Permission to Grieve: Moving Forward with Loss
Permission to Grieve
WHEN LOSS IS SUDDEN OR NEVER LEAVES
We shouldn’t need permission to grieve, yet grief is an uncomfortable emotion, so others encourage us to smile, look on the bright side, or be strong. They remind us that everything happens for a reason, time heals all wounds, and we just need to (fill in the blank).
The truth is that grief is a deep well, a grey fog, a broken mirror, a thousand tiny papercuts, and a tidal wave.
Every loss is grief.
Grief shifts the ground beneath our feet. It is universal, unavoidable, and uniquely individual. Acute loss hits us suddenly and unexpectedly, while chronic loss is a slow drip of change over time. All loss changes us.
God longs for us to come to Him with our sorrow and pain. He understands our grief, meets us in each ache, weeps with us, walks beside us, and collects every tear in a bottle (Psalm 56:8).
God is with us in every ache, all loss, each sorrow, and every moment of grief. We are not alone.
Heaven is on the horizon. A new day is coming! That is our bright hope.
May this book be a beacon of hope and a treasured companion for the journey.
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In the Midst of Grief
(Navigating loss, suffering, pain, and sorrow.)
Grief is no stranger to those of us affected by chronic illness, pain, and suffering. While there are no rules for grieving chronic loss, there is a road map, and fellow travelers are ahead and behind us on the journey. Grief often precedes growth.
As you read Permission to Grieve, you will meet fellow valley-walkers—men and women who have learned to bear their losses and crosses in a way that glorifies God. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and He warned us that we will share in that as well. How blessed you are to hold in your hands a book of encouragement and wisdom to help you on your challenging journey, strengthen your faith, and give you godly comfort. I highly recommend it!
God, where are you? How could you love me and allow this to happen? Have you forgotten me? Do you see my tears? My heart is in anguish, and I feel so alone. Grief comes in many different shapes and sizes, and the weight of grief is isolating and exhausting. The loss of a loved one, a change in personal health, the prodigal child, losing a job, are all grievous and deeply personal. Permission to Grieve does just that—it reminds us that we are not alone, that we have the right to grieve, and it is even expected. It points us to Scripture as it gently and lovingly reminds us that God has not forsaken us and reminds us that even Jesus grieved. It has been a balm to my sad, aching heart, and I will always have extra copies on hand to share with others walking this same journey who need to be reminded that God is here, that He is always with us, that He has not left or forsaken us, and that His grace is sufficient to see us through.
Permission to Grieve is just another example of Chronic Joy making a difference for so many people. While most people feel grief is an awkward or taboo subject, this compassionately written book shares new options and ideas for grieving with Jesus at your side. In Him, you will find hope. Reading this has helped me explore my variety of grief journeys and allowed me to help others in new ways. Be blessed, but also be a blessing, and joy will be yours.
Chronic Joy has long been a priceless resource to my community, particularly those who deal daily with chronic illness and debilitating pain. Their latest release, Permission to Grieve, is gritty, truthful, and encouraging…an authentic rendering of the journey of grief from people who have had to grieve more loss than any human should have to. I very highly recommend it.
Permission to Grieve hits at the heart of chronic illness: the suffering from the loss of who we are as persons. When God meets you in that suffering, hope and new life emerge. Chronic Joy has created a freeing, guilt-removing, Jesus-centered guide to bearing fruit in one's life through grief. We will use this book with our patients to help them find hope and belief in the very situations where these are hardest to find. Thank you for this courageous work.
DR. THOMAS CHELIMSKI
Professor of Neurology and Director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s autonomic laboratory
DR. GISELA CHELIMSKI
Professor and Chief, division of gastroenterology; interim vice chair of health care engagement, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
I’m a chronic sufferer who values authentic lament and God-centered hope. And happily, this collection of reflections, prayers, comforts, and practical next steps meets those criteria.
Chronic Joy’s materials are insightful, practical, comforting, focused on God, and abounding with joy. I believe that Permission to Grieve, which is full of such grace, will inspire hope and help for sufferers and caregivers alike.
If you long to answer unrelenting sorrow with chronic joy like me, here is a healing wellspring of hope.
Chronic Joy skillfully explores so many different aspects of grief in this beautiful, heart-touching, and Jesus-centered book. As I read and learn new ways of seeing Jesus in my grief, it is amazing to discover hope in the midst of the chaos that sometimes comes with grief. Thank you, Chronic Joy, for this blessing of Permission to Grieve.