Hope for Today Promises Tomorrow by Teske Drake

Hope for Today Promises Tomorrow: Finding Light Beyond the Shadow of Miscarriage or Infant Loss by Teske Drake is a spiritually uplifting book for anyone unfortunate enough to have expreienced pregnancy or infant loss.  There could be no author more qualified to write this book than Teske Drake, who personally experienced the devestating and painful losses of her newborn daughter, as well as having an early miscarriage at six week and a late miscarriage at fourteen weeks.  It is easy to find brief exerpts of advice or a paragraph dedicated for those who experience a loss in almost every pregnancy book or pregnancy related website.  There is a lot of factual quasi- medical information about miscarriage and stillbirth on the internet as well. But very few books are written that are exclusively devoted to pregnancy and infancy loss.  This book is specifically written for the grief stricken woman who had endured a stillbirth or miscarriage.

The author's caring and considerate words personally address the reader with empathy and concern.  She seeks to address the reader as if talking one on one - at least as much as is posssible through a book.  Teske validates the pain and grief that a mother feels after experiencing a loss through miscarriage or stillbirth.  She shows that despite the intense pain and grief that there is hope and that there is still purpose in life. After death of a baby or miscarriage, a woman enters a period of despair and grief- in which there seemingly is no future in sight.   Sadly, society does not recognise the intense grieving felt after miscarriage or stillbirth.  It is not seem as actual death, and most woman are fortunate enough not to have to endure such grief.  Many women grieving the loss of a pregnancy or child feel alone and isolated.

The author uphold the truths of the gospel, using relevant scripture to help the grieving mother.  Each chapters centers around a biblical theme and how it applies to infant and pregnancy loss.  "Hope for today" and "verses to live by" scripture verses are highlighted to place emphasis on relevant promises of God taken from the bible.  In a time when a grieving woman may not have the energy to read through the bible or any book for that matter, Teske singles out appropriate and relevant verses that are sure to renew and inspire.  She encourages the theraputic practice of journaling and throughout the book, in order to guide the reader to reflect on her loss and on healing.

Throughout the book the author includes her own story of loss as well as the anecdotes of other women who have experienced loss.  It is inspiring to hear of woman who have experienced the real and painful loss of a child yet have been able to recover and live on through faith.  There are enough stories of miscarriage and infant loss that all readers can relate to.  There are stories of woman who have never been able to go on to have living children- yet persevere in life with faith and purpose.  There are  miscarriage books and fertility self help books on the market  written simply to encourage a woman to continue with the hope of eventually having a child in the future or to encourage a  woman's efforts of trying to concieve.  But this author acknowledges that there are some woman who may never bear living children, but they still may find spiritual peace and fulfillment. 

While this book is written for all grieving mothers, regardless of religion, this book does not neglect the importance of sharing the lifesaving message of the gospel. The undeniable fact is that apart from God, it is impossible to find purpose and comfort. In the appendex, special sections are dedicated to the gospel message as well as selected detailed accounts of loss experienced by some of the featured women in the book. It is ironic that these stories of loss are referred to as stories of hope.  The account of "Theresa" on page 136 sums up  the definition of hope when she explains, "here I am again, trying to accept not having a child here on earth if that's what God's will for me is, but desperately wanting a child.  I take comfort in knowing I have two children waiting for me in Heaven. I thank God that even though in the eyes of the world they really didn't amount to anything, He loved them enough to die for them.  Ultimately, that is where my hope is." As a blogger I recieved this book published by Kregel Publications for the purpose of writing this review.  I feel this book is essential reading for anyone going through this type of loss.