Andrew, You Died Too Soon is the poignant, painfully honest reflection of a mother who lost a son to suicide, and the account of the family's journey through grief in the company of faith.

Convinced he should have died in the accident that killed his parents and sister, sixteen-year-old Drew lives in a hospital, hiding from employees and his past, until Rusty, set on fire for being gay, turns his life around. Includes excerpts from the superhero comic Drew creates.

Young, handsome, and full of life, David Day is ready to marry his college sweetheart. Everything is in place: he has completed his college education and launched a successful computer career. Before he can make the most important commitment of his life, however, a thief strikes, stealing his dreams. As he wrestles with severe bipolar disease, he loses first his fiancée and then his job. David’s fighting spirit gets him through law school and helps him pass the Minnesota Bar Examination. It helps him too when the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners decides his illness makes him unfit for the challenging public law career he had chosen—a decision he courageously challenges. His family has faith everything will come out right in the end. Surely David’s hard work has earned him some good luck, some happiness. He has found a medication he can tolerate and has been hospital free for three years. As they begin to relax, bipolar strikes again, fatally this time. In the aftermath of David’s death, his mother, Pat, has to decide: Is that all there was to his life? Did the thief win? Decide for yourself as you follow Pat’s compelling true-life journey. Along the way you’ll learn important information about bipolar, a disease which affects 5.7 million Americans, about how to cope with mental illness when it affects you or a loved one, and about how to move forward when, in the midst of grief and loss, God seems unavailable and uncaring. You’ll also discover the joy and peace available even in the darkest pit and the hope that can rise from the ashes of despair. This is a story you will find as intriguing as the movies and books you have seen and can’t forget. The best book I've ever read on grief. Just beautiful how the author bares her soul. A must read for anyone who has lost a child. A book to read again and again. As former manage of a Christian book store, I know the crying need for When the Thief Strikes. Marilyn Otte, Cannon Falls, MN Wow! Right from the beginning this book grabs you and takes you through the darkness of the battle to victory. You might be able to read it in one sitting (because you can't put it down), but you will want to read it again slowly chewing on the God given insights Pat shares. Whether you are going through the journey of dealing with mental illness, grief or know someone who is and want to reach out with wisdom....this book is for you. Susan Dehmlow, Vermilion, MN Even if Pat Day weren't my friend, I would love this book!!!! Pat Hanson, Randolph, MN A TREMENDOUS book. A gift of love. I have friends impacted by bipolar which has largely been a mystery to me. Because of the insights gained from Pat Day's book, I can now come along side them as a friend in their struggle with this “thief.” The end notes, bibliography, and index. make the book even more useful. The heart wrenching candor with which she recounts her story and its impact on her personal faith journey will profoundly affect you and strengthen you for your own times of trial. Beth Hagemeister, Cannon Falls, MN An Awesome book!!! Hard to put down. So far 10 people are on my waiting list to borrow it. As a nurse, I recommend doctors read it to gain insights on mental illness not found in textbooks. Cheryl Albers, Northfield, MN I loved this book! A moving story for anyone. Addresses the core of suffering and grief. A must read for anyone who has a loved one suffering with mental illness. Sheds light on subjects rarely talked about. A true gift to those who read it! Roxanne Devney, Northfield, MN This book invoked poignant memories of people I knew who died by suicide. It begs the question--when will understanding and acceptance of mental illness begin and the silence and shame end? Don Burgoyne, Cannon Falls, MN” It's hard enough for a mother to work through the

According to the Foundation for Suicide Prevention, every sixteen minutes someone in America dies by suicide. There were more suicide deaths of young Americans in 1995 than deaths from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and lung disease combined. In 2010 it is still the third leading cause of death of young people ages 15-24. Studies suggest that the great majority of them suffered from a diagnosable mental illness, and that most of them received either no treatment or inadequate treatment. Ryan suffered from a mental illness, that neither he nor his family understood, that did not respond to treatment, and resulted in his death. The scar across our hearts still opens, reminding us that learning to live without him is the work of a lifetime.We are forced to face what cannot be changed, and to trust the Creator for what we cannot now see. The act of writing became for me, a spiritual journey to probe the promise of beauty within the darkness, to seek understanding in mystery, and to believe once again in life after death.

"Birthdays may be difficult for me." "I want you to take the initiative in opening conversations about my birth family." "When I act out my fears in obnoxious ways, please hang in there with me." "I am afraid you will abandon me." The voices of adopted children are poignant, questioning. And they tell a familiar story of loss, fear, and hope. This extraordinary book, written by a woman who was adopted herself, gives voice to children's unspoken concerns, and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame. With warmth and candor, Sherrie Eldridge reveals the twenty complex emotional issues you must understand to nurture the child you love--that he must grieve his loss now if he is to receive love fully in the future--that she needs honest information about her birth family no matter how painful the details may be--and that although he may choose to search for his birth family, he will always rely on you to be his parents. Filled with powerful insights from children, parents, and experts in the field, plus practical strategies and case histories that will ring true for every adoptive family, Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew is an invaluable guide to the complex emotions that take up residence within the heart of the adopted child--and within the adoptive home.

Contains lesson plans for 10 sessions that include age-appropriate activities. These fun and engaging activities enable young children to approach highly sensitive and painful topics.

The Old Testament details the epic faith story of ancient people who, just like us today, seek God's answers to complex problems. Yet because pastors sometimes overlook this rich source of preaching texts, many people in the pews are not fully aware of the Hebrew Scriptures and their profound lessons for modern living. In this inspiring collection of spiritually enlightening messages based on the First Readings from Cycle B of the Revised Common Lectionary, four master preachers insightfully demonstrate the continuing relevance of passages from the Old Testament and the book of Acts. Building on stories in which God moves ordinary people to extraordinary heights, these sermons powerfully proclaim timeless themes of justice and righteousness while reminding us that God's grace is the model for the Christian community's core values of self-giving love and forgiveness. Each thought-provoking message is filled with compelling stories and illustrations from everyday life, and challenges readers to love and serve the Lord, trusting in divine providence even in the midst of a world that sometimes seems cruel and senseless. This essential resource is useful for: - Fresh homiletical approaches to the lectionary texts - Preaching illustrations - Understanding scripture passages - Bible study and discussion groups - Personal devotions and inspirational reading