Watching someone you love work through a season of hard grief can be a terrible, beautiful thing. It’s terrible because of the heartbreaking pain of loss … and beautiful when you see them turn to God for help and watch Him “shelter them under His wings” and comfort them as they “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” with Him. I had that terrible, beautiful privilege as I walked with my friend Jimmy through the valley of death. His beautiful, accomplished daughter was taken from his family because of a senseless act of irresponsibility. Anyone can resonate with the shock, anger and depression that came like wave after wave, and yet, eventually, the comfort and peace of God settled on Jimmy and his family.
Part of the comfort that God sent came through the stories of others who have taken this terrible, beautiful journey. In this book, Jimmy will tell his story, as will many others who have felt the searing pain of losing a child. Paul told us in II Corinthians 1: 3-4 that “God, our merciful Father … comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” You will read how God sent comfort to my friend … and you can be sure if you do what he did … you will receive the gift he received as well.