Grief: Finding the Candle of Light

By Jody Neufeld

Are you separated from someone you love: mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, child, friend, pet? Separated from a career you love? Separated from a home you love? Separated from the life you thought would continue on the road you were traveling? If you are, then you are dealing with grief.

Grief is the sorrow and suffering that must be walked THROUGH by everyone who has experienced a loss. The walk is characterized by alone-ness (no one can do it for you), timelessness (there are no short-cuts but there may be detours), and darkness (each path is unique to that person).

This concise book will give you practical strategies to use in dealing with your particular grief. Author Jody Neufeld says: "God gives us simple directions as we walk through the valley of grief. As He told David in Psalm 23, it was His intention that we walk through the valley, not get stuck.

Walking my own roads after the death of my son, my parents, and my first marriage, I can say now that each road was different; each one had some very difficult periods and yet God was faithful. It is my prayer as I write this book that others will also receive God's healing, life-giving words."

This book is especially valuable for use in churches and small group studies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Energion Publications
• Release date: Sep 13, 2007
• ISBN: 9781631996856

Book preview

Grief: Finding the Candle of Light

Jody Neufeld

with

Janet Wilkie, LCSW

Energion Publications

P. O. Box 841

Gonzalez, FL 32560

www.energionpubs.com

[e-mail]

[phone]

Grief: Finding the Candle of Light

by Jody Neufeld with Janet Wilkie, LCSW

Published by Energion Publications.

P.O. Box 841

Gonzalez, FL 32560

Website: www.energionpubs.com

Unless otherwise marked, scripture quotations are personal translations by Henry Neufeld, MA for this book.

Scripture quotations marked paraphrased were paraphrased by the author.

Scripture quotations marked ‘NIV’ are from the New International Version Bible. Copyright © Zondervan Corporation. 1996. Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked ‘CEV’ are from the Contemporary English Version Bible. Copyright © American Bible Society, 1995. Used by Permission.

Cover Design by Jason Neufeld, jasonneufelddesign.com.

Copyright © 2007 by Jody Neufeld

All rights reserved.

Neufeld, Jody 1954 –

Includes bibliographical references.

Aer.io Edition: 978-1-63199-685-6

Print ISBN: 1-893729-50-8

Dedication

To all the thousands of patients, their families,

and loved ones who have taught me so much.

They walked this path before me;

some allowing me to walk with them.

God used you to teach and prepare me

for the path I would walk and, in turn,

pass His wisdom, and yes, extravagant love

for His hurting children,

May we continue our journey toward healing,

becoming ‘new’ once again.

One person alone may be overpowered.

Two people can defend themselves.

But a rope made of three strands is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (paraphrase)

Preface

…weeping may stay during the darkness of night, but joy comes with the light of dawn.

Psalm 30:5 (paraphrase)

As a nurse and a mother, I found that the hours between 1 and 6 a.m. can be very dark and frightening. Just before light breaks through the clouds is when a child’s fever or the amount of my tears and fears become the greatest. And a ‘day’ or ‘night’ may not always be measured in a twelve hour period. During a life-threatening illness or any other life-changing situation, joy may seem very fleeting while sadness or grief may take months or years to journey through.

I met Janet Wilkie while working as a nurse for a hospice. At first I thought it was just her ‘sweet Southern ways’ that encouraged people to open up and let go of their burdens. As she became my friend and walked with me through my divorce and my son’s illness and death, I found out that her ‘ways’ also included a deep caring and an ability to give me practical options for coping and moving forward in my journey of grief. She has been so valuable in helping me to develop this simple book that could be helpful in those first days and months following a loss. In that period the pain is so sharp and fresh that all you want to do is go to bed and pull the covers over your head. And yet, you desperately want the ability to move forward just a step, in the hope that the pain might be relieved even a little bit. The vision that God gave me for this book is that those who are experiencing grief from whatever source and those who want to help those who are grieving might find some words of wisdom and practical application within these pages.

-- Jody Neufeld

Acknowledgements

So many,