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This episode is the first of three, which will discuss the familiar verse of Isaiah 61:3 that says God will give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness.

Laura begins this mini-series by bringing back Lin Findlay, to join her by talking specifically about beauty for ashes. Lin has been on this journey of  child loss for over thirty years, which gives her a lot of personal experience on this topic.

Lin Findlay has worked with grieving families for over 30 years. After losing her daughter in 1989, she started a resource and referral service for grieving families. Soon after she began providing personalized aftercare solutions for hundreds of funeral homes across the nation. Lin is now an aftercare specialist who has created, facilitated, and coordinated hundreds of workshops, services, and support groups. As a Christian lay counselor, Lin’s highest honor is to enter people’s lives and help make a difference. To date, Lin has supported over 158,000 people on behalf of funeral homes across North America.

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Connect with Lin by email: [email protected] 

Connect with Lin by phone: (315) 725-6132

Information about the October 2023 Grief Cruise.

Sign up to join Laura live to talk about our health after child loss on Thursday evening, October 13.

Joshua Nicholson was born on October 9 and left us at age 29.

Niyam Deloatch  was born on October 10 and left us at age 20.

Jeff Dunkleman was born on October 10 and left us at age 53.

James Fielding was born on October 10 and left us at age 28.

Laura Rodríguez was born on October 10 and left us at age 33.

Mitchell Ang was born on October 12 and left us at age 17.

Isaac Cojocarescu was born on October 14 and left us at age 10.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

When our child dies, we don’t want to be here so we just don’t care what happens to us. Our health suffers dramatically because of that, plus our bodies are out of whack for a long time.

After child loss, many of us turn to comfort foods in a big way, and we don’t feel like being active, which causes our weight to become out of control. When we get a few years down the road, at some point we realize how badly our unhealthy habits have affected us, and we know we need to get it under control but it is so very difficult. We know what to do, we just don’t do it.

In this episode, Laura allows herself to become vulnerable as she shares her health journey, both where she has come from and where she is now, encouraging other pareavors to take care of themselves. Laura believes so much in how important our health is on our grief journey that she has decided to walk with pareavors who are ready to join her in getting healthy.

The Hope for Your Health Webinar date has now passed. However, if you would like to have Laura do a personal one-on-one health assesment with you, click here.

Find out more about how to join GPS Hope on The Grief Cruise in October 2023.

Joshua Konaszewski was born on October 2 and left us at age 24.

Joshua Cripps was born on October 3 and left us at age 44.

Paul Meyer was born on October 4 and left us at age 29.

Joshua Kirkendall was born on October 6 and left us at age 14.

Daniel Bryce Briggs was born on October 6 and left us at age 19.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

The discussion between Laura and Teresa McCloy is a gold mine of depth and richness that is so desperately needed when facing the painful darkness of child loss.

In this episode you will hear:

This is a good one, so after listening, be sure to pass it along to other pareavors!

Teresa McCloy is the creator and founder of the REALIFE Process®, as well as an author.  Her first book Do What Matters, Live from Rest Not Rush will release this fall.  In the book, Teresa shares her authentic story of a recovering workaholic and her journey, through the loss of her son to drug addiction, to a new way of truly living. Teresa’s passion is to help others outline for themselves sustainable behaviors, rhythms, and routines, so they can live from an internal place of rest.                                                                                                                                   

Teresa loves to travel. When she is not on the road speaking, coaching clients, recording her podcast, or training new facilitators, Teresa enjoys being on the fourth-generation family grain farm in central Illinois with Dale, her husband of forty years, tending her wildflower garden, or enjoying a great cup of coffee with a friend.

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Connect with Teresa

The Real Life Process website

Do What Matters book

Teresa’s Facebook page

Teresa on Instagram

Other links mentioned:

The Velveteen Rabbit read by Meryl Streep  (This is only a partial reading. I could not find a version of the full book.)

Click the Amazon link below for the version of the Velveteen Rabbit book that I keep in the Hope Mobile. NOTE: If you buy the book through this link, a small portion of the purchase price will be sent to GPS Hope as an affiliate link.

Michael was born on September 22 and left us at age 36.

Brittany Evans was born on September 25 and left us at age 26.

Cody Simmons was born on September 25 and left us at age 25.

Bethany Patton was born on September 25 and left us at age 31.

Kara McLeod was born on September 27 and left us at age 23.

Cherie Martinez was born on September 28 and left us at age 31.

Shea Thomas Patno was born on September 29 and left us at age 15.

Giovanna Giannini was born on September 30 and left us at age 20.

Aaliyah Henderson was born on October 1 and left us at age 4.

Corey Ryan Woodrich was born on October 1 and left us at age 31.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

Shirley Thiessen is one of Laura’s first returning guests, which is saying a lot since the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast has been going for over three years now!

In the previous episode, Shirley shared an incredible story, about a little black funeral dress, and then she and Laura start discussing five things Shirley wishes she had known about grief before the death of her son, Jordan.

It is highly recommended to listen to that episode first, (episode 176) since this discussion picks up where they left off, talking about the third thing Shirley wishes she had known, which is the fact that deep grief has no timeline.

Twelve days after her son’s wedding, Shirley Thiessen was thrown into the unimaginable task of planning his funeral. Grief threatened to extinguish her purpose. Hope and resiliency gradually emerged as she chose to participate with God to recycle her pain for His good purpose. Because most people are uncertain how to support those who grieve, Shirley founded the grief ministry, CornerBend Ministries, along with creating a playbook of best practices to build confidence and effectiveness.  

Shirley and her husband Carey live in Calgary, AB, Canada. Their daughter, Chantel, is also active in the grief ministry.  

 (Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Shirley’s websites: Corner Bend Ministries and  shirleythiessen.com

To email Shirley: [email protected]

Look at the H.O.P.E. shirts and mug here.

Click here to help GPS Hope continue providing support and resources to pareavors. Every dollar helps! (You can also become a monthly supporter, becoming a grieving parent sharing hope with the same link.)

Rodney Lorenz was born on September 18 and left us at age 49.

Alistair James Fleming was born on September 19  and left us at age 26.

Nathan Young was born on September 19 and left us at age 19.

Acacia Goertzen was born on September 19 and left us at age 15.

Brittany Melton was born on September 19 and left us at age 25.

Justin Balducci was born on September 19 and left us at age 35.

Maya Tarbet was born on September 20 and left us at age 13.

Nicole Zanoni Romualdo was born on September 21 and left us at 16 months.

Ryan Bradley was born on September 22 and left us at age 25.

Alyssa Barker was born on September 22 and left us at age 33.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

Shirley Thiessen is one of Laura’s first returning guests, which is saying a lot since the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast has been going for over three years now! Her previous interview is our number one listened to episode, so it makes sense to have her back on, doesn’t it?

In this episode, Shirley shares an incredible story, about a little black funeral dress, and then she and Laura start discussing five things Shirley wishes she had known about grief before the death of her son, Jordan.

Shirley and Laura talked for over an hour, so this interview is in two parts, with the completion of their discussion being aired next week.

Twelve days after her son’s wedding, Shirley Thiessen was thrown into the unimaginable task of planning his funeral. Grief threatened to extinguish her purpose. Hope and resiliency gradually emerged as she chose to participate with God to recycle her pain for His good purpose. Because most people are uncertain how to support those who grieve, Shirley founded the grief ministry, CornerBend Ministries, along with creating a playbook of best practices to build confidence and effectiveness.  

Shirley and her husband Carey live in Calgary, AB, Canada. Their daughter, Chantel, is also active in the grief ministry.  

 (Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Shirley’s websites: Corner Bend Ministries and  shirleythiessen.com

To email Shirley: [email protected]

Listen to previous podcast with Shirley Thiessen: God Can Recycle Your Pain after Child Loss

Podcast 111: Why Bother Praying Anymore?

Look at the H.O.P.E. shirts and mug here.

Zachary Tyler was born on September 11 and left us at age 18.

Petrina Charlean Bostic was born on September 12 and left us at age28.

Haleigh Douglas was born on September 15 and left us at age 42.

Justin Seehafer was born on September 16 and left us at age 28.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

Since September 11 is National Grandparents Day, Laura decided to do an episode about our parents, who are obviously the grandparents of our children who have died.

The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is very unique and special. With the death of a precious grandchild, the grandparents get hit with a double whammy. They’ve lost a big piece of their heart that will never be filled, and they also have the added agony of watching their own child be plunged into an abyss of darkness.

This is a bit of a longer episode, as Laura talks about both sides, not only seeing things from the grandparents’ view, but also from the pareavors view who feel either supported or not supported from their parents.

Listen to referred podcast episode Why Bother Praying Anymore?

Check out our HOPE – Hold On Pain Eases shirts here.

Join over 2000 other pareavors and receive a weekly Word of Hope.

I would like to sponsor an episode in honor of my child.

Toni was born on September 4 and left us at age 24.

David Hector Toledo was born on September 5 and left us at age 41.

Francesca Anne C. Agravante was born on September 6 and left us at age 8.

Alyshia DeFranco was born on September 6 and left us at age 24.

Brady Keith Herbert was born on September 7 and left us at age 30.

Jacob Sorouri was born on September 8 and left us at age 32.

Emma Ho was born on September 9 and left us at age 10.

Kelli Diane Kirby was born on September 10 and left us at age 31.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

Dreaming about our children after they die is a topic that comes up quite often in emails and conversations.

This week, Laura talks to Dr. Joshua Black, who is a leading academic expert in grief dreams. Laura asked him all kinds of questions, which made for a fascinating discussion.

Listen in, and hopefully some of your questions will be answered as well.

Joshua Black, PhD, is a grief researcher, speaker, consultant, and host of the Grief Dreams Podcast. His work focuses on dreams and continuing bonds after loss, including prenatal and pet loss. As one of the leading academic experts in grief dreams, which can be dreams of the deceased, Dr. Black has directed his efforts on raising awareness about this fascinating phenomenon through media interviews, in addition to speaking engagements and workshops. In addition to his website (Griefdreams.ca), you can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@griefdreams).

 (Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Connect with Dr. Joshua Black:

Website: griefdreams.ca

Instagram: @griefdreams

Kevin Stoneburner was born on September 1 and left us at age 27.

Raelyn Huffman was born on September 2 and left us at age 22.

Fill out the short form to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

This week’s topic is one that can bring a lot of emotion with it, because when our child is gone, all we have left are memories and their belongings.

Should we be packing up their things by a certain time? What if I want to keep everything and take it with me if I have to move? These kinds of questions (and answers) take us all over the place with how different our situations are and where we are on this unwanted journey, and that’s okay.

Listen in as Laura shares from several parents on this subject, (including some who lost their child over thirty years ago) as well as some of her own experiences and thoughts.

Check out our HOPE – Hold On Pain Eases shirts here.

Listen to Facing Our Fears After the Death of Our Child, the first of eight episodes that talk about our fears.

Join over 2000 other pareavors and receive a weekly Word of Hope.

I would like to sponsor an episode in honor of my child.

Frank Cisewski was born on August 22 and left us at age 34.

Evan Sabine was born on August 23 and left us at age 15.

Katie Mullen was born on August 24 and left us at age 19.

Kristina Michelle Lee was born on August 26 and left us at age 26.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

Some of us have been taught by “the church” that we can have whatever we ask, if we believe and have enough faith. Does that mean the death of our child was our fault, for not having enough faith to keep it from happening? Did we not pray enough, or read our Bible enough? How much is “enough”?

Laura has been on this journey of what it means to have “faith” since 1985, when her three-year-old daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer and had to have her left leg amputated along with going through nine months of chemotherapy. The death of that same daughter, twenty-six years later, threw Laura into a very dark place, once again questioning her “faith”.

In this episode, Laura shares what she has learned on this topic that has set her free from any guilt, whether it is sent her way from other Christians, or self-inflicted.

Today’s podcast episode is being sponsored by Chris and ReNae Trebelhorn in honor of their son, Aaron. Thank you, Chris and ReNae for honoring your son, Aaron in such a beautiful way and sharing him with us. ReNae writes:

So here we are on your second birthday away from us trying to memorialize you because you were important and a beautiful soul. You loved all life and wanted to help everyone and everything. When a large fish was stuck in a dammed up part of the river at confirmation camp, you rescued it and put it back into the stream. You would fill a room with your love and gentleness. Nearly everyone was drawn to you and you made them feel important and worthy. You never wanted anyone to be alone or feel alone. Aaron Elliot Trebelhorn, we love you and miss you so very much and absolutely hate that we even need to do this to honor you. Happy 23rd birthday in heaven. Love, mom, dad, your brothers and your sister. 

Add your son or daughter on the Hope Mobile in an In Loving Memory Heart.

Join over 2000 other pareavors and receive a weekly Word of Hope.

I would like to sponsor an episode in honor of my child.

Rebekah Blakkolb was born on August 14 and left us at age 20.

Joshua Egloff was born on August 15 and left us at age 22.

Aaron Trebelhorn was born on August 16 and left us at age 21.

Jeremy Bornemeier was born on August 16 and left us at age 32.

Jadyn Philipps was born on August 17 and left us at age 18.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

As believers in Christ, we are familiar with who Jesus is and what He did for us. We hear a lot about who God is as well. But how much do we know about the third part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit?

Why do we need the Holy Spirit, and how can He help us in our grief? That is what Laura discusses in today’s episode.

As always, there is a place for comments on the GPS Hope website. Just click here to share your thoughts.

Add your son or daughter on the Hope Mobile in an In Loving Memory Heart.

Send an email to let us know where you live, to possibly meet up as we travel in the Hope Mobile.

Join over 2000 other pareavors and receive a weekly Word of Hope.

Travis M. Blair was born on August 9 and left us at age 30.

Tony Summers was born on August 9 and left us at age 15.

Christopher Hotch was born on August 10 and left us at age 31.

Jacob Holiday was born on August 10 and left us at age 26.

Miracle Valentina Harvison was born on August 12 and left us at age 2 ½ months.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.

www.gpshope.org

Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? Contact us at [email protected].

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.