AMAZON #1 BESTSELLER ECPA BESTSELLER ECPA CHRISTIAN BOOK AWARD FINALIST "When Mike Nappa lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer, he had moments where he wondered if he'd ever feel joy or hope again. Thankfully, his friends and family rallied around him and shared Bible verses that became a source of comfort to him in his darkest hours." -- Ann Voskamp , author of 4 NYT Bestsellers including One Thousand Gifts and The Broken Way §§§ As you mourn the loss of a loved one, this collection of intimate personal reflections, Scripture, and heartfelt prayers from a fellow griever offers comfort and hope in the days, months, and beyond as you navigate life after loss. The funeral comes and goes, and you're forced to deal with the chasm your loved one left behind. But grief doesn't operate on a predictable timeline. You may find yourself somewhere you didn't expect—drowning, kicking, or screaming—long after your loss. You may feel unable to talk to others—or to God. In Reflections for the Grieving Soul , widower and author Mike Nappa comes alongside you in your saddest hour, offering support and empathy. He gives you words of Scripture to meditate on at whatever pace you need, personal reflections from his own grief after losing his beloved wife, Amy, and accessible prayers for when you don't know how or what to pray. This honest and moving collection offers:     Comfort as you seek God in your grief - Understanding about the regret, fear, and anger you may feel - Powerful Bible verses to meet you in your loss and pain - Honest prayers to help you cry out to God   Whether you've lost someone you love or know someone who is grieving, this comforting book is a balm for weary souls and a source of peace in the most difficult times. Wow, what a beautiful book this is! Reflections for the Grieving Soul is an essential read for the heavy-hearted. Mike Nappa personally extends a hand to the reader by walking us through his own struggles and prayers, all the while leading us toward the hope we can find in Christ. This is an honest look at the mourning process, and will help a grieving heart at any stage to feel deeply understood. — Tiffany Curtis Faith Editor, Crosswalk.com Don't run from grief. Lean into it. Reflections for the Grieving Soul makes that audacious invitation in a remarkable and beautiful book. Mike Nappa makes it okay to grieve on the long journey—after the funeral—back to hope. His story will bless many who need a hand up as they walk that often painful road. Then at the end? God's joyous light and love await. Mike Nappa's words are gracious to show how. — Patricia Raybon Award-winning author of I Told the Mountain to Move: Learning to Pray So Things Change Mike Nappa loved his wife Amy relentlessly. Theirs was a true love story—the story of MikenAmy—lived out for all to see the biblical admonition for married couples to be one. In Mike's unique and honest way, Reflections for the Grieving Soul shares his true, raw emotions about losing "his girl" to cancer—along with just the right Scripture verses. As he does, he gives grievers a rare gift: Room and permission to cry, to weep, to grieve. Mike was enraptured with the love of his life—still is, in fact—yet even in his anguish he shares her with the world so together they can help others going through the valley. — Dave Branon Bestselling author of Beyond the Valley: Finding Hope in Life's Losses "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." —2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV   I don't even remember why I had to leave— some list of unavoidable errands, I guess. I called a friend to come sit with Amy while I was gone, and when I came back to hospice my body felt spent.   Our friend left, and I sank down at the foot of Amy's hospital bed. We talked for a moment, and then I let myself wilt into the space next to her legs, my spine near her knee, the back of my head pressed lightly against her left hip. "I'm exhausted," I mumbled. "Is it OK if I just lay here for a minute or two?" I felt her gentle hand weave its fingers in my hair. "Yes," she murmured. "Stay as long as you like." We both closed our eyes. A moment later she was asleep, her hand still resting peacefully on my head. I want to stay beside you forever , I thought. Breath spilled quietly from her lungs; her fingers twitched lightly near my ear. I want her to stay by me forever , I prayed. Please God, let her stay . But sometimes God answers prayers in ways we don't want Him to, with things that are unseen... Prayer for Today My Father, today I must remember that the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are