I had a serious problem.

Every time my friends and I went to a bookstore (like this crazy cool one in Columbus that’s literally a maze of books), my problem resurfaced.

I was drawn to certain books.

Over and over again I’d pick a book based on its cover.

And it was a grief book.

• Sadness.
• Angst.
• Tears.
• Heavy aching grief threaded with hope.

My addiction to these books didn’t make sense. Books that would make me cry? I cried enough on my own.

I quit, cold-turkey…

One day I decided I was done.

It was around the time God convicted me to stop listening to mostly-depressed music.

That’s also when I started compiling the playlist that eventually helped me smile more and cry less. (You can get access to the playlist on YouTube and Spotify for free btw. Just click here.)

So I went cold-turkey on grief books.

And grief movies.

…and God healed my grief. 

God healed my grieving heart??

Honestly, I don’t remember when he did it. 

• Maybe he healed me before I quit and stepping away was just a symptom of my growth.
• Maybe he healed me after and moving my focus away from the darkness is what opened the door for him to move.

I don’t know.

I wish I knew, because I feel like it could help people.

BUT I remember when a tornado destroyed my neighborhood, a heavy cloud of grief hung over me for too long.

When someone I cared about committed suicide, the cloud of grief hung over me for too long.

What brought me out of it wasn’t any fancy tip or trick.

It was Jesus.

I opened myself up to the LIGHT.

I focused on Jesus more than the darkness.

And he filled my life with light. 

I think it’s possible to live free from grief. Things that we read or watch trigger our brains. That’s why what we consume is so important!

So for me, living a life free from the weight of grief means not reading grief books very often.

What do you think? Are grief books a danger to our mental health? Are you drawn to certain types of books every time you walk into a bookstore? Let me know what you think in the comments.

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If you’re looking for a light-focused book, Fantastical Summer tackles tough topics without getting gory. And it has immaculate beach vibes. 🙂 Grab your copy here!