Broken Walk: Experiencing God After the Loss of a Child

by Gary Roe

The death of a child is shocking, crushing, heartbreaking, traumatic, and unbelievably painful.
The people around you don't know what to say. They end up saying what they've heard others say.
Perhaps they mean well, but clichés do nothing for a grieving parent or grandparent's heart. Such platitudes only belittle your loss and your pain.
You need something more than this-far more.
You need to know that it's okay to hurt, to be sad, and to grieve.
You need to know that you're not crazy and that your grief is "normal."
You need to know that you're not alone in this.
And most of all, you need the comfort of God's presence. You need to experience His compassion and love. You need to know He is walking with you in your pain and grief.
And that's what Broken Walk is all about.
A trusted voice in grief recovery, bestselling author and grief specialist Gary Roe has been bringing comfort, hope, and healing to wounded hearts for more than three decades. A former missionary, pastor, and hospice chaplain, he has walked with thousands of grieving parents and grandparents through the deep valley of child loss.
Gary wrote Broken Walk as a companion for you on this painful, exhausting journey.
Broken Walk is essentially a grief devotional, designed to be read one chapter a day, though you do not have to read it that way, of course.
God meets us in our pain and embraces us. He walks with us through the emotional pain, mental confusion, physical distress, spiritual questioning, and relational changes.
As we walk this road, we will feel broken, perhaps even shattered. How could we not?
Jesus personally experienced more pain, suffering, and grief than we can fathom. He knows. He gets it. He is the best grief companion imaginable.
The valley of child loss is deep and dark at times. Be kind to yourself. Take your time.
Open your heart. Let the Broken Walk begin.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2022

About the author

Hi. My name is Gary.

My story began with a childhood of sexual abuse and numerous other losses. When my life began to unravel as a teen, another family took me in and changed the trajectory of my life. My healing journey began.

Eager to help others heal and grow, my heart turned outward. Over the next three decades, I served as a campus minister, a church-planting missionary in Japan, an entrepreneur in Hawaii, and a pastor. I'm currently work as a writer, speaker, and hospice chaplain.

After walking through deep valleys with thousands of people, I can say the following with confidence:

• We've all been wounded
• Healing isn't for sissies
• We’re all designed for impact
• The world needs us
• We must heal

I'm here to help. I'm no guru or master of anything. I'm a fellow struggler. I still bear the scars of my wounds. I grieve, get anxious, worry, and battle fear regularly. But I'm healing, and I'm growing.

Stop by my website. Drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you.

Reviews

[susan hook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing a child is devastating and debilitating. We will live with a hole in our heart for the rest of our lives. The sadness and pain of missing our child is intense.

Early in my loss I read a number of books, some of which were written by Gary Roe, (i.e. Shattered, Comfort for the grieving parent's heart, Grief Walk- Experiencing God after the loss of a loved one, etc.). These books brought great comfort and support during this time.

When I read "Broken Walk-Experiencing God after the loss of a Child", it touched on every emotion I have been feeling for the last 19 months. This book is written as a daily devotional, but when you start reading the book it will be hard to put it down because it is so real to where you are at.

Broken Walk reassured me that everything that I have been feeling since the death of my son, Chad in December 2020 is part of the horrendous grief walk, and I am not going crazy.

When reading this book, I found comfort, hope and love from God's presence.

If you have lost a child, I would highly recommend this book. If you know someone who has lost a child, this would be a great gift of support. Also, if you want to understand and support someone who has lost a child, by reading this book you could be a blessing to them.

[Dawn Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

-As you read this book, know that my Prayers are already with you and your family.

-This Journey is not easy, but this book is amazing and uniquely written for us. No matter where you are in your Grief, you can find a chapter that relates to you.

-Having lost my son 10-years ago, I’ve been through each of these emotions that the books lists – many times over, including Bad Anxiety and Panic Attacks. What kept me going, is turning everything I am feeling over to God and asking HIM to help me. I now realize that HE gives me Rest and Restores my Soul (each and every time).

-Some days I still find it very difficult, especially certain times of the year. I’ll lose my breath, plus my heart, mind, and soul seem to get clouded/confused and my anxiety or panic attacks kick in once again. Personally - deep-breathing, Prayer, and Worship Music helps me to slowly refocus. Along with reading and talking to close family and friends.

-Looking back at the first couple of years, we also grieve a secondary loss – Living without them and the things we use to do together.

-Grief is a passage (never knew what that meant til I lost my son), please don’t get stuck. Talk to God and let our Lord guide you. HE carries me and HE will do the same for you. /

*Dawn

[Hannah Treider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Walk is a book to help not only parents but others who lost a child whether they were young or old at the time of their death. Gary Roe, the author, gives insights on how family and friends can help others in the grief process through their words and actions. If you haven't been in this situation, it is not easy to comfort or say the right words to them. I wish I had read this book years ago. This author provides many Bible scriptures for grievers to lean on during the grief process. This book is an easy read and gives people help in their time of sorrow. May our God, the Great Physician, bring healing to your broken heart during this broken walk of sorrow. I will leave these two Bible verses for you to lean on during your journey: 1) Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. Psalms 55:17 and 2) Psalms 31:24 says: Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Susan Stanfield

[Linda Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Roe newest book Broken Walk: Experiencing God After the Loss od a Child is an excellent read. I lost my only 22 year old daughter to murder in 1999.I wished that this book was written years ago as it really puts everything into perspective for a parent that loss a child. I am a Christian women, and my Faith, has been with me, from the begining of my daughter's murder. Gary really has hit on how a Parent that loss a child feel walking this Journey of grief, and how God is there for us. God is all loving, he is always with us.Losing a child is a very painful journey. Family,& friends do not know what to say to a griedfing parent so if our grief does not end in a short period of time, as they feel we should ''Get Over it!"Our family,& friends walk away from us, causing us, even greater pain.
This is a beautiful book that explains many things how God is always there for us, and how we can draw strength thru him,and have him help us thru this walk.

[Mary Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Roe “gets it”. He understands the anguish, depression, and emptiness the loss of a child brings. As in his other well written books, he begins each 2 page chapter with an emotion that resonates with the grieving person. Then he progresses to how this is not unusual, and “here’s an idea that may help”. Each chapter ends with a related scripture, a promise from God, and very short prayer. As the book progresses, it takes the reader from despair to hope, acknowledging sorrow will continue, but God also cares and heals. This book is as gently written as his voice is, without over piety or religiosity, just an understanding by someone who’s been there.

[Barbara Milburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing. It's almost like Mr. Roe had a bug in my head and wrote down my inner most thoughts. I was first introduced to the authors books when my son passed a year & a half ago. His book Shattered; Surviving the Loss of a Child was a great comfort. But this book, it's like it came right out of my head. Thoughts that I never shared because there was no safe person to share that part of my heart with. Broken gives me confidence that I'm not crazy and I'm not a bad person. I'm just a normal mother going thru a normal journey after loosing her only child. A must have for your grief walk journey.

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

We lost our son Paden on March 18, 2019, at the age of 28. We were devastated. Gary’s grief counseling and books have been literally a God-send to us. His newest book, “Broken Walk: Experiencing God after the Loss of a Child” is exactly the right book for Christ followers who have lost a child. As I told our pastor shortly after Paden’s passing, “I don’t know what else to do but praise Him in the storm – where else would we turn”? This book is perfect for helping grieving parents do just that – turn to the One who offers us hope and comfort on this painful walk and an eternity of peace and love.

[Gayle Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Walk: Experiencing God After the Loss of a Child, truly speaks to the heart and mind of the broken-hearted, grieving parent (or grandparent). Thank you, Gary, for writing this much needed book! It brings such an understanding of the many intense feelings of the greatest sadness imaginable. As well, as bringing the comfort of God without sugar coating the reality of the devastating loss of a child. While reading it, I felt like Gary, a much loved and respected specialist on Grief, was my companion in grief. I pray that every grieving parent or grandparent will have an opportunity to benefit from this beautifully written book.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not gone through the trauma of losing a child but I have experienced the loss of my husband. Gary's books always answer the questions that go round and round in your head and you think you are going mad. His experience of loss comes through in all his books and this book is no exception. He doesn't give platitudes but care and compassion. I have a niece who has lost her child and I will buy this for her. I would recommend Broken walk to all those heartbroken, grieving people who have lost a child.

[Julie Kettles · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Broken Walk is formatted the same as Gary's book called Grief Walk, which I am using every week in our local support group that I lead.

I love Grief Walk because it's like a devotional which makes it more readable with bite-size content, and it works well with my topics each week.

I love how it moves from the griever's reality to human support, and then, on to receiving God's loving kindness.

I would love to have had this 2 years ago after my daughter's passing, yet I'm still benefiting from reading it now.

So grateful that you wrote Broken Walk Gary!"

[Rebecca Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Roe understands what the grieving heart is experiencing. This book, like most of his others, uses the format where the grieving heart is expressing an emotion, reaction, question, anger, and such. He then address this issue and explains that this emotion, etc. is a normal (well, as normal as grieving can be) and allows us to work through these emotions and helps us understand whys and hows and whats that we're facing. Each grieving heart's emotional expression closes with a prayer or verse. Gary Roe really gets what grieving is and has helped me deal with it.

[Deborah Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have lost both of my daughters, the oldest in 2013 and my youngest in 2020. Both unexpected, they were 25 and 29 respectively. Reading this book is like being able to vent to a close friend who understands. It addressed all my raging emotions. I finished it on my youngest daughter's 2nd Angelversary. I came out with a peace that I didn't have before. Has helped me more than any of the other books I read (and I read a lot).

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book on child loss that validates the feelings we go through after experiencing the worst nightmare imaginable. It describes the many thoughts and feelings we have as parents who have lost a child. Sometimes we just reach for anything that can give us hope and understanding and this book did that for me. It provided a pathway to reentering life with hope and healing. I recommend this book to any parent who's lost a child at any age.

[Lisa Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother who has lost 3 children at various ages and to various causes, this book is truly one of the most helpful ones. It is a must read for any parent no matter how their child was called home. Since losing my adult daughter I have also become a support group facilitator and I will absolutely be recommending Broken Walk to those in the groups. Thank you Gary Roe for writing this amazing book!

[Elizabeth Hepner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Walk covers so many aspects of the grieving process when you lose a child. It helped me personally as I reflect on the past 3 years of losing my son Brandon and all the emotions I’ve felt. It also reminds me that there is hope as we attempt to make sense of it all. I fully expect to read it several times and go back to the sections that touched me the most.

[Cindy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Roe’s books have been tremendously helpful to me in grieving the loss of my husband. I can’t imagine how a parent copes with the loss of a child of any age. The Broken Walk offers the grieving parent sensitive, compassionate and effective tools to navigate the journey that no one wants to be on.

[Marcy Pearson Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the first book I have read by Gary Roe, but it was the most heart wrenching one. I lost my son July 2021 and this book put a lot of my feelings into words. It also helped me understand that I am not the only one out there having these feelings after the loss of a child.

[Rita Harrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Walk is an interplay of characters that helped me enormously.
By Gary’s own questioning and answering with regard to grieving the loss of a child and the inclusion of passages from the bible to reinforce his answers, I feel a calm and peace from the words on the page.
Blessings
Rita

[Joyce Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book a great resource for understanding the feeling about our grief of children and/or grandchildren death. It gives a small reading along with a Bible verse explaining it in a way for anyone to comprehend. It also helps a person to rely on God.

[Mallory Plotz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of VERY relatable thoughts, raw feelings and big emotions. It is written in first person and to be read one day at a time. I haven't been able to pray on my own since my daughter died and this gives me the words.

[Tracy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter will be gone 9 years next month. As a parent, you never get over losing a child. You will always feel broken. But reading this book, the way Gary has wrote it, in short thoughts, it makes me feel validated, in so many ways. Everything he has wrote, I have said out loud or thought to myself at one point or time. That is such a comfort when you feel like you just can't handle one more thing. God is there with you each and every step of the way, we just need to realize it and believe it, even during our darkest times.

[Debbie Wardlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really touches home for me. It hits every emotion I am feeling. It is definitely a must have no matter what stage of grief you are experiencing. I would highly recommend this book.

[Kathi Crean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary’s words helped me experience GOD’s presence
after the death of our son, as these words ring true for
me. He has meet me where I am and lead me through every moment of everyday.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is like reading all my thoughts and emotions. Gary seems to able to do this with each book. This is another great tool for dealing with grief. I strongly suggest adding it to your collection.