Good Grief You Need to Read This Book

So...my friend wrote and published a book.  No big deal.

That's her.  Her name is Samara Brennan.  I know and love her through one of my best friends and roommates from college, Crystal.  They're sisters.  I tell ya, this family--all of 'em--are near and dear to my heart.  Here are Crystal and Doreen (their mother) singing "Your Love is Extravagant".

This was after her dad said a beautiful prayer dedicating the book to our Lord for His service and glory and also after her uncle sang a sweet rendition of Bob Dylan's Pressing On.  And all of this was at the book signing of the above mentioned new BOOK that Sam wrote titled, Good Grief: When Grief Meets Grace.  I'm just so darn proud of her and I was so thankful to attend the beautiful release party a few weeks ago.  

The first couple of chapters explain the tragic event that brought this book about.  She and her husband James lost their sweet butterball baby boy, Nathan, on the day she went in to be induced after a blissfully uncomplicated pregnancy.  He was born into glory on August 8th, 2011.  Nathan's life symbol is a blue butterfly (explained in the book) and it was used in abundance at the party.  Molly had fun finding all the blue butterflies perched here and there.

Sam communicates everything with such grace and eloquence in the book that I'm not going to even begin to touch on the content.  It's small and happy--just what she was going for and the opposite of one that was given to her at the time of Nathan's birth.  It's an easy read that proclaims the name of Jesus Christ as healer and comforter and it's real.  Very real.

Yummy blue and white cupcakes in a butterfly display

Another touch of blue butterflies in the vase with daisies

So neat to see these stacks of good.  So cool to think about the many lives they will bless in the name of Jesus and in  memory of Nathan.

Samara signing away for a few of her smallest fans--Ansley and Gracie.

Samara and all her duckling followers (seriously, kids flock to this chick!) walking down the butterfly pathway to grab Nathan's balloons.

Sam explaining to all the kids that they're going to send the balloons up to heaven for Nathan.  

Molly still talks about this and says every once in awhile, "I bet Baby Nathan really loves those balloons we sent to him!"

Stopping to smell the flowers

Sharing a laugh with Sam.  I. love. this.

Stopping by the gazebo on the way to the car to look at the water.

I wish I had more time to go into detail about it all but basically, you need a copy and you can get it HERE.  You should read it and then give it away to bless someone else and buy another one to have on hand.  Then when the opportunity arises you can give that one away, too.  And people can know the love of Jesus at a time when all hope is gone.

UPDATE:  I meant to also link to her blog: http://nathanslifesong.blogspot.com/  She has an incredible ministry to families who've lost children.  Check out her blog to see how you or someone you know can receive a comfort packet from someone who understands.