What Loss Can Teach Us: A Sacred Pathway to Growth and Healing

by Beth Taulman Miller

After a significant loss, many people rush to get back a sense of normalcy without allowing themselves time to heal and learn from that loss. Our loving and compassionate God longs to walk with individuals on a transformational journey through loss toward becoming more emotionally and spiritually whole. This book shows readers that God offers an "on ramp" to the process of tending to their pain. What Loss Can Teach Us provides readers with stepping-stones for getting through loss and pain while discovering the lessons they can learn through that process. Including her own story of loss, the author guides us in spiritual practices that helped her heal. While nothing changes its reality, loss can lead to an important juncture where readers will decide if they can trust God to take them through the hard process of growth and healing by allowing themselves to be shaped by the lessons they learn through their recovery. What Loss Can Teach Us can serve as a road map for that journey.

176 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2021

Reviews

[Nick Richtsmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I wish I had ten years ago. It's tight, condensed structure filled with personal credibility and actionable advice reframes grief into the full scope of its triggers (more than death) and the full pantheon of its gifts. These gifts are unapologetically unwanted, but if--as Beth teaches us--we can willingly accept them, there is something powerful that we receive that may have been previously unreachable.

As a person who came from the "suffering is God's way of teaching" brand of Christianity, I always felt that pain was something required because I needed to learn a lesson. Miller's rich theological prose and personal insights reframe it where it belongs: pain is unavoidable and what God does with this unwanted thing is the magic.

[Ryan Motter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most helpful thing about this book is its structure: a straightforward “pathway” as it claims to be. The accessibility of its writing and the faithful spiritual practices at the end of each chapter make this so the book would function exceptionally well as a gift to a friend caught in grief and loss OR as a small group study for people wrestling with communal loss. Taulman’s vulnerability with her story is a model to the reader, and her progressive theological stance makes this a true gift in that it doesn’t rest in platitudes or easy answers. A great new pastoral resource for holding and processing grief.

[Toni Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Loss Can Teach Us is a deeply personal, yet very practical book that follows the author's journey through her experiences of grief and loss. Each chapter addresses a different facet of possible steps in this journey to healing with clear and honest reflections. I appreciate Beth’s well researched and thoughtful writing about emotions, community, forgiveness, God as midwife and the paradox of both/and. There’s an invitation to try a different Spiritual Practice at the end of each chapter. I loved the book and have already bought it for other friends!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle and reliable guide through grief. I found this a great resource that I will recommend. It is written with a personal narrative style, easy to read and full of contemplative spiritual practices to navigate loss.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of good chapters in here to help someone navigate caring for themselves in deep loss and long, complicated grief, as well as accepting and integrating that loss into their life. I appreciate the spiritual practices at the end of each chapter. A very tender, thoughtful, patient book.

[Lauren Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for a work project and found many helpful exercises and stories of strength. This is great for anyone going through a difficult season, or needs a gift for someone who is.

[Anna Thill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shout out to Caleb’s mom!!!!!!!! It has wisdom that can help Christians and non-Christians both, even when inspired by biblical stories/scripture

[kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.