If you have ever wondered exactly what grief should look like, Ron Crawford’s book dismantles many of the assumed patterns in favor of a nuanced approach. He combines research from the historical grief studies alongside religious and cultural expectations to develop a more thorough perspective. He uses his personal experience of the loss of his wife as well as his years of pastoral ministry to offer insights into what he has seen and witnessed as most helpful and harmful. This work will leave you hopeful that there is no one-size-fits-all method to correctly grieve while also offering helpful tools to guide us in our grief journeys.

—Dr. Melissa Fallen
Pastor, Glen Allen Baptist Church
Glen Allen, Virginia

In dealing with his own grief, C. S. Lewis said, “I thought I could describe a state; make a map of sorrow. Sorrow, however, turns out to be not a state but a process.” In this book on grief, Ron Crawford affirms that sentiment. Reflecting on his experience of loss and grief Crawford offers an accessible framework for understanding one’s experiences of grief—a process that one must process in one’s one ways and in one’s own timeline.

—Israel Galindo
Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning
Columbia Theological Seminary

I can’t believe I’m about to use the word refreshing when speaking of a book on grief, but I believe that’s the right word to use. In Mini to Mega Tsunami: A Healthier Perspective on Grief, Ron Crawford presents a refreshingly compassionate approach to understanding grief. Rather than relying on traditional models or stages of grief, he likens the experience to a tsunami, which varies in its intensity and its impact. Ron’s draws on his experience—as a minister, as an educator of ministers, and as one who has walked the path of grief himself—and graciously and supportively offers to walk alongside us as we seek to make sense of our own grief and find hope in the process.

—Rev. Dr. Daniel E. Glaze
Pastor, River Road Church
Richmond, Virginia

In Mini to Mega Tsunami, Ron offers us a model for grief that is analytical, practical, and deeply personal. Many know the pain that comes with the death of a spouse, but few in life are able to make such a helpful recipe out of their own tragedy. Part primer, part reference manual, part memoir—I am thankful to finally have a book on grief that I can put in a congregant’s hand before they might need it.

—Rev. Dan Schumacher
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Dr. Crawford (Ron) answered many questions I have struggled with so long surrounding grief. Grief and other emotions get bound together and are hard to unravel on our own. The brain work, including the work related to epigenetics, and the call to action at the book’s conclusion were particularly impactful. As a local church pastor, I plan to encourage my parishioners to carry their grief with them, find and celebrate a new normal, and walk through their grief with both action and patience.

—Rev. John H. Uldrick
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Greenwood
Greenwood, South Carolina

Ron Crawford’s manuscript arrived in my mailbox the week my mother passed away. While it took me a while to pick it up, it turned out to be a providential help and guide to my grief pathway. Crawford has combined his academic, ministerial, and first-person experiences to create a healthy and innovative approach to the tsunami of grief. I heartily commend it to anyone willing to see their grief as a mystery to be explored and embraced.

—Bill Wilson
Founding Director, The Center for Healthy Churches
Greenville, South Carolina