Shelby McGinnis turned notes she had kept on her phone over roughly three years into a 182-page book, “Recreated: Walking Out of the Grave.” The entries included reflections, Bible verses and lessons she was drawing from her experience after her daughter’s death, according to Bluebonnet News.
McGinnis’s pastor at Freedom Church, Rev. Jason John Cowart, urged her to share the manuscript and helped her publish it, the outlet reported. She said writing helped her make sense of what she had lived through, and hopes the book may offer support to people dealing with different forms of loss, not only the death of a child.
The book’s title reflects McGinnis’s view that grief changed her rather than returned her to her former self, according to the Bluebonnet News feature. She also said that, when supporting someone who is grieving, being present can matter more than finding ideal words.
McGinnis’s daughter, Markie, was 29 when she was killed at a railroad crossing near Raywood on Oct. 4, 2020. Henry Davis was sentenced to life in prison for the murder in June 2023, according to Bluebonnet News’ report on the case.
