Review- Grief: Walking with Jesus by Bob Kellemen

Grief: Walking with Jesus, by Dr. Bob Kellemen, piqued my interest in horticulture. Like certain flowers that close at night and blossom in the morning, Grief takes the grieved believer from the depths of darkness to the light of the Son. Dr. Kellemen compassionately leads the troubled soul from the darkness of being closed in on themselves, through relationship with the Lord Jesus, to experiencing life in a different day.

Grief is a 31-day devotional book written for the grieving. Dr; Kellemen lovingly and gracefully points the reader to the Jesus who cares for them and does something about their grief. Jesus' loving character is shown in different ways. He is the suffering servant, who is intimately acquainted with our grief and who shows us that it is normal to hurt. He is a compassionate Saviour who consoles us in our grief and who makes it possible to find comfort. He is a healing Saviour, who speaks eternal truths into our earthly wounds, which means it is possible to grieve with hope. Jesus is an empowering Saviour who makes it possible for the grieving to comfort others with the comfort they have received from God.

Here are a few of the rich gems of wisdom shared by Dr. Kellemen:

Day 5: "one of the greatest temptations in our grief is to turn inward on ourselves. Instead, God calls us to turn upward to him...calls us to fill the hunger of our souls with the nourishment of fellowship with his infinitely fulfilling soul."

Day 8: "In Jesus' name there is hope for the hopeless – for those suffering the grief of injustice as outsiders. When all the injustices of your life shout, "You are not loved!" God's beloved Son invites you into the love of the Trinity."

Day 21: "Jesus-like grief is honest about our desire to be saved from loss. Yet it remains committed to our ultimate desire to glorify God regardless of loss or gain."

Grief is a gem of a 31-day devotional book full of life-giving food for the grieving soul. Dr. Kellemen graciously and lovingly guides the believer to the Lord Jesus to the life-giving light of a different day.

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