Title: Hope for the Heartbroken
Authors: Karen Ehman, Ruth Schwenk, Amber Emily Smith
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: September 15, 2026
Pages: 352
Genre: Christian Grief & Bereavement/Journal Writing Self-Help
Book Description:
If you've experienced loss, then you've had days when sorrow overshadows every step, nights when the pain seems all-consuming, and moments when you feel utterly alone in your grief. What if, in the midst of your sorrow, you found something sacred? Hope for the Heartbroken reaches into those often-unseen moments. It is your companion for those vulnerable spaces, offering gentle reminders that God is present in the heartbreak and is grieving alongside you.
Whether you're mourning the death of a loved one, grieving the loss of a relationship or season of life, walking through a painful divorce, or simply struggling to name the sorrow you carry, Hope for the Heartbroken offers a gentle, biblical path forward.
Each week follows a simple, healing rhythm designed to walk readers through layers of processing grief:
- Day 1—Ponder: Read a heartfelt devotion grounded in Scripture
- Day 2—Pen: Answer guided reflection questions that invite honest self-evaluation
- Day 3—Pray: Write a prayer, expressing sorrow and hope before God
- Day 4—Pause: Process your feelings to position you best for spiritual growth
- Day 5—Pathway: Take an intentional step toward healing or self-care
Authors Karen Ehman, Ruth Schwenk, and Amber Emily Smith—friends whose hearts have been knit together by the gruesome yet grace-filled threads of grief—have personally endured profound heartache, including miscarriages; the death of a spouse, a child, and multiple family members in a short timeframe; physical and emotional abuse; broken friendships; job losses; and much more. They know that grief and healing do not follow a linear path, that many people are well-meaning but often say the wrong thing, and that some days the ache feels just as sharp as it did in the beginning. With honesty, compassion, and deep faith, they've created a resource to gently walk with others through the ongoing, sacred work of grieving.
This devotional is a meaningful guide for your own experience with grief or a thoughtful way to support someone you love during times of loss, holidays, or difficult anniversaries. Hope for the Heartbroken is a reminder that you are not alone and that healing, though gradual, is possible.
My Thoughts: Wonderful
Grief is such a difficult season to navigate. Even as God heals and comforts, some days may still be difficult. Throughout this devotional, the authors have done an exceptional job of offering hope and healing even in the most difficult of times.
The weekly readings are so spot-on and helpful. They include Bible references, journal suggestions, reflections, and so much more. It is a must-read for anyone who has experienced these situations or for someone you know who has dealt with them.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and voluntary.
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About the Authors:
Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author who has written 22 books and Bible studies including the 2020 ECPA Devotional of the Year Settle My Soul: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus and Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All, which has sold over 300,000 copies. Married to her college sweetheart, Todd, she is a mom of three and “Grandma Kit” to two. She enjoys collecting vintage Pyrex kitchenware, strolling area farm markets, and spending her days feeding the many people who gather around her mid-century dining table to process life and enjoy her county fair blue-ribbon-winning cooking. She resides in rural Central Michigan.
Ruth Schwenk is the founder of the popular blog TheBetterMom.com and the trusted author of several books, including In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake (coauthored with her late husband, Patrick), Jesus, Calm My Heart, The Better Mom Devotional, and, with Karen Ehman, Settle My Soul, Pressing Pause, and Trusting God in All the Things. Writing from her own journey of both deep joy and heartbreaking loss, Ruth brings honesty, comfort, and hope to women in every season of life. A Michigan football superfan and self-proclaimed foodie, Ruth calls the beautiful state of Michigan home, along with her four children, two pugs, and their loyal Labrador retriever. Connect with her at ruthschwenk.com.
Amber Emily Smith is a Christ follower, wife, and mother of four. In 2019, her family suffered a devastating loss when their three-year-old son, River, drowned. Since then, she has been on a mission to share hope through suffering with a lost and broken world. She is the author of The Girl on the Bathroom Floor and coauthor of the children’s book Where the Dinosaurs Roar. Amber is also a speaker, host of the Arise with Amber podcast, and founder of the River Kelly Fund. Her aim is to know Jesus and make Him known. She’s passionate about studying Scripture and walking with others through the painful parts of life. Amber and her husband, Granger, live on a little farm in central Texas with their children, London, Lincoln, and Maverick.
