Daughters of Hope: Thriving after Mother Loss

Part memoir and touching stories of twenty-seven women's mother-loss accounts. The author suffered the death of her own mother at an early age and desires to give hope to others who experience this tremendous loss. The interviewed women shared about their mother's death, the process each daughter went through and the message they'd portray to others. The women were honest and vulnerable in sharing personal experiences or admitted challenging relationships with their mothers. Each situation was unique, but they all had one over-arching theme of hope. The women's stories had a message to send - after your mother has passed away, you can carry on through life with purpose. Each one desired to remind the reader of God's promises in the Bible offering hope and healing. No matter the age of the mother or the daughter at the time of death, common was the feeling of being orphaned. The women wished they could talk to their mothers about life transitions such as marriages or childbirth. The lack of a mother figure in their lives made these important events more difficult. Although church families were supportive, their help was short-lived or often impersonal. They didn't feel they had a support team within their church, family or community. Following the death, the women felt alone in their grief, that death was a taboo topic and that they should get over it and move on. Many women read books on grief or even mother loss but found none from a Christian perspective with true-life stories from Christian women whose mothers had died. Each interviewee wanted to make it clear that they miss their loved one and grieve, but in a different way. They have hope that comes from knowing Christ and the assurance of His death and resurrection which secured salvation for believers. The reader will be encouraged they don't have to walk this road alone, there are others who have journeyed through this kind of loss. Resources in the book include Bible verses, biographies of the women, a guide for group discussions, books, songs, gifts and activities to apply a healing balm to the grieving soul. Counselors, pastors, and people who live with bereaved daughters can obtain assistance through this book and the resources offered. They will want to recommend it to their clients or loved ones, whether their loss happened last month or many years ago. It may assist any person who has lost a loved one, not only a daughter who has lost a mother. This book points to God's promises of comfort, peace and eternity with Him as the true source of healing and hope in facing grief.