This Was Not the Plan: A Widow's Journey to Hope

by Jennifer Farley

He was loved by everyone he met...even if he kept them guessing.

This Was Not the Plan is an honest and tender memoir about love, loss, and the long road forward.

When Jennifer Farley’s husband died unexpectedly, she was left to raise their three young boys on her own, navigating heartbreak, fear, and the overwhelming weight of trying to be everything they needed. What followed was a decade of learning how to keep moving when the path disappears beneath you.

With brave transparency and quiet strength, Farley invites readers into her family’s journey through moments of despair and hope, isolation and unexpected grace. She reflects on the power of community, the courage it takes to accept help, and the steady presence of faith when answers feel far away.

Whether you’re supporting someone through grief or searching for light in your own darkness, This Was Not the Plan is a reminder that healing doesn’t mean having it all figured out—it means choosing love, again and again.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2025

Reviews

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The personal chronicles of a woman walking through the valley of the shadow of death - widowhood - with all of the pain and grief, laughter and jokes, tears and trials. Sometimes the grief arises from within. Sometimes it is sparked from thoughtless comments and questions from others. At other times it's a happy moment with the kids or family friends that launches an air assault of memories that flood the heart. It's a book fellow grievers will find healthy and health-enriching. It's also a book others should read to give them inside information as they talk to and walk with those who have lost loved ones.

[Ashley Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you or anyone you know is dealing the loss of a loved one or even just the end of something special, this is the book for you. Walking through this journey with Jenn, you will learn how to navigate. You will also realize that it may not always look pretty. She is honest and bold. Her writing style is very fun to read.

[Amber Mcmath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written truths that capture all that is love and grief and hope! The individual snapshots of her journey will speak to all who go along the journey with her.