After the author lost one son to an undiagnosed illness, he realized that God had prepared and called him to bind up the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1-4) and to teach others how to do this also. This book presents multiple principles related to comforting someone in Jesus' name, vs. the negative and hurtful advice, judgment, and so forth that believers often receive from other followers of Jesus, who simply do not know how to really help.

This book was originally published with the title: How to Help a Heartbroken Friend. This revision has been updated, with a different design and updated questions for personal study or group discussion. The table of contents includes:

Foreword

Author's Note

1. What to say when you don't know what to say

2. A loneliness that must be shared

3. An emptiness that must be filled

4. Healing the wounds on their own terms

5. Becoming your friend's soul-mate

6. Life goes on

7. What to do when you don't know what to do

8. Somebody to hold me

9. To tell the truth

10. Moving with the pain

11. Beauty for ashes

12. Seven habits of highly effective comforters