Podcasts about soul grows

Losses come to every life and it can be hard to make sense of these heart-wrenching times. How do Christians handle death? Where do we begin on that difficult journey and what can we expect along the way?  Author, professor and compassionate fellow traveler, Dr. Jerry Sittser will offer Biblical wisdom and comfort for grieving hearts. Today's resource: A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support.  To donate now, click here. This month's featured resource: Apologetics for an Ever-Changing Culture    

Got thoughts, feedback, or questions? We'd love to hear from you—send us an email.In this powerful episode of The Art of Letting Go, host Mike Brown sits down with Joshua Michael Cruz—coach, community builder, and founder of Where the Soul Grows. They dive deep into the importance of community, vulnerability, and healing as queer men of color.Topics include:

In this DA+3 Group Guide, you'll find key points and discussion questions to spark meaningful conversations with other dads. Explore insights on unplugging from technology, checking in with Jesus, expressing emotions physically, sharing Jesus stories, and more.   Key Takeaways   Check-in with Jesus: Pray about decisions, journal the voice of God, and pay attention to frustration flare-ups.  Get Outside: Take a break from technology and spend time in nature.  Read Ephesians 3:14-19: Pray that God would bring a word or phrase to you as you read these verses. Get a Baseball Bat and a Plastic Trash Can: Physically get out the heavy stuff.  Share Jesus Stories: Tell others when God has shown up for you.   John Eldredge   John Eldredge is an author, counselor, teacher, and the president of Wild at Heart. He and his wife, Stasi, have three sons and are proud grandparents. John loves all things beauty, nature, adventure, and more.    Key Quotes   5:45 - "Another resource, is a book, A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser. I've spoken about this book before around grief, but he has a metaphor of when there's something that flares up, a frustration flare up, or a heaviness, where is this coming from? He would say press into it further versus run away from it. So, instead of chasing the sunset, the sun is setting to the west. Instead of trying to stay in the sun, press into the darkness, is what his metaphor is. Press into the darkness, the areas of hurt, of heaviness, of frustration. Let's actually explore those a little bit with Jesus." 9:45 - "Palm trees roots intertangle with other palm trees roots to keep them from blowing over in a storm. They'll bend all the way over to the ground in a storm, but they won't actually snap off or die because their roots are entangled with each other. Maybe that's a promise for you guys, is as we grow brotherhood and grow friendships with other men, as we become DadAwesome by creating a community of men who are together, being that dad for their families but for each other, encouraging each other, praying for each other, holding each other accountable, that we could be rooted and established in God's love, rooted in community and in God's love."   Links from Today's Conversation   299 | Escaping Sedation, Meeting Jesus in Your Pain, and Sharing Fresh Jesus Stories (John Eldredge)  Aro Box A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser 304 | Pursuing Visions, Journaling Daily, and Hearing God's Prophetic Voice (Ken Helser) 30 Days to Resilient in the One Minute Pause App   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618  

In this episode, Jason had a conversation with Jerry L. Sittser, a retired professor of theology from Whitworth University, renowned for his expertise in Christian spirituality and history. In this conversation, Jerry shares the relevance of early Christian practices in today's world and highlights the importance of the church embracing a new catechumen. He unpacks the challenges and opportunities for the church posed by a post-Christendom world, advocating for a deeper, more resilient approach to faith. Jerry also shares personal reflections on grief and loss not as something to avoid, but learning to carry it redemptively. His dedication to bridging academia and the church infuses our dialogue with hope and understanding, inviting us to explore what it means to follow Jesus in our time. Bio | Jerry has been a professor emeritus of theology and senior fellow at Whitworth University, specializing in the History of Christianity, Christian Spirituality, and Religion in American Public Life. He is now retired and spends much of his time with his 11 grandchildren. He has written nine books, among them are A Grace Disguised, The Will of God as a Way of Life, Water from a Deep Well, and his most recent book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian “Third Way” Changed the World. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada. Partners:  Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠. Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠A Grace Disguised Revised and Expanded: How the Soul Grows through Loss Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World Water From a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Modern Missionaries Get Connected! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blog & Episode write-up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Mailing List! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share a Canadian Church Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listening to our soul in all seasons, but especially those of restlessness, is hard, but rewarding work. In today's episode, you get to hear Matt's story of listening to the restlessness of his soul and pursuing a richer life through vulnerability.  Matt and I discuss: playing in community navigating transitions in our identity listening for restlessness of our souls importance for vulnerability the need for community  Episode Notes: For the episode transcript, click here.  Learn More About Stoke: https://www.stokethefire.live/about Learn More About the January 2024 Stoke Retreat: https://www.stokethefire.live/events A More Beautiful Way is an exploration of what it takes to slow down, create sacred space, and bring healing hearts, minds & bodies to the work of social change.  To learn more and read along, go to https://www.amorebeautifulway.co/.  To keep up with us, you can follow us on Instagram: @amorebeautifulway –  https://www.instagram.com/amorebeautifulway/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethaney-wilkinson/message

Stasi invites her son, author, and teacher, Blaine Eldredge, onto today's podcast to talk about his new book The Paradise King. Blaine first shares a few stories of how he became a committed, passionate and “in process” follower of Jesus, and how his life's journey led him to write this book. The Paradise King is a product of Blaine's curiosity and quest to recover the story of God in the Bible, as well as his longing to share it with others in a relatable and historical narrative. Blaine reads an excerpt from his book, which transports us into a beautiful experience of the heart of Jesus.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Psalm 46:5-7 (NIV) — God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.Daniel 2 — In it's entiretyMatthew 15:21-28 (NIV) — Story based on excerpt read from The Paradise KingBLAINE ELDREDGEWebsite: blaineeldredge.comBOOKThe Paradise King: The Tragic History and Spectacular Future of Everything According to Jesus of Nazareth   https://amzn.to/49rPJVaBLAINE ELDREDGE BIOBlaine Eldredge is a writer and teacher from Peyton, Colorado. For the past ten years he's built teaching platforms to help the Church thrive in late modernity.Blaine likes to read, write, and talk about culture, history, and theology. In particular, he loves to contemplate the Gospel of Jesus and make resources to convey its astonishing beauty.For those of you wondering about Blaine's church engagement and education, he's a part of Kindred Church in Colorado Springs and holds a Master's degree in Language from the University of British Columbia. Mainly, Blaine loves to read and follow Jesus in community as Jesus makes it on earth as it is in heaven.Blaine also likes bowhunting, chopping wood, and poetry readings.…..OTHER RESOURCES:A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser  https://amzn.to/47kqtOPTeachers/authors mentioned in this podcast:Pope Ratzinger Jerry SittserRon RolheiserKenneth BaileyNT Wright…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode – Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:Spotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ

“It is not the experience of loss that becomes the defining moment of our lives, but how we respond to loss that matters.”Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife of 20 years, and his four-year-old daughter. Left as a single father to care for his three surviving children, Jerry was nearly overcome by the tremendous weight of grief.While most of us will probably not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, we will all face some sort of loss. Whether in the form of disability, chronic illness, crushing disappointment, or the death of a loved one, the experience of loss is universal. Are you wondering if you will ever heal or what God's plan is for you in the depth of your pain? Be encouraged as Jerry helps put words around sorrow and offers hope for how to grow with grief. Through God's transforming grace, new life is possible. Resources:Read A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through LossVisit Jerry's WebsiteListen to Carrying Grief with Bekah BowmanListen to Coping with Grief and Loss with Halley Mastrolonardo *Photo from Whitworth University. Used by permission. ---- Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast  and daily devotional.Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.Your support  makes this podcast possible!Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through  Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.

Finding Comfort and Hope in the Face of Loss: Understanding God's PlanPlease support the podcast by purchasing the suggested reading:A Grace Disguised Revised and Expanded: How the Soul Grows through LossGrieving the loss of a loved one is an immensely challenging and painful experience. When we fervently pray for healing and restoration, only to see our loved one succumb to an illness like cancer, it can shake our faith to its core. In these moments of deep sorrow, it's important to seek solace and find answers. While we may not fully comprehend why God allows certain events to occur, the Bible offers guidance and wisdom to help us navigate through these difficult times.Coping with Loss:Seek God's Presence: The first step is to turn to God in prayer and seek His presence. Pour out your heart honestly, expressing your grief, anger, and confusion. God is not afraid of our raw emotions; He invites us to bring our pain to Him. In Psalm 34:18, we find assurance that "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."Embrace the Grieving Process: Grieving is a natural response to loss, and it is crucial to give yourself permission to grieve. In Ecclesiastes 3:4, we learn that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Remember that grief is a journey, and healing takes time. Surround yourself with loved ones who can provide support and encouragement as you navigate through this process.Understanding God's Plan:God's Ways Are Higher: Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. While we may not understand the reasons behind our loved one's passing, we can trust that God sees the bigger picture. His plans transcend our limited human perspective. We can take solace in knowing that our loved ones are in His loving presence, free from pain and suffering.The Gift of Eternal Life: As Christians, we believe in the promise of eternal life. In John 11:25-26, Jesus assures us, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." While we may mourn the loss of our loved ones in this earthly life, we can find comfort in the hope of being reunited with them in the presence of God.Moving Forward:Nurture Your Relationship with God: Take this time to deepen your relationship with God. Seek His guidance, wisdom, and strength to face the challenges of grief. Through prayer, reading the Bible, and meditating on His Word, you can find comfort, assurance, and hope. Draw closer to God, and He will provide the strength you need to move forward.Remember God's Promises: Reflect on the promises of God found throughout Scripture. Promises such as His unfailing love (Psalm 147:3), His comfort in times of sorrow (Matthew 5:4), and His ability to bring beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3) can bring hope and healing to your grieving heart.Losing a loved one to cancer, despite fervent prayers for healing, is a deeply painful and confusing experience. While we may never fully understand why God allows certain events to unfold as they do, we can find solace, comfort, and hope in His presence. By seeking God, embracing the grieving process, and trusting in His higher plans, we can begin to heal and find peace amidst the pain. Remember that God's love is unending, and He walks with us through the darkest valleys.Please support the podcast by purchasing the suggested reading:A Grace Disguised Revised and Expanded: How the Soul Grows through Loss

In this episode of All The Things podcast, I talk about the correlation between energetic expansion in our body and the energetics of abundance in our business. As an entrepreneur, I believe that my body is the container that holds my business and if I am not energetically expanded to hold abundance, I either can't make money or I can't keep money. Energetic expansion involves not just leadership skills or systems and processes but also time alone, prayer and reflection, healing the body, and nurturing the soul. In this episode you will learn: -What is the correlation between energetic expansion in our body and the energetics of abundance in our business? -How can we support ourselves energetically and nurture our soul to grow and scale our business? -Some examples of wealthy humans who had to expand energetically to manage their businesses and develop skills as their businesses grew. ******************* Breathwork has been the modality and tool that has changed my entire life. It has allowed me to work through deep wounds, overcoming and tackling limiting beliefs, which has allowed me to create two thriving businesses while having more peace in my body and soul. Regina Lawrence is a former trial attorney and law school professor turned soulful business & life strategist and breathwork coach. You can find Regina on Instagram @reginaalawrence Want to learn more about breathwork? Check out www.breathewithregina.com to learn more about Regina's virtual breathwork membership.

In this episode, Kevin and Paul interview Dr. Ly Tran, a counselor, supervisor, owner, and pastor. Ly has experience leading in the counseling field and in churches. He knows the challenges that helpers face and the potential pitfalls of leadership. He also knows what it looks like to stay connected through the darkest moments of life. We hope you enjoy this rich conversation with Ly and check out some of his resources below. We want to hear from you! Please contact Kevin and Paul with questions, comments or topic requests for the podcast: cforconnection@gmail.com. If you have a story of isolation and connection with God or church, we'd love to hear it. Check out our Facebook page! Created for Connection | Facebook This episode is sponsored by WellSpring Process Groups. If you'd like space to journey with a supportive group who will help you process whatever you're facing in life, sign up today for a process group with WellSpring. Paul and his associates facilitate these 12-week, online support groups that are based on biblical principles & the research of Christian psychologist, John Townsend. Use the link below to contact WellSpring today. WellSpring Interest Form WellSpring: Process Groups | Facebook Podcast Music written and produced by Cheyenne Medders: Cheyenne Medders Official   Mentions & Resources Ly's counseling practices include locations in the Dallas and Houston areas. Check out Dr. Ly Tran | Lifeologie Counselor | Forth Worth & Houston, TX (wefixbrains.com) for more information.   Ly's Watershed Initiative resources churches with counseling needs. Check out Watershed here: Watershed Initiative   Ly's podcast: Watershed Moments   Ly's book recommendation: A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss   For Counseling Needs & Training: - Dr. Shelby's counseling: Renew Christian Counseling (renewmystory.com) - Harding University Professional Counseling Program: https://www.harding.edu/academics/colleges-departments/education/graduate-programs/mental-health-wellness-programs/clinical-mental-health-counseling# - The Townsend Institute: Townsend Institute - Dr. John Townsend (drtownsend.com) To find community in whatever you're struggling with: - Celebrate Recovery (find a group): Celebrate Recovery Locator Map (crgroups.info) To explore Christian faith or to learn how you or your church can better share faith: - Alpha Course

There are some stories with such unfathomable pain that it can seem impossible to ever see a glimpse of redemption throughout them. When the depth of heartbreak is so great, how can you ever see the light of goodness again? Jerry Sittser has walked a road of catastrophic loss that most of us cannot even imagine. In 1991, Jerry, his wife, mother, and children were hit head on by a drunk driver. In an instant, life as Jerry knew it was completely over as the wreck claimed the life of his wife, his young daughter, his mother and the wife and unborn child of the other driver. There in the complete wreckage of his life, Jerry slowly began to learn how the most excruciating of suffering can grow the soul in unimaginable ways. The lessons Jerry learned through his own grief have served as a healing balm to many through his groundbreaking book, A Grace Disguised How the Soul Grows Through Loss. Recently revised for a 25th Anniversary edition, Jerry vulnerably shared how grief has not only changed him, but grown him in ways that only suffering can. Through his story, he recognizes how all griefs, whether comparable or not to his own, invite us to step in to a grace that transforms us. In this episode, Davey talks with Jerry about how experience can and ultimately has to be the catalyst for our growth, the tensions that exist in pain and suffering, and how to step into the questions that inevitably come from our greatest heartbreak. With a hard won wisdom, a theological richness, and a profound outlook, Jerry's insight will help you process any grief you've experienced through a completely new lens. This conversation is one you'll want to listen to more than once as you glean from the deep well of Jerry's experience and wisdom. Website: www.jerrysittser.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/jerrysittser/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/jerrysittser Book: A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Disguised-Revised-Expanded-through/dp/0310363594/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=a+grace+disguised+by+jerry+sittser&qid=1658971721&s=books&sprefix=a+gra%2Cstripbooks%2C134&sr=1-1 Are you ready to take back your health and learn about holistic living the way God intended? Join Kristi Blackburn as she takes you Back to the Garden in her live, 8 week online wellness course where you'll gain practical tools to help you on your journey towards wholeness and health. Learn more at: www.linenandroots.com/course Join us for our next masterclass Broken Vows: Experiencing Wholeness and Healing after Sexual Betrayal with NIW certified coach Karissa Sprinkle on Thursday, October 20th at 8pm EST: www.nothingiswasted.com/masterclass

“It is not the experience of loss that becomes the defining moment of our lives, but how we respond to loss that matters.”Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife of 20 years, and his four-year-old daughter. Left as a single father to care for his three surviving children, Jerry was nearly overcome by the tremendous weight of grief. While most of us will probably not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, we will all face some sort of loss. Whether in the form of disability, chronic illness, crushing disappointment, or the death of a loved one, the experience of loss is universal. Jerry is joining Crystal to help put words around sorrow and offer hope for growing with grief. If you are wondering if you will ever heal or what God's plan is in the depth of your pain, be encouraged by this conversation. Through God's transforming grace, new life is possible.Resources:Read A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through LossVisit Jerry's WebsiteListen to Carrying Grief with Bekah BowmanListen to Coping with Grief and Loss with Halley MastrolonardoListen to Who Am I? with Jimmy Peña Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.orgSupport Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full! Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook,  Instagram, and YouTube.

If you've ever had the thought that loss is making you feel like you are going crazy, Rachel lets you know that you are not alone.Author Rachel Wojo shares how the last two years have been a healing journey for her brain as she has processed two decades of gradual neurological decline of her daughter, Taylor's, brain, which ended in Taylor's graduation to heaven.If you find yourself:needing more rest in order to simply functionwondering how to cut through the mental fogor maybe even holding on to the experience that has made you numb.Then this podcast is the place for answers!Rachel explains the four types of rest and the simple, practical suggestions to apply these types of rest in your life, restoring your brain and elevating the healing process of your soul.THREAD OF HOPE:As Helen Keller says, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”Links to ON MY DESK:A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through LossOne More Step: Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up by Rachel WojoRest for the Weary: 31 Day Bible Reading Plan & Journal Digital Download - Walk through it together with our community in July 2021!Dream Big by Bob GoffPAY IT FORWARD ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This morning was all about Soul's growth at the Chinese Box Office, Wonder Woman continuing to lead the domestic Box Office, Temuera Morrison's take over of the Star Wars TV universe, and James Gunn reveals The Suicide Squad's rating! The Nightly Morning Show streams at 10 est, Monday-Friday, on the Nerdy Nightly Twitch Channel! Follow Nerdy Nightly everywhere through www.linktr.ee/nerdynightly Arrielle can be found @arrielleace on Instagram or ClarusDracarys on Twitch David can be found @deardavidwebb across the web "Nerdy Nightly Theme" by Alex Levitt - @alevitt1990 on Instagram

Aside from the Bible, one other book served as my lifeline during the hardest period of my life; my wife’s brain surgery and subsequent struggle to recover her speech, reading/writing skills, and my son’s passing to cancer just months after. That book was A Grace Disguised by Dr. Gerald Sittser. I’ve read the book probably […] The post Podcast Ep. 38: How the Soul Grows Through Loss (Dr. Gerald Sittser) appeared first on Before You Quit.

A Grace Disguised (Part 1) - Jerry SittserA Grace Disguised (Part 2) - Jerry SittserA Grace Disguised (Part 3) - Jerry SittserFamilyLife Today® Radio TranscriptReferences to conferences, resources, or other special promotions may be obsolete. Forgiveness Guest:                         Jerry SittserFrom the series:          A Grace Disguised  (Day 3 of 3) Bob:   Proverbs 25:11 says, “A Word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” When someone has experienced loss we need to be careful that our words are fitly spoken.  Here's Jerry Sittser… Jerry:  Sometimes words can actually exacerbate the problem rather than help the problem.  I mean, Job's three friends did their best work when they just shut their mouths for a week and sat with Job on that heap of ashes.  The cue is, when they're ready to talk, then you're ready to listen. When they really feel like they are ready to receive a word, then you give it, but never before that.  And what you don't want to do is use words to try to somehow push the loss and its significance away. Bob:  This is FamilyLife Today for Wednesday, July 8th.  Our host is the President of FamilyLife Dennis Rainey and I'm Bob Lepine.   We'll here today how God shows up in the midst of loss.  And about how we can show up, too.   And welcome to FamilyLife Today and thanks for joining us.  Just as I was walking in here, I got an email from our mutual friend, Dr. Michael Easley, who is the pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Franklin, TN, and Michael sent me a prayer that he had written to send to a couple who had experienced the loss of a child a year ago today.  The child had lived two months and unexpectedly died.  And Michael wrote this prayer for them.   He said, I pray for you today that your memories will be sweet, that your hearts will be calmed, that you will find a non-anxious presence.  That you will choose to trust and see good when there is nothing for sure, that you will grieve, but not as those who have no hope, that you will find comfort and mercy in places others may never know.   That your “why” questions will be replaced with a confidence in knowing that, He knows, and that's enough.  We love you and ask Him to pour mercy, kindness and hope into your hearts.  He does indeed know you and love you no matter what your experience may try to tell you. Dennis:  Bob, you know as I listen to those words, I think, how many people listening to this broadcast right now have experienced loss, some kind of major loss in their lives, in the past 5 to 10 years.   As I said earlier, if you live long enough, you will experience loss.  In fact, life is really made up of a lot of losses as we lose our childhood, and move into adulthood.  Some of those losses look good at the time but some of the losses aren't easily figured out, in fact, some are never figured out on this side of heaven.  We've had a guest with us, Dr. Jerry Sittser who has helped us better understand the process of grieving through his book, A Grace Disguised. Welcome back. Jerry:  Thank you, it's good to be here. Dennis:  I mentioned earlier, that Barbara had recommended this book to me after our daughter, Rebecca and her husband Jake, experienced the loss of their daughter after seven days of life.  And Barbara joins us on the broadcast as well.   Sweetie, welcome. Barbara:  Thank you, glad to be here. Dennis:  In fact, I hadn't asked you this question, sweetheart.  As you read this book, what was it about Jerry's book that most ministered to you, and why have you recommended it to so many people? Barbara:  Well, I wish I had my copy in front of me, I tried to find it this morning, and I can't find where I set that thing.  But at any rate it's all underlined and marked, and page corners turned back.   And one of the things I remember most vividly is early in the first few chapters, Jerry, you talk about how loss is loss and that it doesn't do any good to compare losses, and to say that this loss is worse than that loss.  Because loss brings grief and it brings pain and that grief and that pain is real and it needs to be experienced.  It is what it is.  To try to explain it or measure it and say it's not really that bad or it's worse than this, doesn't really make any difference in the long run.  I think we are so prone to wanting to measure and figure these things out.   The other piece I remember real vividly is a later chapter in the book, it talks about how our identity is changed by grief and loss and how so much of who we are is wrapped up in our identity with that thing or that person or that ability we have lost.  Whether it's a divorce or a death, or whether it's losing the ability through physical illness and how that personal identity is transformed through the process of loss and grief.  I thought that was really helpful and profound. Jerry:  I call that the amputation of the familiar self. Barbara:  That's what it was, yes. Jerry:  It's extraordinarily hard, because we are really defined by our location, our relationships, our work, these things provide sources of identity and when one of those is lopped off, it requires a pretty long and significant period of adjustment to figure out who you are in the wake of the loss of that thing, when that thing defined you to some degree.   We have these phantom pains, you know.  Phantom pains are the leg telling you it's still there when you look down and it's not there anymore.  That's what an amputation does and we will go through a long period of time when we feel those phantom pains of still feeling like we are this person, we belong to this person, we do this particular line of work and this kind of thing, even though we don't anymore. Bob:  How long was it for you in the weeks that followed the car accident where your wife and your daughter and your mother all were killed?  For how many months did you have this kind of reflexive phantom impulse to say, oh, I ought to call her and share this with her and then realize she's not there? Jerry:  Well, for a long time.  Reflexive is the right word, too.   It is like a reflex, where it's programmed in you, so automatic.  When after twenty years, when you call your spouse once or twice  a day just to check in, “Hi, honey, how's it going and what are you doing, what are the kids doing, or how's work going,” that sort of thing.  You can't help but have your mind go there; just automatically, it happens a long time.  I would say after those months even though it wasn't as reflexive as it once was, it still was an impulse in me.   And to tell you the truth, Bob, it still is, after 18 years.  Now, I don't say that in despairing or bitter kind of way.  I still think about those people every day.  There's not a day that goes by, I don't.  And I don't think that's a bad thing.  I don't like words like recovery; I think that gives us a kind of vain expectation as if we can get back to something we had before.   Dennis:  Some months before our granddaughter, Molly, died, I received an email from the gentleman who heads up FamilyLife in New Zealand.  His name is Andy Bray, he and his wife Nikki have given leadership to FamilyLife there for more than a dozen years.  Their daughter who was 15 or 16 years of age, at the time, was killed in a tragic flood in New Zealand along with 5 or 6 other young people who were all first class Christian leaders.   It was a reward trip for these young people, and I received that email some months before Molly's death.  And I have to tell you that in those seven days of Molly's life, I kept thinking, that has to be harder, a harder thing to bear, to have had a relationship with your daughter for 16 years and now, to say goodbye.   I mean it's one thing for my daughter and son-in-law to have a relationship for seven days and say goodbye, and the more I tried to work this equation out in my mind, I came to the conclusion that it was futility.  It was a waste of time.  Am I wrong? Jerry:  No, you are right.  Comparing loss is vain.  It's like comparing headaches; I mean people will describe their headaches in lots of different ways.  Well, how are you going to determine which one is worse?  I mean it's silly in the first place.   I put it this way; all losses are bad, just bad in different ways.  How can you compare say the loss of a spouse to death and the loss of a spouse to divorce?  How can you compare the loss of a child to death or say the loss of a child to waywardness, they are both bad.  And they stand on their own and we need to treat them as unique and sacred in and of themselves.   I tell you that was one of the reasons why I hesitated to write this book.  My story is kind of sensational in a way, I mean this big event and three people are killed in this drunken driving accident. Everybody sort of gasps and I became almost an instant celebrity in Spokane overnight and I didn't like that.  And the reason why I didn't like that was because I was so profoundly aware of other kinds of losses that were as severe  as mine, just different, and maybe not visible and maybe not as prone to receive sympathy from other people.  Let me give you an example, some guy came up to me a couple of years after the accident and said I've resented you for two years.  And I said, “why, I hardly know you”, and he said, “your tragedy turned you into a hero, my tragedy has only brought more pain.  My wife left me for another woman,” he said, “and I've had to deal with catastrophic consequences, but I'm nobody's hero.”   That was very sobering for me to hear, it wasn't very nice for him to say, but it was very sobering for me to hear, recognizing that there are lots of losses that do not receive very much public attention.   If they do, it's not with sympathy.  I hesitated to write the book and when I decided to write it, I inserted Chapter Two:  Whose Loss is Worse, just to protect myself from being made some kind of false celebrity because of my loss.  There are lots of ways to suffer, lots of ways to experience pain, and mine is only one.  And there are lots of things I don't know, I don't know what it means to experience, let's say the long term effects of terminal illness or injuries from which a person cannot recover.   Bob:  You know, it was interesting, Barbara, to hear you reflect back on what had an impact on you as you read Jerry's book.  I asked Maryann last night, the same question.  I said what was most impactful as you read the book, and she said probably the chapter on forgiveness.   I thought it's interesting, I don't know that we make a connection between grief and loss and forgiveness, but you see those as being intimately tied together, don't you? Jerry:  I do, and I titled that chapter:  Forgive and Remember, instead of forgive and forget.  I don't think it's possible and I don't think it's healthy to forget anything.  But I think forgiveness can change the way we remember things.   Especially when we've had pain inflicted to us, spouses betrayed us, somebody's done some violent act, say raped us or something like that, or someone has embezzled money and that destroyed our business.  There are lots of ways we suffer loss when the results are catastrophic and somebody willed to do harm to us, directly or indirectly. Bob:  In your case, it was a drunk driver who swerved across the road, right? Jerry:  And smashed into us.  Now he didn't intend to do that, his harm was not malicious in the sense that he was out to kill three members of my family.  But his irresponsible decisions did lead to that and required me to forgive. Bob:  What did you have to go through to get to forgiveness? Jerry:  I think there were two phases to it; the more immediate and obvious one was the trial when the drunken driver was acquitted on a technicality and he walked away.  That only added kind of a bitter cast to an already difficult journey in forgiving somebody who had had such a significant impact on my life.  I learned in the process that forgiveness is not a singular act, it's a process you go through.  And I think the most significant decision we make, is to say, we want to forgive.  Not that we forgive at the time, but we want to go through the process where forgiveness begins to take place.  And we get to the point where we can wish the person well and pray for them. Bob:  You have heard some amazing, well; you've gotten some amazing feedback to the book.  Letters, you were saying earlier, not a week goes by that you don't hear from someone who God has used your story and your book profoundly in their lives.   Jerry:  Yes, but it's a strange thing, there's a kind of an otherness to this book.  I actually brought it with me.  I've reread it once since I wrote it and that was when the new edition came out about five years ago, about the only time I ever cracked it.   I skimmed it a little bit yesterday and it was a strange experience, because it's almost as if I didn't write it, it has a quality of otherness to it.   As if it's not quite mine, I think the closest it would come would be the way that parents feel about their children.  Is that those children are so much a part of you but when you look at them and get to know them you realize they're so other than you, too.  And that's how I feel about this book.  Dennis:  You did tell a story before we came in the studio of a letter you have received from a woman who had a brother who was murdered.   Jerry:  And this was after 28 years.  And through those 28 years of suffering she described it as being very harsh, very hard.  She feels like she lost her mother permanently in the wake of her brother's murder and this sort of thing.   She decided that she needed to forgive the murderer of her brother, so she did research, found out where he was in the prison system and asked if she could have permission to visit him.  He sort of coldly gave her permission, and so she went to see him and God gave her two words, on the ride to see him, and these are very powerful to me. The first is, you're never beyond the reach of the grace of God, and the second is you can always become the man God wants you to be, even if you're in prison.  And she met this man, forgave him, he broke down and sobbed, came to know the Lord and their relationship continues to this day.   That's a powerful example of forgiveness, but it's a little troubling to me too, because it doesn't always happen quite that easily.  Sometimes it is a process.  It's a journey and you have to go through phases of forgiveness to get to the point where you can really wish the person well and trust them to the good hand of God and pray for them Dennis:  Your story and just what you said reminds me of Romans 12: 18, and these are powerful in my life because there's a person I've had to forgive, more than one obviously over my lifetime, but one where this is very real to me.  “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord.”   It's interesting, Jerry, as I have very imperfectly attempted to be obedient to that passage and have prayed for not only to be able to forgive and to be at peace.  As I thought about the wrath of God I've prayed for that person to be delivered from the wrath of God, because I know what that means.  It potentially could mean an eternity separated from God.   Jerry:  Oh, what a terrible burden a person has to bear for wrongdoing.   I would always choose to be the victim of wrongdoing, than to be the perpetrator of wrongdoing.   Early on that came to me, by the way, is I thought about what it would mean for me to change positions.  And I didn't want that at all.  You know, ironically, we like to claim justice.  We really want, we think we want to live in a fair world, but I'm not sure we want the world to be fair.  On the one hand maybe some bad things wouldn't happen to us that have happened to us over the years.   But grace isn't fair either and I'd rather live in a world that is unfair, knowing that I am going to take some hits along the way, as I have, and will continue to experience if I know that grace is available to me too, because  the unfairest thing in the world is grace.   I think about our Lord who had to wear a crown of thorns, the only one in all of human history who was not deserving of that crown of thorns, so that we could wear a crown of honor.  Dennis:  Hmm, what a picture Jerry:  There is no fairness in that at all. Dennis:  And the reality of that is that it all occurred through suffering.  Jerry:  It all occurred through suffering.  In fact, that is the answer to the problem of evil.  This is where the Christian answer to evil is so paradoxical and so glorious and beautiful.   The Bible's answer to suffering, is suffering, the suffering of God in human flesh.  God chooses out of his pure love for fallen humanity, to actually enter into the world.  And instead of entering it with a glorious birth, announced and heralded by sounding trumpets, he was born into a pathetic stable.  He grows up in obscurity.  He is a carpenter's son, he never gets a first rate education.  He didn't really get an education at all, except in the synagogue. He has a three year ministry, and then he suffers death on a cross.  We are talking about God doing this.  This is the Bible's answer to suffering, God's suffering and then the triumph in the resurrection. Dennis:  The apostle Peter says this about that suffering of Christ, “Beloved do not be surprised at the fiery trial which comes upon you  to test you as though something strange were happening, but rejoice, in so far as you share in Christ's sufferings, that you may be able to rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” Jerry:  And Paul writes, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”  This is one of the strange things that's occurred in our own experience, is a rejoicing in the experience. Not because we're glad it happened, we'll never be that, bad is always bad, but because of what's come as a result. Bob:  You are talking about what is come in your own life, your own experience of God's grace in the midst of all of this.  But also, what has come through you in the book that you have written, A Grace Disguised:  How the Soul Grows through Loss.  God has used powerfully in the lives of folks sitting around this table and tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of folks who have read the book.  And God's used it in a great way to minister to them in their own sense of grief and loss.  Jerry:  But I will say, that no book, however, well read or however life-changing will ever justify, explain or excuse the pain that was visited upon us.  These are separate things altogether.  I don't like it when people sort of explain something because of the good outcome.  Joseph really gave us the right formula here, you meant it for evil, God worked it out for good, but the evil was still evil. Bob:  Yes, that's right and we don't want to do anything to try to minimize the reality of that, but in the comfort you've received from God you have been able to be faithful to do what 2 Corinthians 1 says, to comfort others with the comfort you've received.  And you do that through your book and we want to encourage listeners who are in the midst of a season of suffering or a season of loss to get a copy of the book, A Grace Disguised: How a Soul Grows Through Loss.  You can find out more about it online at FamilyLifeToday.com.   While you are on our web site you will also see information about Barbara Rainey's new book written with your daughter Rebecca Mutz.  It tells the story of the life, the short life, of your granddaughter Molly, who was born a year ago at this time and lived for seven days.   The book is called A Symphony in the Dark:  Hearing God's Voice in Seasons of Grief, and we do have copies of that book in our FamilyLife Today Resource Center as well.  You can get more information about it online at FamilyLifeToday.com or call toll free, 1-800 FLTODAY, 1-800-358-6329.  Someone on our team will let you know how you can get either or both of these books sent to you.   We also want to be quick today to say thank you so much to those of you who help underwrite the syndication and production costs of this program, to make it possible for the program to be heard on this station and on our network of stations all across the country.  Our listeners and especially those of you who can help support this program financially, you make it possible for this program to continue and we appreciate you so much.   This month if you are able to make a donation of any amount to help support the ministry of FamilyLife Today, we'd like to say thank you by sending you a CD that features a conversation  we had not long ago with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, the author and the speaker on the daily radio program Revive our Hearts.   Nancy has written a book called Choosing Forgiveness and we wanted to explore what the Bible teaches about the subject of forgiveness with her.  That conversation is available as our way of saying thank you this month when you do make a donation to support the ministry of FamilyLife Today.   If your donation is online, you'll see a key code box on the donation form as you fill it out online.  Type the word “forgive” in the box and we'll send you the CD, or if you call 1-800-FLTODAY you can make your donation by phone and just mention that you would like the CD and we are happy to send it to you.  And again we appreciate you so much for partnering with us, here at the ministry of FamilyLife Today.   Tomorrow we are going to talk with a young woman who lives in NYC, about a different kind of loss than we have talked about already this week.   We are going to talk about being young and single, and wishing you were married, and dealing with the sense of loss that comes with that.  Carolyn Leutwiler is going to join us tomorrow, hope you can be back with us as well.   I want to thank our engineer today Keith Lynch and our entire broadcast production team on behalf of our host Dennis Rainey I'm Bob Lepine.  We will see you back tomorrow for another edition of FamilyLife Today. FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock Arkansas Help for today.  Hope for tomorrow. © 2009 FamilyLife   We are so happy to provide these transcripts to you.  However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website.  If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider donating today to help defray the costs?   Copyright © FamilyLife.  All rights reserved. www.FamilyLife.com     

Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley join Sharon Swing to discuss 'A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Thru Loss,' by Jerry Sittser.You can purchase the book here on Amazon.Here is the book's description:With vulnerability and honesty, Jerry Sittser walks through his own grief and loss to show that new life is possible - one marked by spiritual depth, joy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation of simple blessings.Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife, and his young daughter. While most of us will not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, all of us will taste it. And we can, if we choose, know the grace that transforms it.A Grace Disguised plumbs the depths of our sorrows, whether due to illness, divorce, or the loss of someone we love. The circumstances are not important; what we do with those circumstances is. In coming to the end of ourselves, we can come to the beginning of a new life.If you are interested in becoming equipped to facilitate others thru 'Listen to My Life' life mapping materials, you can get more information about our upcoming Facilitator Certification Workshop, November 18-20 in the Chicago Area. You can find more information here: https://onelifemaps.lpages.co/november_2019-facilitator-certification-workshop-landing-pagePlease explore www.onelifemaps.com to download a free introduction booklet to 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story,' that contains the artwork we refer to in this episode. You can purchase your 'Listen to My Life' portfolio on that website, too.Sharon Swing and others on our team offer one-on-one coaching or spiritual direction as guidance thru the 'Listen to My Life' experience in addition to virtual coaching groups that happen several times a year.Please join us for a virtual journey thru 'Listen to My Life' starting September 10, 2019 with Sharon Swing, Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley. Find out more at: https://onelifemaps.lpages.co/september-2019-listen-to-my-life-virtual-workshop-landing-pageAudio Meditations as a Thank You for Your SupportWe're on a mission to help people recognize and respond to God in their story. Will you help? Become a patron of OneLIfe Maps at the $5 a month or more level at http://www.patreon.com/onelifemaps recieve access to recorded audio meditations that are created to assist you in becoming self-aware and God-aware.Sibyl Towner and I (Sharon Swing), co-authored the 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story' visual maps, and we produce the oneLifemaps podcast along with our friend and Director of Facilitator Development, Joan Kelley.We are offering you the opportunity to support the continuation of the oneLifemaps podcast and the publishing of 'Listen to My Life' in and weekly audio meditations as a token of our appreciation.If we can serve you, please let us know by emailing us here.EquipmentWe've had some questions about our podcasting equipment. Here is what we use, with links to Amazon included:Recorder https://amzn.to/2WoWgOsMicrophones: https://amzn.to/2SuA27bMicrophone Stands: https://amzn.to/2UcPdnbHeadset: https://amzn.to/2T8loHSMicrophone Wind Screens: https://amzn.to/2T7xlh3Headset Extension Cords: https://amzn.to/2VsuPP0Headset Cable Splitter: https://amzn.to/2tGMoyP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The quickest way for anyone to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after the sun, but to head east, plunging into the darkness until one comes to the sunrise.” -Jerry L. Sittser National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day was October 15th, and I wanted to honor this sacred day by dedicating an episode to mothers who walk through life with a piece of their heart and soul missing. If this is you, I hope that today’s episode on how to move through grief might offer some comfort. Today’s guest is Anna Packard, a mother of four who lost her infant son Charlie when he was four months old. She also has a PhD in clinical psychology and is a therapist at Balance Health and Healing, so she has both personal and professional experience in how to move through grief toward joy after immense loss. How to Move Through GriefRemember, the only way out is through: practice willingness, prioritize self-care (which includes finding a support group of other mothers who have lost children), and allow all emotions. What we resist, persists. Look for beauty, gifts, and meaning along the way. Assigning your own meaning to your experience can be a powerful step toward healing. Remember that you are stronger than you realize. (This is very hard to hear in the early stages of grief, but you will find that it is true with time.) Show NotesAnna’s website: balancehealthandhealing.com Anna’s Instagram: @balancehealthhealing A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser Grief support for parents who have experience loss through miscarriage, stillborn, or infant loss. http://www.shareparentsofutah.org/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/326053507470465/ Utah SIDS parents group on FB https://www.facebook.com/groups/569722193074649/ Episodes from 3 in 30: “Three Messages of Hope for the Darkest Times“ “How to Support a Loved One who is Grieving“ -Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? Or do you already have a podcast but are frustrated because it isn’t growing as much as you’d like it to? Podcast University is open for enrollment again now through November 1st! Podcast U is an online school for all things podcasting that I run with my dear friend, the host from About Progress, Monica Packer. -Join us for one of our FREE courses this month both about starting a podcast AND growing a podcast. Go to 3in30podcast.com/podcastu for ALL the details. -We are celebrating the second birthday of 3 in 30 this month! Please join 3 in 30 listeners around the world in sharing your own three takeaways. Go to 3in30podcast.com/birthday for all the details on how to participate. Do you have any personal experience with grief? What have you done or are you doing to move through it? Share in a comment below.

This week we conclude our discussion on grief. Chaka & Carly walk us through their grief process and we learn some practical do's and don't's when helping loved ones cope with loss. Books mentioned in this episode: A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser, Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman, Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller, and The One Year Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the cast members and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Christ Community Church.

Please note that there may be a slight pause before the talk begins.

Episode Summary:   If you have lost a spouse and are now widowed, or you have a friend who is a new widow, then today is the perfect show for you. We’re going to talk about what it’s like to become a widow or widower, how to help a grieving widow, and how to support a widow in such a trying time.   Seven years ago, Lisa Appelo went to bed happily married to her high school sweetheart and woke up a widow and single mom of seven. As she navigated grief and shepherded her children through their own grief, God not only mended her broken heart but reshaped it. Before this happened to her, she didn’t know how to help a grieving widow, but now she shares from her experience to help us understand how to help a widow who is grieving.   In this episode, we are going to discuss what it’s like to unexpectedly become a widow.  Lisa shared from her experience how to help a grieving widow. We discuss what to say or do that is helpful, as well as things to avoid saying because they aren’t helpful and may, in fact, be hurtful. And we also discuss things a widow can do to help themselves during the grief process.   Quotables from the episode:   If you have lost a spouse and are now widowed, or you have a friend who is a new widow, then today is the perfect show for you. If you want to know how to help a grieving widow, then I’d encourage you to listen to this episode. We will ALL need this information at some point in our lives. Sometimes the hardest part after the death of a spouse is the loss of a future together. There are no more plans or dreams or time together. Nobody ever teaches us how to grieve. It takes us by surprise, and everyone’s experience is a little different. Two things anchored us during the grief process: getting away alone and reading the Bible, and keeping a gratitude journal of the things I saw God do for us and around us. God does not take the pain away from us, but He is present with us in the hard times. The second year, in many ways, is harder than the first year after a spouse dies because by then the fog has lifted. One of the hardest aspects of grief is the loneliness we experience. The person we most want to share life with is gone. Grief is a deep loss that we will never get over. When you have a grieving friend, show up and be present. Don’t wait for them to call you and ask for help. Say “I love you,” “I’m praying for you,” “I’m here for you,” “I’m so very sorry for your loss,” and “How can I pray specifically for you?” Follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting and do things to help without being asked. Send a text during the day, take their children out with yours, mow their lawn, take their car for its annual inspection, etc. Others’ words can’t change anything, but God’s Word can change everything. When you have a grieving friend, be careful of saying “I understand how you feel” because everyone’s experience is different from yours. When someone is grieving and crushed in spirit, we need to be okay with just sitting with them and letting them lament. Job’s friends came and sat with him in silence in his grief. They didn’t get in trouble until they started talking and hypothesizing about why God allowed him to experience such hardship.   Key Scriptures:   James 1:27 “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” Psalm 68:5 “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows-this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” 1 Timothy 5:5 “The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.”   Recommended Resources:   “A Grace Revealed: How God Redeems the Story of Your Life” by Jerry Sittser “A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss” by Jerry Sittser “Widowed: When Death Sucks the Life Out of You” by Fran Geiger Joslin “Countdown to Christmas; Unwrap the Christmas Story with Your Family in 15 Days” by Lisa Appelo https://drmichellebengtson.com/grieve-well/ https://drmichellebengtson.com/is-it-grief-or-depression/ https://drmichellebengtson.com/15-tips-to-survive-grief/ https://drmichellebengtson.com/truths-to-remember-when-it-feels-like-life-is-falling-apart/ https://drmichellebengtson.com/ask-dr-b-helping-the-grieving-at-christmas/ “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award     Social Media Links for Host and Guest:   Stay connected with Lisa Appelo   Website: https://lisaappelo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trueandfaithful Twitter: https://twitter.com/AppeloLisa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaappelo/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/appelo9/   For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:   To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/ Website: https://drmichellebengtson.com/ Blog: https://drmichellebengtson.com/blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMBengtson (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichellebengtson/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmichellebengtson/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drbhopeprevails/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichelleBengtson Radio Show Host: http://graceandtruthradio.world/shows/your-hope-filled-perspective/   Air Date: June 3, 2019   Guest: Lisa Appelo, Bible teacher, writer, speaker on faith in the hard & real hope. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson

In this episode, Nick Oyler, our regular host, shares his story of going through a painful season of ministry. He is joined by special guest host, Mitch Lamb, and they talk about the things that Nick has done over the years to care for his soul so that he could overcome ministry adversity. The heart of this episode is to get a dialogue going that can help other pastors, particularly young pastors to prepare their souls so that ministry adversity does not knock them out of ministry. Here are some great resources: The Self-Aware Leader: Discovering Your Blind Spots to Reach Your Ministry Potential (https://www.amazon.com/Self-Aware-Leader-Discovering-Ministry-Potential/dp/0830844805/ref=sr_1_11_sspa?crid=2UI1A6KB22WQR&keywords=pastoral+care&qid=1560344834&s=digital-text&sprefix=pastoral+%2Cdigital-text%2C152&sr=1-11-spons&psc=1) by Terry Linhart A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss (https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Disguised-Soul-Grows-through-ebook/dp/B001UFMUE8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TLKOSJMDAMXN&keywords=gerald+sittser&qid=1560344980&s=digital-text&sprefix=Gerald+si%2Cdigital-text%2C148&sr=1-1) by Jerry Sittser Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity: Trigonometry for Pastoral Work (https://www.amazon.com/Working-Angles-Pastoral-Integrity-Trigonometry-ebook/dp/B001E95V3M/ref=sr_1_12?crid=TV3KVDN7LVWZ&keywords=eugene+peterson&qid=1560345099&s=digital-text&sprefix=Eugen%2Cdigital-text%2C152&sr=1-12)by Eugene Peterson The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Director (https://www.amazon.com/Contemplative-Pastor-Returning-Spiritual-Direction-ebook/dp/B0035RP5DW/ref=pd_cp_351_3?pd_rd_w=SIBrK&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=5TX6ES4JJ3TJTNFX8P2R&pd_rd_r=bc13ccad-8d13-11e9-808c-c502df1386e9&pd_rd_wg=9XGzq&pd_rd_i=B0035RP5DW&psc=1&refRID=5TX6ES4JJ3TJTNFX8P2R) by Eugene Peterson Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry (Transforming Resources) (https://www.amazon.com/Strengthening-Soul-Your-Leadership-Transforming/dp/083084645X/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=soul+care&qid=1560345298&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1) by Ruth Haley Barton The Leadership Ellipse: Shaping How We Lead by Who We Are (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+leadership+ellipse&crid=3E4P1SNM4DHO1&sprefix=The+Leadership+e%2Caps%2C144&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_8_16) by Robert A. Fryling

Debi Rooney had an admittedly fairytale life with her husband, three sons, a grandbaby and one on the way.  In January 2009, Debi's fairytale life came to an abrupt end when her husband and oldest son died in a tragic plane accident.  In an instance, Debi became a grieving widow and a grieving mother.  With the peace that only comes from God, Debi shares her testimony of grief and persevering in hope despite deep heartache.  She is a powerful witness of God's goodness in overwhelming loss.    Resource Mentioned: Book of Job  A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser Into the Deep: One Man’s Story of How Tragedy Took His Family but Could Not Take His Faith by Robert T. Rogers  Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman Focus on the Family for a counselor  Philippians 3:10-11  Real Life with Gina Pastore and David James-KKLA   Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed by Frank Pastore  Picking Up My Shattered Pieces: Bouncing Back When Life Throws you a Curve Ball by Gina Pastore  Debi’s non-profit - Wild Goose Lighthouse - a non-profit ministry to practically love others who are in need     Tears of Gold :: Stories of Hope www.tearsofgold.com tearsofgold16@gmail.com IG: @tearsofgold16 FB: @tearsofgold16

Maureen Singer's childhood days were spent in Minnesota. The oldest of three girls, she was in a leadership role right out of the crib. Her mother loved to dress all three of them alike. One particular Sunday she said, “I just cannot go to church looking like the rest of you.” That comment took her and her mother to the fabric store where her passion for sewing was ignited. Uniqueness and perfecting the task at hand were always the underlying thread to all her mother taught her—along with basic sewing skills.   Maureen is the mother of 7 beautiful children; five daughters and two sons. They are the reason a “home-based” business was a perfect fit for her. She was able to stay home with her children and still attend the field trips and school functions.  In 1993, she launched “Singer Sewing Room”.She attended some of Cheryl Strickland’s classes and was eager for education. She has taught sewing classes to young girls and has also taught Home Dec classes at a local fabric store in St. Louis. She enjoys teaching to a room full of students who want to learn about roman shades and pillows and ways to decorate their personal spaces. Maureen is a member of the St. Louis WCAA local chapter, and is a past President of the WCAA chapter, and has attended the CWC Conferences. Maureen is in a great position and loves what she does. Connecting with new people and helping them to create beautiful rooms in their home—one room at a time is something she enjoys. She is thankful for the talent and favor of God in her life. You can find Maureen on Facebook.   Maureen mentioned these books; Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss Soul Proprietor: 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur And also this website; GriefShare

Christina Levasheff had a beautiful and simple life with her husband, young son, and infant daughter.  When her 29 month old son, Judson, began to show some atypical physical symptoms, Christina and her husband began the process of seeking medical attention to discover what was going on.  After some incorrect diagnoses, Judson was ultimately diagnosed with Krabbe Leukodystrophy Disease, a genetic disease that destroys the white matter in the brain.  In just five months, the Levasheffs watched their bright and active two year old lose vision, speech, and all body movements to eventual death.  Throughout the short but intense suffering, Judson retained his mental functioning and joy.  As with all the stories told through Tears of Gold, this is a story of suffering and heartache, but it is also a story of how God met Christina in her pain.  It is a story of how the compassionate Lord gathered her in His arms and comforted her in ways only the good Father can.  And how God has taken that pain and transformed it into a ministry of hope to walk alongside others in their pain.  Christina and her husband, Drake, and their daughter, Jessie use Judson's Legacy to bless the children and families walking a similar journey they did.  I pray you'll be blessed as you hear Christina's sharing in this episode. Books mentioned during episode: A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff Streams in the Desert by L.B.E. Cowman Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon  There Is No Good Card for This: What to Say and Do When Life is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to the People You Love by Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell The book Christina wrote about her loss: Eyes that See: Judson's Story of Hope in Suffering by Christina Levasheff   Follow Tears of Gold: Instagram : @tearsofgold16 Facebook : Tears of Gold :: Stories of Hope Website : www.tearsofgold.com To Leave a Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tearsofgold-podcast/id1195223602?mt  Click blue button on left "View in iTunes" Click "Ratings and Review" Click "Write a Review" Thank you for taking the time to write a review on iTunes! If you or someone you know would be interested in being a guest on Tears of Gold, fill out a contact form here.