This earthly plane offers much for us to learn: happiness, wisdom, loss, heartbreak, and enlightenment. It is a Pandora’s box of emotions, situations, opportunities, and failures, all wrapped into a package we call life. Nobody is immune, but everyone has the opportunity to grow tall or wither like a flower in harsh light. It’s completely up to us how we choose to respond. Finding Hope in the … in the Darkness of Grief is a gleaning of insights from artist Diamante Lavender. For her, life has been a long, difficult road, but it has taught many poignant lessons. Her poetry collection is an exploration of the human soul, a traversing of situations that life throws at us. Diamante has always been intrigued by the ability to overcome and move on to bigger and better things.
She writes to encourage hope and possibility in those who read her stories. If she can help others heal, as she has, then Diamante’s work as an author and artist will have been well spent. She believes that everyone should try to leave a positive mark on the world, to make it a better place for all. Writing is the way that she is attempting to leave her markone story at a time.
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This Book is based on both self and spiritual discovery such as overcoming hardship and the difficulties that life can sometimes throw your way. Lavender shows in this book that not only can you overcome great difficulties and struggles but you can also come through the other side a much better and stronger person.
Personally, I found that after reading the book I felt a great sense of insight and up lifting.
A good read that I would course recommend to absolutely anyone.
This Book is based on both self and spiritual discovery such as overcoming hardship and the difficulties that life can sometimes throw your way. Lavender shows in this book that not only can you over come great difficulties and struggles but you can also come through the other side a much better and stronger person.
Personally, I found that after reading the book I felt a great sense of insight and up lifting.
A good read that I would course recommend to absolutely anyone.
Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief presents Diamante Lavendar’s approach to healing her broken heart because of the death of her children. The poetry and prose gives insight to the depth of grief she suffered, while also showing the steps she took to healing. Her dependent on others allowed her to share her grief when it became too heavy for her to bare it herself. Words of wisdom are woven within her words making this an excellent book to give someone who is grieving as a gift.
I love that Diamante Lavendar speaks to the soul that is dying inside. She puts into words what only a broken heart can hear, giving it the hope of healing and the ear of someone who understands. Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief would be useful as words of encouragement and love. The artful work within the pages complements the emotions of this book.
Author Diamante Lavendar shares her grief, heartache, and loss in this collection of free verse poetry. She sends her love and understanding of loss up to heaven to her children.
It can be incredibly difficult for people to find acceptance after a great loss, to find forgiveness in their hearts for whatever they may hold responsible for that loss (the universe, God, etc…). Diamante has found ways to cope with these emotions through her faith and beliefs.
Reading these poems had, at times, felt like I was invading her private thoughts, while inspirational and heartfelt, it is obvious that she has spent a lot of time with these thoughts and feelings. My heart goes out to her and I thank her for creating this collection of poems. My hope is that if you are grieving, that the words in this book will guide you to a calmer place.
This was a very emotional read, and at times very moving as well. It is a brave approach by the author with regard to tackling grief and darkness, but not something I was 100% on board with. Despite this it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment and I would recommend this to friends going through difficult times in case it could help them. Diamante Lavendar is an author with a lot of talent, and a lot of emotion, and expressing herself through her prose I’m sure is a great outlet, and one I may try myself one day.
Captivating! A book of original art paintings and poetry. The poetry comes from a place of grief and then rise to letting go. The author’s true story hit my heartstrings. I developed a love for the words and imagery instantly.
Poems about love, tragedy, family and how the perception of a situation heals in the most divine ways.
Grief and disappointment are hard to deal with, especially if you are a private person like me. I don’t share my feelings with many people and that sometimes makes me draw into myself. ‘Finding Hope in Darkness’ helped me by making me feel like I wasn’t the only person that felt the way I do and that things will always get better even it it doesn’t seem like it at the time.
Although I don’t often read poetry, I thought it was a great and concise way to deliver an important and hopeful message to anyone that is struggling. If you are having issues with adversity of any kind or know someone who is, then I recommend this book.
Finding Hope In The Darkness is not an easy book to get through but well worth reading. It was recommended to me by my friend, but I was a little reticent as I rarely reach for poetry. However this really did surprise me. Diamante Lavendar takes readers for a beautiful journey through poetry, insights and art. The author mainly shows us a different way to look and cope with grief.
Lavendar is emotionally connected to her work which is why the beautiful stories are so moving and deep. Highly recommended to anyone who looks for advice, comfort, compassion but also for hope. I am sure many readers will reach for this book more than once.
This book is like holding hands with the author, and allowing her to accompany you on your own difficult journey (whatever stage that may be at). At times a very emotive read, making it a little difficult, it’s worth persevering with. Lavender brings to the forefront the message that there can be a great strength found from loss, sadness and adversity. Grief is a very personal thing, and we all have our own coping mechanisms. The author doesn’t try to over-shadow this, nor does it come across as dictating or patronising. Lavender shares her inspiration on how to cope, how to move forward, and offers the reader a sense of empathy and thus, comfort. Add in some art-work which incorporates nature, angels and butterflies, and this collection becomes a thing of beauty. I will be buying this for a dear friend who is in need of a little strength.
Finding Hope in the Darkness by Diamante Lavendar
Starts with a dedication and forward pages.
Devotional, spiritual help with grieving. Hard to read this book at times dismal and can understand it all then the poems that lift you up.
Parts of this book touched my heart and soul. You’re never alone.
A book to be treasured and given to others who are going through the process of grieving. At times I don’t think I finished the grieving for my parents. Beautiful high quality photographs throughout the book.
Ends with afterthoughts from the author and other works.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
I bought this book because of the title, I wanted to know what darkness the character was in that they needed to find hope, and boy did I find out! Prepare yourself for this one, you might want to read it with a box of tissues, because this one is a tear jerker. It’s a collection of poems that the author was inspired to write after the tragedy that she went through. Although the book is short, each poem is very inspirational and thought provoking, you really can find treasure in the darkest of places if you will look for it.
Diamante Lavendar gives us a different way to look at grief. Everyone goes through grief at one time or another and she gives us different ways to look at it and to handle it with emotionally pacifying poems, quotes, and beautiful images that she created. This quick, easy read is definitely worth keeping close by for times of difficulty as we all go through several in our lifetimes and Lavendar offers peaceful, spiritual insight into recovery for each person in their own time and on their own terms. Grieving is a difficult process and with Lavendar showing her change throughout the process in this book, it offers hope to others experiencing grief within their lives as well.
Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief, by Diamante Lavendar (author of Breaking the Silence and Poetry and Ponderings: A Journey of Abuse and Healing Through Poetry). Published by Balboa Press, 1st edition, 2018. 74 pages (print edition). Genre: Inspirational Poetry / Religious Poetry / Supernaturalism / Overcoming grief.
With the guiding principle that loss is an illusion and that grief can be overcome through a positive attitude and the exercise of an active, intentional, dedicated, self-controlled and grateful perseverance, the artist and writer Diamante Lavendar performs, in Finding Hope in The Darkness of Grief, a poetic exercise in overcoming grief, based on two personal intuitions: that loss is opposition and therefore offers an opportunity, and that there is a superior spirit and a divine destiny. Sharing her personal experience and proposing a positive approach to grief, the author proposes a kind of poetic and spiritual guidance for those willing to work actively in overcoming their own griefs.
The inspiring and positive journey of reading this book is rather short (74 pages). The style of the writing has seemed to me like a gentle swing: at times it is very beautiful, allegorical and profound, while in other sections the ideas are more direct and basic sentences. I have found in this book small capsules of true wisdom, bathed in a mystical halo that starts from the belief in a Spirit (God), in heaven and in the idea that we humans are infinite beings that are on earth only being “Trained for a greater purpose”. Therefore, I would recommend Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief to those readers whose spirituality, sensitivity and character are in an open state that allows them to translate their own duels into positive thoughts, understanding that the positive state is not a matter of luck, but rather a personal decision based on surrender and understanding.
Everyone likes to explore their deeper self occasionally, and one of the best ways I have been able to do this is by reading this book. Lavender is skillful in constructing the Pandora’s Box of emotions with her poetry collection, which has a personal touch on her life, making it quite realistic.
The personal nature of the stories makes you feel like hope is up for grabs when faced with a difficult situation. I am sure that the way this book is written will leave a mark on anyone who dares to pick it up. The spiritual and self-discovery themes are outlined in an easy to read manner.
I like the way Lavender uses a rich mix of imagery, such as photographs, to accentuate the inspirational and sensitive stories.
This is a beautiful and deeply personal piece by Diamante Lavendar. “Every hardship has a reason, and every deprivation a purpose, if you look through eyes of insight.” This line is so reflective of Lavender’s ability to allow light and joy and purpose to exist within pain and loss. That is what was so touching about this book for me. There are so many gorgeous lines in this book that offer the reader hope, faith, and a feeling of unity and understanding. It is clear that the author may have experienced a dark time before understanding that pain does not have to be suffered alone. The artwork in juxtaposition with the poetry plays very nicely together. Some of the pieces reflect a deep sadness but also give a sense of light and hope. It is clear that this book was full the ideas, reflections, thoughts, and perspectives that Diamante uses to navigate grief. This book is both beautiful and completely useful and relevant to so many people. If you are experiencing a loss and are seeking some light in the darkness and compassion from someone who has experiences deep personal loss, this is the book for you. This is a fantastic contribution to literature on this subject and I can see this touching many people and helping them find a way through the darkness of loss and grief.
“Don’t believe the illusion; Increase love’s true grit”
In this small book, we see the author/poet/artist working through grief and loss. Interspersed between mostly profound wisdom are art pieces that speak of their own losses,often quietly reflecting Diamanté Lavendar’s unspoken thought.
Poetry is a hard medium for an artist. As a retired Christian minister, as well as a published poet, I looked critically at each entry. I love the above quote from one of her poems. The illusion is that we are immortal; the reality is that the love we share(d) within community strengthens our love and courage. Lavendar is a dynamic poet and I highly recommend this book. 5/5
[I received this book from the publisher and chose to read and review it]
Everyone can experience hardship in life and it comes in a number of forms and it can be so difficult to free yourself from it. Dwelling on pain or grief is so much easier than finding a way to move forward, but if you don’t do so you will be missing out on all the wonderful joys life has to offer. ‘Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief’ by Diamante Lavendar is a wonderful collection of poetry, prose and art, which helps you to look at your situation differently and encouraging you to find hope within yourself. It is insightful, spiritual, and deeply healing if you open yourself up to the lessons that can be learned in all moments of life. Moving, uplifting, and a great book to keep coming back to when you have had a difficult day, and need to find a moment of peace.
Midwestern author/artist Diamante Lavendar writes books based on self and spiritual discovery such as coming-of-age stories and stories involving the overcoming of hardships that afflict the “human condition.”
Diamante’s mission is to assist her fellowman achieve happiness and wisdom in the face of apparent heartbreak and failure. As she has said,’ Nobody is immune, but everyone has the opportunity to grow tall or wither like a flower in harsh light. It’s completely up to us how we choose to respond.
In a book rich in imagery such as photographs and other art forms Diamnate offers short thoughts, poems and prose that are sensitive and inspirational.
Even during the times you feel most alone,
there is always a presence watching you,
hearing your internal dialogue.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t feel alone.
Let the light lead you.
In the dark night of the soul,
it is a tremendous help to know
that you aren’t alone.
Negativity wants to twist your thinking
and make you believe
that no one else can understand your pain.
This is a dangerous deception.
It prompts you to believe in the illusion of separation
rather than the truth of togetherness.
Things will be bad
And things will be good;
The important thing is
To flow with it…
(Knock On Wood).
Grief comes in many forms.
The most obvious is death. Other forms of grief
include abuse, loss, and difficult life changes, such as divorce.
While these experiences are heart-wrenching, they are also life-changing.
Spirit’s great wisdom uses all forms of teaching to expand us
and to create depth within us.
While grief is not fun to deal with, it is a valuable tool
to bring about amazing change and growth. The key to this deep level of learning
is attitude. How will you respond to the pain you’re feeling?
Being positive
Does not happen
By chance.
It is a decision.
Don’t chase your dreams.
Let them overtake you!
Quiet, soothing, constructive advice from a spiritual artist who obviously cares.
I felt that this short piece of work that reminded me of inspiring beliefs and thoughts learned over my years on this earth was very uplifting and motivating, providing strength and refreshment as well as hope in a world that is becoming fast-paced and blind to those who are less fortunate. Here are some thoughts I culled from it to highlight the benefits of this book for you who is down and on the verge of suicide or a breakdown:
1. Even during the times you feel most alone, there is always a presence watching you…
As a true believer of the Lord on high, I know this to be true because He is all-seeing and all-knowing. He has never failed me so I assure you that is doubtful that God sees and knows your sadness and grief. You are never alone in this life. If you have a family, good for you. If you don’t have a family, well, there’s God above looking after you. You better believe it because it’s true.
2. Every hardship has a reason; every deprivation a purpose…
As a Christian and someone who is no stranger to hardship and struggle, I can assure you now fellow brother or sister who is losing hope that for every tear and broken heart I’ve experienced in life, I have realized that there is a reason and a purpose for their tearing and breaking. For God is not a merciless deity. He is also very just. When he sees that you are struggling or in pain, He will turn your tears and your sorrows to happiness and smiles. Oh I know because I know. Trust me and trust God.
3. Look to those who have traveled before you for wisdom and insight…
True to the max! Look to those who have gone before you for guidance is what the Author and myself is telling you now. And make sure that this person was a positive role model and a good one at that. Learn from their struggles and their wounds. And listen to their advice and counsel always. If you have parents who want the best for you then listen to them. They are older than you and have been through life before you did.
4. To fully understand life, we must understand loss…
I may be young but let me tell you this and the author knows this too by saying this in his/her book: you will come to realize the meaning of something when you lose it. It’s like a derivative of that saying: You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. I have experienced so much loss in my years on this earth that I have come to understand why I am here on this earth. Go ahead, I tell you. Lose something or lose someone precious and then you will know that life is not a perfect bubblegum movie.
5. When we know we never truly die, that death is only a metamorphosis, we are free to live happier lives.
In my own understanding of this thought from Lavendar, when we know that the soul lives forever, that there is life after death, then we will be happy to live through every hardship or pain that may threaten to come for us, knowing that there is no such thing as death, that it is just a phase that we the children of God go through so no worries, don’t grieve forever. Appreciate life, God’s gift to us all.
And there you have them! Some amazingly wonderful thoughts from this book that will greet you when you read it. Why not buy a copy for yourself or a loved one for this upcoming holiday season. It’s the season for Thanksgiving and Joyfulness yeah? Celebrate it by nourishing anything that promotes love, goodwill and peace. And this book by this wonderful author just does that! Happy holidays!
Finding Hope is the kind of book that you can take something uplifting away from no matter what your upbringing or how little or how much grief you have personally experienced. Lavendar has a real way with words and crafts each of these pieces into a unique and rewarding experience. There is something of an influx of “inspirational authors” these days, but few have the ability or insight of Lavendar. For me this is a must read.