you know that the main character, Charlie Brown, is famous for saying, âÂÂgood grief.â Let me say that there is no such thing. The Dictionary defines grief as, âÂÂdeep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavementâÂÂ. Sometimes grief can be so deep that a person never gets over it, suffers physical ailments and/or emotional distress causing them to withdraw from people and, sometimes , lose their jobs. No matter how you look at it grief is a painful, personal experience that all of us go through. It is how we deal with it that allows us to come through at the end. Margaret McSweeney shares stories from her own experiences with grief from the loss of both parents and her motherâÂÂs poetry from her book on grief after the loss of her husband. Reading âÂÂAftermathâ shows us that we all need the grace of God to deal with our loss, after all God does tell us, âÂÂMy grace is sufficient for thee.â Each of the thirteen chapters: Grief Needs No Introduction, Shock, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance, A Comfort Box, Handles for Helping, Footprints of Faith, Leaving a Legacy, Learning to Fly, and Grace in the Wilderness have a chronicling section at the end that gives thought provoking questions to help you deal with that chapters topic. You will not want to part with this book to refer to it again and again as the need arises. This is a book to give to all your family and friends as we all will face grief. It will be a book that they will read and thank you for. âÂÂAftermathâ is a keeper.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to Kingdom Highlights where they are available On Demand.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade CommissionâÂÂs 16 CFR, Part 255: âÂÂGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.âÂÂ
August 14, 2012
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