Grieving Parents Sharing Hope

Last week Laura started looking at Psalm 23:1-2 through the eyes of child loss. She only got through the first few words, "The Lord is my Shepherd..." In this week's episode, she finishes out the verse which says, "...I shall not want." Listen in as Laura talks about how that may mean something different than […] The post 298: Psalm 23:1 Through the Eyes of Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

When we make Jesus Lord of our lives, too often we don't fully understand what that means. We sometimes take it to mean that God will not let anything really bad happen to us. Then when our child dies, it can be hard to trust Him or to see Jesus as the "good" shepherd. In […] The post 297: The Lord is My Shepherd appeared first on GPS Hope.

Today's guest has a very traumatic story. Before ending his own life, Jacke's son, Randy, attempted to kill his wife, his two young children and his father-in-law. It is a riveting story (within the horrible tragedy) that ends with hope and encouragement. However, Laura fully understands there may be some triggers, as Jacke shares some […] The post 296: Getting Past the Trauma of Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

Most people think that hope is wishful thinking, as in, "I hope they win this game." However, that kind of hope is not what will get us out of the suffocating darkness of grief after the death of our child. In today's episode, Laura revisits true hope - the hope that God gives. This is […] The post 295: What is Hope? appeared first on GPS Hope.

Today is the continuation of a conversation Laura had with Greg and Cathy Bufkin. In last week's discussion and this week, the talk goes beyond the topic of suicide, so no matter how your child left this earth, you will be encouraged by what is shared. Greg and Cathy Buffkin lost their son, Ryan, to […] The post 294: Child Loss by Suicide Part 2 appeared first on GPS Hope.

Today Laura is diving into the topic of suicide with guests Greg and Cathy Buffkin. However, their conversation goes beyond that, giving help and hope to anyone who has lost a child. Greg and Cathy Buffkin lost their son, Ryan, to suicide in 2015. On their journey that began out of unspeakable trauma and brokenness, […] The post 293: Child Loss by Suicide appeared first on GPS Hope.

Today's episode is being sponsored by recent followers of GPS Hope, in honor of Becca's birthday (Laura and Dave's daughter who passed). Laura was asked to share some stories about Becca as part of the sponsorship, so she asked Dave to join her for this. As listeners of the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast, you […] The post 292: Helping You Navigate Through the Darkness of Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

As parents who have lost a child from this earth, we know what it is like to be in a place that is so dark it does not seem like Jesus is there for us. In today's episode Laura reminds us that there are several people in the Bible who also went through a dark […] The post 291: When We Don’t Think God is There appeared first on GPS Hope.

As believers in Christ, we are familiar with who Jesus is and what He did for us. We hear a lot about who God (our Father) is as well. But how much do we know about the third part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit? Why do we need the Holy Spirit, and how can […] The post 290: The Gift of the Holy Spirit in Our Grief appeared first on GPS Hope.

There have been plenty of times when God does not make sense, but none as much as when our child dies and leaves this earth ahead of us. Join Laura today, as she talks about this, with some scriptures that might bring some clarity to our thought process on this topic.   Links Mentioned in […] The post 289: When God Doesn’t Make Sense appeared first on GPS Hope.

A few weeks ago, Laura's friend, Nancy Weil, sent out an email to the presenters on the 2025 Grief Cruise, asking what they thought about the difference between regret and guilt. One of Nancy's grief support groups were discussing this, so she decided to see what the presenters’ thoughts were on this. Laura decided this […] The post 288: The Difference Between Guilt and Regret appeared first on GPS Hope.

When our child dies, we are thrown into a suffocating darkness that we can believe will be with us for the rest of our time here on earth. Join Laura today as she shares how we can rebuild our lives by comparing it to rebuilding a house, room by room. It won't look the same, […]

Many of us thought we were building our lives on the Rock, until our child died, and we found ourselves in the sinking sand. Last week Laura shared from the hymn The Solid Rock as a springboard to talk about that. This week, Laura continues the conversation, using a second hymn to share how she […] The post 286: How Can I Trust God Again? appeared first on GPS Hope.

Many of us believed we were building our lives on the solid Rock, but after our child died, we found ourselves floundering on sinking sand. Hear what Laura shares about this topic in today's episode. You may even hear her break out in song a couple of times. Links Mentioned in this episode: Go to […] The post 285: Do You Feel Like You’re on Sinking Sand? appeared first on GPS Hope.

Heaven. That is often on the mind of those of us who have lost a child. So, let's talk about it. In today's episode, you will hear something written by a grieving dad that leads into a discussion about heaven with three points Laura makes. She ends the episode with some imagination from a few […] The post 284: Thinking About Heaven After Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 283: Does God Have a Word for You? appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 post 282: Grief Is a Journey appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 281: A Glimpse of Hope After Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 280: I Lost My Joy When My Child Died appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 279: Climbing the Mountain of Grief appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 278: Is There a Difference Between Thankful and Grateful? appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 post 277: Navigating the Holidays After Child Loss (with Kim Peacock and Sara Nelson) appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 276: You Are Seen appeared first on GPS Hope.

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. are struggling with questions about things like God's goodness. Links Mentioned in this episode: Click here to find out more […] The post 275: The Enemy’s Objective appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 274: Grace and Grief After Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 273: I Feel Like God Betrayed Me appeared first on GPS Hope.

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, […] The post 272: Getting Pulled Back into Our Grief appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 271: Going Through Different Seasons of Grief appeared first on GPS Hope.

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. […] The post 270: Feeling Broken After Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 269: Becoming a Prisoner of Hope appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 268: Things People Say That are Not Helpful after Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 267: God, Why Can’t I Hear You? appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 266: So Many Tears appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 265: God, I Can’t Forgive You for This appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 264: Our Journey of Faith Versus Fear and Doubt appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 263: Thinking of My Child with Joy appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 262: Waiting to Be with My Child Again appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 261: When Will It Stop Hurting So Much? appeared first on GPS Hope.

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, […] The post 260: I Can’t See Anything Even Remotely Good appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 259: Our Promised Miracle appeared first on GPS Hope.

Mother's Day can be one of the most difficult days of the year for a mom after child loss. In this episode, Laur 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 […] The post 258: Mother’s Day After Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

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 […] The post 257: Do Not Allow the Pressure of Comparing appeared first on GPS Hope.

After the loss of a child, there are scriptures that used to get us excited that don't make any sense now. They seem untrue and maybe even cruel. In today's episode, Laura talks about one of those verses, Jeremiah 29:11, where God tells us He has good plans for us, to give us hope and […] The post 256: God’s Future Plans for You appeared first on GPS Hope.

Today's topic is one Laura gets asked about in emails, which is addressing the issue of losing friends we thought would be there for us in our time of grief. Laura and her guest, June Collins, talk about this from June’s experience of losing her 2-year-old son 12 years ago. Their conversation has a lot […] The post 255: Where Did My Friends Go? appeared first on GPS Hope.

If I am struggling with anger and confusion and my faith is rocky right now, shouldn't I pass on taking the elements of communion? In today's episode, Laura digs into 1 Corinthians 11, talking about the purpose of communion and what makes us "unworthy". Based on scripture, Laura believes that we are not disqualified. Not […] The post 254: Taking Communion After the Turmoil of Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

Easter Sunday can come with many different emotions for those of us who have lost a child. On one hand, we are thankful and want to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, who made it possible for us to be reunited with our children, never to be separated again. On the other hand, many of us […] The post 253: The Hope of Resurrection Power appeared first on GPS Hope.

When we have a child who is no longer with us here on earth, we can feel like we have no more future - at least not a good one. In today's episode, Laura looks at Philippians 3:12-14 and other scriptures, sharing that even if our future here is not what we thought it would […] The post 252: Our Future Prize appeared first on GPS Hope.

When we lose a child from this earth, we want to be done here and go be with them. Even if our head knows we have reasons to stay, our heart struggles to accept it. The pain and darkness can be all-consuming, and we cannot believe life will ever be worth living without our child. […] The post 251: Can Life Ever be Good Again? appeared first on GPS Hope.

Have you felt frustration that you are not going through the "five stages of grief" that you have heard about? In this episode, Laura shares why that is not only okay, but even to expected. Note: Thank you to Basia and Sebastian for sponsoring today's episode in memory of their son, Gabriel. Links Mentioned in […] The post 250: There Is No Such Thing As the Five Stages of Grief with Child Loss appeared first on GPS Hope.

There are a lot of listeners who know Laura's daughter, Becca, died from heart issues. There are fewer listeners who know the cause of the heart issues, and not very many who know the full story, because Laura doesn't share it very often. In this episode, Laura shares from her heart what happened, and the […] The post 249: It All Started When She Was Only Three… appeared first on GPS Hope.

When Laura's daughter died, she remembers feeling so very shattered that she did not think it was possible to find all the pieces, much less have God put them all back together. But as she continued this unwanted journey, she began to see and understand that brokenness can become something beautiful. In this episode, Laura's […] The post 248: We Can Be Both Broken and Beautiful appeared first on GPS Hope.