A Good Day
Faith in the Shadows of Loss
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There were lots of moments when the very foundations of my belief trembled beneath the weight of my loss and pain. When prayers seemed to go unanswered and unheard, and when hope felt impossibly distant. I often still feel this way. I have known the hush of Heaven, the silence that lingers alongside desperate cries in the night, when you reach out with shaky hands and all you touch is the cold emptiness. I have doubted the future, doubted myself, doubted even the gentle presence of God, who once felt so close and now seems hidden behind a veil of sorrow. Oftentimes, my purpose seems like a story I'm desperate to believe—like a distant star to chart my course by. But I only find that it keeps shifting or has just vanished altogether, leaving me lost and with no direction. There have been many days when I couldn't gather the strength or the will to get out of bed. Oftentimes, the grief of losing Leland weighed so heavily on my chest that each breath felt forced and labored. The world around me kept moving, but I was suspended in a slow-motion torture, haunted by the absence of laughter that would never again fill my home. If you feel lost, alone, and abandoned, crying out to God and meeting only silence, know that you are not broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Grief is not a flaw or a failing; it is love's shadow, a silent testament to how deeply we have cherished and been cherished in return. When you love so fiercely, the absence left behind is proof of the miracle that was present, not of any weakness. There were lots of moments when the very foundations of my belief trembled beneath the weight of my loss and pain. When prayers seemed to go unanswered and unheard, and when hope felt impossibly distant. I often still feel this way. I have known the hush of Heaven, the silence that lingers alongside desperate cries in the night, when you reach out with shaky hands and all you touch is the cold emptiness. I have doubted the future, doubted myself, doubted even the gentle presence of God, who once felt so close and now seems hidden behind a veil of sorrow. Oftentimes, my purpose seems like a story I'm desperate to believe—like a distant star to chart my course by. But I only find that it keeps shifting or has just vanished altogether, leaving me lost and with no direction. There have been many days when I couldn't gather the strength or the will to get out of bed. Oftentimes, the grief of losing Leland weighed so heavily on my chest that each breath felt forced and labored. The world around me kept moving, but I was suspended in a slow-motion torture, haunted by the absence of laughter that would never again fill my home. If you feel lost, alone, and abandoned, crying out to God and meeting only silence, know that you are not broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Grief is not a flaw or a failing; it is love's shadow, a silent testament to how deeply we have cherished and been cherished in return. When you love so fiercely, the absence left behind is proof of the miracle that was present, not of any weakness.
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About the Book
Clinging to her faith through trauma, abuse, and devastating loss, Amber Shoemake invites readers into her personal life journey. She has come to understand that no two rock bottoms look the same. Hers first came with the death of her six-year-old son, Leland. That loss was not the end of her suffering, but only the beginning. As grief continued to unfold through additional heartbreak, she learned firsthand that to love deeply is to grieve profoundly. She discovered that sorrow is love’s shadow, it’s heavy, inescapable, and sacred. Yet even in the depths of unimaginable pain, Amber found hope in Jesus Christ. With raw honesty and unfiltered emotion, she shares what it means to navigate multiple losses while holding tightly to faith when God feels silent and answers feel distant. This book is for those who feel lost, alone, or abandoned. Those crying out to God and meeting only quiet. You are not broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Grief is not a flaw or a failure; it is love’s echo, a testimony to how deeply you have loved and been loved in return. Through sorrow, faith, and relentless hope, A Good Day offers reassurance to weary hearts and light for those walking through darkness.
About the Author
Amber Shoemake is a mother, widow, photographer, homeschooler, and, above all, a follower of Jesus Christ. Her faith has been tested through profound loss and suff ering, yet she continues to cling to hope, believing that God remains present even in the silence. Through her own journey of grief, Amber has developed a deep compassion for those who feel unseen, broken, or forgotten. She fi nds purpose in serving others, whether through storytelling, ministry, or quietly walking alongside those who are hurting. When she is not volunteering as her church’s photographer, Amber fi nds joy in the outdoors, hiking, camping, riding roller coasters, and embracing life with courage and intention. She writes with honesty and tenderness, off ering readers a reminder that even in deep sorrow, love endures and hope is never truly lost.