A Journey of Faith: A Mother's Alzheimer's, A Son's Love, and His Search for Answers

by Guideposts, Edward Grinnan

Enjoy the NEW inspirational memoir from Edward Grinnan, Guideposts’ Editor-in-Chief, as he reveals his deeply personal - and hopeful - journey of faith through his mother’s Alzheimer’s and his own fear of getting the disease. A blessing and encouraging read for anyone facing trials. Edward understands the fear and panic of memory loss and Alzheimer’s all too well. He watched Alzheimer’s take its ruthless course with his lovely, funny, and intelligent mother, Estelle, and was haunted by the question—will it happen to me too? Now in his deeply personal story, you’ll walk with Edward as he travels that painful road of watching a loved one disappear into the fog of Alzheimer’s. He discovers – with God’s help – hope, courage and peace even in the midst of such loss and heartache. In addition to his remarkable story, Edward includes his favorite Guideposts stories told by real people that inspired him in his journey of faith. Plus, he offers practical guidance on caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s – as well as yourself – without becoming overwhelmed. A Journey of Faith is a tender tribute to Edward’s mother, as well as an exploration of the promise of hope, the indestructibility of love, the faithfulness of God, and an eloquent call to make the most out of every moment. Edward’s beautiful story will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page. Makes a perfect gift for anyone struggling with a difficult trial.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published August 3, 2023

About the author

We inspire people to believe anything is possible through faith, hope, and prayer.

In all we create, we affirm the positive, unite rather than divide, and meet people where they are on their spiritual journeys.

Reviews

[Book2Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you keep hope alive when all signs point to the thing you most fear? How do you deal with guilt and remorse for the past?

In this memoir. Edward Grinnan walks this path. His past as an alcoholic and his mother's decline into Alzheimer's are the focus of this book. He talks about not only the role but the necessity of faith, love, and support in navigating these challenges.

Well written, spiritual without being preachy, and a resource for those battling alcoholism and the decline of loved ones with chronic incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's. I highly recommend this book.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good Book. Heartbreaking at times though. So sad to see what this awful disease does to people & their families.

[Rebecca Daebelliehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt... meaningful!!

[Sheila Eddings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to review this one. Fascinating but painful as we lost my dad to dementia last year. Parts of this were encouraging because of the recognizable similar experiences. Parts of it were a bit uneasy as the author thinks about his chances of developing Alzheimer’s as his mother did. The thought of developing dementia like my dad is horrifying. But my faith gives me hope as the author’s faith anchors him. I’m glad I read it but I had to read in short intervals to deal with the emotions in bite-size pieces. Well written and complex.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this story was very hard to listen to for many reasons. If you have a loved one with Alzheimer's, or had a loved one with Alzheimer's, be prepared for tears. You will also smile at some of the stories as well.

[Dick Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt story about the author's struggle with familial Alzheimers. His story is interspersed with others who have had their stories in Guideposts magazines.

[Letitia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting treatise on Alzheimer and the possible connection to alcoholism, but it got overly long and didactic by the end.