Present Comfort

Meditations on Modern Loss and Grief


Present Comfort is for those who have experienced loss as well as for those who are at a loss to understand the myriad emotions of grief. It is for those who feel sad, bewildered, frustrated, or confused by the chaos and uncertainty that is our current reality in the world. It is for those who feel deeply affected by the extraordinary coincidence of a global pandemic, the death of over one million people worldwide, acts of racial injustice, unprecedented natural disasters, perilous fires, and a climate of political strife that most have never before witnessed in their lifetime. It is for those who grieve the death of a family member, a loved one, a friend, or an acquaintance. It is for those who have lost a job, an income, financial security, or physical property. It is for all those who struggle with the loss of hope.
 
The meditations in Present Comfort reflect on many of the complicated, more complex issues of modern grief, and identify many of the issues that may arise from the devastation of loss. Topics include collective grief, collateral grief, survivor torment, outcast grief, unresolved grief, and reconciliation, to name a few. The book offers direction and perspective from a spiritual perspective through the comfort and support of scripture.

The intent of Present Comfort is to offer compassion and encouragement to those who grieve, and insight for those who desire to share in the heart and language of grief. The hope of Present Comfort is that it will inspire a deeper sense of the presence of God in every circumstance of life. The assurance of Present Comfort is that in each whisper of comfort, we experience a life-renewing peace found only in the presence of God.

"In Present Comfort, Julie Yarbrough mindfully and compassionately shepherds the reader through the vast, precarious landscape of grief. By inviting the reader into her personal challenges with grief, Julie becomes a kindred spirit rather than a dispassionate expert. This book transcends the realm of self-help books and becomes a ministry of hope and reassurance."
-Stephen L. Hines MD, FACP, Hospice Physician