It has been about 8 months since the release of my book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God. And it has been an encouraging time. I wanted to share a few updates and pieces of information that may be of interest to you.
Perhaps the greatest encouragement has come from grieving families who have gotten in touch to share how the book has been meaningful to them. Subsequent to that has been people who have found comfort in the book as they have endured other losses than the loss of a child. To my surprise and delight, I have also heard some very credible accounts of people coming to faith while reading the book. A number of people have asked me whether it would be appropriate for non-Christians to read and it seems that, at least in some cases, the Lord is using it to draw people to himself.
FamilyLife Today Interview
Earlier this year Aileen and I flew down to Orlando to record a couple of episodes of FamilyLife Today with Dave and Ann Wilson. This was the first time since Nick’s funeral that Aileen has spoken publicly, and I think she did very well in providing a mother’s perspective on grief and loss. I’m really proud of her! Those episodes have just been released and you can listen to them at the FamilyLife site, on YouTube, or through your favorite podcast app (e.g. Apple Podcast, Spotify).
Awards
Seasons of Sorrow was nominated by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for a Christian Book Award in the biography & memoir category. (The ECPA is an organization that works with Christian publishers and booksellers to track sales, distribute awards, and so on.) It was a blessing and honor to learn that Seasons of Sorrow won. It had also previously been named the Counseling Book of the Year by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. This, too, was a blessing to me.
Spanish Edition
The Spanish edition, Estaciones de aflicción: El dolor de la pérdida y el consuelo de Dios, is due to be released on August 8. A bilingual friend has read both editions and assures me it is a good and faithful translation. I have had a number of people contact me about other languages and have directed them to the publisher in the hope that we will see further translated editions in the future.
Extra Resources
I wanted to remind you that there are a few extra resources available to go along with the book.
- A Letter to Parents – This is a letter I have prepared addressed to parents who have lost a child. If you plan to give bereaved parents a copy of Seasons of Sorrow, you may like to print this and include it with the book.
- Application Questions & Group Study Guide – This free guide is for people who are reading it individually and wish to consider application questions and for groups who are reading it together and looking for a reading plan as well as discussion questions.
- Helpful Things To Say To Grieving Parents – If you are walking through the loss of a child with a friend or family member, this article will help you know how you can best serve them in their darkest hour.
Thanks to all who have purchased and/or read the book, and perhaps especially to those who have given it to a grieving friend in the hope that it would provide at least a little glimmer of light in their time of darkness. May God use it all for his glory.
