The statistics are staggering . . .
One out of seven children will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 20.[1]
Losing a loved one, at any age, is devastating. But for a child, it can lead to fears, insecurities, bitterness, rage, isolationism, delinquency, and estrangement from God – scars that can last a lifetime.
Grieving children can easily think God isn’t real . . . God doesn’t love me . . . God isn’t kind.
It is crucial for kids to feel God’s love and comfort in the midst of their pain, and to know that Jesus is real, He does love them, and He is kind. This is the purpose and message of my new picture book, Emily Lost Someone She Loved.
I am the mother of three children whose birth mother died of cancer when they were young. When I met them, they were ages twelve, ten, and eight, all grieving in very different ways. I have seen first hand the pain and confusion that accompanies childhood loss. This book communicates those real emotions. With tender illustrations and prayerfully selected text, Emily Lost Someone She Loved leads children back into a realization of the true heart of God for them. It’s a book that can be read over and over again, restoring faith in God, and hope for the future.
Writing this book was a redemptive process for me. It’s the book I wish had been available to me when I was trying to raise three grieving children. I was unequipped, overwhelmed, and often frustrated. I didn’t recognize, at the time, what my children needed most from me. I hope you will see in Emily Lost Someone She Loved a life-giving way forward for families in the midst of devastating loss.
I pray that as you read any of the books in my Hope for Kids in Crisis series, you are stirred with a deeper revelation of God’s redemptive and healing love.
[1] Findings from http://www.hellogrief.org/about/life-with-grief-research/ accessed on February 17, 2015.