The Joyful Mourning - A Podcast for Women Who Have Experienced Pregnancy or Infant Loss

Season 07 is here! To kick off this season I will be sharing answers to your questions in the annual Q&A episode. These episodes give space for you to get to know me, your host, just a little better as I share bits of my story, my grief journey and just every day life with you.  In this episode I'm answering these questions: What is your favorite kind of coffee? What did your faith look like amidst grief? How does life go on? How do you juggle daily life and grief?  How do you move forward in having more children after loss?  How do you help people understand that you are a different person now?  How do you handle being around triggers that you don't expect?  What was the most helpful in the first year of loss? How do you prepare yourself for milestones and important dates?  Is it okay to still cry? What are your hopes and prayers for The Morning and the women in this community this year? No matter what brought you here today, I pray this episode is a reminder to you today that you are seen and loved and not alone. SHOW NOTES (For all resources mentioned in the episode)www.themorning.com/blog/episode203 SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR US TO ANSWER ON THE PODCASTwww.themorning.com/question -- FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   THE MORNING SHOP For tangible tools to help navigate grief and to honor your baby and motherhood. Shop Here.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

As we head into summer I wanted to share with you 5 simple activities you could do this summer to honor your baby and bring you joy. SHOW NOTES for Printable Summer Joy Bucket List, Journal Prompts, & More   As we end this season of the podcast, I wanted to remind you of all the ways that you can find us and continue to find helpful and hopeful support as you navigate loss and grief.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   THE MORNING LIBRARY Dive deeper into specific topics on grief and life after loss through our grief workshops. Learn more.    THE MORNING SHOP For tangible tools to help navigate grief and to honor your baby and motherhood. Shop Here.   START HERE > Episode 200: 20 Episodes to bring you joy, hope & help.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom in the Waiting: Between Diagnosis and Birth by Sharon Szymula. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-in-the-waiting-between-diagnosis-and-birth   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Wondering Where to Find Hope by Amber Weems. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-wondering-where-to-find-hope   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Missing Her Baby Today by Megan Gaudette. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-missing-her-baby-today FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Whose Miscarriage Still Matters by Shareya Holm. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-whose-miscarriage-still-matters FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom, 6 Months After Her Baby Died by Crystal Midlik. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-6-months-after-her-baby-died FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Mom Still Grieving Her Baby's Diagnosis by Shanae Thompson. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-mom-still-grieving-her-babys-diagnosis For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom when Her Friends' Arms Are Now Full by Nicole Bertsch I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-when-her-friends-arms-are-now-full For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Letter to the Grieving Mom Years After Her Baby Died by Marisa Baese. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-years-after-her-baby-died For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.  THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF GREYSON & NATHAN BAGLEY. Greyson and Nathan Bagley. Greyson was born on October 4, 2012, and Nathan was born on March 6, 2014. A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church. We love you, Greyson and Nathan! We are eagerly waiting with Greyson and Nathan's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode. We remember Greyson and Nathan with you. FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Leaving the Hospital with Empty Arms by Nuriman Faris. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-leaving-the-hospital-with-empty-arms For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom When Everyone Else Has Moved On by Courtney Welch. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-when-everyone-else-has-moved-on For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read Letter to the Grieving Mom Whose Baby Died Today by Stephanie Bertran Williams. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-whose-baby-died-today For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF JAMES EUBANKS. James was born on June 7, 2022. A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church. We love you, James! We are eagerly waiting with Jame's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode. We remember James with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read Letter to the Grieving Mom Who Just Received the Diagnosis by Melody Joseph. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-who-just-received-the-diagnosis For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF MARLEY STYNE. Marley was born on February 2, 2022  A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church. We love you, Marley! We are eagerly waiting with Marley's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I read Letter to the Grieving Mom Who is Having a Miscarriage by Dottie Soderstrom. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-who-is-having-a-miscarriage For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF AUGUST HILBERT. August was born on August 10, 2021  A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church. We love you, August! We are eagerly waiting with August's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode. We remember August with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.  

Listen in as I read a Letter to the Grieving Mom Whose House is Quiet & Empty by Avery Swaringen. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  A special series called Letters to a Grieving Mom. Read the Letter: www.themorning.com/blog/letter-to-the-grieving-mom-whose-house-is-quiet-empty For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday.    THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF ELEANOR BLACK. Eleanor was born on July 30, 2020. A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church. We love you, Eleanor! We are eagerly waiting with Eleanor's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode. We remember Eleanor with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

A special episode in honor of your motherhood. This entire month we are giving space for your unique story of motherhood, providing a little extra support and hope as you head into Mother's Day – a day that can be full of many complex emotions, often very painful. But more important than our resources and articles on the blog and special episodes here on the podcast, mostly, I want you to know, we want you to know that Your motherhood is motherhood, too. Even if it doesn't look like everyone else's, or like how you wish yours was. Even in the journey you're facing, this day is for you, too. In this special episode I am kicking off this month with a poem written by Meg Walker called This is Motherhood, Too. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother.  For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday. 

In this episode I have the privilege of interviewing Danielle Anderson – a birth & bereavement doula, speaker, teacher, a wellness coach and a mom who has experienced tragic loss. For the last 10 years, Danielle has been on a journey of healing and restoration, and has learned the importance of whole health - spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical – and during our time together she shares incredible insight and wisdom about all that she has learned. Insight that is going to offer you hope, help and freedom in your grief journey.   Danielle shares her motherhood journey with me and what surprised her about grief and the most challenging aspect of her grief journey and how she navigated that challenge. We talk about finding healing and what it means to be present with our emotions, how to have mental boundaries and take control over the narrative we are telling ourself about our loss; we talk about the importance of sleep and what to do if sleep feels impossible right now.   I appreciate this conversation so much and truly wish I had had these wise words when walking through the fresh days of grief – Danielle offers so much freedom in what it looks like to be a mother grieving the loss of a child. I am sure that this episode is going to bless you.   JOIN US FOR A LIVE EVENT | MAY 7 AT 8P EST. Danielle will be joining us again for a special live event in honor of Bereaved Mother's Day on Sunday May 7 at 8p est. and we would love for you to join us. Danielle will be leading this special event as we honor your motherhood journey with rest, hope and healing – she will teach us about how grief and trauma impact you holistically and ways to practically find healing and hope even amidst your grief. There will be time to practice what she is teaching so you can implement these healing methods in your own life and we will end the event with a live Q&A so you can ask Danielle your questions about grief and finding healing. This is an incredible opportunity and I would love to see you there. For all the details and to register head to themorning.com/takecare     THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF HADLEY JACKSON.   Hadley was born on February 23, 2017 and passed away on November 3, 2017 A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church:  “We love you, Hadley! We are eagerly waiting with Hadley's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family” A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode.  We remember Hadley with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode201

200 EPISODES. What a special and incredible milestone and I'm so grateful you are here to celebrate that milestone with me. Whether this is your first time listening or you have listened to all 200+ episodes – I am so grateful you are here. Grateful that you have invited me into this journey. Honored to walk alongside you as you find joy in your mourning.  The Joyful Mourning Podcast exists to remind you that you are not alone in your grief through stories of women just like you navigating life after loss and to provide resources that will offer support as you navigate life after loss and this new normal as you move towards healing. Like I said, I am so grateful to be on this journey with you – providing the support and wisdom and encouragement that I know, as a fellow grieving mother, will bring you hope, even on the darkest days. That's why I'm here and that's what this show is all about – finding hope and joy even in the mourning and reminding you that you matter. Your baby matters. Your story matters. And you are seen. And loved. And not alone. This special milestone episode is your Joyful Mourning Starter Kit – 20 episodes that will immediately help you find joy, hope and practical help when navigating grief and life after loss. Our best and most helpful episodes because I know it can be hard and overwhelming to know where to start when there are 200 episodes. Consider this your index of most valuable episodes – giving insight, wisdom, and hope for some of the most challenging aspects of life after the loss of a baby. While I truly believe that all of our episodes are incredibly meaningful and valuable, I have chosen 20 episodes to highlight with you here that will address those big challenges and help you get started here with us. And even if you have been listening for a while I think many of these episodes are worth revisiting or saving for the future to pass along to another grieving friend who may be facing that specific challenge.     For a quick access to the Starter Kit, where all the episodes will be listed and linked, head to themorning.com/200   Celebrate 200 episodes and enjoy 20% off our new classic tee collection. Shop Here > www.themorning.com/shop?category=Apparel Use coupon code: 200   THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF CALVIN JAX COTTER.  Tripper was born on born on June 19, 2021. A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church:  “We love you, Calvin! We are eagerly waiting with Calvin's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family” A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode.  We remember Calvin Jax Cotter with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode198

Listen in to hear an honest and very practical, tangibly helpful conversation about navigating many different aspects of a life-limiting diagnosis and life after loss with KC Tregoning. During our time together KC shares about her son Alan and what it was like to receive a life-limiting diagnosis for him – how she navigated the medical system, what she learned about how to best naviagate a very rare diagnosis, questions to ask your team and even how she kept all the information from the plethora of appointments organized in a way that made it all just a little easier. We talk about finding purpose after experiencing loss and what it looked like for her to build community. KC shares what her faith looked like in this season and many of the ways God showed up to remind her of His great love for her even amidst the unthinkable. Lastly, we spend some time talking about how to love a grieving mom and dad.   I am so grateful for KC's wisdom and very practical advice throughout our time together – I am sure that no matter your story, this episode is going to bless you.     THIS EPISODE IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF TRIPPER CHARLES.  Tripper was born on March 17, 2018. A message from the sponsor, Citizens Church: “We love you, Tripper! We are eagerly waiting with Tripper's family for Jesus to return, for all that is wrong to be made right, for death to die, and for the greatest reunion we will ever know. One day closer. Love, your Citizens Church family” A special thank you to Citizens Church for sponsoring this episode.  We remember Tripper Charles with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode198

Listen in to hear an honest conversation about infertility, loss, and lament from MaryEsther Caldwell. During our time together MaryEsther shares honestly about what it was like to navigate infertility, and then to experience a miraculous pregnancy only to unexpectedly lose her daughter Magnolia Jubilee at 22 weeks. We talk about the challenges of grief and what surprised her and what she wished others understood about infertility and loss and the grief of both. About this she says: “I am just aware on a really deep level that I may never be pregnant again. I have to really deal with the question of, is God good if I never have any more children? If I never get to raise and mother a child here, is God still good? And I think the harder question for me actually is, will my life still be meaningful? Will I still have any joy in my life if this doesn't happen?” Then we spend some time talking about what it means to lament, what is lament, what she means by ‘grief visibility' in the church and how we can do better serving those who are grieving within the space of corporate worship.  Lastly, we talk about friendships after loss and what it looked like for her to navigate friendship and wisdom she has for those who are newly grieving navigating that aspect of life after loss. About this she says: “friendship has always been really important to me. I think through this, especially in the beginning and even a little now, it's been really hard for me to go from being the person who was always there for other people, to a person who desperately needed to rely on others.”  Resources for Lament MaryEsther had a few really helpful resource recommendations for us on this topic of lament in our grief and we have included links to all those in the show notes -- find those here: Show Notes     THIS EPISODE IS IN MEMORY OF ELIANA GRACE.  This episode is sponsored in honor of Eliana Grace. A message from Eliana's mom: “Eliana, you are so loved. We miss you dearly and will always remember you. Love, Mom, Dad, Everly and Lou.” A special thank you to Kelsey Rebedew and Eliana's family for sponsoring this episode.  We remember Eliana with you.   If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.    FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode198

"When God doesn't give a miracle..." Monica Harris joins me for this episode to share her motherhood journey and her experience receiving a life-limiting diagnosis for her son Vance as well as the news that she and her husband were carriers for a genetic condition that could result in a similar diagnosis in future children. At the time of our recording Monica was 37 weeks pregnant with a daughter who was also given a difficult diagnosis – prayerfully not a diagnosis that would limit life but difficult and complex nonetheless. Knowing this makes my time with Monica and her words that much more powerful – when she talks about what it looked like to pray for a miracle and for God to not give that miracle– about this she says: “He's good God, but He's not always going to say yes.” and we talked about her pregnancy right now, she said this: “I like to be in control, but this time I have no control. Just praying and believing that God will take us through whatever comes.”  We spend some time talking about: what it was like to receive that life-limiting diagnosis for her son Vance how to navigate when the plan you have for your family doesn't turn out the way you had ever imagined navigating a pregnancy after loss navigating the medical aspect to a life-limiting diagnosis and high risk pregnancy after loss friendships after loss what she wishes others knew about grief and how to help a mom who is grieving.  This is a beautifully tender and honest interview with a mom who is still in a season of waiting, of anticipating, of navigating the unknown but her faith will encourage you – I know it encouraged me. FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope FREE RESOURCES FOR PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS: Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it's a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal THIS EPISODE IS IN MEMORY OF  MALACHI GRECO.  This episode is sponsored in honor of Malachi Greco.  A message from ​​Adriana Gruntz: “God used and continues to use Malachi to break our hearts to show us His tender mercies. God is using Malachi to teach me and the whole family how to intensionally be there for each other and for the people around us. Malachi is our eternal gift and though the pain will never leave, God will teach us a new kind of Joy. Malachi we will forever carry you in our minds and hearts. We love you so much. I also wanted to hug, through this message, my sister Paoli and her wonderful husband Todd. We love you so much!” A special thank you to Adriana for sponsoring this episode. We celebrate Malachi and we remember him with you. We remember Malachi with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode197

In this episode I have the joy of hearing from Lauren Hendricks, a precious mama who shares her motherhood journey with me and her experience with two first trimester losses. Lauren shares what she wished others understood about a first trimester loss and we both get really honest about the most challenging aspect of this journey, the envy, jealousy and anger that can often follow loss; especially when it involves others getting pregnant and having babies. We talk honestly about what that looked like in each of our lives and if that is something that feels hard for you right now, I think this part of the conversation will encourage you.  Lauren also shares what she learned about navigating the medical aspect of loss after experiencing consecutive losses, and about the importance of having a medical provider you can trust. About this she says: “I just wish other women knew that it's okay to find a doctor that's good for you. The one who takes care of you and your unborn child is no small thing.” We also spend sometime talking about what it was like for her to try to conceive again after two losses and what her 3rd pregnancy was like. Throughout our time together Lauren weaves her experience with faith into the conversation and about this she says this: “I just couldn't grasp what the Lord was doing.” This conversation is tender and honest and I am sure that Lauren's wisdom and encouragement will bring you hope today.   HELPFUL PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS / GROWING YOUR FAMILY AFTER LOSS RESOURCES: Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it's a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal   THIS EPISODE IS IN MEMORY OF  PHOEBE JOY LU.  This episode is sponsored in honor of  Phoebe Joy Lu.  A message from ​​Amber Lu, Phoebe's mom: “Honoring our sweet heart warrior Phoebe Joy Lu.  A radiant, joyful, and brave girl.  We love and miss you as we honor your first anniversary home in heaven.  Love, Mom and Dad” A special thank you to Amber Lu and family for sponsoring this episode. We remember Phoebe with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode196

In this episode Mary Holloman joins me to talk about her motherhood and grief journey. She shares about her experience with consecutive first trimester losses, what surprised her about grief and the very practical ways she navigated the grief of that season. Then we spend time talking about pregnancy after loss where we discuss questions like:  Making the decision to try to grow your family after experiencing multiple losses, the most challenging aspect of her pregnancy after loss and what it looked like to navigate those challenges.   Throughout our time together Mary gives wisdom, encouragement and practical help for navigating the anxiety and fear and the angst that comes from the constant ‘what-ifs' that so many of us experience after loss and in a pregnancy after loss. Mary wrote a children's book all about this that is such a wonderful picture of what this looks like in our life. Her book is The Anxious Lily and she shares about this helpful resource as well.  If you are feeling anxious, if you are navigating a pregnancy after loss, if you have questions about faith, if you have wondered if your 1st trimester loss counts – this episode is for you.  HELPFUL PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS / GROWING YOUR FAMILY AFTER LOSS RESOURCES: Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it's a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal HELPFUL RESOURCE FOR ANXIETY & GRIEF: Download the Simple Coping Strategies Workbook - themorning.com/copingtools THIS EPISODE IS IN MEMORY OF CECILIA LARZABAL.  This episode is sponsored in memory of Vada June Driggers.  A special thank you to Sarah Damoff for sponsoring this episode. We remember Cecilia with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode195

In this episode I have the honor of interviewing Natalie DiCicco about her motherhood and grief journey. She shares about her experience with a first trimester loss, a baby she named Ezekiel, as well as a second trimester loss, her daughter Naomi Hope. During our time together Natalie shares honestly and candidly about her experience navigating grief – what surprised her and what practical advice she would give to a newly grieving mom. We also talk about pregnancy after loss, what that was like for her, the challenges she faced and how she navigated those challenges – and again she shares very honestly about the difficulties of that season and what practically helped. We finish up with a few thoughts about her faith journey and what it was like for her to navigate, as she said, ‘her grief insecurity in faith circles' – if you have had a hard time navigating the faith community since your loss, this part of the conversation will be especially helpful. This entire conversation is tender and honest and I am sure will encourage you no matter where you are in your journey.  HELPFUL PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS / GROWING YOUR FAMILY AFTER LOSS RESOURCES: Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it's a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO VADA JUNE DRIGGERS.  This episode is sponsored in memory of Vada June Driggers.  “Sending love to Heather, Jeff and Macklyn as they celebrate and grieve Vada June on what would be her first birthday! Vada June Driggers on what would be her first birthday! We are praying for you and remembering with you. Love, your Brave Learner family” A special thank you to Holli and the Brave Learner family for sponsoring this episode. We celebrate Vada June and we remember her with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode194

In this episode Meg Walker, The Morning's Content Editor and Community Manager, and myself are answering a handful of your questions about  pregnancy after baby loss. Questions like: When is the right time to try to conceive again? How do I practically get through a pregnancy after loss How do I honor and remember the baby I lost? Will I love my new baby as much as I long for my baby in heaven? I feel guilty for having another child. We're discussing all of those and more in this honest conversation.  Over the next few weeks we will continue this conversation about what it looks like to grow your family after loss. We will have resources for those trying to conceive again, thinking about trying to conceive again, pregnant after loss and also for those who have either by choice or factors beyond their control made the decision to not pursue growing their family in this season. As we kick off this series I would love to share with you 3 very helpful resources: Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it's a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO CAROLINE CRAWFORD COURVILLE.  “This episode is dedicated to Caroline Crawford Courville in honor of her first birthday in heaven. Caroline, you are so missed but the short time you were with us was such a gift and our hearts are filled with gratitude over the impact you have had in our lives. We are more compassionate, more patient, and filled with a greater understanding of God's love for us. Thank you for reminding us daily to keep our eyes fixed upon heaven. We look forward to the day we will be together again. With love, Mom, Dad, and your big brothers!” A special thank you to the Courville family for sponsoring this episode. We celebrate Caroline and we remember her with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode193

A very, very helpful and hopeful resource for navigating life after loss is a book called, What Grieving People Wish You Knew (about what really helps and what really hurts) by Nancy Guthrie. Over the last month we have been reading this book together in The Morning Book Club and while the book is written with those who love a grieving person as the intended audience – this book is incredibly helpful for someone grieving as well. So, whether you are a grieving mom or you love a grieving mom, this episode is for you. I'll be sharing my favorite takeaways from the first four chapters in the book and answering the Book Club discussion questions – I would love to hear your thoughts as well so make sure to head here to share your thoughts about the book.  Book Club Discussion: Let's Discuss! THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO TRU TUMBLESON.  A special thank you to the the Tumbleson family for sponsoring this episode.  We celebrate Tru and we remember him with you. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  HELPFUL RESOURCES:  The Joyful Mourning Community (Join us here.) Resource Bundle (Check it out here.) 10 Ways to Love a Grieving Friend | Friend & Family Guide (Check it out here.) Care Cards for the Grieving Mom (Check those out here.) Let's Discuss: Book Club Discussion JOIN THE BOOK CLUBThe Morning Book Club is here to provide a little extra support and thoughtful conversation about grief and life after loss. We're here for the books that will offer insight on navigating grief, life after loss and finding hope. We will do so in a super simple way — because as fellow grieving moms, we know how hard it can be to read more than a few words at a time. To learn more about the Book Club, to see our latest book club pick and join the conversation > themorning.com/bookclub   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode192

In today's episode I am sharing with you what I have learned about managing grief in a healthy way – the importance of finding healthy ways to cope, finding expressions of grief that are helpful to you, why taking good care of yourself is helpful in this process and simple ways to mother your baby. I share a new-to-me simple strategy for managing intense grief waves as well as my favorite coping method, why its helpful and tips for putting it into practice.  We put together a free worksheet for you that will be really helpful at putting into practice some of the things I'm sharing with you in this episode. If the waves of grief feel overwhelming right now – this free worksheet is going to be a practical tool that will help. Download that worksheet at themorning.com/copingtools I pray they offer you hope. I pray they remind you that you are not alone. THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO FREDDIE SUTTON.  A special thank you to the Sarah Sutton and family for sponsoring this episode.  We celebrate Freddie and we remember him with you today and always. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  HELPFUL RESOURCES:  Resource Bundle (Check it out here.) The Morning Library (Check it out here.) The Joyful Mourning Community (Join us here.) Healthline: Amygdala Hijack 10 Things to Know About Grief, No 190 FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN THE BOOK CLUB The Morning Book Club is here to provide a little extra support and thoughtful conversation about grief and life after loss. We're here for the books that will offer insight on navigating grief, life after loss and finding hope. We will do so in a super simple way — because as fellow grieving moms, we know how hard it can be to read more than a few words at a time. To learn more about the Book Club, to see our latest book club pick and join the conversation > themorning.com/bookclub   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode191

In this episode I am sharing with you what I want every grieving mom to know about grief after the loss of a baby. If we were sitting down for coffee and I could share with you what I have learned in the nearly 15 years since losing my infant son about grief and navigating this journey of life after loss, these are the things I would tell you. I pray they offer you hope. I pray they remind you that you are not alone. THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO JACOB WALKER.  Today's podcast is in honor of Meg Walker, and her son Jacob, on his birthday.  Meg, your son has changed all of our lives. Thank you for the work you do and the care you give to this community of grieving women. We are better because of you and because of your son.  We celebrate Jacob and we remember him with you today and always. If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.  HELPFUL RESOURCES:  Book Club (Check it out here.) The Morning Library (Check it out here.) The Joyful Mourning Community (Join us here.) Learn more about the Host: Ashlee Proffitt (No. 01, No. 90, No. 124, No. 170) 5 Things to Know About Grief, No 100 FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN THE BOOK CLUB The Morning Book Club is here to provide a little extra support and thoughtful conversation about grief and life after loss. We're here for the books that will offer insight on navigating grief, life after loss and finding hope. We will do so in a super simple way — because as fellow grieving moms, we know how hard it can be to read more than a few words at a time. To learn more about the Book Club, to see our latest book club pick and join the conversation > themorning.com/bookclub   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode190

Today's episode is all about the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. I'm sharing with you 3 things to know as you enter a New Year and a few practical tips for each.  The New Year can catch a grieving mom by surprise in it's heaviness and I hope these thoughts I'm going to share with you bring you hope and give a few practical tips for navigating the days ahead. For an extra bit of encouragement go back and listen to Episode #143 for hope and encouragement about beginning a New Year from our Morning Team members – I promise it will bring you hope and remind you that you are not alone.  FREE NEW YEAR WORKBOOK: www.themorning.com/newyear FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode189

From Every Moment Holy, Volume II  "Lead me, O Lord, through this layered confusion  of celebration and lament, of things present, and things past. Let me make of this day a new thing. Though holidays might be hard days, O God,  by the movement of your mercies  may they also become holy days,  teaching me again and again to entrust to you my many griefs, as often as these unavoidable days uncover and reveal them."   "Now lead me, carry me, and walk beside me through this day, O Christ, shepherd of all my sorrows. In unexpected places, let me find joy. Amen."   FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Welcome to part 4 of our 4 part Holiday series – a discussion about finding hope when the holidays hurt. Kristin Hernandez, author of the Advent Journal, Hope When the Holidays Hurt, is joining me for this series.  In the first part of this episode Kristin talks about God's love for you and knowing that grasping that love can feel very, very difficult for a grieving mom Kristin shares what helped her to see that God had not forgotten her and how He did love her even amidst devastating loss and deep grief. In the second part of this episode Kristin gives her best advice for navigating Christmas morning and moving into a New Year. The wisdom Kristin shares is practically helpful – giving you freedom to grieve this holiday season, freedom to be sad, to say no, to make space to rest. About the New Year she said this: This was the hardest holiday for me the first year. It caught me by surprise. Everybody is celebrating that we're leaving the year and they're looking forward to the next year. And  I felt so sad that everyone is moving forward and moving forward with excitement and I didn't want to move forward. And moving forward scared me. Listen in to hear the hope and wisdom that Kristin shares about both Christmas morning and the New Year but mostly I hope you hear us both say, you are not alone friend. If the next week or so are especially difficult for you, remember, it's ok to be sad, it's ok to not feel merry or excited for a new year… you aren't alone in that and also it won't always feel this way.  Throughout this series and season of Advent, Kristin and I will be discussing an entry from that week of journal entries here on the podcast as well as our free online community. If you haven't already joined us in our free community, this is a great time to do so. Don't navigate the holidays alone, come join us and find women who understand, women who get it and can offer a listening ear, understanding and wisdom. Our free online community is not on social media so as to provide a truly safe place for grieving moms. To join us click here. We will be sharing insights from our daily readings from the journal as well as honest thoughts and conversation about navigating the holidays as a grieving mom. WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.  FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode188

Welcome to part 3 of our 4 part Holiday series – a discussion about finding hope when the holidays hurt and our first ever virtual book club. Kristin Hernandez, author of Hope When the Holidays Hurt, is joining me for this series and our book club discussions. Whether you are following along in the Advent Journal or not, I wanted to remind you that the hope shared in this series and episode is valuable and helpful either way.  In this episode Kristin talks about the shepherds that were given the good news of this baby being born, they were the ones that God chose to tell first and yet they were considered lowly, outcasts and most likely felt unseen by those around them and by God. We talk about how knowing that God told them first and entrusted them with this announcement, gives us as grieving moms hope this holiday season.  We finish up our time together with Kristin sharing about the most meaningful way she felt loved at Christmas. If you love a grieving mom, make sure to listen in as we share what that practically looked like for both of us. If you are a grieving mom, consider sharing this episode with a friend or family member as it will help them to understand what you are walking through this season, what it feels like and how they can tangibly help. Throughout this series and season of Advent, Kristin and I will be discussing an entry from that week of journal entries here on the podcast as well as our free online community. If you haven't already joined us in our free community, this is a great time to do so. Don't navigate the holidays alone, come join us and find women who understand, women who get it and can offer a listening ear, understanding and wisdom. Our free online community is not on social media so as to provide a truly safe place for grieving moms. To join us click here. We will be sharing insights from our daily readings from the journal as well as honest thoughts and conversation about navigating the holidays as a grieving mom. WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.  FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode187

Welcome to Part 2 of our 4 part Holiday series – a discussion about finding hope when the holidays hurt and our first ever virtual book club. Kristin Hernandez, author of Hope When the Holidays Hurt, is joining me for this series and our book club discussions. Whether you are following along in the Advent Journal (you can order here) or not, I wanted to remind you that the hope shared in this series is valuable and helpful either way.  As a reminder, it is never too late to start the Advent Journal and follow along in that way – the truths and promises shared there are applicable all year long. You can start now! You can purchase the Advent Journal here. I am really loving working through this content with our community and the conversations we have been having have been so beautiful. Again, if you want to order the journal to follow along, it's not too late (you can order here).  In this episode we are talking about how God values our babies, even those who never lived outside the womb. We also talk about the nearness of God and how that brings us hope but can also be hard to hear when our hearts are broken and death has entered in. So we spend some time discussing what to do with that wrestling and what that has looked like in our own life. We finish up our time together with Kristin and I sharing about our favorite ways to honor our babies at christmas. Kristin also shares some really helpful advice about this idea of honoring our baby that will  be incredibly helpful to you, especially if the idea of doing anything this year feels too weighty and overwhelming.  Throughout this series and season of Advent, Kristin and I will be discussing an entry from that week of journal entries here on the podcast as well as our free online community. If you haven't already joined us in our free community, this is a great time to do so. Don't navigate the holidays alone, come join us and find women who understand, women who get it and can offer a listening ear, understanding and wisdom. Our free online community is not on social media so as to provide a truly safe place for grieving moms. To join us click here. We will be sharing insights from our daily readings from the journal as well as honest thoughts and conversation about navigating the holidays as a grieving mom. WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.  FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode186

Welcome to our 4 Part Holiday Series – a discussion about finding hope when the holidays hurt and our first ever virtual book club. Kristin Hernandez, author of Hope When the Holidays Hurt, is joining me for this series and our book club discussions. Whether you ordered the Advent Journal (you can order here) and started this morning or you just ordered and it hasn't arrived yet or you don't plan to order one – I wanted to remind you that you are still more than welcome to follow along with us here on the podcast. The episodes will still be applicable and beneficial.  In Part 1 Kristin shares why she wrote this journal, her hope for you as you follow along with us here and in your daily life at home this month. Kristin also explains what Advent is and why we celebrate it and of course, she shares hope for this first week of Advent. If you are following along in the book (the Advent Journal) we will be taking a deeper look at Days 5 & 6.) Kristin shares thoughts about the promises of the coming of Jesus in the Old Testament and what that means for us today, as women who are grieving and looking for hope.  And we finish up our time together with Kristin sharing her tangible, very practical advice for a grieving mom who is navigating the holiday season by answering the question: “what do I wish I had known that first Christmas.” Her answer is so incredibly helpful and applicable to all grieving mothers, no matter if this is your first christmas without your child or your 14th like me.  Throughout this series and season of Advent, Kristin and I will be discussing an entry from that week of journal entries here on the podcast as well as our free online community. If you haven't already joined us in our free community, this is a great time to do so. Don't navigate the holidays alone, come join us and find women who understand, women who get it and can offer a listening ear, understanding and wisdom. Our free online community is not on social media so as to provide a truly safe place for grieving moms. To join us click here. We will be sharing insights from our daily readings from the journal as well as honest thoughts and conversation about navigating the holidays as a grieving mom. WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.  FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode185

To my grieving friends on this Thanksgiving Day.  I wish I could pull up a chair beside you and sit with you in person. To give you a look of understanding when someone you love says a hurtful thing or squeeze your hand under the table to remind you that you aren't alone. Or cover for you when you need to hide away for a bit. To tangibly remind you that you're not alone. Even if I can't be there with you in person, I want you to know that you are loved today and not alone. I thought you might need to hear from someone who understands first hand how hard today really is, so I wrote you a short letter and wanted to read it to you. today is hard. And that's ok.  I know how seemingly impossible it feels to be thankful and how the idea of celebrating feels like a contradiction and how maybe the only emotion you are experiencing is rage.  And I know how all of that makes you feel guilty and full of shame. This is me, a mama who has been there, telling you it is hard. Holidays are hard. And feeling grateful when your heart is broken and your arms are empty -- when a life is missing -- is really, really hard. WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.    FREE NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

A very helpful and hopeful resource for navigating life after loss is a book called, When Your Family's Lost a Loved One by David & Nancy Guthrie. In today's episode I am going to share with you my favorite takeaways, practical and helpful wisdom, from the chapter in this book about how to navigate the holidays. Along the way we are going to hear from women in our own community sharing their favorite ways to honor their babies during the holidays as well as what they wish others understood about what it means to be a grieving mom during the holidays. This episode will offer freedom and hope and practical help as you enter the holiday season.  Thank you to the guest contributors for this episode: Bethann Secrest Kirsty Mes Elizabeth Snyder Nicole Bertsch Melody Joseph Jen Abrams  WE LOVE LAURELBOX: GIFTS FOR GRIEVING HEARTS This episode is sponsored by Laurelbox. We love Laurelbox for the beautiful and tangible ways they help us as grieving moms to honor and celebrate our babies this holiday season. Laurelbox has the most beautiful personalized candles and ornaments– the perfect addition to your holiday season. It's simple while being intentional, thoughtful and as I said, beautiful. Check out our favorites by heading to themorning.com/laurelbox.  FREE NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode184

Listen into a special episode where you will hear from 7 different women answering the same question, what wisdom, encouragement, hope or advice would you give to a grieving mom as she navigates the holiday season. The clips shared here are all from previous episodes but their words still ring true and resonate deeply today. I've linked the full episodes for each of these interviews below in the order that you will hear them in this episode. So, if you want more from each of these past guests just click on those links to listen into the full episode on navigating the holidays .  Ashlee Karasch: Episode No. 57 Lindsey Dennis: Episode No. 56 Lauren Woo: Episode No. 59 Mary Stamm: Episode No. 58 Sterling Myers: Episode No. 18 Meg Walker: Episode No. 101 Mary Margaret Powitz: Episode No. 101   FREE NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle  Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.) Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!) > www.themorning.com/holidays FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode183

Listen in as I chat with Megan O'Neill, a mama to a baby in heaven. Megan experienced a 2nd trimester loss and shares with me the story of her baby and her journey of grief, life after loss and what it has looked like for her to find healing. Megan shares honestly about the unique challenge she experienced being an unmarried christian woman at the time of her pregnancy, how difficult that was to navigate, the shame and the guilt and how that was made even more difficult when she lost her baby at 14 weeks. She shares what she has learned from that experience, how she navigated those challenges and what wisdom and encouragement she would give to an unmarried single grieving mother who might be listening today. If that is you, I hope you know, like all of our grieving mothers, you are loved, friend and you are not alone.    Throughout our conversation Megan shares candidly about what it has looked like for her to mother her baby while her arms are empty. No matter your story, these words from Megan will encourage you, she said this:   I learned that it's most important for me to honor, love, and to celebrate my baby for myself. So, I find every opportunity to honor and love him on special days and milestones, anniversaries and holidays, and on those special days not expecting other people to do it for me. I learned that I have the choice to make it special and even if it's just in the confines of my own little space, I know that it's special."   QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN NO. 182 What's something about your pregnancy or your baby, a memory that makes you smile or that feels extra special to you? Something that brings you joy in the mourning? What do you wish others understood about a 2nd trimester loss? What has been the most challenging aspect of your motherhood journey and navigating life after loss? What has been helpful to you as you navigated those challenges? What do wish christian women understood about what it was like to be pregnant as a unmarried christian woman and then to experience loss? What unique challenges did you face navigating grief simply because you were an unmarried christian woman? What wisdom would you give to someone who loves a single or unmarried mom who has experienced baby loss? What has healing looked like for you? What are practical ways you mother Baby Sea in heaven? What aspects of your new self and life after loss feels especially hard to embrace?  What is one way you have grown or are growing in this season? FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you. SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode182

This week on the podcast I am interviewing Emily Stinemetz and Tate Drew – sisters who have both experienced baby loss. Emily experienced a first trimester loss followed by a season of unexplained infertility and Tate experienced a third trimester loss at 34 weeks. This conversation is really beautiful and tender as you hear their obvious love, empathy and compassion for one another even as their losses were very different and their motherhood journeys very different. They share openly about how they grieved differently and what it was like to walk with one another through their different seasons of grief and what it was like to be pregnant at the same time, for one to experience loss and then to navigate loving a sister and a baby niece while grieving. About this and navigating their relationship amidst different seasons of each of them grieving while one may be rejoicing, one sister said this: “We can carry this joy and sorrow together, and we're going to do that as a family. So that's what we did.”  Both women share what they wish others understood about their specific type of loss and give helpful and hopeful wisdom to any woman who is grieving, no matter what type of loss she may have experienced. We talk about comparison in our grief and in our stories. We talk about how to find healing and ways to love a grieving a mom. No matter your story or what brought you here, this conversation is honest and helpful and hopeful – it will encourage you to do the grief work that leads to healing and will remind you that your loss mattered.  QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN NO. 181 What do you wish others knew about unexplained infertility after your pregnancy loss and this aspect of your motherhood journey?   What do you wish others knew and understood about stillbirth? What it was like to walk through the loss of your daughter and then welcome your niece just four weeks later? What wisdom would you have for a grieving mother who has a close family member or friend with a baby close in age to the baby they lost? How has your relationship changed over the past few years since experiencing loss together? Was comparison ever something either of you struggled with in your grief journey? Either with your story of loss or how you grieve or even in what growing your family has looked like after your loss? In what ways did you grieve differently? In what ways did you grieve the same? What advice you would give for how to best support a grieving mom? How did each of you feel best loved and cared for? FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.     FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode181   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

This week on the podcast I am interviewing Nikesha Dillon. A mama to 3 precious sons in heaven. Listen in as she shares her story of motherhood – her sons Liam & Legend, identical twins who passed from twin-to-twin transfusion at 20 weeks' gestation, and Louie, born at 24wks and 5 days as a result of cervical incompetence. Louie lived, fought and brought so much joy and laughter for 13 days in the NICU before passing from complications associated with prematurity.  Nickesha shares with us what it means to be a mother with empty arms, how she celebrates, honors and remembers her sons, the challenges she faced in her journey and how she navigated those challenges. She shares how she found healing and how she educated herself and advocated for herself and her future children regarding her cervical incompetence – if you are navigating any kind of medical concern in your journey, her wisdom on this is really helpful. Nickesha also shares what it has been like to lovingly help others understand that she IS a mother. No matter what your story of loss is – Nickesha's story, and the hope and joy she brings in this episode, is sure to bring your joy and hope to you today.      QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN NO. 180 What has been the most challenging aspect of this journey? What has been helpful to you as you navigated those challenges?  What has healing looked like for you in this season? What practical steps did you take to cope and pursue healing after your losses?  What about physical healing – after losing Louie, you began looking into Cervical Incompetence a little more indepth, what has that looked like for you? What advice would you give to a woman in a similar situation? What are practical ways you mother your sons in heaven? What does motherhood practically look like for you now? What has it looked like to remember and honor Liam, Legend & Louie's life?  How do you answer the question: How many children do you have? Or Do you have any children? You told me it was important to you to help others understand what loss motherhood means – tell me more about that.  What do you wish others knew and understood about loss, grief and finding healing? If you could give someone who loves a grieving mom, one piece of advice – what would it be?     FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAYS (BIRTHDAYS, DUE DATES, ANNIVERSARIES & MORE) “We honor their memories. We celebrate the milestones.” -Nickesha If you have ever wondered:  How  to make it through those big, sweet, and hard days What you can do to make those days special If anyone else feels the way you do How to find tangible ways to mother your baby in your heaven Where the beautiful keepsakes are for you and your baby, because your motherhood doesn't fit the “typical” narrative Then you're going to love our brand new Birthday Journal, Special Days Journal and Milestones Workshop! Click here to get a peek at our new journals – created specifically for birthdays, due dates, anniversaries when you have a baby in heaven. The Milestones Workshop – honest, encouraging, and practical content for you as you face birthdays, due dates, anniversaries of death, diagnosis days, or any milestone that is meaningful to you in an easy to digest audio recording. Check out both of those brand new resources to help your special days feel a little less heavy: themorning.com/specialdays.   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

You're listening to a special bonus episode, an excerpt from our newly released Navigating Milestones Grief Workshop. Listen in to hear a few quick thoughts about one of the reasons that navigating milestones are so challenging and difficult – because we don't know what to do and how to do it – specifically i'm talking about how to navigate those bittersweet days like birthdays, due dates, anniversaries, a diagnosis day or any day that is significant to you in your motherhood journey. If you have ever wondered:  How to make it through those big, sweet, and hard days What you can do to make those days special If anyone else feels the way you do How to find tangible ways to mother your baby that aren't cheesy Then you're going to love this excerpt as well as the full Navigating Milestones Grief Workshop our brand new Birthday Journal, Special Days Journal and Milestones Workshop – honest, encouraging, and practical content to equip you to face any milestone that is meaningful to you.  To hear more helpful and practical wisdom as you anticipate your own milestones and how to make a plan for those milestones, grab the full workshop: www.themorning.com/milestones-workshop 

This week on the podcast I am interviewing Tori Underwood. A mama to a precious daughter in heaven. Listen in as she shares her story of losing her daughter at 30 weeks with no real answers as to why – I know many of you will be able to relate to her story of being an invisible mother.    We discuss what it was like for Tori to pursue answers and solutions from her medical team to hopefully prevent a similar loss in the future, specifically as it related to her having a uterine septum. Tori shares with me the challenges she faced in taking care of herself after her daughter died, feeling like her body had failed her and made even the simplest things like eating feel impossible. She shares how she navigated that challenge and gives practical advice for anyone who may be facing a similar challenge.    We talk about how she has found healing, the role that therapy and specifically emdr therapy has had in that healing process and why it was important to her to finish her daughter's nursery even though she would never use it. Tori shares with me what it looks like to mother her daughter in heaven, the practical, simple and beautiful ways she honors and remembers her today.    No matter what your story of loss is – Tori's story, how she has found healing and the wisdom she has gained in this season will remind you that you are not alone.     QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN NO. 179 What surprised you most about loss and the grief journey?  What has been the most challenging aspect of this journey? What has been helpful to you as you navigated those challenges?  What has healing looked like for you in this season? You said to me: “I felt like I was drowning and like I should start only preparing for bad things to happen to me.” What would you say to another mom who is feeling similarly? What are practical ways you mother your daughter in heaven? How do you answer the question: How many children do you have? Or Do you have any children? What do you wish others knew and understood about loss, grief and finding healing?     FREE GIFT | THE BIRTHDAY PROJECT Every October in honor of my son's birthday and Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month I gift grieving moms with a tangible reminder that they are loved, their baby(s) are loved and that they not forgotten. To learn more about this special project and to send yourself or someone you love an AadenSage Birthday Project Art Print just for the cost of shipping, head to themorning.com/birthdayproject Check out our meaningful and beautiful collection of art prints by heading to themorning.com/shop.   FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us by heading to themorning.com/community   FREE LIVE EVENT | OCTOBER 16 AT 8PM EST.Join us for a free live event: a Night of Remembrance. A night to honor your baby(s). You can find the details and registration information for this event at themorning.com/remembrancenight.   FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

Listen into the third and final bonus episode in our Conversations with a Grieving Mom series. If you have been tuning in this week to the first two bonus episodes you know that October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month and this week I have shared 3 short mini bonus episodes to help us kick off this month.    These short episodes highlight specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. Over on the blog we have been and will continue doing the same, with a series called “What I wish You Knew” featuring responses from real women who have experienced different types of loss. If you are a grieving mom, both of these resources are meant to remind you that you that you are not alone. And if you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast as well as the blog series is going to be incredibly helpful at giving you a greater understanding about how to love your grieving friend.    In this third episode of the series I am sharing a non-comprehensive list of the things a grieving mom may be thinking about at any given moment. I say non-comprehensive because the things we think about as grieving moms are often complex and can be difficult to put into words. I am sharing this somewhat seemingly random list of thoughts to do two things, 1) to help a grieving mom hear me say -- you are not alone in the way you are thinking about this nor are you crazy. The way you are seeing this and thinking about this is completely normal and to be expected. And 2) to help someone who has not experienced the loss of a baby better understand what is happening inside the head and heart of a grieving mom -- to have compassion and empathy when you might not understand how she is responding or better yet to have compassion and empathy when you judge her response as not appropriate. Again, if you are a grieving mom I hope this reminds you that you aren't alone. And if you are here because you love a grieving mom, I hope this helps you understand us a bit better.    FREE GIFT | THE BIRTHDAY PROJECTEvery October in honor of my son's birthday and Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month I gift grieving moms with a tangible reminder that they are loved, their baby(s) are loved and that they not forgotten. To learn more about this special project and to send yourself or someone you love an AadenSage Birthday Project Art Print just for the cost of shipping, head to themorning.com/birthdayproject RESOURCES FOR PREGNANCY & INFANT LOSS AWARENESS MONTH,how we are raising awareness and honoring your baby(s) head to www.themorning.com/awarenesss   JOIN US FOR A FREE LIVE EVENTLast thing, if you are a grieving mom I want to invite you to join us for a free live event – a Night of Remembrance – a night to honor your baby(s). You can find the details and registration information for this event at themorning.com/remembrancenight.   IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

Listen into the second bonus episode in our Conversations with a Grieving Mom series. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month and this week you will hear 3 short mini bonus episodes to help us give off this month. In these short episodes I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. Over on the blog we will be doing the same, with a series called “What I Wish You Knew” featuring responses from real women who have experienced different types of loss. If you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast as well as the blog series is going to be incredibly helpful.  In this second episode of the series I am talking about why we as loss moms talk about our babies and addressing all the other things someone who has not experienced this kind of loss may find strange or odd, awkward or uncomfortable -- or all of the above. If you are a grieving mom I hope this gives you permission to grieve in any way that is helpful to you, and to honor and celebrate your baby in any way you choose. If you are here because you love a grieving mom, I hope this helps you understand us a bit better.    For an abundance of resources about Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, how we are raising awareness and honoring your baby(s) head to www.themorning.com/awarenesss that's themorning.com/awareness.    JOIN US FOR A FREE LIVE EVENTLast thing, if you are a grieving mom I want to invite you to join us for a free live event – a Night of Remembrance – a night to honor your baby(s). You can find the details and registration information for this event at themorning.com/remembrancenight.   IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

 Listen into the first bonus episode in a series I have titled Conversations with a Grieving Mom. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month and this week you will hear 3 short mini bonus episodes to help us give off this month. In these short episodes I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. Over on the blog we will be doing the same, with a series called “What I Wish You Knew” featuring responses from real women who have experienced different types of loss. If you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast as well as the blog series is going to be incredibly helpful.    For an abundance of resources about Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, how we are raising awareness and honoring your baby(s) head to www.themorning.com/awarenesss that's themorning.com/awareness.    JOIN US FOR A FREE LIVE EVENT Last thing, if you are a grieving mom I want to invite you to join us for a free live event – a Night of Remembrance – a night to honor your baby(s). You can find the details and registration information for this event at themorning.com/remembrancenight.   IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOM And if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.   Ok, let's listen into today's special episode about: why raising awareness about pregnancy and infant loss is valuable and important, why it matters.

This week on the podcast Jennifer Tyler joins me to answer your questions about God and faith specifically after experiencing loss and amidst grief. Jennifer is a Bible teacher and founder of SoulCircles Ministries and is passionate about helping women learn how to study the Bible, as she says “not just for information but for transformation.”  I am so grateful for the wisdom and insight Jennifer offers us in this interview – as someone who has studied the Bible in an in depth way but also as a mother who has experienced loss. We begin our time with Jennifer sharing her motherhood journey with us – a journey that began before she was a Christian, as a 17 year old with an unexpected pregnancy that ended in an abortion. She speaks honestly about this part of her story, sharing how she felt then and also how God has met her in this part of her story. Years later, Jennifer would marry and begin trying to grow her family, she shares of her early pregnancy loss and a loss after walking through ivf. Jennifer is sharing from a place of being an invisible mother, with no living children yet – a place that can be difficult to see how God is good and is working good. Exactly one of the reasons I thought Jennifer could speak honestly about this topic of God and faith after loss and amidst grief. One question that I ask Jennifer that feels especially helpful and a question that maybe you have asked: Is my loss a result of something I have done wrong? Did I lose my baby because God is punishing me for some former sin? Something in my past? Jennifer's answer to this is both helpful and hopeful. I loved this interview and am so grateful for Jennifer's wisdom and story, her honesty and hope – make sure to listen all the way to the end when she says: “God can handle our questions. He knows what you're experiencing. He knows that you're wrestling and He can handle that. So I would encourage you to pour it out all on the table to Him.” I pray this conversation blesses you today.   QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN EPISODE NO. 178 What would you say to the woman asking: “Is God powerful enough to heal my baby? Did He just choose not to?” Why does suffering exist? What is God's role in our suffering? Did He plan it or allow it? What does that mean for me and my baby(s) Why does God allow us to suffer & not protect us? What does it mean when people say, “God will use you or this for His glory”? How could the loss of a child be used for His glory?  How can I trust God now and what does that look like practically? How would you answer the woman asking: "What did I do wrong? Is my suffering a result of something I have done wrong? Did I lose my baby because God is punishing me for some former sin?" What does it look like to experience joy while still grieving and lamenting? What does joy mean? What does lament even mean What spiritual resources would you recommend for a grieving mom?      FREE DEVOTIONAL Written specifically for the grieving mom – it is so simple and will offer hope and comfort and truth. From one grieving mom to another, trust me when I say, this mini devotional is worth checking out – and it's totally free so make sure to go download that here > www.themorning.com/faith   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITYwww.themorning.com/community   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode177   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

This week on the podcast Stephanie Komashin joins me to answer your questions about God and faith, suffering and loss. As someone who has studied theology as a professional career and now teaches at the university level, I am so grateful for the wisdom and insight Stephanie offers us in this interview. We begin our time by Stephanie sharing her story of recurrent pregnancy and baby loss – she speaks to this topic of who is God to us in our suffering as someone who has and is living it. She is not just a theologian, she is also a mother who has experienced the loss of 9 babies to early miscarriage. Something I find so beautiful about Stephanie's story is how she has intentionally and beautifully named each of those 9 babies and in our interview she shares their names and meanings – as women who have endured the loss of babies we loved and valued I know you will appreciate this tender act of mothering and honoring her babies in heaven.  After Stephanie shares her personal story of motherhood with us we move into questions that you have likely asked before, questions like: why does suffering exist and what is God's role in it? What does death exist? What does it mean when people say God will use this for His glory?  Stephanie dives deep into those questions and my hope for you in listening to this interview is not that you will necessarily agree with everything Stephanie shares or even just take her word for it, no my hope for you in this is that you feel the freedom to search out the answers to your biggest questions about God and faith, to search the Scriptures, to research, to ask for wisdom about is true – to really examine the truths you may have always held. Stephanie points out that there are so many different denominations and different doctrines and different ways of interpreting the Biblical text, it's ok if you don't agree with everything shared here in this interview or in other interviews on this podcast, it's ok if you have still have questions after this interview is over – I want to challenge you with what Stephanie shares at the very end of this episode, to look for answers to your questions, to search the scriptures and to research and she said this: “Don't just think, man, this worldview I had is shattered. It's broken now. God couldn't be good. Or I don't know if He's good. I'm not sure how He can be good. So I'm just going to have to reject this. That's not true. It's hard. It might take a while. You might not get all the answers right away. But God is ready to be there with you and help you find resources that you need.” There is so much helpful content in this episode and in case you want to skip to a specific question that feels especially important to you we included minute timestamps for specific questions we discuss below. But no matter what question you tune into make sure to listen all the way to the end for Stephanie's favorite resources for learning more about what she's talking about today and her final word of hope is absolutely so, so beautiful and if you are wrestling with your faith, feeling distant from God or confused by him or any of those other feelings that a lot of us experienced, disappointed, anger, doubt – you don't want to miss what she shares at the very end. I know it will encourage you and bring you hope today.   QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN EPISODE NO. 177 (with approximate timestamps) (35:00) Did you wrestle at all with your belief in God or your faith as a Christian amidst your journey of such tremendous loss and grief?  (40:00) Why does suffering exist? What is God's role in our suffering? Did He plan it or allow it? What does that mean for me and my baby(s)? Why does God allow us to suffer & not protect us? (43:33) Why does death exist? (54) What does it mean when people say, “God will use you or this for His glory”? How could the loss of a child be used for His glory? Couldn't there be another way? (56) What does the Bible say about heaven and what does that mean for us as grieving moms who long to see our babies again? (60) Favorite resources for learning more about what the Bible says about loss, grief and heaven. (1:06) Hope for a grieving mom navigating difficult faith questions?     FREE DEVOTIONAL Written specifically for the grieving mom – it is so simple and will offer hope and comfort and truth. From one grieving mom to another, trust me when I say, this mini devotional is worth checking out – and it's totally free so make sure to go download that here > www.themorning.com/faith   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITYwww.themorning.com/community   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode177   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

This is part 2 of a 2 part interview with Mikayla Chapparro. Last week in Episode 175 Mikayla shared what it was like for her to lose her son Valor when he was 11 months old – she talked about her grief journey, the  destructive patterns she experienced and what it was like for her to replace those habits with healthier coping methods that led to true healing.  This week in Part 02 we are talking about her faith journey – as a new christian just exploring the faith when her son died she began to wrestle with God over what He had allowed in the death of her son. She talks honestly about what that looked like for her and what her faith looks like today nearly a year later. Whether you are clinging to God and He has never felt closer or you are running hard away from Him and anything that has to do with Him – this episode is for you.   I ask Mikayla questions like: what does it mean to trust God after you experience the loss of your son or how has doubt increased your faith or how do you best connect with and hear from God – all questions that I am sure you can relate to.  I know that Mikayla's honesty and tenderness is going to be a tangible reminder that you are not alone in this – that someone else understands because they have been there too.   QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN EPISODE NO. 176 What has your faith looked like since losing Valor?  You wrote: “Doubt is good. It leads us to wrestle with God, which over and over again he welcomes his children to do with him. Our doubt is what exercises our faith.” Tell me more about that.  How do you best hear from God? What would you say to a grieving mom who just can't open the Bible right now – where would you recommend her starting. What has been helpful to you? Tell me about finding purpose after pain – you have experienced so much of it. How have you experienced God weaving unimaginable good from unspeakable tragedies? I loved your thoughts about Job. You wrote these beautiful, powerful words:  “If this HAS to be my life. If this HAS to be my story. Let not one tear fall from my face in vain.  You say you keep all my tears in a bottle. Use them. Water gardens in eternity. Weave this tear soaked thread in your great design. Let it MEAN SOMETHING. It will never be a fair trade to me, but if it has to be this way… Take Valor's life, my life, roll it up like a ball of infinite matter and hurt it at strongholds and hearts and stone and darkness. Do what you do best - shatter it all like you shattered my life and let it hold eternal weight.  Though you slay me, I trust in you.” Tell me what ‘trusting in God' looks like for you in this season – how do you trust a God who let your son die?     FREE DEVOTIONAL Written specifically for the grieving mom – it is so simple and will offer hope and comfort and truth. From one grieving mom to another, trust me when I say, this mini devotional is worth checking out – and it's totally free so make sure to go download that here > www.themorning.com/faith   FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITYwww.themorning.com/community   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode176   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

This is part 1 of a 2 part interview with Mikayla Chapparro. In this interview you are going to hear the most honest and tender conversation about what it was like to lose her son Valor when he was just shy of his first birthday and the grief journey she would then embark on. We talk about destructive patterns amidst grief and what it was like for her to replace those patterns with healthier coping methods that would lead to true healing. Listen in as she shares honestly about the challenges she faced in grief and the ways that she found healing.  Mikayla has a gift with words and beautifully articulates something that many of us, until lived it, would argue there could be no beauty here – and yet Mikayla talks about a God who weaves unimaginable beauty from unthinkable tragedy.  Next week in part 02 we spend our time talking about her faith journey – as a new christian just exploring the faith when her son died she began to wrestle with God over what He had allowed in the death of her son. She talks honestly about what that looked like for her and what her faith looks like today nearly a year later. Whether you are clinging to God and He has never felt closer or you are running hard away from Him and anything that has to do with Him – tune in for that episode, I know it will offer you hope and healing.   I am so grateful for Mikayla's honesty and tenderness, I know this episode and this interview is going to be a tangible reminder that you are not alone in this. QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN EPISODE NO. 175 What has surprised you about grief?  What has been the most challenging aspect of grief and how have you navigated those challenges? What has healing looked like for you? FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITYwww.themorning.com/community   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode175   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

This week I have the pleasure of interviewing Bonnie Bennion about her motherhood journey and specifically her daughter Ella. We talk about regret and guilt and what to do with those feelings after loss. Bonnie shares what has surprised her about her motherhood journey and the different losses she has experienced – what she has learned and the hope and wisdom she has experienced along the way.  Bonnie gives us an inside look at what it was like to navigate a medically complex fertility journey as well as pregnancy. What it looked like for her to advocate for herself and for her baby and the risks she took to save her daughter's life.  And then we spend some time talking about how she parented her living daughter Lucy throughout that medically complex pregnancy and then after losing Ella. She shares how she talked to her daughter about what happened to Ella, the challenges she faced in parenting her, how she navigated and still navigates those challenges and how she helps Lucy grieve and cope today. We finish up our time by talking about what it practically looks like to include Ella in the everyday life of their family.  This is beautiful, honest and tender – I know it will remind you that you are not alone in this. I know it will bring you hope today.    QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN EPISODE NO. 174 You said you still wonder about the decision to leave the hospital – what would you say to another mom struggling with decisions she made?  What surprised you most about your motherhood journey and the loss and grief you have experienced? Tell me about what it was like to navigate the medical aspect of your journey with Ella? What have you learned about advocating for your child? What was it like to walk your living daughter, Lucy, through that season of hospital stays and doctor visits and uncertainty as you fought to save Ella?  After losing Ella, how did you talk to her about what had happened?   What other challenges did/do you face in parenting Lucy after you lost Ella? How did you navigate those challenges? How do you help Lucy grieve and cope today?  What does it look like for you to include Ella in the life of your family now? FREE GRIEF GUIDE Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.   JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE COMMUNITYwww.themorning.com/community   SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode174   RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.