Gayle Roper is an award-winning author of more than 50 books and has been a Christy finalist three times. She is also a women’s speaker who loves to share the power of Scripture through humor and practicality with audiences across the country. On this very theme of practicality, Roper opens her memoir on life as a widow. She was married for 47 years to her beloved husband, Chuck, before his death in 2010.

With poignant essays and a pertinent Scripture verse to close out each devotional/story, Roper captures the emotional, spiritual and physical highs and lows of widowhood. She opens with some high-charged open-ended questions to God about how to live as one when you’re long accustomed to being a “pair.” She tells how awkward it feels to join in around a table with even close friends who are still couples. She hints at wanting to retreat out of the restaurant but forces herself to take slow steps to the dining table where thankfully she is seated not at the end of the table, alone, but smack dab in the middle of her beloved friends. Relief.

"Written in an easy-to-digest style, readers will appreciate the brevity of each of Roper’s essays, perhaps mostly because she packs so much depth of feeling into each one."

Telling one story after another of learning to do life solo, Roper shares how she used to order her days and nights around her husband’s work schedule since she worked from home. Now, she admits to staying up too late, not cooking enough for herself, and sometimes feeling at loose ends on making decisions she would have made with Chuck. Roper reminds readers that even though she has adult children to whom she is devoted, and vice versa, she recognizes the unhealthiness of depending too much upon them. So she tries to stay independent and live life on her own not unduly focused on her adult kids.

Roper explains how living through the grief of losing someone you love and whose world you shared for the bulk of your life is beyond anything she might have imagined. Yes, it does get somewhat easier over time. But happier? Not really, writes Roper. Folks tell her, “You just get used to it.” So she settles herself down before the Lord every day and makes sure she is prepared to face whatever comes her way. This daily spiritual renewal is as vital to her well being as is taking good care of her body physically and as intentionally staying close to friends is to her emotional health.

Written in an easy-to-digest style, readers will appreciate the brevity of each of Roper’s essays, perhaps mostly because she packs so much depth of feeling into each one. They will slowly drink in each story, read the Scripture verse, and then contemplate how her reflections will help to equip them to face their life as a widow. Roper’s text is formatted as a lovely little gift book that will be easy to give away and just as handy to carry around for a quick pick-me-up.