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Review: Our Hope for Isabelle

Our Hope for Isabelle book cover on blue background

Our Hope for Isabelle: Grieving with Joy and Hope for Eternity through Infant Loss by Elizabeth Bloomquist and Taylor Bloomquist is a touching tribute and a beautiful way to remember such a precious family member.

Many thanks to Taylor Bloomquist and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

"...The world cannot define your child's worth..." 

"Our Hope for Isabelle" is a touching and inspirational book co-authored by a husband and wife who share their personal journey of deciding to start a family, how a shocking diagnosis of a life-limiting genetic abnormality impacts their pregnancy, and how they navigate carrying to term together.

With a strong emphasis on their Christian faith, the book provides a heartfelt account of the struggles, questions, and emotions that often accompany a life-limiting diagnosis and the loss of an infant. Through their individual perspectives, the authors offer unique insights and practical advice on how to better understand and support one's spouse during the grieving process by depending less on themselves and more on God.

This book is a must-read for anyone who has experienced the loss of a child or for those who want to support a loved one during a difficult time. Written with love, honesty, and vulnerability, "Our Hope for Isabelle" is a powerful reminder, even in the midst of great pain and loss, there is always hope for a brighter future through Jesus.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This book is a poignant reminder that heartbreak and hope can exist in the same breath, especially as it pertains to eternity. The Bloomquists have written a deeply meaningful memoir of their daughter's life that is soul-affirming and moving, pointing to the hope of Christ on each page. With references to the Bible included throughout the book, Our Hope for Isabelle reads as part-biography, part-devotional. 

This book is especially helpful for parents dealing with infant loss, containing both the perspective of the father and the mother. It is comforting to know that there are many resources available to help parents through grief, as provided in the book. The authors are vulnerable but uplifting, leaving readers with a strong sense of hope and joy amidst the pain. This is a valuable resource that churches can make use of to provide to grieving parents. My favourite part of this book was the question about how we can grieve biblically, and whether the actions we are undertaking are honouring to God and those we have lost. This question alone differentiates this book from other books on a similar topic, and elevates it to one of the best books I would share with others.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Book Quotes

It was essential for us to comfort each other in a spiritually healthy way. We were determined to love each other biblically and support each other's grief biblically.
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