While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss

"God just kept putting joy in front of me and encouraging me to open my heart to it." In this second half of my conversation with author Leanne Davidson, we move into some of the deeper questions grieving parents often wrestle with after child loss: Why? What if? Could I have done something differently? Will I ever feel joy again? After losing her son, Mikael, to a fentanyl overdose, Leanne has walked through those questions herself. With honesty and faith, she shares what she's learning abou...

Today's episode features the second half of my conversation with Matthew Efird, as we move beyond Noah’s earthly 57½ hours and into the difficult road of learning how to live after he went to Heaven. (If you missed the first half of our conversation, click HERE.) Matthew shares candidly about grief from a father’s perspective, which is something that often goes unseen, particularly after the death of a baby. He talks about the tension of wanting to protect and fix what can't be fixed, t...

“You don’t have to resolve every layer of grief at once. God works in chapters.” Today's episode begins a two-part conversation with my new friend Tricia Patrick. In this first episode, you’ll get to know her son Jeremy — a miracle baby, a football-loving, bow-tie wearing, big-hearted young man who adored children and dreamed of opening an orphanage one day. You’ll hear about the complicated years following her divorce, the restoration that came after Jeremy placed his faith in Christ, ...

When life no longer feels safe or predictable, trust in God can feel fragile. In this first half of my conversation with Kristi Kirk, we talk about what it means to be shaken to the core by loss—and how faith can be tested, reshaped, and rebuilt in the aftermath. Kristi shares her story of profound grief, including the sudden death of her husband and, less than two years later, the loss of her 18-year-old son, PK. She speaks honestly about fear, trauma, and the struggle to trust God when life...

Today I’m joined by Ken and Mary Sue Grein as they begin sharing the story of their son Jacob—a story that would shape their family, their faith, and their understanding of what gives a life meaning. Our conversation takes us into the early years of Jacob’s life, including his fragile beginning, a prolonged hospital journey, and the realities of raising a child with significant disabilities. Ken and Mary Sue reflect on the emotional and practical challenges they faced, as well as the unexpect...

Today's episode features the first half of my recent conversation with Dawn Helms, in which she shares the story of her only son Ben and the long journey of loving him through significant mental health challenges. For years, Dawn lived in a constant state of vigilance—managing diagnoses, medications, school struggles, substance abuse, and periods of incarceration. Her home was rarely quiet, not because life was easy, but because Ben required constant attention and advocacy. Dawn helps u...

“The first Christmas came with gifts meant for broken hearts.” Christmas is often one of the hardest seasons for parents grieving the loss of a child. Today, I reprise a solo episode originally recorded in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic which speaks into a time marked by isolation, uncertainty, and compounded grief. Separated from loved ones, surrounded by illness and fear, many bereaved parents were carrying more than ever before. In this episode, I reflect on...

In Part Two of my conversation with Jenny Leavitt, we continue exploring the GodPrints—God’s gentle fingerprints of presence and faithfulness—woven through her family’s grief journey after the loss of her son, Jacob. Jenny shares how she and her husband learned to walk together through grief even when their personalities and coping styles differed. She talks about the emotional weight of anniversaries, holidays, and court dates, and how offering grace to one another became essential in those ...