While serving students with special needs in Brooklyn, NY for over 25 years, I have dedicated my career to helping others discover their strengths, overcoming challenges and finding hope for the future. My passion has always been empowering individuals to recognize their purpose and potential. I try to live up to the title one of my students coined for me and that is “Difference Maker”.

In 2020, my life was forever changed when I lost my beloved husband. Grief became a journey I never expected to walk, and in the midst of the pain, I discovered the healing power of writing. Gifts of Hope Healing Journal was born from that personal journey. It is a testament to the truth while loss changes us, it does not have to define us. Healing is not about forgetting, it is about learning to carry love forward while embracing the life that still lies ahead.

This journal is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my husband whose love continues to inspire me, and to my son, whose strength, resilience and presence have been a constant reminder that there is life, hope and joy after loss.

My prayer is that these pages help you find your voice, reflect on your journey and discover that there is hope, healing and purpose beyond your pain.

Felicia Boone - June 2026

INTRODUCTION

I pray this journal becomes a safe and healing space for those navigating grief and the loss of a loved one. May these pages encourage you to release your emotions honestly and gently as you journey toward purpose, peace, restoration, and hope. Through surrendering my life to Christ, my heart and soul were renewed. By trusting God and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me, I discovered strength, clarity and healing in ways I never imagined. Through God’s divine timing and meaningful connections, countless blessings were revealed along my path. Today, I walk with a quiet confidence, surrounded by light, peace, and God’s unwavering presence.

Journaling became an important part of my healing journey. As I reflected over the years, I began to recognize God’s hand at work in every season of my life. What once felt confusing slowly revealed purpose. God’s plans are greater than our own, and his love remains constant through every trial. In my moments of sorrow, I trusted that he heard every cry and held every tear close. Writing allowed me to release my pain, while reading scripture and meditating on God’s word drew me closer to him. The verses shared throughout this journal are scriptures that deeply impacted my healing journey. As a reference, I used the Life Application Study Bible, published by Tyndale House Publishers to help deepen my understanding of the Bible and apply it’s wisdom to everyday life.

Throughout my journey, God revealed signs of hope and reminders of his presence through people, nature, unexpected blessings and moments of divine confirmation. There is beauty in becoming still enough to recognize how God provides comfort even in seasons of loss. I believe there is life after loss and that even painful seasons can prepare us for something greater.