Timothy Anglin Book Report

In “Whoever We Are, Loss Finds us and Defines Us”, by Anna Quindlen, she brings forth the discussion grief's grip on the lives of the living. Wounds of death can heal with the passing of time, but in this instance, the hurt lives on. Published in New York, New York on June 5, 1994, this is one of many Quindlen published in the New York Times, centered on death's aftermath. This article, written in response to the death of Quindlen’s sister-in-law, and is focused on an audience who has, currently is, or will experience death. Quindlen-a columnist for the New York Times and Newsweek, Pulitzer Prize winner and author-has written six bestselling novels (Every Last One, Rise and Shine, Object Lessons, One True Thing, and Black and Blue) and has

A woman name Angela Hundley and her family were away on a family vacation in the Dominican Republic. While there Angela ate fish that caused her to become very ill. Two weeks after they returned home from their vacation she was diagnosed with ciguatera poisoning. She could not open her eyes or lift her head. The doctor informed the family that the poisoning was untreatable, and an incurable. Angela felt like she was in a comma, she couldn’t move but she could hear everything. She could hear her children playing but she couldn’t play with them. She remembers her husband taking her to her church for prayer and at the alter she recalls her pastor asking her “Angela have you thanked God through any of this, even if you don’t see another day,

Flannery O 'Connor is a Christian writer, and her work shows Christian themes of good and evil, grace, and salvation. O’Connor has challenged the theme of religion into all of her works largely because of her Roman Catholic upbringing. O’Connor wrote in such a way that the characters and settings of her stories are unforgettable, revealing deep insights into the human existence. In O’Connor’s Introduction to a “Memoir of Mary Ann,” she claims that Christians live to prepare for their death. This statement is reflected in her other works, including her short story “A Good Man is Hard To Find.” After reading “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” many questions remain unanswered

The most significant period of suffering I have gone through was when I lost my grandfather. I remember we had celebrated his 50th birthday never did imagine it would be the last. That horrible news impacts my life forever realizing that we don’t count for a tomorrow. His death was suddenly due to an embolism. His death caused me a lot of suffering because he was not sick and we had made a lot of plans. I did not know how to deal with his death because I was heartbroken. I wonder and questioned if maybe only God had given us a warning. I did not know how to manage my grief and mourned for him because I was angry with God. It took me time to understand that it was God’s will and that his soul had returned to God. I learned that his death of the body was not the end of his life (Rubin & Yasien-Esmael, 2004). I found comfort in the midst of suffering by finding acceptance in God. Also, I found praying for him and sharing my suffering with others helped me console my pain. I learn that “the lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,” which help my relationship with God grow as my pain slowly vanished.

In Dr. Billy Wilson’s book, Father Cry, not only is the struggle of growing up without his father is seen, but he also shows the reader how they can overcome the rejection, and how to prevent it to happening to others. Dr. Wilson takes the reader on a journey that shows all of the different sides of the “Father Cry,” from son crying for the father to the father crying for the son. He teaches the reader how to be a good spiritual parent. He also emphasizes the necessity of passing the spiritual “baton” onto the next generation.

A Grace Disguised written by Jerry Sittser, is one of the most heart felt and transparent books I have ever read. The idea that our purpose and who we are is shaped through our suffering and loss, puts one in perspective to understand that our pain lies a blessing, even at times we don't understand. Jerry Sittser, a husband, son, and father of four is a true witness to what its like to experience loss and even feel hopelessness in times of despair. In the fall of 1991, him and his families lives were changed forever. Driving back home from a Native American reservation in rural Idaho, an incoming car driving extremely reckless and fast, jumped its lane and smashed head-on into their families mini-van. Rescuing his daughter Catherine and two sons David and John, Jerry Sittser had to endure seeing the lives of his wife Lynda, mother Grace, and four year old daughter Diane flash before his eyes (Sittser, 1998 pg. 26). Three generations instantly gone without any signs or warnings. Letters of comfort that was sent by mail frequently asked Jerry the question, “Why did this have to happen to your family? Y'all were the ideal family to model. If bad things can happen to good people like the Sittser’s then we’re all in trouble (Sittser, 1998 pg. 30).” In this book Jerry Sittser highlights many different aspects of how to differentiate our view of loss from both a carnal and spiritual perspective. Yes, its no debate that loss is a terrifying and dreadful event to experience, but

“I have learned that something happens when one makes herself available to God: He starts moving in ways no one could imagine” (Davis 43). Such was the case for Katie Davis in her heart-warming novel, Kisses From Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, co-written by Beth Clark. Katie’s nonfiction memoir speaks passionately about her move to Uganda: here she strengthened her relationship with Jesus, adopted thirteen little Ugandan girls, started a nonprofit ministry, and so much more. Katie’s unique journey teaches about sacrifice for the Lord our God and about following Him wholeheartedly with reckless abandonment. Consequently, Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis is a hopeful story that teaches readers about God’s love for us, and

Ann Byle analyzes and describes the memoir written by Danny Gokey, Hope in Front of Me: Find Purpose in Your Darkest Moments, about the difficulties Gokey faced with his hope and will to live after losing his wife, Sophia, in 2007. ¨Gokey writes about the hopelessness [h]e felt when he lost Sophia, his depression, and how close he came to ending his life.¨ (Byle 1). Thereafter, facing the devastation of losing his wife, he found comfort in God. Danny found meaning in his life once again after starting Sophia’s Heart Foundation, a foundation that focuses on providing relief for the homeless in the Nashville area. The organization has provided shelter and basic supplies for people who have fallen into hard times since 2008. Gokey has found joy and rediscovered himself after facing the misery and grief of losing his wife in helping others who are struggling, as he once

Laura Jackson spoke as a guest speaker at Texas A&M University-Commerce (where I am proud to be a student) on September 22nd to discuss the importance of healing from sexual, physical, mental, and psychological abuse. Her life story was horrific, but somehow she survived to tell about it. She addressed different topics such as raising awareness about domestic violence and the importance of a personal relationship with God. I was honored to hear her speak and acquired knowledge from her that I can apply to my life and my surroundings.

Jan Inman, a wife, mother, grandmother, and women for Christ. Jan met her husband while attending, Texas Tech University and has been married for 35 years. She obtained her degree in graphic art and took her degree to work for an architecture firm. One of her greatest accomplishments, as she states, is her children. “My career has been a faithful wife and mother” (Inman. J.). Jan and her family have been blessed to live in various of states and overseas before making Colorado Springs their home. Jan has found her pleasure in serving the Lord and His people. As we all have dealt with pain, and suffering, Jan is no stranger to that feeling. “Took me and dumped me in the desert, but deserts have a purpose” (Inman. J.).

FACTS: Samantha Clark, forty-five years old, is the mother of eight year old Tommy and seven year old Timmy. Ms. Clark became a member of the Real Life Church of God, a fundamentalist-type religious sect located in the rural areas of the state of Oceana, after her first husband died ten years ago while looking for spiritual assistance. She has become the church’s first ordained female minister. She met her second husband John Clark, who is also an ardent believer, and they were married nine years ago. As per church custom, they journeyed to a mountaintop

Reading this book has been interesting and heartbreaking experience. A Year of Magical Thinking, a journey through the grieving process. While dealing with the death of her husband, she is confronted with the sickness of her only child. This book touches me, and it makes me think of what would happen if my loved one died. This paper is a reflection of my thoughts and feelings about this woman’s journey that has been explored by book and video. I will also explore the author’s adjustment process, and how she views her changed self.

Throughout O’Connor’s stories, the reader is taken through a journey of a relatable pride through characters in humorous situations. Having grown up in a religious environment in Savannah, Georgia, O’Connor uses her stories to tell of the inevitability of the grace of God in everyone’s life (Gordon 2015). In the story, “Good Country People,” O’ Connor follows her traditional writing style by showcasing the misconceptions people and “traditional Christian families” have with their connection to religion.

Beth Alvarado is notably known for her short story “Emily’s Exit”. The use of religion sets the tone, and catches the eye of many readers in the essay. Religion is the belief and worshipping of a preeminent being, while faith is the trust of this preeminent being, not based on truth. Those of a Christian faith, therefore, have a belief in this greater being who is known as God. They believe the claim that life is an endowment from God, and that once we die, we continue to live for evermore in heaven. Through close reading, It was clear that the author, Alvarado, wanted to create a faintly disturbing story full of “tension and anxiety” (Alvarado, n.d.). Religion, often times associated with death and despair, was used in the writing of “Emily’s Exit” to depict a story of dark suffering, “evoke images and emotion…” (Alvarado, n.d.), and force the audience into understanding the seriousness and the severity of the events that happen.

    “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” one of O’Connor’s best works, describes a family on a trip to Florida and their encounter with an escaped prisoner, The Misfit. Although “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is an early work in O’Connor’s career, it contains many of the elements which are used in the majority of her short stories. The grandmother, a selfish and deceitful woman, is a recipient of a moment of grace, despite her many flaws and sins. A moment of grace is a revelation of truth. When the grandmother calls The Misfit her child and reaches out to touch him, the grandmother has a moment of grace that enabled her to see The Misfit as a suffering human being who she is obligated to love. The grandmother realizes that nothing will stop The Misfit from killing her but she reaches out to him despite this. The Misfit rejects her love and kills her anyway. This moment of grace is very important