LEFT: The Struggle To Make Sense Of Life When A Parent Leaves

by Jonathan C. Edwards

“LEFT is a raw, well-written account of a heart-rending journey filled with gospel hope. Readers will find their own stories, in big or small ways, reflected in Jonathan’s account of a young man seeking in everything what he could only find in Jesus.”




Excerpt:

There was a space in the living room where his big, blue leather chair used to be. There was a space at the end of the table where he used to sit and tell us jokes and talk about his day and tell me to always eat over my plate.There was a space in the driveway next to mom's van where his light blue Honda Civic used to be parked. There was a space in his bathroom at his sink where his toothbrush and toothpaste and deodorant used to be. There was a space next to mom in their bed where he used to sleep. There was a space in new pictures and on the mantle at Christmas where his stocking used to hang and in the laundry basket where his dirty clothes used to be.

But his clothes weren't there. Our laundry basket didn't have any of his t-shirts or pants or socks. All the clothes in the basket were too small for him.

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2014

About the author

Jonathan Edwards (M.Div, Th.M) has served churches in various roles for the past 10 years, from music and creative arts/graphic design to serving and equipping college students. He is currently the Director of Curriculum for Docent Research Group, where he also serves as a lead writer. He and his wife, Katherine, live in the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina, where he is pursuing his Ph.D at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Read more of his writing at NotThePuritan.com.

Reviews

[Sarah Tummey]

A sad story and a quick read. The question of how his parents' family breakdown affected his own marriage is unanswered. Perhaps the subject of a future book?

Overall, would recommend for anyone who's ever been rejected or suffered the absence of someone special.