Book has some good points and understanding of the grieving process
921548
Book has some good points and understanding of the grieving process, but could be done in half as many pages.
498507
"A Time to Grieve" is the first in a series of four books designed to provide comfort, support, and encouragement to those working through the process of grief.

The book is based on the premise that grief is normal, natural, and necessary.  Each short chapter is accompanied with an inspirational thought or Scripture promise. Haugk points out that the shock of loss, and the turmoil that follow are all a part of the grief experience.

Kenneth skillfully shares from his own experience, how he handled his own grief after the loss of his wife.  He offers practical easy to understand counsel and comfort as he reminds the reader that each of us are unique in how we deal with grief. He also points out how circumstances around the loss of a loved one will affect how we grieve.

The book is made up of twelve short chapters filled with insights that can be read and assimilated in one sitting or over a period of days.  It was given to me by a caring friend. shortly after the death of my young adult grandson. It is the kind of thoughtful gift book that will be long be cherished, providing ongoing insight, encouragement, and comfort.

Dr. Kenneth C. Haugh is a pastor and clinical psychologist.  He writes from the heart, drawing from both his professional work, and his own personal experiences, and what he has learned from others that are grieving.
1486745
The book was a quick read and deals with loss and grief, but more importantly moving forward in life.

Although the writing was concise and deals with the  issue in a sound way, I find that this novella lacks a depth that would make some of the situations more believable. The mother died of toxemia, but medical intervention would have ensured the life of mother and child. The child's depression because she believed she her mother's death was her fault seemed too easily contrived. I felt that Marcos would have mentioned small signals that would indicate the sudden depression in the 13 yr. old. And I understand the grief of losing a spouse, but for Teresa to hold on as long as she did and refer to herself as a married woman long after Roberto's death seemed too convenient to the storyline. To me, it would have been better if she was hesitant to go forward because she would believe that she would never find another love like Roberto. In my opinion, Teresa being a Life Coach would know better.

I understand that this is a novella, but the love between the two seemed too fast. It didn't flow as well as I would have thought.

Although it wasn't as in depth as I believed it should have been, I did find it an enjoyable read. It makes a good book for anyone who is grieving from a death and can give them hope and healing, which I believe is the author's intent.

**I received this book through Bookfun.org in exchange of an honest review**
3907340
My parents were not hoarders but I had a very close relative who went from having her house not overly neat but you could always visit and many of the major holidays were spent at her house to never being able to visit her. And it was sad to help her children clean up after her death.
A major goal of this book is to help the child of a hoarder deal with their emotions and shame about their parents and help them cope even if nothing can be done for their parents or their parent's home. It goes over the depression a lot of children of hoarders have. It offers practical exercises such as listing the roles in life that the parent has fulfilled, having a mindful conversation with the parent, listing 3 ways they value the relationship they have with their parents among others. It also offers solutions to help getting rid of the stuff after a death. I thought this book was well worth reading.
1403216
From the perspective of trying to learn how to help others in the midst of suffering, this book was good. Had I read this in the midst of my own season of loss/grief, I probably would have quit by chapter 2. The first 3 chapters of the book seem like a philosophical treatise on why the secularist or any competing religion really, cannot handle the problem of pain and suffering as well as the Christian. While this may be intriguing for some, it was largely boring for me and entirely too long. Additionally, various other sections of the book felt like they were a bit unnecessary.

With that out of the way, I can say that many of the chapters hold great thoughts, some original to Keller, but many credited to the saints before us. As such, a pastor looking for a resource to help with teaching on this matter will find many great anecdotes and stellar quotations notable names. I personally found myself highlighting various stories and quotations to save for later use.

For someone looking to learn how to walk with God, while they are walking through pain and suffering Id recommend starting elsewhere (I'd give this 2 stars for that). For a teacher looking for a solid reference work on suffering in general, I recommend this (4 stars for that), but it would not be my first recommendation. Zacharias and Vitales recent book Why Suffering? offered a bit more for someone wrestling with the question of Gods goodness (or existence) in the face of evil, though Kellers book does cover a broader spectrum of discussion.
2950424
I purchased this book in the Spring of 2012. It was recommended by a hospice social worker.

Death and loss are common themes leading to marital crises, as the affects can encompass every area of the griever's life. This book covers the impact on family relationships as well as marriages.

The majority of the text is formatted to take you through a typical group counseling cycle held by the author, so it provides valuable narrative of people going through grief. It ends with ten healing steps suggested that are practical and self-guided.

The Disclaimer: "But before you begin, let me stress that mourning is different for each person. You might not be ready to do most or any of the exercises here. If any of them are too difficult or upsetting, please set them aside. If it seems to scary to do this work alone, find a partner - a spouse, friend, or sibling whom you trust or who has experienced a similar loss. If you are presently in therapy, you might want to show the exercises to your therapist before you begin on your own. Maybe he or she would be willing to work on them with you."

Exercise 1: Acknowledge The Loss

Exercise 2: Practice Saying No

Exercise 3: Ask For Help

Exercise 4: Articulate Your Uncensored Feelings

Exercise 5: Use Memories To Heal

Exercise 6: Draw Your Family System

Exercise 7: Reconnect With Sibling Memories

Exercise 8: Ask Questions

Exercise 9: Create Rituals

Exercise 10: Envision The Future

Thanks for taking the time to read my review, and I hope you found it helpful in making a purchase decision.
1284624
As facillitator of a grief group at our church, I gave each widow in our group this book about a year or two after losing her husband. Most report it helped gain perspective and gave her tools to help her move on with her life.
3594931
The author has listened to many grieving people and his book is based on what they have told him--not his preconceived ideas. He acknowledges the vast wilderness of grief with its many faces. He offers hopeful benchmarks on the road to healing
3054380
I read Why God Why after my Mom's death from cancer. I found it very helpful as I went through the grief process.
3472320
This book helps with people who lose loved ones. The material inside my help with the grieving process.
2547330
I learned alot from this book. I have depression and grieving over the loss of my Mom. So reading this and steps in it, will help me for sure. I plan on doing the steps. The author is a good writer and explained alot in simple terms !
2065760
I recently gave copies of Dr. Rodger Murchison's book, "Guide for Grief" to my two sons and my sister because it is a valuable book for current reading and to have on the bookshelf for future reference.  Grief is a subject that we all try to avoid, but it is a natural issue of life.  Rodger Murchison has served our church well for 25 years and has vast experience in conducting funerals and grief workshops.  His sensitivity for the feelings of people is demonstrated in this book as he deals with the natural questions that people ask when they have lost a loved one.  Sooner or later grief will be an issue for all of us so I believe  that reading Rodger Murchison's book can help anyone get through the grieving process with better understanding and acceptance.
1076806
So I bought this book thinking that it would help me in dealing with the recent loss of my mother.  The marketing led me to believe it was a book helping one to deal with the death of a loved one.  Perhaps this was a misunderstanding on my part, but it did not do so for me.  However, in spite of this, I read the book in two days.  At first, I refused to put it down, hoping it would eventually meet my expectations and help me deal with my present grieving.  What I found instead was that the book is true to it's subtitle, and that is really how it should be promoted and advertised.  The author is brutally honest (without being sensationalist) about his experiences of personal and family brokenness, while trying to live and grow in his Christian faith.  It is refreshing in that it spans a few generations of the author's life.  It is not a book of principles and reflections that arose from one particular incident.  It is a spiritual biography of the effects of brokenness past and present, tracing a long journey of coming to terms with the love and grace of God.  It would not be the first book I would give to a person grieving death.  It is more for someone grieving life that did not work out they way they hoped or expected.  I am thankful that the author shared his story, and I am thankful I read it.
3811785
It helped me to certain point, but this was written for grieving parents and not to a widow of older generation who had unsaved children,whic is very difficult to applt, especially when one isabsolutely alone.
185394
Have not yet completed this book, but it has helped me understand & provided comfort through my grief with the sudden loss of my husband.
4969805
I had the privilege of reading this book in the year after my spouse died and found it very helpful. I liked the short chapters written to deal with a specific aspect of grieving the loss of a spouse. Not every chapter will speak to every person but there are so many relevant topics that the author uses to share or suggest personal ways to cope. I have recommended this book to several friends. It does have a faith base which works for me.
2589579
The suggestion to find a way to handle the smorgasbord of emotions that come from this situation and to find an outlet for the understandable pressure of emotional rage at having your life wrecked are valuable parts of this book.

How to consider your own emotional state, which can become temporarily unreliable when you are in this vulnerable period, so you can take care of yourself is one of the most important things to do during this process.

Understanding that a widow may mourn the loss of a lifelong companion and partner but a woman newly separated does not attract the same depth of sympathy from friends and family will help you not to take how others are behaving personally.

You will get through it is the authors constant encouragement and that you are not alone helps you feel you can go forward.