I’m Dr. Jerry L. Woodbridge, the author of Joy Overcame Sorrow. I have been an educator for over 40 years. There were times, as a teacher I was on the front line with helping children grieve the loss of a loved one. Originally, my goal in 2019 was to become a TEDX speaker about how ballroom dancing helped me feel unstuck and move through my grief. For some odd reason, the group did not understand why I wanted to do this. They challenged me to write a children's book on grief. At first, I resisted, then I began to learn what was really involved in writing a fictional book from a 10-year-old girl's point of view on how she coped after losing her dad in a car accidents.

I believe children need to read books written from their perspective, especially around difficult topics, such as grief and sorrow. I am in the final stages of publishing through Hope Books, Joy Overcame Sorrow. Since Joy records her memories, thoughts, and ideas about loss, heaven, and her beliefs.

Creative writing has always been a part of my life. I think as a child the first book I put together with words and drawings was about a dolphin who befriended a little girl. The dolphin’s name was Jamie. The little girl and Jamie would play together along the shore! I loved dolphins and I still do. I have also made a few laminated stories for my grandsons.

As a teenager, creating poetry and journal writing became the norm. I think I still have the black and white photo of me standing next to a visiting poet in our junior high classroom while he reviewed my poems. I wrote articles for the Englewood High school newspaper and eventually served as editor in my senior year.

After graduation, I answered the call to become a teacher. There were periodic times of inspiration where I caught myself with pen in hand or fingers on the computer keyboard to record my thoughts and feelings. I journalled as I carried my first child. I journalled and wrote letters to a birthmother through a closed adoption. I saved her letters to give to my son when he was old enough to understand the why of it all.

I became familiar with academic writing when I completed my dissertation and earned the PhD in Education with a specialization in Educational technology in 2003 from Walden University.

I found clarity in writing, especially after encountering losses of babies, my beloved husband, Dave, and other family members. I became a widow in 2004 when my husband died quickly from colon cancer. 3 years after my husband died, I could no longer ignore my grief. Out came the journal! I scribbled all my thoughts on it!

Then, I was invited to attend a Christian Writers Conference near Indianapolis, so I brought my latest journal.

At this point, I had no idea what I would do with it but then the widow’s devotional concept was birthed, and I began to seek out how God looked at the widow through scriptures. I self-published Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord in 2010.