When God & Grief Meet: Comfort and Courage for Your Journey

If I would have gotten the book I would have love to write a review.

When God & Grief Meet is a perfect gift for those that are suffering from a prolonged illness or an unexpected tragedy. Lynn Eib, author, takes you through true grievers' stories and shows the powerful work of God. This book, When God & Grief Meet, gives you the opportunity to spend time with people who understand the very fears we have. It helps those who have lost loved ones due to cancer, heart attacks, car accidents, plane crashes, suicide, and even murder. This book does show the grief people have gone through, but it also shows the wise insights and practical ideas for getting through it. I highly recommend this book as it will give comfort and courage to those that need it in a desperate time of trials.

When God and Grief Meet by Lynn Eib is a wonderful book about accepting and then moving past the grief after losing a loved one. When I ordered this book a few months ago, my uncle Howard had recently received a diagnosis of cancer that was bleak, but I hadn't even begun to process the grief of possibly losing him. The book arrived about three weeks ago, and as I started to read it, he was admitted into the hospital with all sorts of life-threatening problems that just kept snowballing. I know that God sent this book into my life at just the right time, because it has been an enormous help for me.Eib is a grief counselor, and she must be amazing at her job, because her book is filled with gentle wisdom and constant encouragement. She accepts every stage of grief without trying to rush through it and provides support for each. She includes several stories about people she has met through her counseling and the way they have learned to move through and grow from their grief. Each story is a blessing to the reader in that it provides hope that while grief never really completely goes away, it will diminish in time. Each chapter is packed with Scriptures to comfort the wounds of a loss. I wrote several of them down to keep with me. My uncle doesn't have much time left, so I will be passing my copy on to my family with the knowledge that it will bless them the way it has blessed me.

Grief. It's safe to say that we've all experienced this to some degree in our lives. And it's virtually guaranteed that it will arrive on our doorsteps at some point again in the future. And while the manner may differ in which grief presents itself to each of us -- expected or sudden, through illness or tragedy, young or old -- one common thread is generally true: life takes a sudden turn and we are forever changed. What do we do when faced with this life-altering event? How do we respond? What enables us to keep breathing and putting one foot in front of the other when we want to pull the covers over our heads and say "Stop the world! I want to get off"? What do we do when the very foundations of our faith are shaken and it seems our prayers disappear unanswered or even unheard into the vastness of space? This book is full of hope and encouragement for anyone walking the dark road of sorrow. As comforting as a hug from a friend, this book is not one full of theological gobbledy-gook or cliches but instead offers many warm words of encouragement and comfort. Reminding the reader that "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed" (Psalm 34:18), this book is filled with the stories of real-life people like you and me who have experienced the depths of grief. . . .and who have discovered God's strength and hope in the midst of their pain. I love what the author says about why she (reluctantly!) wrote this book: ". . .as I share with you God's words to the brokenhearted, I believe you will see that when God & grief meet, His power, peace and presence are bigger and more real than our uncertainties, sorrow, and loneliness." (p. 10) In chapters with titles such as Feeling Your World Fall Apart, Throwing Rocks at God's Windows, Preserving a Memory No One Can Steal, Hoping for Heaven, and Continuing On When It Doesn't Seem Possible, Lynn Eib and the stories she shares cut straight to the raw emotions of grief. Whether you cry every time you look at applesauce or you aren't sure of your loved one's eternal destination, this book will let you know that 1) you are not the only one experienceing this and 2) God's word is full of tender comfort to lean on. I was so touched by this book that I ordered a previous book of hers, When God & Cancer Meet, which she wrote as a result of being diagnosed with advanced colon cancer at the age of 36. It is tremendous as well. If you are struggling with grief, if you know someone who is in this difficult season, or if your spiritual gift is caring and ministering to those who are hurting, I highly recommend this book.

Reading Lynn Eib's book, When God & Grief Meet: True Stories of Comfort and Courage was like talking to a friend who really understood our ups and downs of grief. Within a year after our son's tragic death, a friend seeing me smile, said to me, "you look good. You must be 'over it'." I just nodded in agreement - but inside was screaming "over IT" ? How do you EVER get over the loss of a child? It's confirmed on a weekly basis when I look through memorial obituaries and see families remembering a baby or child that died 20, 30, or 40 years ago. I like the way Lynn stated it in her book: "Even though you'll never get over your grief, you can get through it." This book is filled with stories of those who have experienced their loss - and shares hope. It's sad, and it tore at my heart reading many of the stories. This book is not written for any one particular bereaved person - the stories are of those who have temporarily said good-bye to parents, spouses, children and special loved ones. I believe this summarizes why Lynn wrote the book: "As I share with you God's words to the broken hearted, I believe you will see that when God and grief meet, His power, peace and forgiveness are bigger and more real than our uncertainties, sorrow and loneliness." Lynn writes personally and simply. It is not one of "in-depth theological answers to the questions of suffering and dying". Instead, she wants to "ride with you in your grief-storm and read the compass". When God & Grief Meet: True Stories of Comfort and Courage is an easy read book of love and care. She shares "tender reminders" from Scripture, including verses of those who questioned God when they went through their valleys. Thank you Lynn, for writing this book. You did indeed know my "grief storm".

Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one knows intimately the pain and loneliness associated with grief. God truly does meet grief in the pages of this book. You will be comforted and inspired by the stories of real people facing real grief, who were given the strength and comfort they needed through prayer. You are not alone in your grief. Lynn Eib does an amazing job of illustrating through the stories of the people in this book, that God can meet you during tragedy and give you the courage and comfort you need to face each day. Anyone who has ever experienced grief should have this book on their nightstand.