Songs for the Suffering by Julia Allspaw

I’m only on week 3, but am absolutely in love. As a 19 year old learning to navigate the world without parents this book as already hit very hard and is helping to navigate my mourning process of losing my mom to cancer. Not only that, but, my dad has been an absent parent my entire life. I truly believe this study has fixed my mindset on the Lord through my trials. I highly recommend!!

I got this as a gift for my grandma. We just lost my grandfather and I wanted to gift her with something that would help her in her grief. She really enjoyed it and found it really thought provoking and meaningful. I’m so grateful that Hosanna Revival has such beautiful offerings and was able to help me help my family through this time. Thank you, dearly. 🙏

When I received it I was so happy just by the design of it and once I began using it I loved the intentionality of giving pages to respond to the questions asked and reflect on what was written. It’s my first Hosanna Revival devotional and I am loving it so far.

I had lost my mom unexpectedly. On Christmas Day. I felt like I was on an island, all alone in my grief. When I was approached about this study, I said no, it’s too soon, but the Lord told me I needed it now. I’m so glad I listened. This study will help you shift your grief…not taking it away completely, but making it manageable…helping you realize you ARE NOT alone…showing you the way your grief can exist and yet you can still function and have normal days. I was able to unpack my mom’s overnight bag from hospice while reading this book…something I had hidden away in a closet and wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do. I encourage you to purchase this book and work through all of the exercises. I’ve purchased multiple more copies to share with grieving friends and co-workers.

"Counteracting our discouragement with truth leads us to find hope, purpose, and beauty where Christ has placed us, even if it is in the darkness."

Being in the mental health field has shown me that grief and suffering are more complex than we ever imagined. There is so much loss, evil, darkness, and suffering right here usually right next to us. The Christian world is full of one sentence "encouragements" that are supposedly backed by scripture. But, in fact, suffering is guaranteed and may not end this side of heaven.

This devotional does not sugarcoat the pain we feel. It is an honest look at what happens when the miracle does not come.

As followers of Christ we have a Savior that has felt suffering and is perfect comfort and perfect consolation. "Songs for the Suffering" does a good job at holding suffering and true joy in tension and walking the path toward how to see joy in such pain.

Slapping an encouraging Christian phrase onto such pain isn't helpful and can be damaging. I think we need more resources about suffering with Christ rather than pushing our pain aside to portray a shiny, Christian life.

I have been dealing with incredible sorrow lately. I’ve felt so alone, and I’ve never been this hurt in my life. I’ve turned to God more in the past few weeks than I have in a long time, and I’m ashamed to admit that. However, God’s never left me. I got this devotional and it was a wonderful reminder that even in the midst of sorrow, He is always there. I completed a whole week’s worth in one sitting because I couldn’t get enough of this book. It’s wonderful and just what I needed because i believe it was God giving me the incentive to purchase this at the time I needed it the most. He is always with me, and he is always good.

I bought this for myself after a couple of years of struggle in various ways. Everything about this devotional is perfect! The design is beautiful and appealing, the writing is refreshing and honest, and the content is sound and compelling. I recommend this to any one who is carrying the weight of suffering of any kind!

I’ve had over a year of suffering. About to have my 9th surgery (at Mayo) in three weeks. I never know when the end is … and the time I’ve missed by this illness has been so hard. I’ve wrestled with, yelled, sobbed, questioned, and felt guilty because of it. I have read and studied so many books this year searching for answers, comfort and peace - the right Bible verses that didn’t make me feel more alone and forgotten. Julie’s book hit my heart and met me EXACTLY where I am. Her vulnerability, her understanding - all such a gift to me, as I felt understood and less alone in all my feelings and suffering. I read this devotion in 1 1/2 weeks. I have now gifted it to another friend who is suffering from the loss of her son, hoping this book will meet her one day where she is, too. I want to gift it to so many more people who are struggling. I want to thank Julie for writing this beautiful book. And, it was an absolute a God thing. I saw this book in the Farmhouse Christmas magazine (how I saw it on the bookshelf in the picture, I do not know - but it spoke to me and I was desperate) … the title led me to buy this book (all the reviews) and to Hosannah Revival. I’m grateful.