A Brave Lament: For Those Who Know Death

by Andrew J. Bauman, Christy Bauman

A Brave Lament encourages the scandalous invitation into the belly of grief. Pain matters and is the doorway to knowing God more fully. With heart-wrenching grief accessible through poetic writings, hope is found in the most unlikely place, in the pain itself. This book undertakes the enormous task of stepping into our own heartache with the tragic loss of our son, Jackson Brave Bauman while inviting the reader into their own story of sorrow for the sake of collectively healing our wounds. The following pages have sustained us; these words have been bread and water to our soul may they be the same to you. -Andrew & Christy

Genres: Nonfiction

123 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2018

About the author

Co-Founder & Director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC), Andrew J. Bauman is a licensed mental health counselor with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. He spent 10 years studying under Dr. Dan Allender. Andrew is the author of Floating Away, Stumbling Toward Wholeness, The Psychology of Porn, and (with Christy) A Brave Lament.

Reviews

[Delta A]

This book arrived on Saturday night and I read it cover to cover in one sitting on Easter Sunday. The timing of the Easter holiday this past weekend made it especially meaningful as you'll see when you read it. I was humbled and felt honored to read such a personal, raw, and touching story. My heart is sad that there is a need for this book, but I am grateful for the resource. Grief is not a neat and tidy 5-stages; rather it is a roller coaster that Andrew and Christy have graciously shared with the world. I pray marriages are saved and hearts are healed by the powerful words of this book. Well done good and faithful servants.

[Jessie Pugh]

Part of the title is for who this book is directed: “for those who know death.” This is a book written for anybody who has had a tragic loss in their life. Also could be for any friend who may want to take a look into what death may feel like for one walking through the depths of a recent loss.

Oh how real their raw words of lament and anger and sorrow are. I have had a different experience with death than they, but most everything they voiced was what I felt in those early months of my grief journey. I could quote SO many pieces but I think the book should be read in its entirety. Their words can help give others the permission to be angry at God and dive deep into their grief, because whether it’s expressed or not it is indeed there.

Thank you guys for your bravery and your vulnerability in sharing this (and your documentary). I will be sharing this with anyone going through the trenches of death from here on out.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama)]

This was a beautiful and vulnerable read.

[Tamara Salazar]

Unbelievably beautiful book.

Unfiltered and raw look at the loss of a child.

[Catie Mosher]

Three months ago, my son was delivered stillborn and I received this book in a grief box that was gifted to me. I picked this book up yesterday and could have easily finished it in one sitting, but I had to force myself to take a break because Act 1 of the book caused such a visceral reaction that it made me physically ill. This book is a deeply raw and very real portrait of what grief is. I related to the authors in so many ways and found Act 3 to be a beacon of hope in my current journey of mourning.

[Anna Staff]

This is the most honest retelling of grief after losing a child I have read. With tears, I devoured each page because I could relate to the anger, rage, and deep sorrow Andrew and Christy felt at the loss of their infant son. The things in my mind and heart that are too painful to say out loud… these are the kinds of honest laments that Brave’s parents give words to. It is a gift to share in the agony and to feel understood in my sorrow. Thank you for this, Andrew and Christy. Thank you. 💙

[Lucy Williamson]

The only thing I’ve read that comes close to putting a grieving parent’s feelings into words.

[Alma de Color]

I haven't sat down to read a book and finish it in one sitting since early college. And yet, I couldn't put this book down. I've experienced many losses of different natures in my lifetime, and though I didn't have to carry a baby all of 9 months only to deliver him stillborn, I have lost babies, I've lost friends, I've lost family, I lost a marriage to infidelity...and I really can see a raw grief journey that's honest in its mourning, its rage, its doubt, its hopelessness. I see a shift after the intensity of the tempest has passed to accepting the reality, the broken dreams...and then taking a deep breath and looking up to see the tiny pinprick of hope and healing, and grabbing hold. I believe this story can help anyone grieve and find healing from their own loss, regardless what form it took.

[Jay Darcy]

Andrew and Christy Bauman courageously share the story of their agony and sorrow after the death of their stillborn son. The book is a collection of essays and journal entries, and its raw format feels appropriate for the subject matter. I appreciate their willingness to share the darkness so honestly. They helped me learn how to grieve, and made me feel less alone. I also watched their film of the same name, and would highly recommend watching that before reading this book.

[HelenA33]

Raw and painful. The reviews on Amazon suggested that it was helpful for any kind of loss, but I didn't find it helped for my recent loss - instead it brought back the raw sadness of the baby we lost years ago. But for somebody that has recently had a still birth or a miscarriage, this would make a beautiful gift.

[John Francis]

Very sad book that is much needed for those experiencing grief.

[Margo]

Thank you for this. Thank you for your honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability. I connected with your pain, my own pain, and the confusion and fear of walking with another through suffering.

[Georgia]

breathtaking.

[Lisa]

A beautiful heart wrenching account of the loss of a child and the return to life afterwards.