Finding Your Way After Your Child Dies [Paperback]

Phyllis Vos Wezeman (Author), Kenneth R Wezeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

Offers parents a comforting way to grieve when the need arises. The themes may also be easily adapted for use in small and large group settings such as a support group, a prayer service, or a family ministry session.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phyllis and Ken Wezeman write about a parent's grief from both a professional and personal point of view. In their roles as pastoral minister and hospital chaplain they have consoled and counseled many who have suffered the loss of a child. And they too have experienced the death of children, in both their immediate and extended families.

Phyllis Vos Wezeman is a nationally recognized and widely published leader in the fields of religious education and faith formation. She currently serves as Director of Christian Nurture at the First Presbyterian Church of South Bend, IN. Kenneth R. Wezeman has been a pastor, counselor and teacher and is presently Business Manager and Editor of Active Learning Associates.

They are the parents of three adult children and two grandchildren.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Ave Maria Press, Inc. (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877937001
• ISBN-13: 978-0877937005
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is THE Book to Give Your Friends Who've Lost a Child, December 16, 2005

By 

JAD (The Sunshine State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Your Way After Your Child Dies (Paperback)

Out of a congregation's shared grief following the tragic death of one of its younger members in an Interstate highway accident comes this book. It is a gentle and thoughtful collection of approaches to things practical and spiritual, when a child has died. How do parents and other family members find tangible ways to deal with the loss, sorrow and grief that comes with a death of a child?

The Wezemans answer the question with a multitude of brief essays called "reflections" and helpful ideas under the headings "rituals", "reading" and "response". The Wezemans have arranged their book in 52 short "refection" chapters with topics in alphabetical order ranging from "Allowance" and "Anniversary of Death" to "Vacations" and "Wedding". As these examples indicate, a fair number of these topics are unexpected, making them all the more insightful. A question such as "What will you do with the allowance?" opens a world of possibilities to remember and honor the child, to be blessed and to bless others in so doing.

The "refection" section of each chapter deals with the subject in a thoughtful manner. The "ritual" section lists projects and activities that might help the family come to grips with their grief. So, for instance, in the ritual section dealing with the "Anniversary of Death" there are suggestions for placing flowers in your church, wearing a specific symbolic item of jewelry or holding an annual family gathering, among others. The "reading" sections contain a passage of Scripture appropriate to the topic, and the "response" is a brief prayer. Not all of these reflections, rituals, readings and responses will apply to every family, but many will apply to most families who are dealing with bereavement.

Every one of us knows someone who has lost a child. This is a gentle and helpful book that might find its way into a family's ongoing journey of recovery and hopefulness. Especially useful is a "guide to using this book" and an index of Scripture. There is also a brief order of worship for the dedication of memorial gifts.