LONGWOOD, FL-Saddled with the pain of loss, Sherry Van Pelt vented her anger at God while simultaneously searching for comfort through the Bible. What she found was a powerful tool to alleviate grieving for others who have experienced the same type of pain. Dear Conner, a Grandmother's Pain (paperback, 978-1-60266-806-5) chronicles the heartbreaking journey of losing not just one but two grandbabies, and how, at the point of complete brokenness, God healed her spiritual wounds.
The author has traveled a path few would have the courage to face-from burying two of her grandchildren, to experiencing two miscarriages with her daughter, to her father's diagnosis of cancer. "As one person told me, he was unrelentingly gripped as he read my book and he could feel my pain pulsating through the pages, but what inspired him most was the ultimate message of joy and hope that I left him at the end," says Van Pelt. "My prayer is that no one ever has to go through this type of pain, but if they do, I hope they realize they are not alone."
The rewards that have come from publicizing a very private struggle are vast for Van Pelt. After sharing her manuscript with many readers who lost a child, she discovered that the notes she received from them became a true blessing and her message a universal reminder of the need for hope: "[My book's] ultimate message is of joy and hope," says Van Pelt. "Although I hit rock bottom, I was raised to a higher level of praise for my Lord than ever before."
Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the world's largest Christian publisher, with more than 3,900 titles published to date. Retailers may order Dear Conner, a Grandmother's Pain through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. Salem Communications is the country's leading Christian communications company with interests in radio, Internet, and magazine publishing.
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2007