Literature
These references and reviews are the beginning of an upcoming project. If you would like to contribute a book title for review, please send it through our contact page. In the mean time, we hope these few books will be of some help.
daily devotionals
Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman
A older friend from our church much acquainted with grief handed this to us at our time of loss. Written in the 1920s, Cowman journals through her life's challenges by writing out a verse and including quotations from other authors. Streams in the Dessert can be heavy as you walk along another weary traveller seeking God's word for encouragement. Consider finding an earlier copy as the more antiquated language can be quite charming.
Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon
I'm not sure how many times we have gone through this daily devotional, but it never gets old. We've been using Alistair Begg's version of Morning and Evening subtitled A New Edition of the Classic Devotional Based on The Holy Bible (ESV). Poignant, yet poetic, Spurgeon's lessons are encouraging and challenging.
New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp
We have used this book more recently to help us stay heaven focused. While most of the entries do not pertain to loss, Tripp provides biblical perspective for everyday challenges.
making sense out of loss
Safe in the Arms of God: Truth from Heaven About the Death of a Child by John F. MacArthur
It's hard to comprehend the loss of an innocent child. There are so many questions as to the age of accountability, a child's true understanding of God's gift of salvation through Christ's work on the cross. MacArthur provides compelling biblical arguments for their security in heaven. We hope you find this book as encouraging and comforting as we do.
Secular References
On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler
We've all heard about the five stages of loss. Personally, I was frustrated by them and felt like someone was trying to diagnose me. Or as if someone was trying to sanitize loss through organization. The popularized version of the stages of loss should certainly be perceived this way and has unfortunately equipped many with an incorrect linear understanding of grief. In her last published book written with Kessler, Kübler-Ross presents a more open, messy, and realistic perspective on grieving. Since the 1990s, academics have reconsidered their position on "healthy" grieving practices. Perhaps the most pertinent take-away is the shift in attitude towards integrating those lost into ongoing relationships. If you are looking for a book to provide context for those going through the grieving process and to read that it's ok to live with loss rather than cut it off, you should consider reading this book (with a lens of discernment).