Grief Set Free

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Robert K. Myers

“This book is a must for anyone who feels as though their soul has been shattered by a loss. Al Johnson not only talks the talk, but he has walked the walk. You will be inspired by his thoughts on the many pathways you can take to restore hope and joy in your life.”

Gloria Horsley and Heidi Horsley

“Al Johnson is exactly the kind of caring pastor and wise elder to which any person in grief would go for comfort. I respect him greatly and am grateful that he is telling his story of grief and healing.”

Brian D. McLaren

“Al refuses to simply skim the surface of his loss. Instead, . . . he dares to dive deep into the dark places of his soul, asking the questions with brutal honesty that anyone asks in the face of tragic loss. This book offers tremendous wisdom not only for those who grieve, but perhaps even more for those of us who seek to walk with the grieving in loving, more helpful ways.”

Nancy Beach

“Al Johnson is a rare combination: he loves and listens with calmness and intention, then leads with action and inspiration, which allows him to be effective in the numerous ways required of a priest who becomes great, as he has.”

Bryan Cressey

“From time to time, one reads a book that strikes right to the heart of the human experience of love, death, and hope. This is that book. Written with elegance and power, Johnson takes us into his life as a father, husband, and priest who tragically loses his son. The book is beautiful and hopeful.”

Ian S. Markham

“Al Johnson’s book touched very deep places within me, as it will in you. He is brave and vulnerable, honest and real in visiting the deep places within himself where grief still lives and hasn’t left—but that grief has finally become the holy mystery of freedom too . . . his own grief set free. . . . Al’s thoughts and words about faith have helped me look even more deeply into my own faith and belief in ways I’ve needed to do, and his words in this book have given me this holy gift.”

Jan Walker

“Father Johnson writes for those who are exhausted with the clichés of the grieving journey and yet still hope for time when joy returns after a horrific loss. Only someone who has experienced the abyss of losing a child could write with such honesty, authority, and promise. Grief Set Free is the most genuinely Christian book on grief that I’ve read.”

David Goetz

“Al Johnson allows us to travel with him down the path of anger, despair, and heartbreak toward a profound understanding of God’s love and compassion. Through Al’s heartfelt story, we come to understand grief as an agent of growth and discovery, and our church congregations as communities where we can offer God’s healing mercy to one another. Bereaved parents and those who seek to comfort them will finish this poignant book knowing they are not alone.”

Sean Rowe