Aftermath: Growing in Grace Through Grief [Paperback]

Margaret McSweeney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2012

Loss is a four-letter word that grips our hearts and gridlocks our lives. Grief can hold us captive until we surrender it to God. How do we find the necessary grace to journey through the mourning process? Juxtaposed to the outpouring of her mother’s words about grief, the author shares her parallel journey from the emotional abyss of grief after becoming an adult orphan. With candor, the author shares her own emotions experienced along the spectrum of loss after her parents’ deaths: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—adding interactive options for readers. Five sections cover these common emotions and provide: • comfort Scripture lists • counsel sections from grief experts • chronicling sections with detailed helps • tangible handles on dealing with grief during holidays, capturing loved ones’ legacy, and more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Margaret McSweeny is a well-published author often writing freelance articles for the Daily Herald, the largest suburban Chicago newspaper, as well as having authored several books including A Mother’s Heart Knows and Go Back and Be Happy. With a master’s degree in international business, Margaret became a vice-president in the corporate finance division of a New York City bank and worked there 1986–1993. For the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for WINGS, an organization that helps abused women and their children get a new start in life. You can also keep up with Margaret at Kitchen Chat or the Pearl Girls blog. Margaret lives with her husband and two daughters in the Chicago suburbs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Hope Publishers (July 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596693436
• ISBN-13: 978-1596693432
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.3 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #962,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret lives with her husband and two daughters in a Chicago suburb. She is the author of Aftermath: Growing in Grace Through Grief (2012, A Mother's Heart Knows (2005) and the co-author of Go Back and Be Happy (2006). She is the founder and collaborator of Pearl Girls, www.pearlgirls.info. All the proceeds of books sales from Mother of Pearl (2012) and Pearl Girls (2009) to go support the work of two charities, WINGS AND HANDS OF HOPE. Margaret has been featured on Greg Wheatly's "Prime Time America," TLN's "Aspiring Women," and LeSea's "The Harvest Show." Margaret writes freelance articles for The Daily Herald, the largest suburban Chicago newspaper. Notable interviews include Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Kinkade, Susan Branch and Dr. John Gottman. Margaret also wrote a feature article for crosswalk.com. With a master's degree in international business, Margaret became a vice president in the corporate finance division of a New York City bank and worked there from 1986-1993. Supporting charitable causes is important to Margaret. For the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for WINGS, an organization that helps abused women and their children get a new start in life. Margaret would love to meet you too. Follow her on twitter (@McSweeney) or friend her on facebook. You can also keep up with Margaret at Kitchen Chat, her weekly radio show.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Live To Read August 26, 2012

By Chels

Format:Paperback

"How can one put decorative tissue paper around a wrecking ball?" That line says it all. As the book title suggests, so much growth happens through grief, but many painful, hollow years may pass until healing leads you to grace. Written as a personal response to the deaths of her father and then her mother, McSweeney uses Bible verses, poetry written by herself and her mother Carolyn Rhea, and personal stories to lead readers through the "stages" of grief to grace. Ending each section is an exercise in "chronicling", a spot to consider what to say to God and discover how you are feeling at that time.
I've always respected - and been impressed by a grandparent's words of wisdom . In the book, Grandpa Turnage's journal lines, written so many years ago, startled me into reevaluating how "Christian" or spiritual my home is. Turnage suggests that a lack of religious presence in the home may be the root of trouble in marriage and with children's behavior. I also liked her family's talk of finding a "raw edge" - just the tip of a great need. That would be a place to make a simple start for helping and serving...and healing.
My mom died young. A stronger faith might have helped me to be at peace with her absence sooner. But, too much spiritual talk made me uncomfortable when I was young - sometimes it still does. As a teen, this book may not have helped me, but I feel certain that Aftermath might help grieving adults to grow in faith and find serenity.
Four Stars

*Complimentary copy received for review, this does not affect my opinion in any way*

5.0 out of 5 stars In the Aftermath November 10, 2012

By Doretta Mills VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

When someone we love dies, we experience a myriad of feelings--anger, grief, and denial being a few of these feelings. Margaret McSweeney helps us along this journey in this encouraging look at the various stages of grief. She writes with candor and honesty about the rollercoaster. She shares her personal journey through her through her own grief at the death of her mother.

I found great comfort from the quote from C.S. Lewis about anger at God. I lost my own son last May and I found myself angry at my son for leaving and at God for taking him..

This book should be a reference book for anyone going through grief or when the feeling of loss return after the "time" for grief is over. Believe these emotions will return again and again.

I received this through Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 525 "Guide Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

5.0 out of 5 stars When You Are Faced with Grief August 24, 2012

By Pat J. Sikora

Format:Paperback

One of the givens in being a GenSandwicher is that whatever you're dealing with now, it probably won't get better and it probably won't end well. I think that's one of the most difficult parts of caring for aging parents and spouses. With our children we put up with diapers, spills and tantrums, knowing that in all likelihood, this too will pass. The child will grow, mature, and become someone we enjoy being with. Not so with eldercare. While we might experience briefs ups and downs, the general trajectory is toward a train wreck. The memory will fade more. The behavior will escalate. The sickness will progress. And then, our loved one will die. I'm not sure that as Americans we are prepared for such events. We often allow institutions to do much of our care giving because of distance, other commitments, or even a lack of willingness. No matter. At some point, we will be faced with the reality of death and disability. We will have decisions to make. And we will grieve.

It's the grieving that many of us find difficult and confusing. Especially if our loved one lives far away or if our earlier relationship with the person wasn't all that great. But the grief comes to each of us in our own way and time. Aftermath: Growing in Grace Through Grief by Margaret McSweeney is a book you might want to pick up when the time comes. The book is partially excerpts of an earlier book by her mother, Carolyn Rhea and partially Margaret's processing of her own grief over the loss of her parents and brother--becoming an adult orphan. It sounds confusing. I wasn't sure she could pull it off, but she did - and well.

Aftermath is a comforting excursion through her grief process, organized around the Kubler-Ross five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She adds shock in the beginning. In each chapter, she shares excerpts of her mother's journals as she dealt with the death of her husband. McSweeney weaves in her own experiences of the same loss. Then she offers comfort from the Scriptures and counsel from experts. Each chapter has room for journaling, making it ideal for a grief group or for your own personal processing.

Following these chapters, she offers other helpful suggestions for processing loss. Aftermath is a gentle book, one that will be an excellent companion as you face the inevitable in your care giving.

Also reviewed at "Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna," ([...]). Review copy provided by LitFuse.