Reflections on Death and Grief
Reflections on Death and Grief

Author: Albert J.D. Walsh

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2010-01-07

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1725227320

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"When we are called to minister to the dying and/or bereaved, many of us who count ourselves as servants of God too easily prejudge the matter and rush in with words and a trite formula. Words have become our trade, jargon our bane, and verbiage our downfall. "Bert Walsh knows this all too well. Only in the last of five chapters does he get around to the things which we are to say in the presence of crisis. But those are words we have long ago learned from reading the New Testament or heard time and again from well-meaning consolers. What is crucial is that which comes before those words are spoken and surrounds them." --from the Foreword by G. Clarke Chapman Jr. Believing that death and bereavement present pastors and believers with the most extreme challenges to faith, Bert Walsh carefully examines the potential for new discoveries, greater personal growth, and maturity in faith offered to those who minister to the dying and bereaved. With his uncommon insight and measured, simple, purposeful style, the author helps those who minister to the grieving to develop a new sensitivity to both spoken and unspoken needs. He expertly demonstrates that there is a time for words of solace and consolation; there is also a time for silence, a time for touching, a time to share tears. Periods of silence no longer need to be awkward or uncomfortable. Rather, they can become productive moments of quiet reflection and prayer.

Wrestling with the Angel
Wrestling with the Angel

Author: Kent Koppelman

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-07-05

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 1351840487

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Wrestling with the Angel addresses the human struggle to cope with death, dying, grief, and bereavement. The book includes essays, a one-act play, a short story, and poetry, including shape poems, rhyming, structured verse, and free verse. In the one-act play, an angel of death comes for a man who has lived an unexamined life and wants to explain why he is not prepared to leave. The short story offers a humorous look at a man who resists aging by continuing to view himself as the young man he once was. The diverse genres allow for different ways of exploring these issues, but all are intended to engage the reader's emotions as well as intellect. The writings incorporate reflections and quotations addressing common human issues related to our mortality and explore reactions to the loss of a loved one--whether expected, such as the death of an aging parent or someone with a terminal illness, or unexpected, such as accidental death. The final chapters examine how aging causes us to assess our lives and why preparing ourselves for death can enhance the quality of our life. This is a book with many more questions than answers, but the reader is invited to share in the process of finding answers. It is a book that requires the reader to be comfortable with ambiguity, because the reality it describes is often ambiguous--a reality that presents us with many choices but few certainties. Intended Audience: Scholars, hospice workers, funeral home directors, hospital chaplains, ministers, and others who work with bereavement issues; classes in death education and classes for mental health professionals in death and grief; general readers who have suffered the loss of a loved one.

Meditations for the Grieving
Meditations for the Grieving

Author: Richard L. Morgan

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2013-05-08

Total Pages: 59

ISBN-13: 1625640889

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Endorsements: ""Richard Morgan equally blends Scripture, poetry, and prayer in ways that resonate with the souls of those who grieve. Pastors will find Meditations for the Grieving to be a valuable gift for those who are walking through the shadows of death. Additionally, Morgan provides a welcome resource for anyone who seeks to better understand the depths of our journey and welcome hope of a Word that provides light unto our path.'' --Dr. Donovan Drake, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Nashville, TN ""I lost my grandfather and then my father within nine days of each other. People said many things to try to help ease the pain, and the pain of those around me. In spite of good intentions, words so often miss the mark. Meditations for the Grieving offered a kind of quiet solace, available when I sought it, but never imposing. Reflecting on how other people felt and acted in their times of loss helped me feel less isolated as I worked through my own loss. --Brenda M. Sobata, MSW, Volunteer Coordinator, Redstone Highlands, Greenburg, PA ""Dr. Morgan can be trusted to offer honest, wise support to those experiencing loss. It is evident that he has listened well and offers Meditations for the Grieving as a healing touch. Grief is 'heavy, ' but the reality of the pain is faced with the hope of future peace. Along with the daily meditations are poignant readings that bring moments of new recognition and sage advice. I have shared this book with a multitude of persons through my ministry as a local pastor and professional chaplain in hospice, retirement living communities and nursing homes. It can be used for bereavement support groups or other group settings. Those who meditate upon the words of this book will come to understand that nothing can separate them from the love of God.'' --Rev. Jim Ludwick, retired United Methodist clergyman and chaplain About the Contributor(s): Richard L. Morgan is a volunteer in pastoral care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. He facilitates an Alzheimer's Support Group in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. At present he is a writer, and has written fifteen books in the field of Spirituality, Aging, Spiritual Care and Grief and Loss. His most recent books are: 'Meditations for the Grieving, ' 'Settling In, ' and 'No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted: The Spirituality of Caring for Persons with Dementia.' His Web site is http: //richardmorganauthor.com where his blog, ""View from 80,"" can be viewed.

A Road Too Short for the Long Journey
A Road Too Short for the Long Journey

Author: Quentin P. Kinnison

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2019-02-04

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 1532632142

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The inevitability of death in our broken world means that grief and mourning are a normal part of the human experience. Too often, though, this normal journey of grief is cut short by a culture intent on pretending bad things don’t really happen. In A Road Too Short for the Long Journey, readers are invited to consider how we might travel this road of mourning with those who grieve and how we might join them as partners in a reorientation of the world experienced through loss.

Final Salute
Final Salute

Author: Jim Sheeler

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9781594201653

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning story, Jim Sheeler's unprecedented look at the way our country honors its dead; Final SaluteIs a stunning tribute to the brave troops who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and to the families who continue to mourn them They are the troops that nobody wants to see, carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear. It begins with a knock at the door. "The curtains pull away. They come to the door. And they know. They always know," said Major Steve Beck. Since the start of the war in Iraq, marines like Major Beck found themselves thrown into a different kind of mission: casualty notification. It is a job Major Beck never asked for and one for which he received no training. They are given no set rules, only impersonal guidelines. Marines are trained to kill, to break down doors, but casualty notification is a mission without weapons. For Beck, the mission meant learning each dead marine's name and nickname, touching the toys they grew up with and reading the letters they wrote home. He held grieving mothers in long embraces, absorbing their muffled cries into the dark blue shoulder of his uniform. He stitched himself into the fabric of their lives, in the simple hope that his compassion might help alleviate at least the smallest piece of their pain. Sometimes he returned home to his own family unable to keep from crying in the dark. In Final Salute, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jim Sheeler weaves together the stories of the fallen and of the broken homes they have left behind. It is also the story of Major Steve Beck and his unflagging efforts to help heal the wounds of those left grieving. Above all, it is a moving tribute to our troops, putting faces to the mostly anonymous names of our courageous heroes, and to the brave families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Final Saluteis the achingly beautiful, devastatingly honest story of the true toll of war. After the knock on the door, the story has only begun.

Healing After Loss
Healing After Loss

Author: Martha W. Hickman

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2009-06-09

Total Pages: 381

ISBN-13: 0061925772

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The classic guide for dealing with grief and loss. Daily reflections to find solace in our own lives, and comfort in the connection of sharing these meditations with countless others. After the focus on planning and outpouring of love from family and friends in the immediate aftermath following the loss of a loved one, we are left to enter a new version of our lives where someone important is missing. For days, months, years, the pain of the loss can crash in all at once. It is tempting to push that wave of grief back and soldier on with our new lives, but the loss will never lose its controlling power if we don’t find the courage and love to face it. Meditating on the loss, along with the rush of love that comes with it, gives us a chance to rejoice in the life that was shared, and to look forward in which memories of our loved ones continue to bless us. The short, poignant meditations given here follow the course of the year, but it is not a necessity to follow them chronologically. They will strengthen, inspire, and give comfort for as long as they are needed.

Reflections on Loss
Reflections on Loss

Author: J. C. Grace

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2016-07-11

Total Pages: 134

ISBN-13: 9781535208222

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." -Matthew 5:4 What happens when your loved ones die? Death happens to everyone. We are all affected by the grief at one point or another. This seven day christian grief work devotional uses biblical stories and references to help you understand what the bible says about death, and your own feelings associated with the loss. This Seven (7) day devotional features: - The Seven Stages Of Grief Daily Devotional - Personal Entry Areas - Reflection Questions - Bookmark ____________________________________ Grief Work Journals are a recommended coping tool for exploring the grief cycle and emotions that arise after the loss of a loved one. When completed, grief diaries tell the story of daily life through the cycle of grieving, forever giving you a written account from your perspective.. Grief journals and diaries allow you to not only express the feelings that arise after death and loss, but to review your progress through the stages of grief. You need to take time to pause, reflect, and focus on yourself. It is important to express any feelings you may have during the grieving process. Grief work journals and grief work diaries allow you to record thoughts, emotions, and feelings that otherwise may be lost or overlooked. Death and loss can cause intense emotions. Many report feeling relieved or more at peace after expressing these feelings in a grief journal. Reflection through the process of grief is important. Reflecting on a previous state of mind allows you to understand how far you have come. The grief cycle is not always a fluid process, which makes frequent reflection all that more important. It is important to note the changes in mindset and yourself through your writing. ____________________________________