Six weeks ago, I spent a few days at the coast with a dear friend, wrapping up the first draft manuscript for the new book, Uncrushed: real steps for healing your grief and restoring your joy. I remember thinking, “girl, this book’s ready to go, nothing more to see here… you nailed it.”
That was until the last night of my visit when my friend asked if I would read the book aloud to her. Whaaat? That’s crazy, I quickly responded. No way. I finally agreed to read some of the chapters, even though it felt super awkward. It didn’t take long to discover the value of reading your stuff out loud to someone you trust.
Back to the story
Uncrushed intentionally starts out as real, light, and inviting as humanly possible for a grief-relief book.
Twenty minutes in, I began to read the chapter that I had almost omitted- the part about my beloved dad’s painful battle with diagnosed, yet untreated mental illness, that led to what felt like a total collapse of our family.
That’s the moment I started to cry… reading my own words. I never saw those tears coming.
My precious friend gently suggested, “you’re not fully healed from that pain, are you?”
She was so right. It had never occurred to me that the deep grief and trauma our family experienced was something that still needed healing.
Thankfully, I’ve been able to connect with a gifted counselor who’s been helping me deal with the “uncried tears” around my dad’s illness.
The book writing process has been teaching me a lot:
- letting people in doesn’t mean you’re weak. It takes strength to admit you’re drowning.
- it’s never ever too late for the Lord to heal your heart.
- reading your stuff aloud is actually not weird. Unless you’re in Starbucks like I am right now. Then it’s weird.
I’m happy to tell you my precious dad was ultimately able to get the help he needed and restore a lot of what was lost. Thank you, Lord.
I want to remind you that whatever you’re dealing with right now matters. There is no anxiety, loss, depression, heart ache, or pain that is too small or too big for the Lord to touch.
Make the call. Tell a friend. Connect with a counselor. You’re worth it. We were never designed to go through the wonderful days or the difficult ones alone.
How may we pray for you today? I invite you to stop by my FaceBook page and join in the conversation. You are not alone.
Your grief passages gave me comfort. Since the pandemic I have searching the scriptures to assist grieving people. I am grieving now because our didn’t get things in order so that the family could help her. One of my sisters is helping mom now. I have taken care of my parents and truly honor them for making me . Dad is gone. Mom is pretty difficult to take care of. My sister complains taking care of mother I left my job to take care of my parents. I’m 60 now with no income my husband is the bread winner. He’s tired as well. Pray for him he loss his mother September 2022. He will not go to doctors he’s always in pain. I told him to get a dog to help him exercise more because he almost died from a pulmonary embolism 2015. I prayed to God and believed God for His healing. Lord I thank for the Grief Survivor material to help others when grief is not an option it’s a loss. Thank You Jesus for your strength and encouragement from the word that gives us Power to keep going. In Jesus Name Amen
Thank you for your kind words, Salima. Asking the Lord to do what only He can do, and give you and your family His peace and great strength through these difficult days.