For I Shall Praise Him Once More

By Karen Swanepoel

For I shall praise Him once more is Karen Swanepoel's captivating life story of unimaginable loss, pain, and anguish, however, it is also a story of abundant grace and blessing, hopeful expectation, and beauty for ashes. She takes you along on her journey, from brokenness towards healing and acceptance, and shares the tools that encouraged and equipped her to follow this painful journey to the very end.
Throughout the storm God had been the source of her strength, her anchor, and her rock.
‘I want to testify of the hope that lives within me. By sharing my life story, I want to inspire others making their way on their individual, unique painful journeys, so that they can know and believe that it is possible to sing a song of praise once more.’
For I shall praise Him once more is described as ‘gripping’, ‘exceptional’, ‘inspiring’, ‘soul-enriching’, ‘sincere and written from the heart’, ‘every line written with simplicity, yet so much depth’, ‘a beautiful book of great significance’ and ‘absolutely a must-buy and a must-read’.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karen Swanepoel
• Release date: Sep 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005703868

Karen Swanepoel

Karen Swanepoel was born and bred in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She is the second eldest of four children. She resides in the beautiful town of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, where she has been practicing as a dietitian since 2012. She is married to Andre Swanepoel and is the proud mother of two little miracles, a pigeon pair - a double blessing after immense pain and sorrow. In September 2020 she published her debut book 'Ek sal weer 'n Loflied sing', her life story of unimaginable loss, pain and anguish, but also a story of abundant grace and blessing, hopeful expectation and beauty for ashes. She is currently enrolled in a Pastoral Counseling course and wants to specialize in Grief & Bereavement counseling to guide and support others through their grief journey.

Book preview

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For I shall praise Him once more

My journey of indescribable loss to bountiful blessings

Karen Swanepoel

Dedicated to my mother, Elsa

Copyright: Karen Swanepoel

www.loflied.co.za

E-mail: [e-mail]

First edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or may by any mechanical or electronic means be published, either in writing, by photocopying, sound recording, microfilming or any other means of preserving information, without written permission from the publisher.

Translation: Renette Vosloo

Proofreading and editing: Adri Theron

Design and layout: Annekie Heyns

Blitsdruk George

Tel: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

ISBN: 978-1-7763446-4-2

EISBN: 978-0-620-97173-7

Contents

Readers’ reviews

Reviews from other writers

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part 1

The end and the beginning

Childhood

A life partner

Accident and hospital

Memorial service

A future

Packing countless memories

A new identity

Cherished memories

A second chance

Another heart-breaking farewell

A double blessing

Part 2

My journey from brokenness to healing

How did I manage to remain standing?

How did I find meaning in and make sense of it all, amidst my pain?

Why does the Lord bring pain and hardship across one’s path?

Part 3

The grieving process

Loss and the grieving process

My personal experience of the grieving process

How to better understand the grieving process of someone who lost a child to death

How to support someone who lost a loved one to death

What you should never say to a person who lost a child to death

Part 4

Tools to equip you along your painful journey

Support groups for someone who has lost a loved one to death

Support groups for someone who lost a child to death

Facebook support groups for someone who lost a child to death

Websites/Blogs for parents who lost a child to death

Facebook groups to give you hope, inspiration and spiritual encouragement

Books on the death of a child

Books on the death of a loved one

Books on heaven

Books that comfort

Books on hardship and affliction

Books on hope

Poem to commemorate precious memories of your loved one

Prayer for a mother who has lost a child to death

Prayers for acceptance and peace

Encouraging poems

Bible verses to support, encourage and strengthen you along your painful journey

Jesus is in every book of the Bible

‘God is . . .

‘God’s love letter to you

Part 5

The story behind the writing of this book

How it all began and what I learnt throughout the process

Readers’ reviews

Janca Buys: ‘I have not been as excited in a long time, as I was while waiting for your book to arrive on my doorstep. On Sunday evening, as all went quiet and everyone was in dreamland, I made myself a cup of tea and lay down with your book in my hands. I opened the book and started reading. After the first few pages, I was hooked!

‘There, between the pages of your book, I experienced a piece of Jesus Himself. The hours ticked by, and I simply could not stop reading. Before I knew it, I had reached the last page of the book. Your story is so easy to read and written in a language for everyone to comprehend.

‘I have just read the very last sentence of your book and I am putting it on my bedside pedestal . . . I am speechless! I am literally lost for words, but I brim over with emotion; tears are running down my cheeks like streams of blessings and my WHOLE body is covered by goosebumps. Wow! Wow! Wow!

‘Every single cell in my body felt your pain as well as your joy and experienced it as if it happened to me.

‘Your story touched my soul and spoke to my spirit.

‘Throughout your story the golden thread binding the beginning to the end is: God is faithful, and He rewards our faithfulness.

‘The message of God’s grace and the purpose of pain is perceived just as clearly. Along with that, also the promise that all bad things will come to an end and that God will make everything work together for good for those who believe in Him.

‘As Christians we know all these things, but we tend to forget it so quickly when the tsunamis of life threaten to wreck our boats of life.

‘For this reason, I believe your book could not have been published in any better year. The year in which everybody seems to be grasping at any possible entity or commodity on earth in the hope that things will turn for the better once again. You are a beacon of hope in a world without hope. Even though the virus and the loss you suffered are so far removed from each other, the central message of your testimony stands firm. It is literally applicable to any trial and tribulation (illness, death, divorce, etc.) in the life of any person (irrespective of language, nationality, age, skin colour, occupation etc.).

‘Throughout your story it is crystal clear how God intervened every time and that what we have been taught since we were kids–that our lives have been planned way ahead and that He knows exactly what and when everything will happen–is the absolute truth. He is already there when it happens. After this testimony of yours, I cannot imagine that there may still be people out there who can say that God does not exist. I wish I could put this book into the hands of each and every person who does not believe in God. However, I do believe God will make sure that this book reaches every person whose heart HE wants to touch.

‘I declare this over your book!

‘Your testimony effectively does make all one’s fears of an uncertain future disappear and fills one’s spirit with excitement for what lies ahead. For if He could do it for you, He could most certainly do it for each and every one of us too! Thank you for letting God use your losses, so that I can gain from them. I am putting your testimony, your life-lessons, your promises from God’s Word, every encouraging slogan, and every handy tip, into my life’s basket tonight. As of tomorrow, I will carry it with me daily as food for the soul on my journey of life henceforth. Thank you for the privilege to read your book. It was a blessing.‘

Nellie de Bruyn: ‘Words cannot describe how inspirational your life story, and your love for and trust in God, is. You have touched my life—my entire outlook and thoughts on life; my self confidence and trust in God have been strengthened 100% after reading your lovely book. The motivational sections in your book have touched me deeply, I will read them over and over again. This book of yours is a must read and will touch humanity deeply. My life has been touched deeply. Thank you and thank you again.’

Lianne Claasen: ‘I enjoyed your book immensely. Wow, what a wonderful blessing and privilege it was to read it. There is so much value and power in your testimony and all the lessons that you share in the book. It is such a lovely go-to book. It is packed with information, life-truths, wisdom, Scripture and Word. I have read the book, but I will not stow it on my bookshelf. It is something one shall consult again and again for advice and wisdom. You will want to pull it out every so often as you may come to need it. This book you compiled, is precious and I am sure it will touch thousands of lives. It is a valuable asset for my bookshelf, and I am so happy to have bought your book.’

Yolanda Steenkamp: ‘Hello Karen, I’m writing to you because I have something HUGE to share with you. In September, I read about you and your book For I shall praise Him once more. Karen, I do not read books at all. I last read a book when I was at school. But I just had this strong urge to order your book, although I have never suffered a great loss myself. On October 2nd, 2020, I received your book and I finished reading it at work, the very same day. I did not read part 4, as it did not seem of any significance to me. On the same day I told my sister about you and your unbelievable story.

‘My sister was murdered on December 4th, 2020.

‘Karen, I was just looking for something on the Internet, I do not even know what. Maybe just anything to help me, but I did not know where to start. I then remembered your book, Karen, and there, in Part 4, is everything that I was looking for and needed right now. I am sitting here, covered with goose bumps, and tears of joy for the magnificent way in which the Lord cares for us.’

Andrea van Schalkwyk: ‘Today I want to testify to you, how important it is that you share your story with others . . . I bought your book—not because I lost a loved one myself, but because I wanted to read your story of hope myself—and I was curious to know how one would work through such a tragedy, since I thought it would be impossible. As you know, I finished your book about three weeks ago over a weekend and I was deeply touched by God’s unbelievable grace and love for each one of us. Little did I know what lay ahead of me . . . The eighteen-month-old baby boy of a friend of mine died the day before yesterday and my heart is shattered on her behalf. Because of your book, I do have some peace in my heart–that there is still hope for her! Karen, your story is guiding me, and I know it will, at the right time, also bring consolation for her . . . Three weeks ago, I would probably have said the most inappropriate things; I would not have had the slightest idea of how to properly support her and maybe I will still not do all the right things now. During such a horrible time, a person certainly does not understand any of it yourself but because of your book, I know I will be able to support her much better!

‘Thank you, and thank you once again, for sharing your story of hope with the rest of the world!

Sulei Eygelaar: ‘I received your book from a friend. Your book and your story touched me very deeply; I just want to thank you for sharing it. On October 23rd, my baby son, Miga, died. He would have been three months old on the 24th. I know that God is with me and especially now during this time of hurt, He is walking right beside me. I feel His presence and have never felt as close to Him before, however strange that may sound. Miga means Who is like God? and I feel my baby boy had brought a prophetic message to the world through his life. Also, that God had worked through him to change my life. I am now living in anticipation to find out what is God’s plan for my life so that I can fulfil it. I am so grateful to have received your book and that I could read your story. May you be blessed and thank you for being so obedient to our Father, by telling your story and giving Him all the glory. Romans 8:18 (that you also shared in your book) fills me with so much hope and I am holding onto it tightly.’

Hestelle Visser: ‘Hi Karen, I saw advertisements of your book, and I just had a hunch that I should acquire this book and read it. I am so grateful to a good friend who took the trouble to find the book and buy it for me as a gift—and my gut feeling, that I just had to read this book, was spot-on. My Boeta-child died in 2009 in an accident. During the past eleven years, I have read a great many books about parents who lost children to death, but none have gripped me like yours did. You wrote your story exactly how you experienced death as a parent. While I was reading your book, I thought to myself many a time: "Wow, this mother describes it exactly like I feel"’. Thank you for sharing it all with us. I wish you all the best for the road ahead and I am so grateful that you can sing a song of praise again. ‘

René van den Berg: ‘Good afternoon Karen. I had the privilege of watching your testimony on YouTube. May I share something with you—and I do not believe in coincidence; I believe the Lord sends people across one’s path. One day I sat on my bed. I was so tired of life. I did not have any dreams left. I did not even have any ambitions left.

‘Throughout my childhood and school years, I experienced rejection. Since I was eight until I was 14 and a half years old, I had attempted to take my life. It seemed as though nothing I ever did mattered; it was just never good enough. After numerous diets and failed attempts, I just became more broken; I hoped and prayed so much, but eventually I just gave up. I just lived to get through every day. Then someone shared your story on Facebook. There, I noticed that one poem. I commented on it—then bought your book and I watched your