FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Sherri J. Cullison and her family stood outside in the darkness, a darkness that had never enveloped her as it did that night. Her home and her teenage daughter were now considered a crime scene.
Suicide is the nation’s second leading cause of death in fifteen to twenty-four-year-olds. One in six youth have contemplated suicide, while one in ten have attempted suicide. * Today’s youth are enmeshed in hopeless waters that they don’t see any hope for a cure. And some, if not all, feel unloved. Fourteen-year-old Sarah Cullison had shared her deepest fears and limiting beliefs in a note mailed to a friend—just hours before choosing to end her life.
Sherri says, “I believe suicide is one of the strongest tools yet that the enemy uses to destroy lives. Not just the ones who end their lives, but those left behind. That’s when we need to signal SOS and cry out to God.”
Through their years-long grief journey, Sherri, her husband, Ray, and the remaining children grappled with deep, devastating grief, numbing denial, and hard questions of why Sarah had died. A poem Sarah had written a few months before taking her life, describing what Jesus meant to her, comforted the family that, in spite of suicide, their Sarah was in heaven.
The raw and life-giving stories and Scriptures presented in SOS: A Mother’s Story of Survival, Rescue, and Hope in the Darkness of Teen Suicide describe Cullison’s grief walk, and how feeling disconnected from God can turn into the greatest rescue of all time.
Readers who have suffered loss, whether death or otherwise, and struggled with their faith will see God extend love, provide comfort, and begin to heal the empty places of their grieving hearts.
“This gripping and insightful book will not only arrest your heart, but it will also become a tool to aid you or others you know who are trying to deal with loss, pain, and inconceivable suffering.”
—Jay Lowder, Harvest Ministries
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
In 1999 Sherri J. Cullison walked the dark path of grief after her teenage daughter chose to end her life. God brought healing to her grieving heart, and she now connects with others individually and with various groups on overcoming devastation and loss. She and her husband, Ray, have counseled teens and families and have spoken internationally on overcoming life’s major storms. For three decades she has led worship teams and taught women’s Bible studies, and she also participates annually in a candlelight ceremony for family losses. She is a contributor for Out of the Overflow and has published various articles and newsletters. She and her family of two children and seven grandchildren live in northwest Arizona. Her hobbies include singing, playing piano, camping, and spending time with family.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherri.cullison.10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherrijcullison/
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/SherriJCullison
For review copies and media interviews, contact Sherri J. Cullison at heart4jc78@gmail.com
*https://parentology.com/breaking-news-teen-suicide-rates-rising-in-2020/
