An inside look at the book “Is My Grief Normal?”: 51 Questions People Are Asking About Loss
When someone in your church or community loses a loved one, their world is turned upside down. Alongside the pain, grief often stirs up difficult, heart-level questions: “What do I do now?” “When will I feel normal again?” “Why can’t I stop crying?”
As a ministry leader, you want to meet those questions with biblical hope and practical encouragement. That’s why GriefShare created “Is My Grief Normal?” 51 Questions People Are Asking About Loss.
This book is designed to serve grieving people directly—and it’s also an invaluable tool for pastors, counselors, and lay leaders who want to walk alongside the bereaved with greater confidence. We spoke with the GriefShare curriculum development team to learn how this book came to be and how it can be used in grief care ministry.
Q: What prompted you to create a guide focused on questions asked in grief?
A: The death of a loved one forces changes in people’s lives that they would rather not make. And those changes raise questions that demand some kind of response. We are convinced that these pressing, soul-searching questions can only be answered in the light of God’s Word.
That’s why this book was created. Each question is approached with the framework of Scripture in mind, offering hope, wisdom, and encouragement rooted in God’s promises.
Q: How did you decide which questions about grief to include in the book?
A: While we speak often to those walking through grief, we didn’t want to assume anything. So we asked. We surveyed over 2,000 GriefShare participants and leaders—all of whom experienced the loss of a loved one. And they shared their most pressing questions about the grief process. We then charted the responses to identify the ones that kept coming up most frequently.
But we didn’t stop there. We also included some off the beaten path questions—things people might not always say out loud, but still quietly wonder. In this way, the book truly reflects the questions that grieving individuals are seeking answers to.
Q: How does the guide reflect the wide variety of grief experiences?
A: When we wrote the chapters, we kept in mind people from all walks of life. The respondents to our questionnaire included men and women spanning young adulthood to retirement.
Their experiences of loss were just as varied—accidents, chronic illnesses, suicide. Some deaths were anticipated, while others were sudden and shocking. This diversity shaped the answers, helping us write in a way that acknowledges the many different paths grief can take.
Q: How will this guide support someone who is grieving, even if they aren’t ready to find support in a GriefShare group?
A: As a ministry leader, you may meet grieving people who aren’t yet ready to step into a group setting such as GriefShare. “Is My Grief Normal?” can be an invaluable source of help for them. This isn’t a book most people will read cover to cover. Instead, it’s a companion resource—something a grieving person can keep close and return to when fresh questions surface, whether at milestones, anniversaries, or quiet moments of grief.
Topics covered include:
- In what ways might grief affect me emotionally, physically, and spiritually?
- What do I do with emotions that feel overwhelming and out of control?
- How can I support family members who are grieving too?
- Why do relationships with friends and family feel so different now?
- Where is God in my grief—and can I really trust Him with my questions?
- What can I know for sure about heaven and seeing my loved one again?
- How do I handle the practical challenges of money, paperwork, and estates?
By placing this book in someone’s hands, you’re giving them biblically grounded answers and practical guidance for the challenges they face today, while gently pointing them toward the benefits of group support in the future. It’s a way to offer meaningful care now, even as you encourage them toward deeper healing in community when they’re ready.
How you can use this in your ministry
As a church leader or group facilitator, this book of commonly asked questions can serve you in several ways:
- For one-on-one care: Share it with someone in your church or community who isn’t yet in a group but is seeking guidance.
- As a group companion: Distribute it to participants as a supplemental resource before, during, or after a GriefShare cycle.
- As outreach: Drop off copies to libraries, funeral homes, and hospitals (and include your GriefShare information inside the cover) to offer a simple yet powerful expression of care.
- For group discussions: Take advantage of the guide in the back of the book designed for GriefShare group discussions. You’ll find a list of questions that correspond with the 13 weekly GriefShare topics to enhance your group sharing time.
Q: In what ways is the guide grounded in both biblical truth and practical care?
A: Even if we do not explicitly cite a verse, a biblical worldview is woven through every answer. We believe the Bible is sufficient to help us know how to please Him as we navigate grief.
In his second letter, Peter says God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3–4).
Thus, we know that God gives us what we need to walk through trials in our lives. Part of what He provides is the expertise of others who can give practical tips. This book draws from the insights of Christian counselors, pastors, and healthcare professionals, as well as people who have walked through loss themselves. And every chapter includes a “This might help you” section with simple, practical tips that touch on how to deal with the emotional, relational, physical, and spiritual consequences of loss.
It’s our prayer that through these pages, grieving people will come to know “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4) as they hear biblical wisdom, experience God’s loving presence, and discover hope even in their hardest moments.
Put this resource in the hands of hurting people
Grief brings more questions than answers. With “Is My Grief Normal?” 51 Questions People Are Asking about Loss, you can confidently place a resource in someone’s hands that provides compassionate, biblical guidance and practical wisdom.
Equip your grief care ministry today. Order “Is My Grief Normal” for your church or group.
