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Grieving with Hope: Finding Comfort as You Journey Through Loss
Practical and straightforward, yet warm and compassionate, Grieving with Hope clarifies the popular misconception that people move through stages of grief. This will be an encouragement to many, as grieving people often think something is wrong with them when their grief doesn't proceed neatly through stages. The reality is that grieving people jump back and forth between different emotions, sometimes wrestling with multiple emotions at once.
This book is packed with short, biblically based, gospel-centered, topical chapters addressing the issues grieving people face but are often hesitant to mention to others. It helps readers accurately interpret the message their emotions are sending them and gently guides them to determine whether they're grieving in a way that leads to hope and ultimate healing. Developed from interviews with over 30 well-respected Christian counselors, teachers, and authors, as well as numerous personal testimonies, Grieving with Hope helps the bereaved discover how hope and peace are available amidst their heartache and pain.
This book is packed with short, biblically based, gospel-centered, topical chapters addressing the issues grieving people face but are often hesitant to mention to others. It helps readers accurately interpret the message their emotions are sending them and gently guides them to determine whether they're grieving in a way that leads to hope and ultimate healing. Developed from interviews with over 30 well-respected Christian counselors, teachers, and authors, as well as numerous personal testimonies, Grieving with Hope helps the bereaved discover how hope and peace are available amidst their heartache and pain.
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
370 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 30, 2022
One of the best books I’ve read on grief. It’s taken me over a year to read. Chapters I avoided, sentences I’ve had to chew on before continuing- don’t rush the process. This book is very gospel centered and biblical. I will read this again soon, as I can’t take in all that I want to/hope to as I heal.
January 12, 2021
The word that comes to mind for this book is: practical. It’s an easy read that helps describe what someone walking through grief might feel like, gives you healthy and practical ways to deal with your grief, and ultimately points you to Jesus on every page.
I started it one week after my brother passed away. If I could do half stars — I would probably do 3.5. While practical and helpful, it didn’t have the depth and richness that I might need in my next read.
I enjoyed it, but you also have to protect yourself as you read and make sure you’re in the headspace to digest the words. Grief is a tender journey.
I started it one week after my brother passed away. If I could do half stars — I would probably do 3.5. While practical and helpful, it didn’t have the depth and richness that I might need in my next read.
I enjoyed it, but you also have to protect yourself as you read and make sure you’re in the headspace to digest the words. Grief is a tender journey.
March 10, 2021
The most practically helpful resource I’ve come across on dealing with grief and not succumbing to hopelessness so far. Going through much of it, I often remarked, “how did they know what I’m feeling right now?” Not dispensing vague generalities but honing in on God’s scriptural promises to a grieving heart and soul made this a comforting, challenging, and much needed read.
November 20, 2021
Written by Samuel J. Hodges and Kathy Leonard, Grieving with Hope: Finding Comfort as You Journey through Loss ” contains practical suggestions for working through the grief process. Each chapter includes Bible references and gently ends with “A Word of Encouragement.” I found the book to be quite helpful.
September 18, 2024
A fellow widow friend recommended I read this book. I went back and forth between reading and listening. It was very helpful and got me through a bit of a slump.
January 9, 2026
started string but the last few chapters were too preachy.
April 25, 2020
“How does God expect me to have hope and joy in the midst of a world filled with pain and suffering?”
This was the central question of the book, and the book has addressed the coexistence of joy and grief by paying attention to the dynamisms of our emotions and relationships.
Some of the rudimentary theological concepts were very traditionally evangelical, layered with Calvinistic views on sovereignty, soteriology, and atonement. I was not quite sure how appropriate the extensive discussion on sin belongs to a book about grief. Nonetheless, I understand that that is central to the author’s faith journey. I think the oversimplifying of certain complex questions, situations, and the many scriptural passages thrown into the mix made it a bit difficult for me to follow through.
At the same time, I do appreciate the pragmatic approaches to grief the author delineates well with bullet points throughout the book. The author deals with issues of guilt, forgiveness, anger, loneliness and isolation, even matters of family dynamics and conversations to have with our children. I think the practical matters the author engages with were probably some of the more helpful aspects of this book. Since I tend to be more of a conceptual person, I often get sidetracked by abstract matters. The author brings to light a great set of questions, routines, rituals, and creative activities that may tangible help our grief process, that would allow us to not get stuck in our minds. The author even mentions ways we can adjust ourselves to a new normal, what are some complications that come with letting ourselves into a new normal and some “how to” step by step suggestions to ease into that.
I also appreciated the chapter on reframing or relocating our grief in a grander narrative of God’s work in the world, being reminded of the telos, that this is the middle, a (part) that belongs to a (whole) that is still being written. To hopefully imagine the ways of what is to come, while also holding onto our place in the narrative. That would help us get outside of ourselves, to locate grief as something that is happening only to us, without having the larger perspective of the greater cosmos. This reminder of where our grief belongs, in the time of eternity and the divine narrative, also illuminates to us our understanding of inevitable limits in this lifetime and how such expectation may humble us to appreciate the time that have been given to us with our loved ones.
I also appreciated the bit on surrender: surrendering our patterns that do not work anymore, our need to know all the answers, and our demanding healing to be instant. In some sense, this concept ties in well with the concept hitherto mentioned. When we locate grief into a narrative grander (in terms of bigger than ourselves, and also belonging into a kairos understanding of time and events), that can enable us to take a step back and surrender our beliefs, our “musts”, and our sense of control — which have impeded our healing process.
This leads to the author’s ongoing reminder on dependency—how we need to acknowledge our pain, our weaknesses, and the ways dependency and our brokenness can become the crack that allows the light of others (and the divine) to come in in creative ways.
As much as I may not align myself in the same theological camp with the author, I take some valuable reminders and specific practices that I believe will be helpful in my journey of grief and healing.
(Also. As for redemptive suffering— I find some of the things the author says about the redemptive qualities of grief could easily be understood as a way of downplaying grief. But I do think the point the author is trying to make, is that through our grief, we are shaped, along with the choices we make, relationships we build, and the habits we form.
The author highlights both God’s work and our agency to participate in the work of redemption.
“If your life is broken when given to Jesus, it may be because the pieces will feed a multitude.”
“Lord, here’s my pain. I give it to you. Now transform it for the good of others.”
This was the central question of the book, and the book has addressed the coexistence of joy and grief by paying attention to the dynamisms of our emotions and relationships.
Some of the rudimentary theological concepts were very traditionally evangelical, layered with Calvinistic views on sovereignty, soteriology, and atonement. I was not quite sure how appropriate the extensive discussion on sin belongs to a book about grief. Nonetheless, I understand that that is central to the author’s faith journey. I think the oversimplifying of certain complex questions, situations, and the many scriptural passages thrown into the mix made it a bit difficult for me to follow through.
At the same time, I do appreciate the pragmatic approaches to grief the author delineates well with bullet points throughout the book. The author deals with issues of guilt, forgiveness, anger, loneliness and isolation, even matters of family dynamics and conversations to have with our children. I think the practical matters the author engages with were probably some of the more helpful aspects of this book. Since I tend to be more of a conceptual person, I often get sidetracked by abstract matters. The author brings to light a great set of questions, routines, rituals, and creative activities that may tangible help our grief process, that would allow us to not get stuck in our minds. The author even mentions ways we can adjust ourselves to a new normal, what are some complications that come with letting ourselves into a new normal and some “how to” step by step suggestions to ease into that.
I also appreciated the chapter on reframing or relocating our grief in a grander narrative of God’s work in the world, being reminded of the telos, that this is the middle, a (part) that belongs to a (whole) that is still being written. To hopefully imagine the ways of what is to come, while also holding onto our place in the narrative. That would help us get outside of ourselves, to locate grief as something that is happening only to us, without having the larger perspective of the greater cosmos. This reminder of where our grief belongs, in the time of eternity and the divine narrative, also illuminates to us our understanding of inevitable limits in this lifetime and how such expectation may humble us to appreciate the time that have been given to us with our loved ones.
I also appreciated the bit on surrender: surrendering our patterns that do not work anymore, our need to know all the answers, and our demanding healing to be instant. In some sense, this concept ties in well with the concept hitherto mentioned. When we locate grief into a narrative grander (in terms of bigger than ourselves, and also belonging into a kairos understanding of time and events), that can enable us to take a step back and surrender our beliefs, our “musts”, and our sense of control — which have impeded our healing process.
This leads to the author’s ongoing reminder on dependency—how we need to acknowledge our pain, our weaknesses, and the ways dependency and our brokenness can become the crack that allows the light of others (and the divine) to come in in creative ways.
As much as I may not align myself in the same theological camp with the author, I take some valuable reminders and specific practices that I believe will be helpful in my journey of grief and healing.
(Also. As for redemptive suffering— I find some of the things the author says about the redemptive qualities of grief could easily be understood as a way of downplaying grief. But I do think the point the author is trying to make, is that through our grief, we are shaped, along with the choices we make, relationships we build, and the habits we form.
The author highlights both God’s work and our agency to participate in the work of redemption.
“If your life is broken when given to Jesus, it may be because the pieces will feed a multitude.”
“Lord, here’s my pain. I give it to you. Now transform it for the good of others.”
July 4, 2021
When my mom died, Thrivent, the Lutheran financial and insurance company, sent me two books, one a practical and well-written book about what happens legally, financially, and religiously when someone died. In fact, I lent it to a co-worker whose mother had been diagnosed with a terminal disease, and he found it very helpful. The second book was this one about dealing with grief.
I was initially excited as I knew this would be a Christian-based book. However, I never really connected with it. I felt like so many of the personal experiences shared and the journey points really spoke to people who had lost loved ones before their time: children, car accidents, etc. My mother certainly should have lived a little longer had it not been a pandemic but, like my father, she had lived a long and faithful life.
When my dad died, I read several books by Joyce Hutchison, who happens to be Iowan and Catholic, and these really spoke more to me and helped me. I'm sure this book will bring comfort to many; I'm just not one of them.
I was initially excited as I knew this would be a Christian-based book. However, I never really connected with it. I felt like so many of the personal experiences shared and the journey points really spoke to people who had lost loved ones before their time: children, car accidents, etc. My mother certainly should have lived a little longer had it not been a pandemic but, like my father, she had lived a long and faithful life.
When my dad died, I read several books by Joyce Hutchison, who happens to be Iowan and Catholic, and these really spoke more to me and helped me. I'm sure this book will bring comfort to many; I'm just not one of them.
December 5, 2014
I highly recommend this book to those who are grieving. I felt as if the authors really understood how I felt. They helped me identify and work through many of my thoughts and emotions. I still have a long way to go on this journey, but I feel much better equipped after reading this book.
March 19, 2014
A Grief Share book; Christian emphasis.
May 20, 2020
After the loss of our first baby through miscarriage and the loss of my Grandmother I was in desperate need of biblical based help. That is when Grieving With Hope ended up in my lap. I cannot rave enough about this book and they way that they intricately composed the contents to make you understand that grief is not a race nor are you alone during the midst of the loss you are enduring.
The pages are filled with real life examples and testimonies of people who have endured loss. Whether you have lost a child, spouse, family member, or close friend Grieving With Hope gives you example of other people that have been through the same type of loss. One of the most beneficial testimonies in this book for me personally was about a woman who had loss friends due to her not being ready to hang out yet. For me, over the past several months it has been hard to get out of the house. Hearing that it was hard for others, made me realize that what I was feeling was normal.
(Thankfully I have friends that understand)
The main reason I love this book so much is because of the biblical application to help you heal throughout. Loss/Grief tests every bit of your faith, hope, and trust in God. They talk about how there are times anger can build up over the “why” questions. They discuss in Grieving With Hope that God can handle you asking questions. What is important is that you seek God to heal because that is where healing ultimately takes place.
Grieving With Hope is a 5/5 stars for me. The contents of the pages were like sitting in a counseling session with God and others, giving me support when I needed it most but did not know how to talk. This book gave me help I needed to press into God and make healthy decisions for myself in the midst of grief. If you or someone you know has endured a recent loss Grieving With Hope is a great tool to help heal. I recommend Grieving With Hope to those have endured any type of loss, whether it happened yesterday or 30 years ago. The way this book is laid out draws you closer to the heart of God and helps answer hard questions you may have in the midst of ongoing grief.
The pages are filled with real life examples and testimonies of people who have endured loss. Whether you have lost a child, spouse, family member, or close friend Grieving With Hope gives you example of other people that have been through the same type of loss. One of the most beneficial testimonies in this book for me personally was about a woman who had loss friends due to her not being ready to hang out yet. For me, over the past several months it has been hard to get out of the house. Hearing that it was hard for others, made me realize that what I was feeling was normal.
(Thankfully I have friends that understand)
The main reason I love this book so much is because of the biblical application to help you heal throughout. Loss/Grief tests every bit of your faith, hope, and trust in God. They talk about how there are times anger can build up over the “why” questions. They discuss in Grieving With Hope that God can handle you asking questions. What is important is that you seek God to heal because that is where healing ultimately takes place.
Grieving With Hope is a 5/5 stars for me. The contents of the pages were like sitting in a counseling session with God and others, giving me support when I needed it most but did not know how to talk. This book gave me help I needed to press into God and make healthy decisions for myself in the midst of grief. If you or someone you know has endured a recent loss Grieving With Hope is a great tool to help heal. I recommend Grieving With Hope to those have endured any type of loss, whether it happened yesterday or 30 years ago. The way this book is laid out draws you closer to the heart of God and helps answer hard questions you may have in the midst of ongoing grief.
April 18, 2020
This book was incredible and very helpful. However, the last chapter was disapponting to me because I am here on this earth not in Heaven. I am looking forward to all that Heaven has to offer but for now I must feel the pain and learn to deal with my new reality. I would have likes to have seen some exercises or tools discussed as well. There was so much help throughout the book. I felt the last chapter dropped the ball. Then again, Im only three weeks into to my new reality. I WILL MOST LIKELY REREAD THIS BOOK!
February 15, 2021
This is the second book I've read on grief and the grieving process. This book gives so much hope on this walk! Biblically based advice, it gives me a better perspective of all that I'm going through on this journey. There were a few things I could not relate to, however, I can find good in all of it, and have hope that with God, I can get through this. It reaffirmed some of what I was already doing, and gave me some new tools to use. I highly recommend this book.
June 20, 2021
It was an excellent book helping you to gain wisdom, understanding, council, fortitude & knowledge. It helps you understand that every one grieves differently. Life is out of control and with family, friends, and God’s help you can get back in control. Grief is not going to be a fast process. A deep love like I has/have wirh with my husband will hurt more and longer. We should honor our loved ones by talking about them.
March 28, 2019
This book is an excellent reminder of God’s promises and that grief is a precious process to transform us into more and more who God wants us to be. He draw us close to him through pain and suffering.
This book is an excellent reminder of God’s promises and that grief is a precious process that transforms our liv
This book is an excellent reminder of God’s promises and that grief is a precious process that transforms our liv
April 17, 2019
A Little Preachy
I’m doing research for my own writing, and this book had some good things for that. It didn’t strike me as something that would have helped me in the throes of grief. Perhaps someone who is “stuck” would find it helpful. And there were things in it I blatantly disagreed with because my grieving process contradicted what the authors stated.
I’m doing research for my own writing, and this book had some good things for that. It didn’t strike me as something that would have helped me in the throes of grief. Perhaps someone who is “stuck” would find it helpful. And there were things in it I blatantly disagreed with because my grieving process contradicted what the authors stated.
August 11, 2020
This is a simple and short book on grief. It is spiritual but a little preachy for my taste.
I especially did not like the chapter on anger with God. I believe God can handle our anger as he does all of our feelings. It is not healthy to stay there in it but a healthy stage to admit and progress through. There are much better grief books available.
I especially did not like the chapter on anger with God. I believe God can handle our anger as he does all of our feelings. It is not healthy to stay there in it but a healthy stage to admit and progress through. There are much better grief books available.
November 10, 2024
Very good Book
We are in the process of starting a group for those in our church who have lost a loved one. I have been looking for books that might be helpful to those who are grieving. This one would have been very helpful to me when I lost my husband so I think that it can be helpful to others. It will definitely be a great resource.
We are in the process of starting a group for those in our church who have lost a loved one. I have been looking for books that might be helpful to those who are grieving. This one would have been very helpful to me when I lost my husband so I think that it can be helpful to others. It will definitely be a great resource.
July 8, 2025
Biblical Help for Hurting Heart
This book has been an excellent source of help and comfort for me. Having just lost my husband, I needed help and support from a Christian perspective. The thoughts expressed gave me hope as I walk through this hard valley. I highly recommend this book for those who have lost a loved one.
This book has been an excellent source of help and comfort for me. Having just lost my husband, I needed help and support from a Christian perspective. The thoughts expressed gave me hope as I walk through this hard valley. I highly recommend this book for those who have lost a loved one.
April 28, 2023
I lost my first pregnancy in October 2022 and needed something to help me get through the first few weeks. I read this book and it helped a lot. Not everything was applicable as I got further in the book but the first half at least helped tremendously.
May 19, 2025
This was a super easy, practical read. It was on the dry side so I don’t know that it would be great as a first read after loss, but helpful when you’re ready to take steps toward healing. Also appreciated the foundational discussion of scripture and God’s promise.
December 3, 2019
Very timely
My father was called home a month ago and I was searching for a book that would help me while I grieve. This is the book. And timely read.
My father was called home a month ago and I was searching for a book that would help me while I grieve. This is the book. And timely read.
November 11, 2020
This book was given to me by a friend to help me deal with the sudden death of my brother. It was very helpful.
September 16, 2022
I highly recommend for anyone who is grieving!!! I started reading this the day after our son died, and it has been wonderful and insightful.
March 2, 2023
Extraordinary book!
This book gave me comfort, encouragement, and strength in the days after my Mother went to heaven. It is a priceless resource!
This book gave me comfort, encouragement, and strength in the days after my Mother went to heaven. It is a priceless resource!
August 16, 2023
Biblical help through grief from a very practical perspective. Highly recommend!
February 13, 2024
There’s a lot of wisdom here and help for those of us that are grieving, but a lot of it preached a view of God that just doesn’t jive with my beliefs. It made parts of the book difficult to swallow.
Read
April 2, 2024gave up at “try christian music”. will have to find something less preachy and more understanding.
June 4, 2024
It was a helpful book journeying through early widowhood with my church's grief support group. I love this bunch of ladies as we cried and shared through the book and months.
February 27, 2025
Very practical resource for those walking through the journey of grief.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews