Links for Hope Moms {Book & Song}

We want to share with you links to posts, videos, resources, and more to uplift, help, and encourage you in your walk with the Lord as you grieve. View past posts in this series here.

1. “How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil,”  by D. A. Carson

“This book can serve to re-calibrate according to a biblical framework our thinking about suffering. If you are seeking to work through your understanding of theology to come to terms with where suffering and grief fits into a biblical worldview, and how Scripture’s writers regard suffering, this is a go-to read. Allow me to quote from it at length:

‘Death is not simply something that happens to me. It happens to me because I am a sinner. In that sense I have caused death; I am death’s subject, not just its object. In my transgression I have attracted the just wrath of God. […]

I do not wish to be misunderstood. I am not saying that it is wrong to rage against death, or that Paul is wrong to treat death as “the last enemy” (1 Cor. 15). The Bible everywhere assumes that those who are bereaved will grieve, and their grief is never belittled. Job grieves unbearably at the loss of his ten children (Job 1:20; 2:13); so does the widow of Nain who lost her son (Luke 7:11-13), and she attracts Jesus’ compassion. And to our grieving minds there seems an inequity when wicked men live out their seventy years while little children perish.

It is essential to grasp the theological point that stands at the heart of our lostness, and therefore of our redemption: death is, finally, the result of our sin, and therefore rage directed against God, as if he were unfair for passing the sentence that our sin deserved, is inherently foolish, as foolish as criticizing a judge for passing a just sentence on a bank robber. Our rage is better directed at the ugliness of death, the wretchedness of sin, our sense of betrayal and self-betrayal. It may be a venting of our profound loss and frustration. But thoughtful Christians will never lose sight of the origins of death, and therefore will not, at least on this ground, rage against God himself.’”

—Lianna 

2. “Winter Bear,” by Coby Grant 

“As a grieving mother of three plus years now, it has been my experience that as time passes, the weight of my sorrow ascends and recedes—extinguishing out the relentlessness of my sadness. So, when I happen upon small things that remind me of how very deeply I miss her—a smell, a bible verse, a 3-year-old little girl in red shoes, a special Christmas tree ornament, her blanket that I sleep with, an encouraging note from a friend, or a song that is tangled with sorrow and sweetness—I am undone. The tears flow, and it feels so right.

I had that right moment when I happened upon this song. This song bleeds with the genuine pain that we all have in common, but I’d like to add—there’s hope and assurance to go along with this beautiful song. The Bible confirms that when we sing the words, ‘you are already there,’ we can sing with confidence that ‘there’ is heaven (Romans 1:18-20; 2 Samuel 12:19-23). As the songstress sings, ‘And wonder, can you feel my love?’ I can relate. I often find myself wondering if Blair knows how deeply I love her and yearn to know everything about her, yet these wonderings can lack sorrow and swell full of hope and praise. Regardless if she knows of anything here on earth, she knows of everything in heaven. I like that I can listen to ‘Winter Bear’ and connect with the sadness of missing my girl, and I love that even though my journey can be sad at times the Lord has provided me with joy and the discernment to seek Him in everything with confidence.”

—Calli