Mrs. Job
Journey Through a Mother’s Unspeakable Sorrow
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
A Perfect Life?
My heart goes out to Mrs. Job! Most of the sermons I’ve heard throughout my life on the book of Job have had nothing but criticism for Job’s wife. The criticism stems from her words to her husband after great disaster, devastation, and sorrow had come upon their family. Curse God and die (Job 2:9 NLT).
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job … One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied! “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? … But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:1, 6–10, 11–12 NIV)
Then came the testing.
The Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands …
“The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds …”
“Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants …”
“Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead …” (Job 1:15, 16, 17, 18–19 NLT; italics mine)
I begin my journey today not to discuss Job’s life and the tragedy that befell his household but Mrs. Job’s unspeakable sorrow and mine.
Do I defend Mrs. Job’s words “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9 NLT)? As a mother who buried her daughter just twelve days ago (July 1, 2004), I most certainly know the pain of this mother who lost all ten children in one unbelievable tragedy. The thoughts and words that come to our minds at such a time as this are thoughts and words that come from the deepest part of our beings that truly have no words to express the unspeakable sorrow.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Her book, Mrs. Job - Journey Through a Mother’s Unspeakable Sorrow, is a journal of the grief and depression she experienced after the death of her daughter, Andrea, and how God helped her - not to get over the death; but to get through it. It has been put into print with the hope that it will offer comfort to other parents who have lost a child. It is also her hope that extended family and friends would gain a deeper understanding of what the grieving parents are struggling through and be willing to come alongside and, as Eugene Peterson says in his introduction to the book of Job in The Message Bible, “enter the suffering with them; insofar as one is able”.
*All profits from the sale of the book will go directly to the orphanage ministry of Love in Action International Ministries.
About the Author
Jerri Zimmerman and her husband, Gary, served as missionaries in Costa Rica, Central America and have been involved in mission work since 1974. Together they direct Love in Action International Ministries; a non-profit they began in 1998. In 2005, they re-directed the ministry to build orphanages in Latin America. The orphanages are named Andrea’s Home of Hope and Joy in memory of their daughter, Andrea, who lost her life to cancer in 2004.
Jerri Zimmerman graduated with a degree in Sociology and a Teaching Credential from Pasadena Nazarene College, Pasadena, California (Now Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego). She also holds a Certificate of Graduation from The Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica. She taught in the public schools and taught Spanish to children, youth and adults. She and her husband continue in their ministry to establish orphanages in Latin America.
Jerri and her husband, Gary are Proud Parents of
~Darin, Annette, and Andrea~
and
Proud Grandparents of
~Megan, Matthew, Michelle, Michael~
~Sheridan, Laramie, Tyler, and Kyle~