Lori courageously shares her deeply personal journey of heartache and healing in hopes of encouraging others who are suffering with grief, bitterness or unforgiveness. On September 20, 2011 Lori lost her son Nathan to a drug overdose. Devastated, something in Lori led her to immediately pray to God specifically. Heartbroken that God did not heal her son from his addiction, she still chose to trust Him. She asked God to help her get through it, to keep her from bitterness, and to stop this event from breaking her family. In this episode Lori shares:

• About her son Nathan and his big heart for people and his dream of becoming an EMT
• Her family discovering there was an issue with heroin and God opening doors for treatment and support through a new faith filled friend
• The tragic day of losing her son and the prayers at that moment that would help her to find healing over time
• Facing the drug dealer, the court battle and the unexpected heartfelt apology that facilitated her closure
• Forgiving the drug dealer and the miraculous letter he sent back to them about acceptance of Jesus
• A powerful experience God allowed her to have with Nathan (and his message) that gave her peace and confirmation that he is in heaven
• Practical tips for finding healings to add to prayer include finding the right support group, therapist, friends
• Journaling was therapeutic way to help process her pain
• People grieve differently and that must be understood and respected in the family
• It is important to grieve, and give grace as it is a process that takes time
• You can find joy again in spite of the hard moments

Lori, I am honored that you would trust me to share your testimony. Your willingness to step out in faith to share such a personal event in your life in the hopes of helping even just one person is beautiful. I pray for continued healing for your family and for blessings! Proverbs 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." "I love my life. I can still have tough days, but I definitely try to look for the small miracles in every day. I honestly believe one hundred percent had I gotten bitter and angry, I never would've had God's best for me. I wanted to be an example for my daughters. I wanted them to know that we could go through this as a family, but we could live with the grief. If we allow God to be in our life, He can fill us with that peace that we need to carry on each day." How to contact Lori: [email protected] Drug abuse SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357 Confidential free help