Grief is no stranger in life. Sometimes it strikes unexpectedly, as in the death of a child or through an accident. At other times, though expected due to age or long-term illness, it still comes bringing with it a multitude of emotions. Janet's reflections on events that brought grief into her life and the lives of others help the reader understand there are similar emotions we all face, yet no one grieves the same. Through these reflections, readers are encouraged to journey from hurt and pain to find God's inner joy and peace, recognizing the ability to grieve is a gift given by God to help us heal.

Grief: A Mama's Unwanted Journey is not for those looking for pat answers, quick fixes, or easy solutions to work through, but for those on the journey through the sting of death. It is also for those who may one day walk arm in arm with another down this horrible road, facing grief's raw and searing pain. "Great grief is a ferocious fire. It can be a destroying or a refining fire-or both at once. This book combines searing honesty with wisdom and consolation. Most importantly, it offers realistic hope that while grief and suffering are real words-about the lost one and those who have lost-they do not have to be the defining or final words. That final word is love, something that even suffering does not erase." -Daniel Taylor, author of The Skeptical Believer "'We cannot walk out of the cemetery and into life as we knew it. We must take time to grieve.' So says my friend Shelley, who knows the path to her son's grave well. If you are tired of platitudes, tired of the trite but untrue, this book is for you, as real and raw as it gets. Grieving moms, walk with her, learn from her successes and her mistakes, and hold her hand on the unwanted journey in the storm-tossed life-boat of grief. She will guide you safely back to sanity's shore." -Dane Skelton, pastor of Faith Community Church and author of Jungle Flight: Spiritual Adventures at the Ends of the Earth

Grief: A Mamas Unwanted Journey is not for those looking for pat answers, quick fixes, or easy solutions to work through, but for those on the journey through the sting of death. It is also for those who may one day walk arm in arm with another down this horrible road, facing griefs raw and searing pain. Great grief is a ferocious fire. It can be a destroying or a refining fireor both at once. This book combines searing honesty with wisdom and consolation. Most importantly, it offers realistic hope that while grief and suffering are real wordsabout the lost one and those who have lostthey do not have to be the defining or final words. That final word is love, something that even suffering does not erase. Daniel Taylor, author of The Skeptical Believer We cannot walk out of the cemetery and into life as we knew it. We must take time to grieve. So says my friend Shelley, who knows the path to her sons grave well. If you are tired of platitudes, tired of the trite but untrue, this book is for you, as real and raw as it gets. Grieving moms, walk with her, learn from her successes and her mistakes, and hold her hand on the unwanted journey in the storm-tossed life-boat of grief. She will guide you safely back to sanitys shore. Dane Skelton, pastor of Faith Community Church and author of Jungle Flight: Spiritual Adventures at the Ends of the Earth

Grief is no stranger in life. Sometimes it strikes unexpectedly, as in the death of a child or through an accident. At other times, though expected due to age or long-term illness, it still comes bringing with it a multitude of emotions. Janet's reflections on events that brought grief into her life and the lives of others help the reader understand there are similar emotions we all face, yet no one grieves the same. Through these reflections, readers are encouraged to journey from hurt and pain to find God's inner joy and peace, recognizing the ability to grieve is a gift given by God to help us heal.

Jennifer witnesses her husband's tragic death during a shocking workplace incident while she's on the phone with him. The story documents her journey through the grief, fear, and post-traumatic stress of sudden, traumatic loss. She also shares the experiences of others she met on her path to healing through group therapy. This book offers a guide with resources and journal pages to assist readers in processing their own grief and moving forward in life. It's a poignant account of resilience, providing hope and support for those who have faced similar sudden, traumatic losses. -- from back cover.

“Compassionate, poignant, and practical. . . . Transcending Loss will be a great blessing on your lifetime journey of recovery.”—Harold Bloomfield, MD, psychiatrist and author of How to Survive the Loss of Love and How to Heal Depression Death doesn’t end a relationship, it simply forges a new type of relationship—one based not on physical presence but on memory, spirit, and love. There are many wonderful books available that address acute grief and how to cope with it. But they often focus on crisis management and imply that there is an "end" to mourning, and fail to acknowledge grief’s ongoing impact and how it changes through the years. “This is a book about death and grief, yes, but more important, it is a book about love and hope. I have learned from my experience and interviews with courageous people about pain, struggle, resiliency, and meaning. Their stories show over time, you can learn to transcend even in spite of the pain.”—from the introduction by Ashley Davis Bush, LCSW

Linda Smith grew up impoverished, neglected and abused, but knew a great destiny awaited. She had no idea her life would take the turns it would, or deliver her from fear and guilt to triumph and unconditional love. A high school dropout turned model actress, Smith married a popular Canadian entertainer and built a life together traveling across two countries while becoming entrenched in the Las Vegas celebrity community. Linda had achieved a pinnacle she never thought possible--and then it all came crashing down. When Linda gave birth to a Down syndrome baby, she was certain life as they knew it was over, but instead, their son Christopher became a catalyst that catapulted Linda onto even bigger stages. Behind the glitz and glamour of the Strip, she produced charity events and concerts for a cherished disability organization, learning the job of fundraiser among millionaires, mobsters, and city movers-and-shakers. She became one of the nation's most successful fundraisers, raising over half a billion dollars for disability causes, but her most cherished role was as a mother, seeing Chris exceed all expectations and become a force that changed not just her life, but their entire world.