How does the heart understand grief when it is broken by the death of a husband or wife? To survive and live forward, those who grieve must find answers. Inside the Broken Heart is for anyone who has ever grieved the death of a spouse and asked 'why?' The book meets the reader at a spiritual place reserved specifically for widows and widowers. Author Julie Yarbrough survived the sudden and untimely death of her beloved husband, a prominent United Methodist minister. As a lay grief facilitator, she believes that those who seek comfort and inspiration in grief best identify with an authentic point of view. We grieve because we love, in direct proportion to the depth of our love. Spousal love is a sacred gift ordained by God, the death of husband or wife unlike any other experience of loss. The marriage vow moment 'until death do us part' forever changes those who survive. Grief cannot be understood until it is experienced. Grief is not a crisis of faith, it is a crisis of the heart. Inside the Broken Heart uses topical references from the Bible to illuminate the unfamiliar emotions and questions of grief for the surviving spouse. Because we must grieve in order to live, the book explains spiritual and practical issues of grief and suggests specific coping strategies for widows and widowers. As journey through 'the valley of the shadow of death,' Inside the Broken Heart guides the way back to fullness of life. Through rediscovery of hope, pain and sorrow are vanquished, death is rendered powerless, and grief is no more. We are healed by God's triumphant adequacy, 'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds' (Psalm 147:3).
Julie Yarbrough is a native of Dallas, Texas. A magna cum laude graduate of Texas Christian University (B.M., B.M.E., M.M.), she is the author of Modern Languages for Musicians.
With over thirty years' experience in business management she currently serves as president of Yarbrough Investments. She is the author of Peace of Mind - Financial Management for Life, an estate planning guide.
Following the death of her husband, she established a support group for widows and widowers. Inside the Broken Heart was written specifically for the spiritual and emotional needs of those who have lost a spouse, inspired by the author's personal experience, and the need expressed by group participants for timely words to live by on the journey through grief.
She is a member of the board of directors of Methodist Health System and the board of Golden Cross, a division of Methodist Health System Foundation. She also serves on the board of directors of the North Texas Food Bank.
She has written for the United Methodist Reporter and Mature Years. She cooperatively authored the manual Preparing for Death for Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, where she is an active member.
