Bestselling author Clarissa Moll turns experience with loss into a children’s book to help families navigate grief

Hope Comes to Stay invites families to journey through grief together, finding hope in the healing that follows

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- According to the Society of Pediatric Psychology, more than five million children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18. And even though most kids will experience the loss of a loved one in some capacity prior to adulthood, grief and its impact in their life is often overlooked. Conversations can be intimidating as we grapple with what to say and whether or not it's too heavy or too hard to discuss. However, research tells us that young children benefit the most from concrete language about death and dying. Even very small children are able to grasp the concept of death in the natural world—ants they’ve squished or plants that brown, dry, and shrivel—so we don’t have to fear honest conversations about what happens to our loved ones when they die.

In her new book, Hope Comes to Stay: A Gentle Story About Grief, Loss, and the Love that Lasts (Harvest House, May 6, 2025), bestselling author Clarissa Moll writes a story of a young girl, Lela, and her family as they grapple with the death of Papa. Through the help of a surprising new friend, Lela walks through different seasons of grief, learning powerful lessons about loss and how to find hope and joy amid the sadness. Illustrated by Gretchen Ellen Powers, the book offers tender and charming artwork to accompany its powerful story.

As parents and caregivers navigate the confusing, conflicting and very big feelings that come with grief, Clarissa offers a powerful and comforting resource that will equip children to cope and find hope in their journey. One of the most important things families can do is provide encouragement and space for family discussions around the loss. Speaking from personal experience, Clarissa draws from her own journey through grief. Her husband of 17 years died unexpectedly in a hiking accident. She never imagined that she’d become a widow, raising four children alone. The powerful force of grief swiftly changed her life and now she has dedicated her time to helping others discover the grace and hope that can be found in the hardest seasons.

“I trust that, in God’s hands, grief can create something beautiful, even if its beauty is forever a stark reminder of what is absent,” says Clarissa. “God is present even in life’s darkest hours. As we walk with grief, Jesus walks beside us.”

Hope Comes to Stay is a powerful resource for old and young alike. The story of Lela and her family shows children how they can walk through the different seasons of grief with hope and courage.

To accompany the launch of Hope Comes to Stay, worship leader Shelby Patterson has written a song for children, Hope Has Come to Stay. It is available for download on streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and more.

Clarissa Moll is an award-winning writer and podcaster who helps bereaved people find flourishing after loss. Clarissa’s writing appears in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest and more. She co-hosted Christianity Today’s “Surprised by Grief” podcast and produces Christianity Today's flagship news podcast, "The Bulletin." Clarissa’s debut book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving After Loss, was a best-selling new release in 2022. She is the author of the Beyond the Darkness Devotional, Hurt Help Hope: A Real Conversation about Teen Grief and Life after Loss, and Hope Comes to Stay.

Clarissa is a remarried widow and lives with her large blended family in the Boston area.

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Hope Has Come to Stay - Shelby Patterson