Two Companions I Never Wanted

By Christa Dee Young

On March 14, 2001, my small but mighty boy, Elijah Michael, went home to the Lord.  The tsunami had reached the shore and left devastation in its wake.  My heart was shattered into a million pieces.  I couldn't even breathe.  This is where my journey begins.  I share my story through my words and my original artwork.  This book is for everyone who has lost someone and is on a journey with grief and pain.  Come along with me and find life in a tragic story.  Find hope in the dark place, as I walk along with my two companions that I never wanted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christa Dee Young
• Release date: Jun 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798989680610

Book preview

Table of Contents

Copyright

Disclaimer

Table of Contents

Foreword

Chapter One: My World Turned Upside Down

Chapter Two: Gifts Given & Promises Fulfilled

Chapter Three: The Firsts

Chapter Four: EB & Flow With My Companions

Chapter Five: A Faithful Friend

Chapter Six: Tremors, Not Judging

Chapter Seven: The Shift

Chapter Eight: Need For A Safe Support Group

Chapter Nine: The Alaska Trip: The Sealing of the Grief Journey

Chapter Ten: The Dramatic Story of Nahum James Young

About The Author

Acknowledgements

Resources

TWO COMPANIONS I NEVER WANTED

GRIEF AND PAIN

BY

CHRISTA DEE YOUNG

Two Companions I Never Wanted

Copyright 2023 by the author, Christa Dee Young All rights reserved, including the rights of reproduction in whole or in part in any form, except for the brief questions in printed reviews, without prior permission of the publisher.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblical, Inc. Used with permission.

All rights reserved worldwide.

Publisher Information:

Two Companions I Never Wanted/Christa's HeArt Expressions

1950 Delta Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80910

For more information or to contact the author, please email [e-mail]

ISBN: 979-8-9896806-0-3 (soft cover)

ISBN: 979-8-9896806-1-0 (ebook)

Cover design: Vivien Reis

Interior design: JStuntPublisher & Ben Wolf, Inc.

Publishing Services provided by BelieversBookServices.com

First Printing: 2024

Printed in the United States of America

Disclaimer

I am not a counselor or psychologist. I do not claim to have all the answers. What I do have is a story. What you are about to read is the true story of my grief, and loss of my son, Elijah Michael Young. This is my journey from Grief to Joy. Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to JOY. - John 16:20.

None of this story is fiction. I share it as I experienced it—firsthand. I am not telling you how to walk out your grief. I am sharing my story with hope that it won’t take you as long to walk your mountain of pain, and maybe share something that will encourage you along the way. You don’t have to know the loss of a child to feel the impact of this book. We grieve many things, in many different ways—some deeper than others. This is one person’s journey and what I learned along the way. I only wrote this as a restorative tool. I did not write this to uncover people or to promote myself.

Some of the names in this story were changed (or not mentioned) on purpose, so as not to cause judgment against them. I want to focus on what God did. There is language in these pages I do not use on a regular basis. These parts are not for little ears. The names that are the true names, I have been given permission to share this story from my perspective, through what I learned from each person along the way. Many chapters were raw and painful to write, but to God be the Glory for every word! The artwork that is included is all original art that I did myself, all created as I walked the road of grief. Creating it was healing for me. What I love about art is that it can speak differently than the artist intended, and can bring about healing in many different ways. So, sit back, grab a box of tissues, and allow the words and artwork to speak to you the way our Heavenly Papa needs you to hear. Thank you and blessings as you read!

Foreword

In August of 2018, I met Christa and her family at a life group through our church. During that time, I witnessed her sojourn through a difficult healing process. Christa was real and vulnerable with us. She reached out to our group leaders for guidance and learned about her true identity in Christ. Although I didn't know Christa when she lost her baby son, Elijah, she shared her story with the group. Soon I also became aware of her amazing artistic ability.

You see, God anointed Christa's artwork to help her walk through areas of deep pain and deliverance. She has a way of telling her story by using words to draw a picture with them. Then she uses color to explain her experience of raw grief. Christa is proficient at symbolism and tactile art, too. Yet the Lord has also blessed Christa with an incredible way of tapping into the Holy Spirit to create paintings that touch the hearts of other hurting people—those who the Lord leads her to gift with her beautiful artwork.

I've always been astonished by how God has poured out His Spirit upon certain individuals to make artwork in a prophetic way. Christa is one of those creative individuals. She's been able to bless many people, just by following the Lord's leading as she sits in His presence and paints what the Holy Spirit leads her to create.

Christa's artwork allows us to take a peek along the path that was the darkest night of her soul. But it is also life-giving—colorful images that God can use to begin your own process through grief.

Christa's book and artwork will help many others on their own healing journey. I hope Christian artists everywhere will be encouraged to tap into the Holy Spirit's guidance and create prophetic paintings for themselves, which will glorify God.

Thomas Blackshear II

Artist

Chapter One

MY WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

February 18, 2001. The day that our lives changed forever. I was going to be a mom and graduate from college the same year. Jesus had given both Ron and me, in separate dreams, the same name for our son: Elijah Michael. He was expected to come in April of 2001 but God had other plans. We had just moved two days earlier, and had a baby shower on the 17th. Ron was such a good husband, He sent me away with a friend to go to a museum as they packed up the truck. My friend stuck me in a wheelchair and wheeled me