All Episodes

Everyone who has lost a child is affected in some way in the area of grandchildren, making it a big topic with many angles. In today’s episode, Laura talks about those who have grandchildren through their child who is no longer here, and how quite often those grandchildren are removed from our lives (which Laura has personal experience with.) She also brings on Sara Nelson, who lost her only child...

When our child leaves this earth, we feel so very lost in our identity. Who am I now? Does it even matter? How can I go on? Do I even want to? So much of our identity is wrapped up in being a parent, but we are still so much more than being a parent, even if it doesn’t seem like it. In today’s episode, Laura reminds us of this, along with helping us discover a key to who we can be, as we continue...

“What does this whole child-loss-thing look like, years down the road?” Believe it or not, this is a question Laura has been asked a few times. Those first few years, we are just trying to get through the next minute, much less the next day or the next year. But after a while, when a pareavor realizes they have to figure this thing out for however long they remain here without their child, some di...

In today’s episode, Laura talks with a guest who questioned if God was punishing her with child loss because of an abortion she had in her younger years (based on the shame of losing her image as a good Christian girl). This is an excellent talk for those who have the same question, wondering if God allowed your child to die as a punishment for something in your past. Debra Lynn Hayes is an author...

Many of us struggle with our faith in God after He didn’t answer our prayers for our children. We may have prayed daily for protection, but he or she was in an accident that took their life. We may have prayed for healing from an addiction, or a mental illness like being bi-polar or manic depressive, but our child is no longer here because they were not freed from their struggle and even died by t...

Seven years ago this month, Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life with Hope and Healing was released with Morgan James Publishing. We are very excited to announce that the audio version has finally being released. In today’s episode you will be listening to the audio of another chapter, which is Chapter 11, The Pillars of Thoughts and Words. And like last week, you will also hear...

Seven years ago this week, Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life with Hope and Healing was released with Morgan James Publishing. We are very excited to announce that the audio version is finally being released this week. In today’s episode you will be listening to Laura’s audio, reading one of the chapters from the book, which is Chapter 3, The Garage of Tears. You will also hea...

When our child dies, we may have many reasons to “stick around” but none of them seem to matter. We cannot imagine being here for any length of time without our child here with us. Most of us are not suicidal, we just don’t want to be here anymore and would be fine with something happening that would take us out of here to go be with our child. Laura has experienced this same thing, when her daugh...

In this episode, Laura talks about something most parents who have lost a child think about. “I am not the same person I used to be. I will never be that person again. Who am I now? Why do we have a word for someone who has lost a spouse, or someone who has lost both parents, but there isn’t a word for me… someone who has lost a child?” Of course, we all know the suffocating darkness we find ourse...

Today’s episode is a continuation of Laura’s conversation with Melanie DeSimone on the topic of when people around us try to help, but end up hurting us. In today’s chat, the two talk about: being in the “range” of normal grief of child loss within the first three to five years when we are made to feel shame by others (who have never lost a child) by not being back to doing things in our lives aft...

When our child dies, it is more than just a moment in time for us. It is a continual, ongoing loss. However, most of the people around us see it as an event; as something we should be able to “get over,” and it can really hurt. People we thought who would be there for us seem to go on with their lives, forgetting about our child and the huge gaping hole it leaves in our lives and in our hearts. To...

Last Sunday, May 28 was Pentecost Sunday. This is when the Holy Spirit fell on those in the upper room with power and anointing, fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection. As believers in Christ, we are familiar with who Jesus is and what He did for us. We hear a lot about who God is as well. But how much do we know about the third part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who lives in us when we receive t...

Do you feel guilty for laughing after your child died? Are humorous things that used to make you laugh no longer funny? How do we get past that? What if we don’t want to ever laugh again? Laura’s guest, Nancy Weil, is a certified laughter specialist, who combines it with being a certified grief worker. Laughter is something that is needed in our lives as soon as possible because of the physical, m...

As parents who have faced the loss of a child, our world comes to a screeching halt. It can feel devastating to see life going on as normal with those around us. In today’s episode, Laura’s guest, Kim Peacock talks about this, along with dealing with the many triggering activities that go on this time of year, such as graduations and weddings.   Kim Peacock is the author of Victorious Heart ,...

In the darkness of child loss, we feel like we are wandering in a wilderness with no hope of ever getting out. It is a very vulnerable place to be, and the enemy knows it. In this episode, Laura talks about Jesus’ wilderness experience at a time when He was also extremely vulnerable. There are several things that can help us as pareavors, when we take the time to really look at what was happening...

As a pareavor (parent who is bereaved of their child) we are broken. Deeply broken and our hearts are shattered. We don’t think it is possible to ever have our hearts be put back together. In today’s episode, Laura shares her thoughts and experience in being broken after child loss, and being okay with being broken. Today’s episode is sponsored by Stephen and Ariel Kostrna in memory of Milo...

The Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast’s first episode was released on April 23rd, four years ago. Today you will hear Laura read the April 23rd entry in Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents , which talks about how our thoughts affect the process of finding our way out of the suffocating darkness of our grief.   Links Mentioned in th is episode: Click here to find out m...

When we are faced with the shock of child loss, literally every part of us is out of whack – our thoughts, our bodies, our emotions, and even our relationship with God. Most of us start looking for some sort of hope, that life will not always be like this. We look for a way to try and make sense of why a good God would allow this to happen. Unfortunately, these things can be hard to find. For almo...

Forever 29. Every parent who has lost a child from this earth knows exactly what that means. Since this is the birthday week of Laura’s daughter, Becca, she decided to talk about how difficult their birthdays can be, especially when those around us think we should be “moving on” and don’t understand why this day is still so important to us. Laura shares some encouragement in this area as well, alo...

1 Corinthians 15:55 is a verse we hear every year around this time at Easter, which says, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” As parents who have lost a child, we can tell you exactly where that sting is, can’t we? In this episode, Laura talks about this, along with some thoughts about how the death and resurrection of Jesus affects us in such a deep way after the death...

This is the time of year we start heading into spring… at least that is what the calendar tells us. It might take a while for the weather to get the message though. God can use nature to teach us many things about life, as well as death and grief. Laura talks about this in today’s episode, giving some comparisons with things in nature and the changing of the seasons to our grief, after the death o...

For those of us who have lost a child from this earth, there is no way we can put words to the pain and suffocating darkness we find ourselves hurled into. As Laura has been known to say, “I didn’t even know that kind of darkness existed!” How do you even try to explain to someone who has never faced child loss what our grief is like, not just the first few months, but the first few years? I...

Today’s episode is a continuation of last week’s discussion with Linda Dillow. If you have not heard episode 201 yet, please do not listen to this one until you go back. It lays the foundation for what will be shared today, which is needed for the topic of sexual intimacy and grief to make much more sense. (You may even be frustrated by what you hear in this episode if you have not heard the previ...

Today you are going to hear the start of a conversation with a returning guest, Linda Dillow on a topic that is highly unusual and hard to find, which is sexual intimacy and grief. This may sound strange, but Linda is highly qualified on the topic of God’s view of sexual intimacy. After studying it out for herself, God led her to write a book, which led to more books and doing over 80 conferences...

We will face pitfalls on this unwanted grief journey after the death of our child. The valley of the shadow of grief is real and it is big. There can be many different feelings and emotions while on this unwanted journey. Some of those are: Fear Depression and anxiety Longings and triggers Regret Loneliness and isolation Thinking I can’t go on without my child here In today’s episode, Laura talks...