I was in tears while reading this book. This is probably the warmest, rawest and most relatable book I have ever read about grief. And when it comes to grief, who among us could ever remain untouched?
If we come to think of it, we are all “dying.” Someone even bluntly said that none would ever get out of this life alive. And that is just the truth.
It may not be ours, but it could be our loved one’s death. It comes like a thief in the night and takes away that which matters most to us.
What I love about this book is how it does not refrain from talking about the reality of grief when it comes to our humanity. While it was clearly written in the light of our Christian faith and our belief in eternal life, it does not preach as though coming from an untouchable pulpit.
And Jesus Wept. Just three words. And yet it tells us so much.
Even Jesus wept. How could we not do the same?
But how do we even start to grieve? If grief is a process, is there really a step-by-step procedure we can follow so that we can come out of it relieved without breaking our schedule?
The truth is that there is no such schedule. Even the steps they say are so mingled and interchangeable that we can’t help but feel we’re in such a mess while we’re grieving.
Knowing, however, that even Jesus wept comfort us. It helps us to know that we are not alone in this. That Jesus understands.
If you are in a season of grief right now, or someone close to you is, I recommend this book. This is not a book that promises to fill your mind only with “know-how”. It is a companion that promises to walk with you and to be there in your darkest and most painful hours.
I received a free copy of this book. If you would also like to read this one, you can purchase the book from Amazon:
And Jesus Wept: A Field Guide for the Grieving (And Those That Love Them)
Here are some of the most unforgettable quotes from the book:
“That is the hurt—the love itself. If we didn’t love, we wouldn’t hurt. That’s the painful truth about grief: the only way to remove the pain is to remove the love, and that would be so much worse. To write about grief is to write about love.”
“We are not given a why. We are given a Who. And the Who is a God who weeps. A God who hurts. A God who loves—deeply, openly, vulnerably.”
“Even at the tomb, in the stench, in the silence before anything changes, God is there with us. God is no less God in our pain, and God is no less our Father in our grief.”
“The Bible isn’t about denying or suppressing our pain, but about helping us to find the strength and the faith to endure it. Faith doesn’t answer the ‘Why?’ Faith allows me to stand in the ‘I don’t know.’”
“Even Jesus, who could raise the dead with a word, stood outside the tomb of His friend. He groaned. He cried. He didn’t explain the pain away. He didn’t preach a sermon. Bursting out into tears was His sermon. The Savior of the world took the time to feel His feelings. That should tell us something.”
For those who are missing their departed loved ones: