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Written in Tears
When Luke Veldt’s thirteen-year-old daughter died suddenly in 2006, he questioned the faith he had known from childhood: “Is it all true? Is there a God? Is my daughter with Him?” Despite his doubts, Luke turned to the Bible for answers to his questions and comfort for his grief. In Psalm 103, which he read every day for a year, Luke discovered a kindred spirit in King David, who knew what it was like to be in the pit. Luke also discovered that he was learning more about God in his sorrow than he ever had in times of joy.
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 2, 2012
This is a book for me to own and return to time and again. Luke Veldt lost his young daughter and in his grief, looked hard for comfort and answers. Some quotes:
"I hope. I believe. I know. I think. That hope is my anchor, the one certainty in an unsure world; it’s the huge gamble on which I’ve staked my life. Some days I’m as sure of it as I am of the ground I’m standing on. On other days, I wonder if I’m just trying to talk myself into something."
…
"Sometimes people of faith have a hard time remembering that suffering was an excruciatingly painful process for Job. ‘The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord,’ we quote Job brightly—forgetting that when he said it he had shaved his head and torn his clothes and that a few days later he was sitting on an ash heap, covering in painful boils and cursing the day he was born."
…
"I believe that God is good.
I don’t believe that it’s appropriate for you to tell for you to tell me so when my daughter dies.
When my daughter dies, it’s my job to tell you that God is good. Until I can do that, don’t be like Job’s friends. Offer your support, and wait in silence.
Don’t try to make the pain go away. The pain doesn’t go away. Hurt with me."
…
"The … reason you should hesitate to share your thoughts on suffering with grieving friends is that they may already understand it better than you do, may be experiencing it at a level you have not, may be asking better questions and demanding better answers. It’s not that the information you have to offer is necessarily wrong; it just may not be relevant. Maybe you should be listening to your friend instead of offering advice."
"I hope. I believe. I know. I think. That hope is my anchor, the one certainty in an unsure world; it’s the huge gamble on which I’ve staked my life. Some days I’m as sure of it as I am of the ground I’m standing on. On other days, I wonder if I’m just trying to talk myself into something."
…
"Sometimes people of faith have a hard time remembering that suffering was an excruciatingly painful process for Job. ‘The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord,’ we quote Job brightly—forgetting that when he said it he had shaved his head and torn his clothes and that a few days later he was sitting on an ash heap, covering in painful boils and cursing the day he was born."
…
"I believe that God is good.
I don’t believe that it’s appropriate for you to tell for you to tell me so when my daughter dies.
When my daughter dies, it’s my job to tell you that God is good. Until I can do that, don’t be like Job’s friends. Offer your support, and wait in silence.
Don’t try to make the pain go away. The pain doesn’t go away. Hurt with me."
…
"The … reason you should hesitate to share your thoughts on suffering with grieving friends is that they may already understand it better than you do, may be experiencing it at a level you have not, may be asking better questions and demanding better answers. It’s not that the information you have to offer is necessarily wrong; it just may not be relevant. Maybe you should be listening to your friend instead of offering advice."
August 30, 2011
Anyone going thru a faith crisis, should read this book. Veldt lost a child and using Psalm 103 he and his family experienced God thru the struggles, the pain and the loss as they came to grips their faith in God. He learned more about God thru his times of sorrow than in times of joy. He warns in the start that this book is not about theology. However, in my opinion he used scripture and the lives of David, Job and Jacob in knowing the purpose of God. He also claimed that this would not take away the pain or even deny the pain but to go thru it as those before him have. God has given examples in his word that have. The book is not about motivation but being compelled from the heart. Pain or any tragedy sharpens our thinking about God and about what really matters. That we can say in the end I will Praise the Lord.
August 7, 2017
Veldt's book must go near the top of my favorites on the grief and lament associated with losing a child. It may be a favorite due to timing or Veldt's way of expressing his sorrow, his journey but most importantly - his doubts.
Based on Psalm 103, Veldt later in the book creates a conversation between David, Job and Jesus, he uses the three voices to forge an incredible unified narrative of question and answer, cry and resolve.
Based on Psalm 103, Veldt later in the book creates a conversation between David, Job and Jesus, he uses the three voices to forge an incredible unified narrative of question and answer, cry and resolve.
July 31, 2011
Bought this book for my mom thinking it would help her. I liked a lot of it, but it never quite hit the spot for me. Still, I passed it on to her when she was visiting last month hoping it will be even more meaningful for her.
February 7, 2012
Chapter 9 was worth the price of the book. I blog about it here: http://www.jeffmanning.org/blog/2012/... and here: http://www.jeffmanning.org/blog/2012/...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews