Heartbreak to Hope: Overcoming the Anguish of Grief

Have you suffered the death of someone you love? Do you know someone struggling with grief? It's one of the most difficult things we humans experience. As a pastor Rev. Dr. Samuel Wright had walked with hundreds of people who had lost loved ones. Then his son died. He had to endure the abuse of grief in a different, deeper and more personal way. In Heartbreak to Hope: Overcoming the Anguish of Grief he merges his pastoral wisdom with his own despair as he walks with the reader toward hope. In his vulnerability and honesty he does not sugarcoat the pain of grief. Yet he offers help to those struggling with grief in a way that is real. The aim of this book is to enable you to: Grant yourself permission to grieve Learn practical ways to cope with grief Receive honest encouragement and insight Grow in the grace and love of God in spite of your pain Connect with the witnesses of the Bible who also suffered losses If you have lost a child, a spouse, a relative or friend, this book will help you cope with your grief and move you toward hope and peace. We are not taught how to grieve. Grief is something we have to learn through tragedy and loss. However, there are things that we can learn from one another, especially from those who have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. God may seem a million miles away or non-existent to the person enduring grief. What Dr. Wright shares is that God's grace is what gets us through each moment with the help of friends and family, God's own presence and the stories of others. Not only is this book helpful for those who are wrestling with mourning, but it is a valuable guide to those who care for others in their loss. By witnessing the depths of despair of this pastor and his movement toward hope, caregivers will grow in their compassion toward those who mourn. Jesus taught that we should weep with those who weep. Heartbreak to Hope enables caregivers to empathize with those grieving the death of a loved one. Each chapter contains a passage from the Bible, which connects to grieving, the author's personal testimony to the devastation of grief, words of encouragement, suggestions for moving forward, and a prayer. Because of its inspirational wisdom Heartbreak to Hope makes a meaningful and comforting gift to those who are in the midst of despair over a lost loved one as well as for those who care for them.

Review :
Each chaper, and there were many, contained helpful insight and suggestions. The concepts would benefit both those facing death themselves, and those desiring to help others work through their own grief. I found his poetry especially meaningful. I would recommend the book to anyone experiencing death in their own life, or searching ways to help others going through their owned grief work. (Amazon review) Honest feelings from a pastor and human being who lost his son in one tragic moment that can't be taken back. (Amazon review) Once I read myself, I sent several copies out to friends and family. Two of my Doctors asked for information in order to recommend to patients. It really keeps you engaged and you feel someone finally gets the pain of losing a loved one and all the emotions that come with any loss. (Amazon review) Really great book! I am sending to my sister that is how good it is! (Amazon review) Extremely helpful in times of grief. God bless you Pastor Sam (Amazon review) Wonderful words for someone who has lost a loved one. (Amazon review) You are not alone. What seems like the impossible to overcome and carry on is addressed on levels anyone who has lost someone can really relate to. Understanding the emotions of our grief is a difficult subject to generalize and personally relate to. Each person grieves in his own way and getting through the anguish of loss is devastating to most people. I found this book to help me in many of the examples given that I too, experienced almost exactly. You're not alone, hope is there, trying to figure out WHY on so many fronts just hurts so much. This book actually opens you up to Hope. Very therapeutic for me. (Amazon review) I found Heartbreak to Hope to be both deep and accessible. Author Sam Wright's experiences around the death of his son and the theological questions raised are powerfully communicated through prose, narrative and questions for reflection. Anyone who has suffered the untimely death of a loved one will find this book to be a worthy and helpful companion on an unwelcome journey of grief. Though I have not gone through such a loss personally, as a pastor I walk with people who do. This book has increased my understanding of what they are going through and enlarged my capacity to care for them. / The author is a friend who gifted me this book. I have purchased four copies since and have already given away two of them. I plan always to keep a copy or two on hand to share. - Jeff Bennett (Amazon review)