Grief, Observed

We’re offering a brand new online course that’s free to our email newsletter subscribers. It’s called “Charting a Course Through Grief,” and it’s all about providing much-needed perspectives on dealing with the pain of loss. It’s not easy to talk about, but we need to. Not far beneath the shiny facade of the smiley “how-you-doing?-I’m-fine” version of American happiness, we all know that darkness, loneliness, and real pain are there.

This course doesn’t take the place of counseling, therapy, or the healing of loving encounters with God and friends and family. But there are words—beautiful words—and ideas and stories that provide for us companions for our journeys of grief.

And it’s right in line with our goal to continue to seek Christian wisdom for life’s biggest questions. So we’ve curated an email-based course that brings a weekly variety of perspectives on depression, disability, disease, and death—bringing Christian resources for healing and growth within, through, and despite these painful events of life. We’re developing new content, and dusting off old content, as well as providing helpful resources and references for continued education and exploration.

“Charting a Course Through Grief” is totally free for both existing and new subscribers, so sign up on this page, and you’ll get the first of eight installments right away (two per week for four weeks).

We don’t see eye to eye on everything; but all of us will someday encounter deep personal suffering. So here is an opportunity for us to learn, pray, meditate, and open up to the opportunities for growth in the face of suffering. 

Thanks for reading, listening to, and watching The Table. And may you somehow find peace, gentleness, and love on your journey of grief.

Course Structure

Starting the day you sign up, you’ll get two emails per week, for four weeks. In each email, we’ll provide resources to orient you to an aspect of grief, loss, bereavement, suffering, the problem of evil (both theoretical and existential), and ultimately, hope.

Here’s a snapshot of the course, over eight installments:

1. Grief, Observed
2. Grace, Disguised
3. Every Lament Is a Lovesong
4. Bad Grief: Violence, Injustice, and the Pain of Others
5. Dust
6. Illness and Death
7. Fleeting Life
8. Hope

We’re excited about sharing the resources that fellow grievers have produced—whether they’re academic, artistic, literary, psychological, or pastoral.

It’s important to point out that these resources can’t take the place of clinical therapy or professional psychological counseling. They’re simply guideposts to help you find some thoughtful perspective and footing during difficult times. If you are encountering severe emotional, psychological, or physical pain, tell someone right away and get help from a professional.