Is There No Other Way: Exploring Growth Through Grief

Book excerpt: After experiencing the devastation of losing one of our identical twin boys, I was exposed to a world of sorrow formerly unimagined. With new eyes opened to the heartbreak of the women surrounding me, I undertook the daunting task of researching the universality of suffering, primarily by documenting the stories of fifty women concentrated in a five-mile radius. These accounts of tragedy and hope are intermingled with scriptural accounts, the words of modern-day apostles and prophets, psychological and sociological views, as well as my own experiences. This book is a tapestry of vast human experience, covering a wide array of challenges including infertility, loss, abuse, mental and physical health issues, suicide, financial stress, divorce, addiction, and more. And yet, despite the myriad of trials and accompanying grief, these women exemplify testimonies of faith, resilience, and love. As they move through the three phases of a Grief to Growth Mindset (Victim to Survivor to Contributor), I document helpful tools for embracing, moving through, and learning to assist others because of our sorrows.