I Don't Fear Death
A View From A Hearse
Back in 1995 I visited friends in the US. At that time I was grieving over a broken engagement. It probably sounds trivial to many people, but for me it was a really hard experience to cope with. For years I had longed to marry and have a family. Then I finally met a wonderful woman. And then I was faced with the end of that relationship.
Somehow I found this book “The view from a hearse” written by Joseph Bayly. It was an old book in a library.
Joseph Bayly and his wife lost three of their children. One at eighteen days, after surgery. Another at five years, from leukemia, and a third at eighteen years (a sledding accident coupled with hemophilia). Joe writes honestly, and from his heart. He grieved for his children, and he stood strong for his Lord. His experience of loosing his children touched me. I copied the book to take it with me back to Germany and read it to the end. I devoured that book. It helped me cope with my own grief and made me aware of other people grieving much more than I. Anyone, who wants to understand how it is to loose a child and to grieve, will find this book very helpful and insightful. To this day I consider it one of the best books I have read.
Someone who read the book said “An excellent book on helping anyone thru grieving”:
“This book encourages readers who are struggling with grief. It is also helpful to provide as a gift to those going through the process. It touches on every subject from auto accidents, to terminal illness and concentrates on faith in all of this. It helps the reader answer some of the questions as to why. Every time I buy this book, I purchase 2 copies. I keep one, as I always loan it out and it gets lost, and the other one, someone seems to always need it at that exact moment in their lives. This is a great book to have in your library always. This author lost 3 of his own children and speaks with the experience of one who really knows.” (Source: http://www.amazon.com/The-view-hearse-Joseph-Bayly/dp/0912692014)
A short excerpt from the book:
Joe Bailey in his book "A View From a Hearse" tells of the day his boy died of cancer. He had returned to the clinic to thank them for their kindness and care of his son. As he spoke to the receptionist, she motioned toward a woman whose son was playing quietly with toys in the waiting area. "He has the same cancer your son had" she said. "Why don’t you go over and see if you can talk with her."
Bailey went reluctantly over to sit next to her and they whispered just out of hearing of the boy. "It must be hard bringing him in for the treatments," he said, more a statement than a question.
"Hard," she turned with anguish in her eyes. "I die every time I have to bring him in. What makes it worse is that I know it’s not going to stop the cancer and that he’s going to die."
Uncomfortable, Bailey ventured: "Still it is some comfort to know that when that happens there is no more pain and suffering, and that they go to a better place."
"No," hardness in her voice. "When he dies I’m just going to bury him in the cemetery and I’ll never see him again."
Bailey wanted to leave. It was uncomfortable to be reminded of his loss and even more uncomfortable to speak with this woman who obviously had not hope in any way. Then he spoke quietly, "I buried my boy just yesterday, and I’ve only come today to thank the doctors and nurses for their kindness. I know what you’re feeling but I also know that there is a better life for my son now."
"How could you believe such a thing," she challenged. And then Joe Bailey told her about Jesus.
Back in 1995 I visited friends in the US. At that time I was grieving over a broken engagement. It probably sounds trivial to many people, but for me it was a really hard experience to cope with. For years I had longed to marry and have a family. Then I finally met a wonderful woman. And then I was faced with the end of that relationship.
Somehow I found this book “The view from a hearse” written by Joseph Bayly. It was an old book in a library.
Joseph Bayly and his wife lost three of their children. One at eighteen days, after surgery. Another at five years, from leukemia, and a third at eighteen years (a sledding accident coupled with hemophilia). Joe writes honestly, and from his heart. He grieved for his children, and he stood strong for his Lord. His experience of loosing his children touched me. I copied the book to take it with me back to Germany and read it to the end. I devoured that book. It helped me cope with my own grief and made me aware of other people grieving much more than I. Anyone, who wants to understand how it is to loose a child and to grieve, will find this book very helpful and insightful. To this day I consider it one of the best books I have read.
Someone who read the book said “An excellent book on helping anyone thru grieving”:
“This book encourages readers who are struggling with grief. It is also helpful to provide as a gift to those going through the process. It touches on every subject from auto accidents, to terminal illness and concentrates on faith in all of this. It helps the reader answer some of the questions as to why. Every time I buy this book, I purchase 2 copies. I keep one, as I always loan it out and it gets lost, and the other one, someone seems to always need it at that exact moment in their lives. This is a great book to have in your library always. This author lost 3 of his own children and speaks with the experience of one who really knows.” (Source: http://www.amazon.com/The-view-hearse-Joseph-Bayly/dp/0912692014)
A short excerpt from the book:
Joe Bailey in his book "A View From a Hearse" tells of the day his boy died of cancer. He had returned to the clinic to thank them for their kindness and care of his son. As he spoke to the receptionist, she motioned toward a woman whose son was playing quietly with toys in the waiting area. "He has the same cancer your son had" she said. "Why don’t you go over and see if you can talk with her."
Bailey went reluctantly over to sit next to her and they whispered just out of hearing of the boy. "It must be hard bringing him in for the treatments," he said, more a statement than a question.
"Hard," she turned with anguish in her eyes. "I die every time I have to bring him in. What makes it worse is that I know it’s not going to stop the cancer and that he’s going to die."
Uncomfortable, Bailey ventured: "Still it is some comfort to know that when that happens there is no more pain and suffering, and that they go to a better place."
"No," hardness in her voice. "When he dies I’m just going to bury him in the cemetery and I’ll never see him again."
Bailey wanted to leave. It was uncomfortable to be reminded of his loss and even more uncomfortable to speak with this woman who obviously had not hope in any way. Then he spoke quietly, "I buried my boy just yesterday, and I’ve only come today to thank the doctors and nurses for their kindness. I know what you’re feeling but I also know that there is a better life for my son now."
"How could you believe such a thing," she challenged. And then Joe Bailey told her about Jesus.
