The Unwanted Gift of Grief: A Ministry Approach

by Tim P. Vanduivendyk and Tim P Van Duivendyk

Book Overview

Learn how to embrace the painful gift of grief and use it for transformation and healing as you journey through the wilderness to a promised life.

The Unwanted Gift of Grief is a passionate, practical guide through the grieving process for those who have suffered loss--and those who suffer with them. Rather than talking people out of their grief and pain as a way to make them feel better, this unique book invites them into the grief and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789029502
• ISBN13: 9780789029508
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Gift of Grief

This is an excellent book well written and informative. A must for all those who minister to grieving families.

A TRUE COMPANION FOR THOSE IN THE DEPTHS OF GRIEF

This is a wonderful book to read when you are trying to understand how you are going to live on when a loved one dies. It helps you to understand that your life will never be the same again, but that doesn't mean your life is over. Tim does a great job of giving you permission to have all of your feelings, even though no one else may understand what you are going through. He writes this book from experiences he has been through, or seen others go through, during his years as a minister/counselor,. He also discusses a topic few dare to write about. The fact that we as christians pray that God will hear our prayers and cure our loved ones, but seldom does this happen. If you want to better understand the darkness of grief, and how life can go one, this book is for you.

One of my top five books on grief and loss.

Tim has the combined gifts of wisdom, professional and personal experience, education and a "knowing heart", which makes this book an outstanding resource for anyone who has received the unwanted gift of grief. I read his book three times during the first month after my son was killed. I also attended a weekend seminar he facilitated on grief, which helped me understand this turn in my spiritual journey into the "wilderness".

One of the best books on this subject

No one escapes the need to deal with grief at some point in their life. The question is how do we move from grief to transformation? That is the focus of this book. Whether it is our personal grief or the grief of a friend or loved one we all need to move through it. While everyone grieves different people may grieve very differently. By understanding the losses, suffering and eventual healing that others have gone through we come to understand grief as a normal process and a gift from God to help us heal. One part of the book is dedicated to examining the effect of grief on marriage and family. This part includes looking at the different ways that men and women often grieve and how that can affect a relationship. In this section the author also includes a discussion on how grief can affect sexual closeness. The author's comments reveal a deep understanding of grief and loss. He examines common ways that people use to deal with sickness and injury including prayers for miracles and making contracts with God. For those looking to help others in their grief part three is an excellent guide. It is titled Sojourners in the Wilderness: How to Help. It provides detailed guidelines and helps for those who are helping others through the grief process. It includes separate chapters on helping people in unbelievable darkness, asking why, praying for a miracle, and wrestling with sadness and depression. This is easily one of the best books I have ever read on the subject of grief and grief counseling. It is very highly recommended to anyone going through a loss or supporting those who are.