Customer Reviews

The Angel with the Golden Glow: A Family's Journey Through Loss and Healing

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Children's books are often amusing, sometimes convey an integral message and only occasionally speak to the heart. Until now! Author and RN Elissa Al-Chokhachy gives us The Angel with the Golden Glow, which accomplishes all three, beautifully.

The angel is sent to earth in the body of a newborn destined to live for a short time. God tells him, "Your light is so bright it can penetrate even the deepest sadness and change it into love. It is you, blessed angel, who shall do My work on earth."

If this sounds like a parable of the greatest gift of love ever, it is. The angel leaves his fellow angels and friends to share his love as the newborn son. Whenever there is sadness, he shines his brightness and brings comfort. Once the angel's work on earth is completed, he returns to heaven to his friends, feeling fulfilled. His message of love is transformative and profound.

Then his best friend, The Angel with the Tender Heart, is sent by God to be born into the same family. "There is still much healing that needs to be done. Just think! We will be earthly brothers as well as heavenly brothers. This is surely the greatest honor of my life."

As a hospice nurse, Ms. Al-Chokhachy cared for a fourteen month old baby boy with a terminal neurological disorder. She worked sixty hours a week for four months tending this special baby and observed how he radiated intense unconditional love. Her true experience is the basis of The Angel with the Golden Glow and also inspired her marvelous CD: A Parent's Lullaby.

The inspirational words author Elissa Al-Chokhachy wrote are complemented by the beautiful illustrations by German artist Ulrike Graf. Together, they have given us a breakthrough in children's books. This reviewer recommends that The Angel with the Golden Glow be read by adults, as well as children. It is a gift of love!

As a mother dealing with the birth of my fourth child born with severe neurological problems this book was just what I needed to help answer my children's questions about our little angel. I cried through the whole book because it was as if this book was written about my little Benjamin. Such a well written, feel good story that can apply to so many real life situations. Thankyou for writing and sharing this beautiful story.

This book is a wonderful, warm touching story about an angel, children, and life. I recieved the book as a gift after loosing my daughter. What an inspirational story that deals with loss in a touching and uplifting way. I think the book doesn't have any age boundaries. What a special person Elissa must be. signed, a grieving mother.

We first received this book from our hospice nurse when our 8 week old son was diagnosed with Type I Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Please visit www.curesma.com to learn more about SMA). We found the message in this book to be powerful, beautiful, and comforting in a time of great sadness in our lives. This story could have been written for our son, without having to change a word. I have purchased several of these books for close friends whose children are dying of SMA, or have passed away from SMA. The book has received nothing but positive feedback from all of them. Elissa, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing this story with us. You have allowed us to turn a heart wrenching experience into one of hope and love. We highly recommend this book, in loving memory of our own "Angel with the Golden Glow".

This book captured my heart and in some ways mirrored my life. After my child's death, books became an integral part of my journey through grief. The Angel with the Golden Glow is a book I can use to share my story and my child, to show the hope a special angel can give and the joy another special angel can bring. It is a book to share with others who face a similar loss or simply to remind us of the inspiring gifts given by the smallest angels in our lives.

Any family dealing with the loss of a child needs this book. This is especially true if the child has special needs and/or is in a pediatric hospice program. This book would be an excellent choice for families who can and will have another child after the loss of one. Through touching language and adorable illustrations, the book conveys beautiful messages about God's purpose for the presence of these children in our lives. Adults will be overcome with emotion when reading this book, and children of all ages will be able to understand it's message. All readers will remember that we love one another even when we are apart, and that we will all be together again. Having recently lost my two year old daughter after many long months in hospice, I found this book touched my heart like no other.

As a parent dealing with a new baby born with severe neurological problems I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have three other small children and we read this book together as a family. It enabled my children to understand better their brother's situation and also his mission here on earth. We loved this book and could feel the love that this baby was able to share with his earthly family.

This book was recommended to us by an aquaintance after we lost our infant son. I can see why some find it comforting, but I think it would only be comforting if it fits within your belief system about God and angels. After reading the other reviews, I can see that this book has been well received by many. The reason I am chosing to actually post and give it a negative review is I wish I had known more about the book before purchasing it- I wouldn't have bought it, because it does not fit with my belief system.

I am a Christian- I definitely believe in God and angels; and I believe children are a blessing from God. I do not believe that my son was an angel, though- he was a person, and they seem different to me, and it seems wrong to change the nature of my child's being just because it sounds nice or something like that.

Also, after our loss, I have very much struggled with the idea that God has a specific plan and chose for things to happen exactly as they did. I think you can easily get into some theologically muddy waters and draw some rather disturbing conclusions when in reality, the truth is we do not fully understand God or his ways- they are higher than ours, and we can trust Him- but sometimes I wonder if God is directly behind all events. Perhaps he does directly cause everything...perhaps he merely allows it, which is slightly different but has many of the same outcomes...or perhaps he allows some things to happen in our fallen world, and we are to trust that he is with us and is bigger than all of this. I do not know if God planned for us to be given a son only quickly take him away, but to assume that could come across as cruel and is not comforting to me.

Finally, I take issue with the ending. One of the major parts of the tragedy of losing a child is the uniqueness that was your child- it is now gone. Having another child is not always an option or a choice for everyone who loses a child, and my son is not replacable anyway. I can see where for some parents, another child would definitely be a blessing. And I know we all long for happy endings. But I don't feel like that is dealing with this particular grief- that is a separate issue. In this particular grief, my happy ending is now a long way off, and in the hands of God.

I was crying tears of sadness and happiness, feeling I had been validated that all of my angels (babies and animals) came here with a purpose. I felt understood. The Angel with the Golden Glow embraces many aspects of the grieving process and adds such beauty in the midst of so much sadness.

The story of this angel begins with how he was chosen in Heaven to be born to his loving parents. God has a meeting with his angels and says, "I need the bravest of all My cherubs to bring healing. You will be born in this special earthly body. It will not work in the same way as most do. Although you'll have loving parents, life will not be easy. Soon after your birth, they will know your time on earth will be brief." (Al-Chokhachy, The Angel with the Golden Glow)

The angels in Heaven even experience a sense of loss in this story, as they will miss their cherub friend greatly. However, they all know what an honor it is to be chosen for this journey. This part of the story will definitely help children, especially younger children, cope with the loss of a very special friend or sibling and they will be able to identify with what the angels are experiencing in saying good-bye to their special friend.

This book will have a lasting impact on anyone who reads it, and it will help so many people. Honestly, if I could give a rating of higher than five stars, I would. It is the most healing book I have ever read, and I strongly believe that both children and adults can benefit from the comforting words of this book.

This book was given to us at an annual "Walk to Remember" ceremony remembering children lost at the NICU at the University of Michigan. Our second daugher had passed away 3 1/2 years prior, and since we had joyfully welcomed our third daughter. Of all the books I read and received since the passing of my middle child, this is my most favorite. Even as an adult, it helps me cope with the loss and gives us special meaning for having our third daughter. I hope to never know anyone that has to go through this like I did. But if I do, this would be the first thing I would get for them, along with a lot of hugs.