Beyond the Darkness

Sorrow is a dark and painful road. You don’t need to walk it alone. The Bible says that “God is near to the brokenhearted,” but what does that look like when you’re lost in the darkness of agonizing grief? How do you engage with your sorrow when the world tells you to shoulder through or move on?

Award-winning writer and podcaster Clarissa Moll knows this landscape of loss all too well. Her life changed forever in 2019 when her husband, Rob, died unexpectedly while hiking―leaving her with four children to raise alone. In her debut book, Beyond the Darkness, Clarissa offers her powerful personal narrative as well as honest, practical wisdom that will gently guide you toward flourishing amidst your own loss.

In the pages of Beyond the Darkness, you’ll learn how to meet and engage with loss in your everyday life, uncover the lies the world has told you about your grief, and point your feet toward hope and find a way to navigate your new life with loss and God beside you. Whether you’ve lost someone dear to you or you’re supporting a loved one as they mourn, you can learn to walk with grief. And as you do, you might be surprised to discover the path is wide enough for another companion, the Good Shepherd of your soul. Grief may walk with us for the rest of our lives, but Jesus will too.

1. Opening Credits
2. Dedication
3. Introduction
4. Chapter 1: On the Path with Sorrow and Suffering | The Journey Nobody Wants to Take
5. Part 1: Preparation for the Journey
6. Chapter 2: Obstacles on the Path: Four Myths We Believe About Grief and Loss
7. Chapter 3: Meeting Grief: Getting to Know Your New Companion
8. Part 2: Tools for Survival
9. Chapter 4: Aching Bones and Sleepless Nights | Physical Dimensions of Loss
10. Chapter 5: Bushwhacking Through the Forest | Navigating the Practical Dimensions of Loss
11. Chapter 6: On the Shores of Loneliness | Wading Through the Emotions of Loss
12. Chapter 7: Dark Nights Beneath the Stars | Searching for Spiritual Answers to Loss
13. Chapter 8: And a Little Child Shall Lead Them | Parenting Through Loss
14. Part 3: The Path Leads On
15. Chapter 9: The Trail Ahead | When Grief Is No Longer New
16. Chapter 10: Letting Grief Come to Church | Developing a Culture of Death and Resurrection
17. Chapter 11: Journey’s End | Lifting Our Eyes, Longing for Home
18. Acknowledgments
19. Closing Credits