Seasons of Sorrow by Tim Challies is a book that I would highly recommend for a number of reasons.
Tim Challies is a veteran Christian Canadian blogger of 20 years. He's a soft spoken and kind person, even when the Holy Spirit uses him to bring conviction. It comes from his humility.
Seasons of Sorrow is about the pain of loss and the comfort of God...just as the front cover of the book states. The loss that Tim and his wife suffered occurred when God called their 20 year old son Nick Home to be with Him. He was at college playing a game when his heart failed and he could not be revived. Nick also left behind two sisters, one of whom was there at college (in the US) when Nick passed from this kingdom into the next one. He was engaged to be married as well, leaving that young woman behind as well.
The book is divided into four seasons. It begins with autumn, progresses to winter, then to spring and lastly to summer...the one year anniversary of Nick's passing. The reader is taken through the valleys, the pain and suffering, the emotions that kept the author so frail. But it also takes the reader through the deepening of Tim's relationship with the Lord as he goes through each season.
I learned about things that bring comfort to someone who is hurting as a result of losing a child and I learned about things that, even though said by well meaning people, really don't bring comfort to the hurting.
God is indeed triumphant in this book...in the life of Tim and Aileen, and the girls...as I read about how a father's perspective is focused in such tragedy.
what a beautiful summary of a book!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. It's such a good book.
DeleteThanks for your review, Dianna. I received this book for Christmas and will be reading it sometime this year. I've followed Challies since I began blogging back in 2008. Hope your Wednesday is going well. It's snowing outside here...
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Ellen. I know you will enjoy the book. You will need some tissues. ~wink~ Our snow has stopped and we have had sun a large portion of the day today.
DeleteIt's great to read a wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the introduction.
Greetings to you.
You are welcome, Viola. Hope you are enjoying the snow!
DeleteThat sounds very interesting. I'll have to add it to my list.
ReplyDeleteYou will thoroughly enjoy it, Mari.
DeleteI remember how shocked I was when I read on Tim's blog about his son. Such a tragedy. I've heard from others too that this is a good book, so it's good to get that confirmed by you too, Dianna.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is a good book. Of course there's sadness involved as we walk through his grief with him, but it doesn't stop there.
DeleteIt's a testimony to God's grace and faithfulness to lead His children through the hard places. Highly recommend!
I agree, this was a great book. I appreciate Tim’s pulling back the curtain to let people see both the grief and God’s grace.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Barbara. That's what I appreciated too.
DeleteThat book (and author) will go on my to-look-for list. Thank you for recommending it.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Granny Marigold. I know you will enjoy his writing.
DeleteI have great respect for Tim Challies and I've seen him speak on You Tube. I knew he had lost a child. This books sounds like one that would be such a comfort and help to ones who have gone through the same. As a widow, I've been able to minister to others who recently lost a spouse. It would be the same here.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Melanie. It's also a good read for anyone who is grieving...or not...because the emphasis is on the faithfulness of God.
DeleteIt truly is, Lauren.
ReplyDelete