show episodes
 
The death of one’s child is a grief like no other. As a bereaved parent, part of your very being has been cut off from you, and you must figure out how to live with that part of you missing. You will never be the same, but you can have hope that your life can still have meaning and purpose again, as you learn to live in a way that honors the life of your child instead of being stuck in the deep grief of his or her death. The Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast is an outreach of the nationa ...
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An outreach of The Empty Chair Endeavor designed to support and equip survivors of child loss in rediscovering life, hope, and joy after unspeakable tragedy. Additionally, our mission involves educating the public about the life altering impact the death of a child has upon survivors, both parents and siblings, and equipping them to better support and minister to them. Join us as guests share their stories of heartbreaking loss and how God has shown up on their journeys to restore hope, mean ...
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show series
 
After waiting the long arrival of their precious daughter Willow, June 8, 2017 was supposed to be a day of joyful celebration for Leslie and Andrew Burman. When their sweet baby was born still that day, their hopes were crushed and their hearts shattered. It wasn't supposed to be that way! How do young parents begin to process something so painful …
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Many people use the beginning of each year to set new goals or see it as a time for a fresh start. As parents who have lost a child (especially in those first few years) those are not things we are interested in at all. In fact, we don't want to go into a new year without our child and it can weigh us down. But, what if God could speak something in…
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On this episode, my friend, Dr. Allan MacDonald and I talk about his journey with grief that began on December 31, 2018 when his 26 year old son Josh died after a valiantly fought, odds-defying battle with a congenital medical condition. Allan shares how Josh not only survived the initial heartbreaking medical prognosis, but went on to embrace life…
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Today you will be hearing Laura interview Glen Lord, who has been on this grief journey of child loss since 1999, when his five-year-old son, Noah, died. Glen's heart of compassion comes through, along with nuggets that can be tucked away and pulled out when needed while on this unwanted journey. Glen Lord was on the fast track to accomplishing his…
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For most people, the thought of losing their child is almost more than their hearts can bear, seemingly unsurvivable. Unfortunately for Kendall and Andy Reid, this became a reality in 2017 when their precious 2 day old daughter, Ruby died suddenly in the hospital. Still grieving such a tremendous loss, their lives were once again shattered by the d…
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Hearing how other parents have gotten through the suffocating darkness of child loss can bring a spark of hope, especially when you know they have had some of the same confusing thoughts and struggles. Today's episode is an unusual and special one, as Dave and Laura are being interviewed by Greg Buffkin to give bereaved parents hope, for his podcas…
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When parents are suddenly stricken by unspeakable trauma, what can they do, to whom can they turn, and how do they continue living with a shattered heart? For Dave and Laura Diehl, their grief journey began on October 12, 2011 when their 29 year old daughter, Rebecca, lost a battle with life long medical challenges that began at the age of three(3)…
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During the Christmas season, we are surrounded by the sights and sounds of being joyful. For many of us who have lost a child, we just want this time of year to be over. We don't see joy being part of our lives ever again. In this episode, Laura shares from week three in her book Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents which tac…
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With no symptoms or warning signs to prepare her for what was to come after an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, Stacey and her husband Richard's beautiful baby daughter Trinity died shortly after birth in February 2006 leaving them crushed and broken. Doctors could only speculate on the cause, but ultimately it was to remain a mystery. How do …
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God will often use things in nature, or things going on around us, to speak to our hearts, showing us something we need to see, or helping us understand a truth we need to grasp. In today's episode, Laura shares some of the things God showed her while walking mountain trails, that have to do with grieving the earthly loss of our children. Links Men…
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This was an unplanned episode, but Laura wanted to share some things before the week was over. With this being the week of Thanksgiving (here in the US) Laura started wondering if there is a difference between being thankful and being grateful. After listening to what she has to share, Laura would love to hear your thoughts. You can write them in t…
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By most accounts, March 18, 2023 was just another ordinary day in Abilene, Texas. For Deana Morris and her family it was the day that turned their lives upside down as they discovered their dearly loved 28 year old son Travis had taken his own life. Suicide blindsides loved ones, leaving them with unbearable pain, a lifetime of too many unanswered …
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The holidays can be absolutely brutal to those of us who have lost a child, especially those first few years. Even as we get further down the road, we never know how this time of year is going to affect us. In today's episode, Laura talks to two different pareavors on how they have navigated the holidays, both in the early years, and as they are no…
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In the U.S., approximately 270 people die of a drug overdose every day based upon May, 2024 statistics. For Kellie Sipos and her family, these statistics became very personal on July 22, 2018 when their precious 24 year old daughter, Emilie, lost her battle with an addiction. Far too many parents have have had their lives shattered as a result of t…
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Sometimes we can feel like God must not care, or He would not have let our child die and allow us to be in so much pain. There are many people in the Bible who also felt like God had abandoned them. In this episode, Laura shares a few of these, based on a song she likes to listen to occasionally, to remind her that God really does see our struggles…
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April 7, 2011 was the day Heather and her husband Mac had been anticipating with such excitement for 9 months. It was the day their precious, beautiful son Bowen was born. However, within a few short minutes he was whisked away by medical staff because something was very wrong. A day that was supposed to be filled with celebration, suddenly took a …
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In today's short episode, Laura pulls out her response to an email she received quite a while back, thinking it might be helpful to others who are struggling with questions about things like God's goodness. Links Mentioned in this episode: Click here to find out more about Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life With Hope and Healin…
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Every 39 minutes of every day, someone in the U.S. dies senselessly at the hands of an intoxicated driver! On January 20, 2015, Yolanda Martinez and her family experienced their worst nightmare when their 14 year old son, David, was killed when their family van was hit by a speeding drunk driver. Although badly injured, their daughter and a niece s…
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Today you are going to hear from a new friend and fellow pareavor, Kim Avery. Kim has so many things to share from a heart that is kind and caring, while encouraging us to learn how to walk from the place of grace that God has for us for the moment we are in. Twenty years ago, Kim moved from being a professional counselor to working as a certified …
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The unthinkable happened on January 17, 2023. David Szweda and his family’s lives would never again be the same, as they learned their 24 year old dearly loved son, Hudson had taken his own life. Such pain and loss leave parents utterly broken, wondering if they’ll survive it … and if they even want to. A father’s heart is to protect and care for h…
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When our child dies, it can feel like God betrayed us. We prayed for our kids, we took them to church, etc. In other words, we did what we were supposed to do, so why didn't God keep His end of things? In today's episode, Laura talks about looking beyond what we know here and now, encouraging the listeners to also take into consideration God's view…
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After nine long months of waiting for the much anticipated arrival of their first child, a daughter,Ashlie, Erin Maroon and her husband Anthony were crushed and heartbroken as her doctor delivered Ashlie and discovered she was stillborn at full term. Without warning, their long awaited joy and dreams abruptly vanished. How do young parents even beg…
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In those first few months (or even first two or three years) many pareavors (bereaved parents) have a hard time believing they will get to the point where they are not in the place of suffocating grief they have found themselves thrown into. There are thousands of pareavors who are several years down the road, who thought the same thing. But once t…
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"GOD rescued me when Austin went to Heaven by allowing me to understand that Heaven is a real place, more wonderful than we can imagine." Kim Erickson, noted speaker, and author of "Surviving Sorrow: A Mother's Guide to Living with Loss." Losing her beautiful 3 year old son, Austin, to a strep throat infection in April 2008, Kim's life was shattere…
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We are very aware of the four seasons of the year, but have you thought about how our grief can have seasons as well? In this episode, Laura shares her thoughts about all four seasons, and how they correspond to the grief we deal with, in the loss of our child. Note: Laura also shares that for a season , she will be releasing a podcast every other …
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A continuation of Greg and Cathy Buffkin's story of losing our beautiful 26 year old son Ryan to suicide in October 2015. Ours is a journey from the brokenness of unspeakable loss and pain to experiencing GOD's goodness as He began making something beautiful from all those broken pieces and restoring meaning, purpose and hope to our lives. Click he…
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Do we know the difference between our soul and our spirit and how each of them affects us? As a bereaved parent, do we have a broken soul, a broken spirit, or both? Does it really matter? Listen in as Laura shares some insights that she believes the Lord has given her recently about this. Links Mentioned in this episode: Click here to recieve a per…
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Most of the time, when we use the word hope it is wishful thinking, as in I hope our team pulls out a win today. But when the word hope is used in scripture, God has a different meaning. Listen in, as Laura talks about this, and how important it is to be a prisoner of hope, as we find in Zechariah 9:12. A special thank you to Chris and ReNea Trebel…
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In this 2 part interview, our friend Danielle Zapchenck , host of The Parable Podcast, guest-hosts for me as we dive into the journey my wife Cathy and I have been living since October 25, 2015 when our beautiful 26 year old son Ryan took his own life. While our story is one of deep tragedy and brokenness, it's more than that. It's one where GOD en…
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As parents who have lost a child, we all know people who have said things that are inappropriate or just plain hurtful. In this episode, you are going to hear from two very special ladies in a conversation with Laura, about things people say that are just not true, in their attempt to make us feel better. Sara Faith Nelson, has been on this journey…
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It seems many of us struggle to hear from God after the death of our child. We wonder why He has abandoned us when we need Him more than we ever have before. This was not Laura's original topic for this episode, but God directed her to change it unexpectedly, a few hours before she was planning on recording. Links Mentioned in this episode: To get …
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What do we do when our deepest fear suddenly becomes our new reality? How do we even begin to process and navigate the pain and grief we never could have imagined? This is where Teresa Davis found herself on November 28, 2018 when she learned that her 32 year old son, Andrew had died when the plane he was piloting crashed in a very remote area, lea…
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Have you ever stopped to think that your tears could possibly be a gift from God? That is something Laura explores in today’s talk, along with a few other observations that may be helpful to those who are grieving the loss of their child. Links Mentioned in this episode: To get My Grief Journey for only $5 (through July) click here. (Be sure to che…
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When we are in that dark pit of grief after child loss, we are in a very vulnerable place, making us an easy target for the enemy to get a foothold. It might be through things we were taught about God that make us angry at Him. It could be through our desperate need for peace, causing us to go down a path we would not have gone down before. Today's…
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In this episode, well known author and speaker Vaneetha Risner and I talk about her long journey of loss and suffering beginning with childhood polio, several miscarriages, the death of her infant son Paul, post-polio syndrome, betrayal and abandonment by her first husband, and caring for young daughters alone while battling illness. We talk about …
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After taking a month off for her sister's illness and unexpected passing, Laura is back. In this episode, she discusses how faith and fear have the same root, and how the choice we make to lean into one or the other will have an affect on our journey of child loss. Links Mentioned in this episode: Join us for a Weekend of Hope in Wisconsin this Aug…
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Every year, approximately 11,000 people are killed by drunk drivers, an astounding number. Jenny Leavitt's 17 year old son, Jacob, was one of them in August, 2015. Miraculously, her 29 year old son, Caleb, survived, but was left with catastrophic injuries requiring a long period of healing and recovery. How do parents survive and navigate something…
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As the day began to unfold on June 28, 2023, life as they knew it would never again be the same for Tobe and Amy as they learned their precious, beautiful 28 year old daughter Abbie had taken her own life after a long battle with depression and PTSD. Tobe and Amy had witnessed the pain and suffering of others as they grieved their loved ones in his…
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When we first lose our child from this earth, memories bring stabbing pain, because we realize that is all we have now. We can't make new memories. We feel like we will never be able to enjoy life again, even if we have other children, a wonderful spouse, or job or ministry we loved. How can we possibly smile, or ever be happy again after our child…
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In today's episode, Laura shares how she begged God to end her life after the death of her daughter. Eventually Laura decided that she did not want to live out the rest of her life as the shell of a person just waiting to die. As Laura shares her progression of going from wanting to die, to now living a life of meaning and purpose again, she does i…
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In our previous episode, Michael’s daughter, Jennifer Bullock-Moore, shared the story of the tragic loss of her beautiful son Miles to stillbirth in September 2021. Grandparents, like surviving siblings, are often overlooked following the death of a child, but their grief is just as real. In this episode, Michael describes the heartbreaking pain of…
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Waiting can be one of the hardest and most exhausting things to do. As parents who have lost a child from this earth, two things we seem to be waiting on the most are for it to stop hurting so much, and obviously waiting to be with our child again. This week Laura talks about waiting for it to stop hurting so much. Next week she will discuss waitin…
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2022 statistics from the National Institutes of Health mirror findings of an investigation by ProPublica into the U.S. stillbirth crisis in which more than 20,000 pregnancies every year are lost at 20 weeks or more with the baby being born dead. As the news anchor for the local NBC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio, Jenn’s pregnancy was celebrated and fo…
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After our child leaves this earth, most of us want to take Romans 8:28 out of our Bibles, especially when people throw that verse at us in a way that is supposed to make it all better. ( Remember, God promises to work everything out for good ) Laura has been in that place of suffocating darkness, and begged God to take her from this earth when her …
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If you know Laura, you know that she feels things deeply and tears come easily to her. Somehow, she manages to hold those tears back when recording the podcast episodes but not this time. A miracle is something only God can do, which is what we wanted (and even expected) for our children, either in a healing or in protection. When that doesn't happ…
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In this episode, noted author, speaker and podcaster, Aubrey Sampson, talks with me about her personal grief journey and a crisis of faith following the sudden, tragic death of her cousin Cameron in a snow hiking accident. Describing Cameron as being like a brother, his untimely death resulted in a season of very deep grief and depression. As if th…
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Mother's Day can be one of the most difficult days of the year for a mom after child loss. In this episode, Laura will be talking about both Mother's Day, and a special day the week before, which is International Bereaved Mother's Day, which is the first Sunday in May. Laura is very real and honest about her thoughts and feelings about all of this,…
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So much horrific pain and darkness comes with child loss. It doesn't matter how young or how old your child was when they left this earth. It doesn't matter if it was sudden or if it was long and drawn out. As pareavors (bereaved parents), we can bristle when others say they know how we feel, because of a different loss. We know what that feels lik…
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How is a parent supposed to accept and begin processing the sudden, unexplainable death of their child? Healthy 20 years don’t just die suddenly without warning or symptoms of some sort. Sadly, a phone call brought this devastating news to Tim Challies and his family on November 3, 2020. His precious son Nick, engaged to be married, and working tow…
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