Author Steve Beal, Sr. commemorates his loved ones’ funerals in this unique memoir that subtly shares his Christian faith while admonishing readers to prioritize spending time with their loved ones.

Born into a family of Christian ministers and devoted believers, Beal offers a unique perspective on grief as he chronicles the deaths of several loved ones who, notably, weren’t “lost” in terms of Christian salvation. “Just knowing that a person is a child of God is a reason for joy and celebration,” he writes.

Beal states that upon his uncle’s death, his “priorities shifted significantly toward helping, chronicling, and spending more time with family.” He highlights the closeness and comfort that his family’s faith brought to times of loss, encouraging readers to view a loved one’s death as “a call to pay attention and refocus” on the important things in life: faith and family.

Beal honors the lives of departed loved ones by including their obituaries and poetry he wrote to celebrate them, dedicating the book’s last section to his father. With a sense of nostalgia for simpler times, he romanticizes the elders in his family. Indeed, his gushing admiration for his family becomes a bit Polly Anna-ish as the narrative unfolds. For example, he states, “…surrounded by family, the room was transformed. It was the warmest, liveliest, most colorful, most unique room in the hall because of the love and spirit of the folks gathered there.” He tells readers that they “should spend a weekend with this family” to understand what it means to lift one another up “emotionally, spiritually, and morally.”

Beal’s good intentions—to inspire readers to cherish their families—end up muddied by his unintentional boasting, and some readers will struggle to find the larger purpose of his contribution. As such, the book is unlikely to garner a wide audience.

Still, Beal’s experience with death could, perhaps, be a source of solace to grieving Christian families.

Also available as an ebook.