A Sacred Walk

by Donna M. Authers

Overview

A SACRED WALK helps dispel the fear of death and draws uniquely on the experience of the dying to show how best to meet the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of a loved one who is facing death. Writer Donna Authers lived in fear of death from childhood well into her adult life, the result of an unusual number of tragic losses in her family. The miraculous story of how that fear was broken marked the start of her calling as a caregiver to others as they, or their loved ones, prepared to leave this world. Walking alongside someone with a chronic or terminal illness is a sacred time, but we usually want to be told exactly how to help. Read how family, friends, hospice and other resources came together for Anna during her final days. Heeding the end-of-life lessons shared in this book will show readers how best to care for their loved ones and also help them die with no regrets when their own time comes. In response to reader demand, the eBook version includes a Discussion Guide with questions for each chapter to help open a dialog on important related topics we tend to avoid but shouldn't.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940149321421
Publisher:	A&A Publishing
Publication date:	02/28/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	226
File size:	818 KB

About the Author

After earning a B.S. degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Donna Authers enjoyed a highly successful business career in marketing and sales management for nearly thirty years with an international corporation. She moved from the business world to full-time volunteer work in 1992 where she developed a passion for applying her natural caregiving skills to help bring hope and healing to hurting people. These skills have been honed through her sacred walks with others and her leadership in Stephen Ministry and Community Bible Study. She is a gifted teacher and, as such, has trained and mentored other volunteers to develop their own caregiving skills to serve others.

Over the years, Donna has been regularly invited into the homes of many families learning to accept death and has accompanied them throughout the grieving process. She has worked closely with hospice organizations, counselors, social workers and clergy, and has been an advocate for others dealing with the medical system and government agencies. Today Donna continues to devote much of her time to caring ministries, speaking and writing. Helping others cope with new chapters in their lives and finding renewed enthusiasm for the future is a key element in her work.

She offers "A Sacred Walk" as a tool readers can use to open a necessary dialogue among their family members and friends about important aspects about life, how to prepare for the inevitable, and how to care for ourselves and our loved ones when the time comes. For more information, visit asacredwalk.com.

Editorial Reviews

A Sacred Walk is a sensitive, heartfelt, honest, scripture-based, poignant resource that offers a unique approach to death and dying . . . Although this is more of a book for consumers, it also provides insights for healthcare providers who care for the dying. It taps into their own fears and anxieties about death and dying . . . This book touched my soul, as I connected to the writer�s honesty, compassion, great faith, and service to others . . . I did not want the book to end.

Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing - Brigitte Cypress

Five stars! In her book, A Sacred Walk, Donna Authers covers practical, spiritual, emotional and psychological preparation for death and dying � without becoming morbid or sad. Her book may be used by anyone who is facing the end of life or caring for a loved one. She shows how facing death with love and acceptance can bring peace and closure. This book demystifies the dying process and helps the reader face the concepts of death and grief without fear and hopefully without regrets.

About.com Guide to Breast Cancer - Pam Stephan

This amazing resource will help many face the fear and process of dying. Authers has captured the essence of something we don�t want to talk about. The heartfelt honesty, the experience drawn, and the helpful teaching will be a valuable fountain for all those facing the death of a loved one. This book will not only help you heal the fear and issues that surround "the ultimate healing", but also help you experience good grief. Read it and reap as you weep. This book will touch your soul.

Sharing Magazine - Rev. Nigel Mumford

A Sacred Walk takes a unique approach to dealing with death and dying. As might be expected, it is filled with helpful, practical ideas and insights for caregivers. But this book is different in that it also focuses on lessons the living can learn from the dying.

Stephen Ministry - Dr. Kenneth Haugk

Caregivers, seniors, and those with aging parents will find this to be a sensitive, scripture-based read with invaluable insight and personal experiences, as well as constructive counsel regarding the practical side of death. A Sacred Walk is far more about living than dying, offering encouragement to both caregiver and care receiver. This is an excellent book for small-group discussion or to leave at one's bedside, and most certainly to keep desk center for quick reference.

The Living Church Magazine - Tom Riley