More Than A Parting Prayer:
Lessons in Care Giving for the Dying

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

From Restlessness to Peace
The Mysterious Power of Hope
Confession Cleans the Slate
Learning to See the Heart
Respecting the Hearing of the Dying
Taking a Child’s Grief Seriously
Faith-Based Denial
Faith Traditions That Care
Faith, Unanswered Prayer, and God’s Will
When God Appears to Someone
A Spiritually Disturbed Christian
Emotional and Spiritual Pain Levels
The Fear of Grieving Alone
Honor the Care Receiver’s Faith
Forgiveness Minimizes the Regrets
When Feelings Undermine Faith
Caring for the Dying Agnostic
When Feelings Undermine Faith
Caring for the Dying Agnostic
The Vertical and Horizontal Relationships Are Important
Helping a Grieving Family
Moving from Doubt to Faith
The Fear of God’s Rejection Too
From Agitation to Confession
When the One Dying is a Personal Friend
Comfort is Not Always Explainable
A Child, A Ventilatior, and a Choice

AFTER WORDS

Wounded Caregivers Need a Caregiver
When Clergy Fear Being Caregivers
Practicing What we Preach

APPENDIX: FOR REFLECTION
QUOTATION SOURCES