Grief 2 Great Day - Christian Grief Support for Women, Questioning God in Grief, Life after Loss, Hope in Grief

Is there such a thing as 'good' in grief? The answer is yes though it’s not something you will see or feel for a while.  Grief is an incredible priority-setter; a perspective-changer and a purpose-builder.  These may feel meaningless to you now because you’re walking through such pain and that’s to be expected but later you’ll see how this has changed you.  And, there are still things you can do n...

Is there such a thing as "good" when you are going through grief?  We know that death is a part of life – you understand that when you see others go through it.  But, when it affects your life, then you feel it in ways you never could have imagined.  The grief process itself is unexpectedly hard and can change your identity, make you question your reality and shake your faith.  Today we’re talking...

The honoring of your loved one is something that is very individual because honoring means different things to different people, and it can change over time.  As you honor them, it brings comfort to you as it is a way of continuing the relationship. In the beginning of your grief journey, the pain and confusion can be so overwhelming that you don't have the energy for anything, so honor may look l...

The emotions of grief are accentuated and sometimes can even surprise us when we feel things that we didn’t experience before.  The one moment in time that takes us from normal life to the grief life is short but the emotions we are left with last a lifetime.  It’s important to know what is normal, what to do with those emotions and how to use them to build gratitude later.   In this episode, we’l...

SHOW NOTES - What's the Best Thing to Say to Someone Who is Grieving?    Other people play a crucial role in your healing - either as a help or a hindrance. As a society, we don't talk about grief and who wants to really - until it touches your life. So, when you are going through the hardest moments, those around you don't exactly know what to say or do unless they have been there. Because of thi...

Why is it that we don't reach out for help when we clearly need it? In previous episodes, we talked about where you can get help and support as you walk through the difficult journey of grief.  But, knowing what to do is far different than doing what you know. The power of change occurs in the action not the intention. What can happen if you are feeling stuck or hopeless and don’t reach out for he...

In your grief journey, you will find that there are a lot of things that remind you of your loss again and again.  And, not in a “oh yeah, I remember’ kind of way.  These reminders are gut punches that have the potential to throw you back into a pit of despair once again. Seasons and holidays are two milestones you will encounter in your journey and after. And before we go further – I feel like so...

Your journey of grief can be lonely because nobody feels it like you do.  Every relationship is unique and though others can be sad with you, they won’t feel exactly what you do.  You have to walk it out and no one else can do it for you.  However, the support of family and friends and other grief resources is invaluable.  But….what resource is best for you and how do you know it will help?   Toda...

Your journey of grief can be lonely because nobody feels it like you do.  Every relationship is unique and though others can be sad with you, they won’t feel exactly what you do.  You have to walk it out and no one else can do it for you.  However, the support of family and friends and other grief resources is invaluable.  But….what resource is best for you and how do you know it will help?   Toda...

Your journey of grief can be lonely because nobody feels it like you do.  Every relationship is unique and though others can be sad with you, they won’t feel exactly what you do.  You have to walk it out and no one else can do it for you.  However, the support of family and friends and other grief resources is invaluable.  But, what resource is best for you and how do you know it will help?   Toda...

When people told me that Monica was in a better place – that she didn’t hurt – that she was using her singing talent to praise God, I knew it was true – but, in the beginning – I didn’t care because I was not in heaven, I was still here.  Good for her, I thought, but what about me, I can’t do this!   The pain, the overwhelm, the physical effects and thoughts of ‘going crazy’ are all you see and fe...

This week, we’re going to take a detour from the Journey of Grief to pay honor to someone I saw on television but someone who embodied having ‘a great day’ even when her life’s circumstances were the complete opposite.   In today’s episode, I want to honor her and her family and share an important aspect of grief she communicated before her death.   Verse of the Day.  And provide for those who gri...

Last week we started talking about your identity.  I asked - who are you right now?  Who were you before your loved one died?  And, are the two different?   From the time Monica became sick and I became her caretaker to her death, I questioned who I was many times.  But after her death and in my grief, I had no identify.  My purpose had been wrapped up in our health quest and her music ministry. ...

From the time Monica became sick and I became her caretaker to her death, I questioned who I was many times.  But after her death and in my grief, I had no identify.  My purpose had been wrapped up in our health quest and her music ministry.  It shifted to caretaker while she was sick and then to someone who had no purpose. What made it worse was that there was no way to go back to the old me beca...

Oh man, why am I doing this?  It cannot be normal - am I going crazy?  The physical effects of grief (which we covered in the last episode) are overwhelming your system and on top of that, there are things that make you feel like you are going crazy while grieving.  Today we’ll talk what some of those things are and what will help.   Verse for the Day  -  "You have kept count of my tossing; put my...

Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness.  It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love.  The only cure for grief is to grieve.  – Rabbi Earl Grollman Today we’re going to talk about the physical effects of grief on the body.  In a 2014 study in Journal of the American Medical Association showed that within 30 days of their partner’s death, peopl...

Last week we talked about HOW LONG will this pain last and this week it’s time to get you prepared to start walking out this thing called grief.  If you are just starting on the journey (and completely overwhelmed) or you’ve been struggling to get a handle on what ‘working through grief’ means, you are in the right place.   The work is hard, but the work is necessary, and it is worth it!    To hel...

SHOW NOTES So many questions race through your mind after a death and you want answers to them because you want the pain to stop and to stop NOW.   Actually, what you really want is for this to never have happened!  But you’re here, so what do you do now?   In this episode, we’ll address one of those questions and you’ll get the answer (you may not want) to the question of ‘when will this stop?’ ...

How Do You Trust God During Grief?   How do you stay strong in your faith when you’re confused about what just happened and question why it happened?     Today is the third and final episode in the series and we’re talking about Fears, Failures and Forks in the Road (aka Decisions).   Grief can make you feel fearful of what’s coming next, of your future and it can make you feel like you are failin...

Life is clarified during affliction. When worldly pursuits become as meaningless as they should be and the presence of God, along with a passion for His Word, becomes most important, that’s life as God intends it for us. Though Monica spent most of her last five and a half months physically miserable, she lived in—and introduced me to—the peace of the Lord. Such gifts are eternal.  Today we’re tal...

You know there are some people in life that just change you.  Think about who has impacted your life so much that you were forever different.  I bet a few faces came to your mind and I’ll hope it was because they changed you for the better.  It may be your loved one who came to mind.   Today we’re talking about Monica - the subject of the book, “Dying to Be Healed” and the person who impacted me b...

A new year is upon us, and the idea of resolutions may pale in comparison to praying that 2022 will be better - that life will be less hard, there will be fewer tears and hope will be restored.   What role do you play in your healing process anyway?  In today’s episode, I’ll share how a middle school Christmas play reminded me of how far I’ve come and how you can make progress in your grief journe...

Welcome to the first official episode of Grief 2 Great Day!  In today's episode, I'll share a little bit of my story and how, what God put on my heart, finally came to pass in a form I never expected - and only 12 years after I started on this journey.   I know what the pain of loss feels like.  I experienced a grief I couldn't even describe where I struggled to get my breath and it felt like it w...

Welcome to the Grief 2 Great Day Podcast.  Here you will find faith-based grief support to navigate the overwhelming and confusing journey of grief, to continue seeking God and - to breathe, laugh, and live again. You'll find answers to “is this normal?” when you're confused by the physical, emotional, and spiritual changes, and you'll get practical help on living out daily life from going to the...