lizgmarshall

Book Release Announcement:

Grief Survivor – 28 Steps toward Hope & Healing

Release Date: July 11, 2014

 Here’s what people are saying:

“I look forward to using Grief Survivor as a gift for people when they have lost a loved one. In the moments when there are no words to say, this beautiful journal will say what I wish I could. Grief Survivor will far outlast a card or flowers!”  – C M Lewis

“I wish I had Grief Survivor when I lost my Mom. This book would have helped me understand all the mixed emotions, and know I wasn’t going crazy!  Thank you for the practical steps toward healing in Grief Survivor.”  – Sherry E. Cooley

 Do you know someone who is overwhelmed with grief?

 Author, Beth Marshall understands. After losing close family members, she started to write through the sorrow. Marshall not only found comfort and hope, but also realized there really can be joy-filled life after loss!

 Beth Marshall is a speaker, freelance journalist and author of A Time to Heal, a grief journal. Learn how she and Grief Survivor can help your organization.

864.940.9467

www.griefsurvivor.com

** for free shipping now through August 1, 2014- email us: [email protected] 

Have you ever had an emergency landing? 
You’ve been briefed from the flight crew about the “unlikely event of an emergency,” but thankfully few of us ever experience the real thing.

Getting a late night knock at the door or call with shocking news can feel like an emergency landing- with absolutely no time to brace. After losing close family members I worried that I might eventually forget some of the amazing things about them. 

I started to write in my spiral journal. Recalling memories of happier times wasn’t always easy. Some of the pages were stained by tears, but gradually I began to smile again. Writing helped my heart feel lighter. It also gave me confidence my beloved family members wouldn’t be forgotten. 

So what about you? Maybe you’ve gotten sudden traumatic news with no time to prepare. I don’t pretend to know what’s going on in your heart; but do believe there’s something you can do, even today to help keep your memories fresh. Get a journal and start to write. The story of a life is priceless, and much too important to be forgotten.

Grief Survivor –  28 Steps toward Hope and Healing can help.  Be the first on your block to pre-order here!! 

Okay, well technically it is- but not the kind that got you in trouble in middle school. 

Has your world world been turned upside down recently? Maybe it was the loss of your job or the end of a relationship; or it could have been the death of someone you love. Whenever life knocks your feet out from under you and you’re barely hanging on, rest is one of the wisest choices you can make.

I confess for years my addiction of choice was news media. Surely tuning in to my favorite talk radio personalities would help me solve all the political scandals both here and overseas. As sleep became more and more difficult I knew something had to change. It wasn’t cold turkey~ I didn’t want to end up in media rehab; but as I gently scaled back the 24/7 media frenzy, my mind was able wind down and rest.  

How about you? Are you downing a grande Macchiato latte late in the day, then can’t sleep? Do you believe napping is for babies and lazy people?

Here’s some awesome news. God rested. Seriously, He did. In six days He created not only the heavens and the earth, but also water, the sky, plants,and living creatures! And you think your schedule is intense. On the seventh day He rested. God rested. “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” (Genesis 2:3)

Lord, help! When my schedule is unsustainable and impossible- please give me rest. When my media or life habits prevent sound sleep, help me unplug. Remind me the world will rotate perfectly well for an hour or a day, or even longer without me.  Amen. 

“Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap on a rope.”                                            Bill Cosby

Unless you are hiking in the Australian outback or cruising the Mediterranean, you probably know it’s Father’s Day. There’s no escaping the tv and internet images of families grilling out and celebrating dads. 

This year you might be missing your father. If you are, you’re not alone.

My dad’s name was John Glenn. He was not the astronaut, but occasionally this John Glenn didn’t mind leveraging his famous name in a crowded restaurant. Once he was asked if he was “the real John Glenn.” When he answered yes, a table somehow became available. Go dad. 

Sometimes he let us play in his office, fully furnished with carbon paper, stamp pads and an adding machine the size of a Boeing 747. Even now a whiff of pipe tobacco takes me back to his office. Thankfully, there were no nicotine police then. I’ll never forget the day I filled his cherished wooden pipe with bubbles. As it turned out, the bubble pipe caper only happened once.

Dad never threw away our handmade gifts. The clay hand prints and waxed paper bookmarks filled with melted crayons were proudly displayed on his desk, along with photos of his five kids. Even the awkward beautiful middle school pictures with dominant front teeth, before braces stayed right on his desk. He probably would have loved soap on a rope. 

How about you?If you are missing your dad right now, or maybe you are a father grieving the loss of a beloved child, Father’s day can feel suffocating. What will you do with Father’s day this year? Maybe one of these ideas will help:

Change things up. Spend time with family or friends who understand. Be intentional as you plan a strategy for the holiday. You might even want to get out of town somewhere refreshing and away from the Father’s day crowds.

Tell somebody. Often after losing someone, you’re surrounded by people, flowers and a mountain of cards. Then, a few weeks later the flowers fade and everybody seems to disappear. The silence can be deafening. If you’re struggling this Father’s day you may have to let someone know. Friends might need a little coaching to know what you need. 

Remember. Telling your family’s stories is one of the best ways to keep memories fresh and begin to heal. Let people know it’s okay to say the name of the person you’re missing. 

Never quit telling the story of the life that’s much too important to be forgotten.

How are you honoring your dad or honoring his memory this Father’s day?

Losing someone you love is like having part of your heart ripped out. Whether death came through sudden catastrophe or a drawn out disease where there was time to prepare, grief often leaves us with more questions than answers. 

• What do I do with all the regrets? 
• Why do people say crazy things when they’re trying to help? 
• Shouldn’t I be able to power through the sorrow on my own?  

Grief is a process and there are three challenges almost everyone goes through:
 
1. Rehashing regrets is like riding a stationary bicycle. You’ll go round and round to the point of exhaustion, but don’t really get anywhere. 

When someone dies, we’re often left with a sense of unfinished business, rehashing circumstances that could have played out differently. Maybe there are things you wish you could have said, or some things that would have been better left unsaid. How do you stop the Instagram video of regrets playing over and over in your head?

Writing a letter to the person you’re missing is one of the best ways to short circuit the relentless replay of what could have been. A letter:

• is a safe place to express your unfiltered thoughts. Good, bad, confused, relieved — every emotion is OK.
• can help you express yourself when you’re feeling stuck.
• is for your eyes only, or not. Your choice.

How you release the letter is up to you. You could shred it into a thousand pieces or attach it to a balloon and literally let it go. 

I love to offer this kind of letter in the form of a prayer, asking the Lord to fix what I can’t. Psalm 62:8 reminds us that we can be honest with whatever we’re feeling: “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” No matter how deep your sorrow, God can be trusted.

2. Listen more. Talk less. 

Why do people say such crazy things when someone dies? 

• Well, I guess God needed another little angel in heaven. 
• At least you can have more children.
• Sorry about your husband. I know just how you feel. My cat died.

Seriously? While there’s no way to prevent insensitive comments, you may want to take a deep breath before firing back to set the record straight. James 1:19 says it best, “…be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” Hopefully, next time the well-meaning person will embrace the awkward silence rather than attempting to fill it with words that hurt.   

3. For some reason, we’ll go to the doctor for a broken arm, but we’ll try to mend a broken heart with no outside help. 

Psalm 34:18 says, “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  

People with strong faith are often the worst to try flying solo through life’s most intense challenges. If you’re feeling overwhelmed in grief, calling a trusted friend, care pastor or counselor is one of the bravest steps you can take. Allowing people to pray for you can be a pivotal moment as you begin to embrace life again after loss. 
 
                 
by Beth Marshall, author of Grief Survivor and A Time to Heal, a grief journal. 

Maybe you’re one of the rare individuals who knows exactly what to say in a difficult time of loss. Unfortunately, for the other 99 % of the world, grief makes us uncomfortable. And in an attempt to fill the awkward silence we sometimes say crazy things.

 Maybe you’ve heard some of these words that don’t help:                     *God must have needed another angel in heaven.                             *You’re young. You can marry again.                                                      *You can always have more children.                                                 *They’re in a better place.                                                                   *You’re better now, right?

Insensitive remarks often come from people who have no idea what you’re feeling right now. If you’re tempted to strike back and set the record straight, it might be wise to take a deep breath and count to ten. Hopefully the well-meaning person will learn from your silence!

Some words that help:                                                                                 * I’m so sorry.                                                                                                 * I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.                                                     * I’d love to bring you a meal in a couple weeks.                                           * Please use my beach house if you need it.

I have to remind myself…when in doubt, listen more; talk less!