Leanne Friesen is the author of Grieving Room and the curator of the popular Grieving Room Instagram account. She leads grief workshops and events and is a frequent guest on podcasts. An ordained minister, Friesen holds an MDiv from McMaster University and a post-graduate certificate in death and bereavement from Wilfred Laurier University. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario, with her husband and two teenage children.
Description
Chapter 1 The Terrible Cannot Be Quickly Resolved Chapter 2 After the Terrible, People May Question Your Terrible Chapter 3 After the Terrible, Sometimes More Terrible Appears Chapter 4 After the Terrible Come Crossroads Chapter 5 After the Terrible, We Are Changed Chapter 6 After the Terrible, We Start Again Chapter 7 After the Terrible, We Carry Others' Terrible Chapter 8 After the Terrible, We Do Brave Things Chapter 9 After the Terrible, We Look for Hesed Chapter 10 After the Terrible, There May Be Obed Moments Afterword Reflection and Discussion Questions Acknowledgments Notes
"Grief and trauma haunt the human experience, weighing so many of us down. Leanne Friesen's pastoral wisdom and deft scriptural insight will bring you hope, showing not so much how to move past the terrible, but how to move forward with it. May her words help heal your heart as they have mine." --BETH ALLISON BARR, professor of history at Baylor University and New York Times-bestselling author of Becoming the Pastor's Wife and The Making of Biblical Womanhood "After the Terrible takes a familiar story and reintroduces us to the oft-overlooked character of the grieving widow Naomi. As we journey with her through grief's most difficult landscapes, we meet a God who is present and attentive, charting a path forward for us even when we can't see it for ourselves. A deeply consoling and generative read." --AMANDA HELD OPELT, author of A Hole in the World, Holy Unhappiness, and Provisions "Leanne Friesen is a trusted voice for grieving hearts and a gifted storyteller. With pastoral wisdom, vulnerability, and deep compassion, she honors loss in all its complexity, helping readers feel seen, validated, and held with grace in their grief without being 'fixed.' This book is a compassionate companion for anyone navigating loss, reminding us that grief and joy can coexist, and that hope can find its way back to us." ---NINA RODRIGUEZ, host of the award-winning podcast Grief and Light "Reading Leanne Friesen's latest book, After the Terrible, feels like being wrapped in a warm hug by a dear friend-one who truly understands profound, life-altering loss. I imagine that anyone who has survived devastation will be able to see themselves in its pages, whether you are a person of faith, like the author, or nonreligious, as I am." --ALLIE KRAMER, creator and host of Worst Club Ever podcast "Who knew that a book about grief and what we do with the hard things in our lives could be such a pleasure to read! It's both breezy and profound-like having a cozy conversation with a good friend who can hold your pain, laugh with you about the absurdities, and point you toward hope." ---MARK SCANDRETTE, executive director of ReImagine and author of The Ninefold Path of Jesus and other books "Leanne Friesen has again used her masterful storytelling and teaching gifts to make sense of the 'terribles' and the grief that comes with them. Like her first book, Grieving Room, this one is extremely accessible, allowing the reader to think about the things we fear the most and how we can bear them. She encourages us to acknowledge the terribles and the grief they hold, and to find ways to embrace them with care and compassion. Friesen weaves the story of Naomi and the gift of Obed with the realities of the terribles and how we find hope. This is a must-read for grievers and those supporting someone grieving.""Leanne Friesen has again used her masterful storytelling and teaching gifts to make sense of the 'terribles' and the grief that comes with them. Like her first book, Grieving Room, this one is extremely accessible, allowing the reader to think about the things we fear the most and how we can bear them. She encourages us to acknowledge the terribles and the grief they hold, and to find ways to embrace them with care and compassion. Friesen weaves the story of Naomi and the gift of Obed with the realities of the terribles and how we find hope. This is a must-read for grievers and those supporting someone grieving." ---SHELLEY CRAIG, program director and podcast host, Faith & Grief