An authentic portrait of grief as poetic and soullifting as it is poignant.In 1994 William Ritters adult son committed suicide sending Ritter and his family on a journey no family wants to take. Part of Ritters own process of healing the loss of his son was to preach about it occasionally from the pulpit. This book is a collection of the sermons he preached the first one just three weeks after his sons death and the final one nine years later. Through them we get a glimpse of a father and a family struggling honestly with their pain and gradually coming to grips with their loss. Ritter offers no easy solutions no rosy pictures and no silver linings but speaks honestly instead about the difficult emotions and confusion of this kind of loss and ultimately about a sense of hopefulness for the survivors of suicide. With the language of a gifted poet the eye of a portrait artist and the heart of a faithful pastor and loving parent Bill Ritter takes us on a poignant Godshaped journey toward healing and wholenesshis and ours.L. Georgory Jones Dean of Divinity School and professor of theology Duke University.