When author Phoebe Leggett received a tragic call in the middle of the night nearly eight years ago, her life was forever changed. Her twenty-two-year-old son had just been killed in a car crash. Devastated and confused, she embarked on a long and difficult journey to recovery.

In It’s My Time to Grieve,she presents a message of hope for hurting hearts. Using personal experiences as a guide, she shares her story while providing a resource to help others successfully navigate through the grieving process, which includes moving through the stages of grief; managing the holidays; handling the emotions of fear, anger, and regret; dealing with the death of a child, spouse, parent, sibling, friend, or pet; sharing the pain; gaining comfort and healing from the Bible; moving forward.

Applying Bible verses, poetry, and personal stories, It’s My Time to Grieve communicates a message of hope for the brokenhearted with the comfort God provides. His consolation is all that’s needed to see you through the process of sorrow. Set it free, give it to God, and let it go.

Chapter Two

Grief

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Psalms 116:5

Dictionary: Grief - keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret

a cause or occasion of keen distress or sorrow

Synonyms: anguish, heartache, woe, misery; sadness, melancholy, moroseness.

Antonyms: joy.

At an unscheduled and unpredictable moment death will come to call. Like an unexpected visitor this disruption will confront and confuse your very existence. And when it arrives, deep sorrow, unbelievable anguish, and excruciating misery will overtake you as a thief in the night. …for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. I Thessalonians 5:2

Death affects everyone in one way or another. It is no stranger. When I ponder the military, our Heroes, losing their lives on foreign soil far from home, I shudder for their families. Although war has been re-occurring for our great country throughout its history, Americans continue to grieve their losses. Each generation has surrendered countless soldiers to battleground conflicts, or war related deaths; and the number continues to soar.

There’s also a combat zone on domestic soil as children are dying far too young. Drugs, alcohol, abuse, and neglect are rampant and continue to steal the lives of our youth. Even the safety of the unborn is in jeopardy as thousands are murdered on any given day in abortion mills. This is possible as the immoral believe we live in a disposable society.

What about the parents of a child who has been abducted? Insane uncertainty, without a doubt, overtakes the mind as questions concerning the existence and whereabouts of their missing child take over. All understanding dies when parents, in anguished turmoil, contemplate the unknown—is their child dead or alive?

Other families have lost loved ones to violence and murder. Many around us are suffering deep inside, yet their torment remains hidden. Insidious and insane predators kidnap, rape, and murder our children, or other family members, without any sense of decency or morality; allowing their lust to sacrifice the lives of the innocent. Satan is evil, and causes men do wicked things. Lacking restraint, the immoral accept his vile devices without conscience. Evidence of Satan’s malevolence will continue until the end of time.

STORM

Dark storm clouds gather thick

as harsh winds whip about.

The brightest light in life

has died and flickered out.

Death’s storm will never end.

Its harsh winds won’t subside.

Dark clouds are always near

as memories collide.

For ‘tho the time will pass,

Phoebe Leggett is a freelance writer who has published articles, stories, devotionals, and poetry. Although she spends many hours developing her writing craft, her family is most important. She resides in Simpsonville, South Carolina with husband and two felines. This is Leggett’s debut book. Visit her online at www.phoebe-leggett.com.