Grieving God's Way: The Path to Lasting Hope and Healing

by Margaret Brownley, Diantha Ain

The loss of a loved one is devastating, and the grief that follows is often crippling. While modern Western culture has adopted an aren't-you-over-it-yet? attitude toward death and the grief it brings, the grieving process can take years. Weeks and months go by with no visible improvement. We might even wonder if God has forsaken us. Then one day it We laugh. We feel connnected, restless, maybe even hopeful. We're no longer consumed by our loss, and our thoughts turn outward. These are the first signs of healing. Though the tendency in our fast-paced society is to suppress our grief or ignore it all together, Grieving God's Way inspires a different course of action. In this 90-day devotional Margaret Brownley provides the framework for a methodical grieving process that follows God's plan. Grieving God's way requires us to trust that He will lead us through the darkness, heal our pain, take away our weariness, and fill our hearts with hope, peace, and new purpose. From defining what grief is to validating its importance, Brownley gives us the components necessary to find God within our sorrow and grieve with Him. Divided into four sections, Grieving God's Way offers insight into healing our grieving body, soul, heart, and spirit. Infused with scriptures and inspirational haiku by Diantha Ain, this book motivates us to shift our grieving from man's way to God's way. . . slow and often invisible but with truly amazing results. So how long does it take to grieve? As long as it takes God to heal.

Genres: Grief, Christian

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARGARET BROWNLEY has penned nearly forty novels and novellas. Her books have won numerous awards, including Readers' Choice and Award of Excellence. She's was a two-time Romance Writers of American RITA® finalist and has written for a TV soap. She is currently working on a new series. Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review. This review is probably going to be one of the hardest for me to write. It was one of the hardest books for me to read. I kept having to put it down and walk away from it. I’m not a God person, and even though I went to a Catholic school most of my life, I’ve never read the Bible in its entirety. As I tell people, me and God, we’re still working out our relationship. But the obvious religious overtone was not what made me put it down numerous times and walk away.

You see, Christmas Eve this year will be two years since my uncle died. He raised me after my dad died when I was 13. He was in my life longer than my dad was. Uncle Jimmy had a relationship with God that was enviable. God was his best friend, but he wasn’t a Bible-thumper, or a 5 times a day church-going wierdo.

So I guess in reading this book, I was hoping that I would find some sort of solace. Instead, I found wounds that haven’t healed yet that I thought had. Perhaps reading the book in daily increments as it should be read, will be easier. But trying to sit down and read it all in one or two sittings was just too hard. It brought back so many tears that I had hoped were already shed.

So, if you’ve just lost someone, it’s a good book. Just read it a little at a time.

[Ashlie Gillis Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there was a "how to book" on getting through grief, this would be it! I wish I would have had this book during my past times of grief. I really like the part about "Attitude Adjustment". It got me really thinking. This book gives you tools and support to help anyone through one of life's hardest parts. Everyone is going to go through this at one time or another in their life and there should be more books out there and programs to help people when it happens. This book would really make a beautiful gift.

[Sherri Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! My family experienced a tragic loss in 2011, which followed the loss of many family members over a seventeen year span. The way Mrs. Brownley writes on dealing with grief and getting through all of the stages of grief really spoke to me. She’s tender and sensitive, yet tough when necessary. She encourages readers not to neglect themselves, to take care of their bodies and minds. I highly recommend this book as a gift to anyone who has experienced loss. I received this free book from Thomas Nelson. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Sean Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Wife won this book in the giveaways on this site. She pretty much read it to me and I was shocked what a great book this is. I wish I would have had a book like this to help me when my Dad passed away. They should just give these things out to people at funeral homes in gift baskets. Really really good book!

[D'anah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful

I really enjoyed the way the book was set out. Made it easy to read. I must have highlighted virtually every page. It all is useful, thought provoking and encouraging. It was exactly what i needed, to learn how to "grieve God's way". I will be referring to this book a lot, i think, as i learn how to put these notions into practice. Thank you for a really useful book in this painful time.

[Kimberly Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed emotions about this book. There were devotions that were right on point and there were others that would have been upsetting if I hadn’t been further along in my grief journey. At times, the author acted as if you consciously make a choice to hold on to grief. That just really doesn’t apply when you lose a child.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for anyone who is grieving. It's meant to be a 90 day devotion but I read it all at once. I want to go back next time and read it as it was intended.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Brownley has written a comforting, helpful book on how to travel through your grief. This 90 day devotional guides you through the grief steps to bring hope and healing for your loss. It provides the framework for a methodical grieving process that follows God's plan. Your journey includes healing in all areas and the book is divided into four sections: body, soul,heart and spirit. She makes a distinction between "Man's Way" and "God's Way". I love the quote on Page 3 "God's way of grieving requires us to trust that God will lead us through the darkness, heal our pain, take away our weakness and fill our hearts with hope, peace and new purpose." Margaret has experienced the loss of her son, Kevin, after a lengthy illness and is well qualified in this subject. Highly ecommended!












her grampa for the summer. Sparks fly when these two meet and Grampa Lem coulhas at least two good reasons, he wants Lauren back in his life and he wants her taken care of when he is gone. Mitch has been like a son to him while Lauren has been away, which creates much jealousy between the two young people. Lem helps them both learn many life lessons while they help him fix up his farm and vehicles. Because his father and grandfather died in their seventieth year, Lem is afraid of turning seventy. Mitch and Lauren both lost their parents in traumatic ways and grow close
Posted by lilac grandma at 10:27 AM No comments:
Heart of a woman
This collection of love letters to her Lord by Sylvia Hensel challenges us to make time to draw closer to God. She feels like the bride in Song of Solomon,wrapped in God's love, with a peace that surpasses all earthly understanding. Isaiah 54v5 tells me that my Maker is my husband. When we start by simply reading His Word and meditative prayer we develop an intimacy with Him. This book will inspire you to come to Him and pour your heart out. Fall in love with the God of the Universe. The Creator of all things longs to have this kind of love relationship with us. Jesus would have us claim Him as our spiritual husband and that our desire shall be toward Him. I really enjoyed this beautiful book.
Posted by lilac grandma at 8:10 AM No comments:
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sweeter than Birdsong
This is the first novel I have read by Rosslyn Elliot. She has based this story on real people. The subjects of slavery and women's rights are well covered. The main character, Kate Winter, is someone I can relate to and love. Her experiences with freeing the slaves help her overcome her shyness and stand up for what is right. She must also stand up to her verbally abusive mother. The other main character, Ben Hanby, is also wonderful. His amazing gift for music and helping others comes in handy as he tries to help Kate come out of her shell. This is the second in the series of Sadler's Legacy and Ben Hanby's mother and father were the heroine and hero of the first book in the series. if you like historical fiction you will love this book! Adventure,romance, suspense and redemption make this book very enjoyable!
Posted by lilac grandma at 11:18 AM No comments:
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Bittersweet surrender
This intriguing story by Diann Hunt, author of"Smitten", is one of my favorites. Burned by love, Carly Westlake, owner of a day spa featuring chocolate facials,has been treated badly by her brother and ex-husband. Already a breast cancer survivor, life deals Carly another blow when her business partner Ivy dies in a car accident. Fortunately, Scott, the husband of Ivy agrees to help her with the bookkeeping and becomes a good friend, even helping her lose weight. If u need a light, fun read this is a great escape. Very enjoyable.
Posted by lilac grandma at 8:59 AM No comments:
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
the final hour
This is the last book in the Homelander series for young adults. Teenager Charlie West must fight the forces of evil to save the residents of New York City or a million people will die. But he is stuck in prison. This youth fiction is full of action and suspense and will appeal to high school young people but is a little weak in the "Christian" aspect.
Posted by lilac grandma at 7:10 PM No comments:
The Final Summit
Although I missed all the prequels, I did not feel lost when reading about the quest of one man, David Ponder, to save the world in an unspecified period of time. And only five chances to get it right. This is a sequel to "The Traveler's Gift". Andy Andrews is a truly gifted communicator. Your life will be changed.
Posted by lilac grandma at 6:27 PM No comments:
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[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

As most of you are aware, I lost my first husband when I was very young. When I got the chance to review this book, I thought that I was very qualified since I know what its like to grieve. Quite honestly, I wanted to know what I did wrong while I was grieving. It took me ten years.

Grieving God's Way is written by Margaret Brownley. It is a 90-day devotional healing experience for the the grieving spirit. I can tell you personally that losing a loved one, friend or family, is devastating. It takes you down to the very base of who you are. It makes you question what you believe and if you should. I ended up hating God during it. This book helps you through it all.

I would suggest reading it over during different times of your grieving process. It's not going to be over in 90 days but perhaps not for years. To make people feel better for me or to stop them worrying, I would try to hide the fact of how much I was affected.

What the author says is:

Grieving God's Way is a 90-day reader designed to bring hope and healing to those who have experienced loss. Each thoughtful devotional begins with a scripture and ends with a haiku, written to affirm the positive theme of the text.

Divided into four categories—body, soul, heart, and spirit—each day's entry offers insight into the grieving process that increases understanding of God's purposeful plan for healing the heart and soul.

This is an accurate statement of the book in my eyes. It does give you hope. There is a lot of scripture throughout which was a little hard for me to read. But mostly because it was bringing my husband back up in my eyes. If you know someone who is grieving, please recommend this book. It will help.

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Kym McNabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read GRIEVING GOD’S WAY by MARGARET BROWNLEY not because I was grieving a loved one, but for a greater understanding of what others go through. Though I know it’s inevitable that one day I too will grieve a loved one and therefore benefit from MS. BROWNLEY’S book, I never imagined the connection to the ministry I’m involved with.

I volunteer in the prison and jail ministry through my church. When one has a loved one incarcerated, and especially with a very long or life sentence, one goes through a grieving process.

To call GRIEVING GOD’S WAY a devotional is limiting. It’s packed full of insight and honest emotions on handling death, as well as a great tool for going through hardships. This wonderful devotional teaches you not only is it okay to grieve, but expected. Though everyone’s grieving is unique, there is a process. A process we must go through to come out on top and not stuck in the depths of despair.

From page 90, Day 42:
“The world as we know it has ended, and all we want to do is hibernate. If we give into the weight of depression our souls will crumble. If we hold on to our pain too long we will be crushed.”

MS. BROWNELY has opened her heart up to readers, sharing her journey of the loss of her son. Unfortunately the older we get, the more we experience death. I recommend that everyone gets a copy of this amazing book so they can be better prepared to support friends as well as equip themselves for when the time comes that they too lose someone.

[werejumpinbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Brownley’s 90 day devotional helps others with grieving and loss. The daily entries are short, perfect for a busy life-style, overwhelmed by emotion, or unable to tackle long assignments. The book is divided into four sections, it addresses healing for the body, soul, heart and spirit.

I didn’t expect to like the book, I picked it right after the loss of my Grandfather. I would recommend it though. I think it is a great resource for anyone who has went through grief after a loss. I would suggest this book to a church, so it could be on hands when a member needs help. It helps with understanding, learning what to say, or what not to say, etc. It is a teaching tool, but I would also advise someone to share your thoughts with as you go through grieving.

I would also suggest going to www.grievinggodsway.com where you can find a free copy of the workbook journal, and curriculum. You can also purchase materials for a church or a small group study. You can also get a printable poster of “Rules for Family Healing”, can be printed through Adobe Reader, you can find it on the resource page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Denise DiFalco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long overdue, Margaret Brownley's book "Grieving God's Way" supports those who suffer the tragic losses of loved ones by inspiring them to weep if they need to weep and not to try and rush the healing process. Many times, well-meaning friends may expect the individual going through deep heartache to just 'get it over with'! Unless you've experienced the loss of a loved one there is no way that you can give advice on this subject. There are many stages of grief as outlined in this marvelous book and it is imperative that each person take all the time they need to cope with their situation. The author approaches the matter by writing daily biblical verses and teaches the reader to apply what they are learning. The book is structured in such a manner that it is easy to comprehend and follow. One of my best girlfriends just faced another anniversary of her son's death and I knew that this book would prove to be beneficial to her. I mailed it off to her and prayed that it would bless her. She could totally relate to many of the instances which seem to be present among those who endure personal loss. Cheryl was comforted by the compassion and understanding made known by this writer. The book is also highly recommended to the friends of the person suffering in order to better understand their difficulties. I was honored to read this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for my review.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grieving God's Way is a 90 day devotional written to help those going through grief achieve healing and to give them hope. Divided into four sections - body, soul, heart and spirit, Brownley addresses that healing from loss is a whole body action.

I really enjoyed the set up of the book, a day by day devotion, with each devotion ending with a "Healing Ways" box with ways to help you heal. Margaret Brownley has walked this path, having lost her son, following a lengthy illness, an experience that affected her so deeply that she stopped writing. However the Lord works in mysterious ways. And He used the love Margaret had of words, to help her write this book.

As someone who has walked the path of the grief of loosing a child, Ms. Brownley has expressed herself and many others very well. I definitely recommend this book.
This short devotional can be a great tool in the hands of anyone facing overwhelming grief. 4 stars 220 pages US $15.99

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone who is experiencing a loss in their life or for those who love them and want to support them. It is encouraging and points you to the Lord. This book is set up as a 90-day journey. Each day is two pages and they are filled with helpful steps to take on your journey of healing.

There is so much to take away from the devotions. I thought the sections at the end of each day called Healing Ways were so practical and offered some great ideas. From ways to use music to help release your emotions, to letting each person grieve in their own time, each day offered sensible tips.

I loved this book and gave it 5/5 stars. It was practical, it was easy to read and a book I will keep on my shelf as well as purchase for friends and family who are grieving.

I would like to thank the author and publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

[Linda Broday · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 90 day devotional is perfect for those who have lost loved ones. Ms. Brownley divided it into four sections--Healing the Grieving Body, Healing the Grieving Soul, Healing the Grieving Heart, and Healing the Grieving Spirit. Even though I lost my husband six years ago this book was a tremendous help. When a person loses someone they love a part of them dies. Margaret explains exactly what happens and offers advice that helps you find your way through the overwhelming grief and feeling of abandonment. It was as if she took me by the hand and gently guided me to lasting hope and healing through God. Each day's devotional is short and that's good because a grieving mind can't focus very long especially on pages and pages of type. I recommend this to anyone who is going through the grieving process or who will soon go through it. It's sensitive and well-written.

[Richetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

After losing my parents over the last two years it has been a long and painful journey. In Grieving God's Way, Margaret Brownley, Gives a new way to embrace the grieving process one day at a time. In the 90 day devotional she offers insight on how you can get through a day by just embracing that day.

On day 78 "Attitude Adjustment" I was convicted when she said "We can grieve all we want, but nothing is going to bring our love ones back. A Change in attitude, however, can help us find new meaning and purpose in life". My attitude has been particularly stinky since my mother passed last March. This book has given me a new way of dealing with lost in way where God can use me. I highly recommend this book to anyone grieving. It's a easy to read powerful devotional that only takes about 5-10 minutes a day.

Four Stars-I would have liked to see a daily reflection activity

[Kiersti Torok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publishing company in exchange for an honest review.

Margaret Brownley was truly able to capture a true healing process from grief with her 90 day devotional. While my grief was not recent, Brownley's book had a way of bringing out past pains to the surface in order to deal with them in a God-centered manner. Though the process was painful at times, I came out the other end filled with hope, peace, and a greater recognition of the love God has for us, expecially in times of struggle. This devotional will not only take you on a journey to find God's peace and hope during grief, but through a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. Overall, a very valuable read that I would highly recommend to anyone experiencing any level of grief in thier life.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about grieving, but I felt Brownley gave a very convincing argument for the ingredients for a happy, healthy, emotionally rounded, and spiritual life of love and gratitude. She gave practical ways to mend after grief. I was not grieving, but read it to possibly pass on to someone who I knew was, but along the way collected many ideas to stay balanced and happy.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grieving God's Way resolved a lot of pain and heartache I had been carrying for over 10 years. This was a life changing book for me that allowed me to move forward.

[Kim Rozzell]

A wonderful, useful devotional for anyone coping with grief. Margaret Brownley's words will soothe and heal the hurting spirit.

[MARSHA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book with my bereavement group.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very moving and healing book you can apply to any loss in life not just death.