Joy in the Mourning: A Young Widow's Story of Love, Loss, & Restoration

Joy in the Mourning: A Young Widow's Story of Love, Loss, & Restoration

Written in the first person, Melissa tells her life story in an honest and open way, sharing how her early life experiences shaped and influenced how she would eventually come to process the heartbreaking and unexpected illness and death of her husband. Despite all the pain and grief she endured, she conveys hope and victory through her faith. "Joy in the Mourning" is written with the intention of helping others process their own losses, giving readers hope, encouragement, and helpful tips. Forward: To anyone needing a fresh glimpse of encouragement and a lifeline of survival that will bring comfort and hope after losing a loved one, this book is for you. As a personal and very close friend of Melissa, I witnessed firsthand the incredible strength and enduring faith she modeled every day for her family, friends, church family and especially for her darling, Trinity. In the darkest of days, during her husband's illness, she fought through overwhelming challenges to be John's advocate, his champion, and his fiercest warrior wife, always at his side. Written in narrative style, Melissa captivates her readers with her vulnerability as she graciously chronicles her agonizing journey of sickness and loss of her dearest friend. Hers is a powerful and captivating story of the struggle to maintain confident hope in the throes of chaos, uncertainty and loss. She bares her heart in an honest and raw account of the events that began with her life before John, and their God-ordained meeting and tender romantic courtship, marriage, and then the unforeseen diagnosis that rocked their world. Grief is inevitable when facing the future without the loved one who has left. Everyone copes with loss in their own unique and individual way. NO ONE can tell a grieving heart how quickly to heal, certainly no one should. Reality comes at you in waves during the grieving process, some in small gentle reminders of what once was. Others come in such force that you are knocked off your feet and feel as if you might not survive. That is exactly why Melissa's book is so needed as a testament to the truth we all need in difficult, fearful times. It shares her story of authentic peace that is only possible when we merge complete trust in God with a genuine surrender to His will. As a pastor's wife, myself, I recently began a new ministry in our church to widows and widowers. I have researched and scoured the internet for a faith based, authentic, encouraging and uplifting resource to give to my people........I have found it in JOY IN THE MOURNING. I will be bulk ordering for the foreseeable future! This loving account of God's comfort and strength will be a powerful tool to anyone that is going through or will go through dark days in their life. Jana Meeks Co-Pastor of Lindale Church Houston, TX