THE OTHER SIDE OF GRIEF

On the other side of grief is a new life, a life re-built with God's helpit is different, but blessed.

On July 24, 2015, Carol Barnum left her husband's hospital room to get clothes for him to wear home. While she was gathering his things, the doctor called to say Dave had taken a turn for the worse, but he was "out of the woods." Back at the hospital, while waiting to see her husband again, the unthinkable happened. Despite the doctors' efforts, Carol's husband of almost 29 years went home to the Lord.

In The Other Side of Grief, Carol describes what it was like for her to travel the grief journey and the effects it had on her emotions, decision-making skills, confidence, physical health, and faith. She gently and honestly shares her reactions to questions like "Are you okay?" and emotionally-charged words like "widow." By the end of that first year, she knew she would never say she's betterjust different. And that's okay. Through her faith, she learned that rebuilding her life is part of the grief process, and even in sadness, God is able to bring blessings each day.

Carol's deep and reflective insights into her own grief journey can help others understand and accept their own grief process or that of those dear to them. It helps to know that someone else has had sleepless nights, become frozen over something as simple as choosing socks, or cried when she saw a photograph of her loved one. It is comforting and encouraging to realize that these experiences are a normal part of the journey to the other side of grief.