Grief

Top 5 Friday: Christian Books on Grief

In this replay, I share my Top 5 Christian books on grief, discussing WHO they're for, WHY I think they're helpful, and WHEN to recommend them. Special thanks to this week's top viewers (Cynthia, Maree, & Ruth) for making the broadcast conversational. And congratulations to Cynthia, who won this week's book giveaway by engaging with the most comments during the livestream.
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Favorite Bible Verses to Comfort in Grief

"God’s Word provides powerful comfort in grief. Because scripture is alive and active, time in the Word settles our heart and anchors our emotions in loss. I’ve asked several friends who’ve walked through grief from various kinds of loss to share their favorite Bible verses to comfort in grief. These writers and ministry leaders each share a favorite scripture and how that verse impacted their grief." -Lisa Appelo
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How Do I Talk to My Kids About Sorrow?

Forewarning our kids about the realities of sorrow can forearm them to face it by faith. Christ said these seasons would come, and that we would find comfort, hope, and peace by looking to him when they do.
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Hope + Help for Loss and Grief with Paul Tautges

In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Paul Tautges about his book, "A Small Book for the Hurting Heart: Meditations on Loss, Grief, and Healing," exploring how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers comfort and strength for those walking through seasons of mourning.
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Hope + Help for Death-Awareness with Matthew McCullough

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author and pastor Matthew McCullough. They discuss Matt's book, "Remember Death: The Surprising Path to Living Hope" to learn how cultivating "death-awareness" clarifies the relevance of Jesus's promises in the midst of our everyday problems. During the conversation, Matt offers listeners an overview of the Christian tradition of "memento mori" (latin: remember death) and explains some of the reasons why death-awareness was such a prominent part of daily life in earlier centuries. He also considers why 21st century Western Christians have increasingly shoved the realities of death from their consciousness—and examines the various negative impacts such death-avoidance has had as a result. Finally, Matt carefully unpacks the hope and help of the gospel of Jesus to the problem of death-avoidance, encouraging listeners to remember their identity in Christ as they seek to better understand the enemy of death and its implications for fruitful Christian living.
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Death Will Come When Christ Calls

It was not until I became a follower of Christ that my perspective on death changed, and I came to understand it as something more than an instrument of destruction. In Christ, death is no doomsday — it’s a gateway.
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8 Truths to Remember in the Midst of Sadness

The card references 8 common lies we may find ourselves listening to as we walk through seasons of sorrows, and pits them against eternal biblical truths. By providing a wealth of key Scripture references, Dr. Newheiser reminds the sorrowing to look to their identity in Christ and God's unchanging character as a means of sustaining grace.
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Hope + Help for Depression & Grief: 9 Episodes You Don’t Want to Miss

There have been a number of guest on the show whose books (or interview topics) have revolved around offering gospel hope and help in depression/grief contexts. If you are someone walking through a season of grief/depression, or have been called to care for someone who is, these podcast episodes are sure to offer helpful biblical insights, gospel-centered comforts, and practical applications for taking next steps by faith.
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Hope + Help for Grief Care with Nancy Guthrie

In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author and bible teacher Nancy Guthrie. They discuss Nancy's book, "What Grieving People Wish You Knew about What Really Helps (and What Really Hurts)" to better understand the raw emotions people face as they experience grief, and to learn how to compassionately and confidently interact with those who are mourning the loss of a loved one. Nancy shares about walking through the deaths of her two infant babies, and how grief can become a hurdle in everyday relationships. She offers some cautions about what not to say to someone who is grieving, and also suggests possible conversation starters that demonstrate a proper esteem of the loss. Additionally, Nancy observes the misguided assumptions supporters can sometimes make about grieving people, and shines a light on the pain that is felt when friends and family keep their distance. Lastly, Nancy steers listeners back to the hope of heaven through Jesus Christ, and examines why spiritual sentimentality is too flimsy to offer real hope in the midst of unbearable pain.
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John Mark McMillan and the Grief Behind “How He Loves”

As I was writing last week, I stumbled upon John Mark McMillan's record, "The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down" on Spotify. His song, "How He Loves" is one I am quite familiar with, but there's a particular version of the song on this record which was totally new to me—and it stopped me in my tracks.
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When We Hit Rock Bottom: Waiting on God in Sad Seasons

Psalm 126 is a song of hope for those held captive by present sorrows and dire affliction. It encourages those who walk with weighted steps to wait expectantly for their God. There is a special promise for those who shed tears in desperate places—the sorrow will not endure forever. God will restore us once more, and our joy will be made all the greater for having endured the tribulation by faith. When rock bottom feels like the end of us, we can trust that Christ will hold us fast—for “with him is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7).
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For the Baby I Didn’t Hold • A Poem for Grieving the Miscarried & Stillborn

While this poem is for my dearest nephew, Timothy Sawyer, born 6 lbs. 5 oz. and 20 inches long, it is also for family members who have walked alongside a grieving parent—who have shed tears for a baby they never cradled in their arms. May the love for that child never be deferred, lost, or forgotten, but cherished and proudly worn as a reminder of the joyous reunion that awaits upon the horizon. May we grieve, may we hope, and may we look forward to the day when sad things come untrue.
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Engaging Grief with Hope: Responding Biblically to Our Sorrow

Grief can often feel like a bully. It’s not uncommon for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one to be overtaken by waves of sorrow when they least expect it. Sometimes it’s a simple sight or smell that brings us to our knees; we’ll find ourselves head-in-hand, weeping as if the loss […]
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