All Episodes

Today is an interview with the first guest for the How to Leave Your Child a Legacy Series.

Patti has had quite the journey for over twelve years since the death of her daughter, Megan. I am sure you will take away some valuable thoughts, especially the word of encouragement that hope and helping others, go hand-in-hand.

Patricia Small grew up in the beautiful upper peninsula of Michigan. While doing her medical internship in Houston, she met her husband, Kevin, and they had two children, Megan and Jacob. Their children were the center of their world and life was good, filled with the typical sports and school events.

But Patti’s life changed forever on November 25, 2007.

Her daughter, Megan, was returning to Baylor University after Thanksgiving break when she was killed instantly in a head on collision by a young college student who was texting behind the wheel of his truck.

In March of 2010, a jury in a civil trial found this young man responsible for the wrongful death of Megan Marie Small after only 2 and one-half hours of deliberation. The landmark verdict established a precedent for distracted driving accident victims across Texas and throughout the country and continues to make reckless drivers responsible.

Since that time, Patti has honored her daughter’s life by becoming an advocate for distracted driving awareness in the state of Texas. She is now also an advocate for Texas statewide “hand-free” legislation and looks forward to her retirement years when she can become a full-time advocate and speaker in the local schools and student driving facilities.

Email Patti Small at [email protected]

Listen to podcast episode 32: Why Should I Go to a Retreat?

I am interested in sponsoring a podcast in honor of my child.

Richie Rudkin was born on January 27 and is forever 27.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard 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 judgement in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

We can make sure our child’s legacy continues to live on in a way that makes a difference in this world, even if he or she never took a breath outside the womb.

This episode is laying the foundation for the series Helping Your Child Leave a Legacy. For the next few weeks we will be talking to parents who have done everything from starting a local support group, to raising money for a cause, to writing books, to starting businesses and non-profits, to helping change laws.

Your child’s life mattered! The fact that your child died matters; it matters to society and it matters to the world. And your pain matters! YOU are the one who can make sure your child is remembered and that his or her life will continue to touch others even though he or she isn’t here on earth any more.

We can take our horrific pain and allow God to help us use it for something good.

I want to know more about placing a heart on the Hope Mobile in loving memory of my child.

I am interested in sponsoring a podcast in honor of my child.

I want to be part of Hope for Hundreds, providing resources and support for other pareavors.

I want to add my child to the GPS Hope Wall of Remembrance.

I want to give a special gift or become a monthly partner with GPS Hope.

Joshua Caldwell was born on January 16 and is forever 28.

Jeanette Marie was born on January 19 and is forever 36.

Hugh Brown was born on January 19 and is forever 18.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard 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 judgement 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 we start 2020, we decided to use this episode to look back and listen to a few minutes of each of the top five podcasts of 2019. (To go directly to these episodes to hear the full discussion, use the links in the “Links referred to” section below.)

The very first Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast went out on April 23rd, and that first one ended up being the fifth most popular. This was the first of eight episodes that deal with the difficult and necessary subject of forgiveness.

#5 – Episode 1: Is Forgiveness Really Necessary?

The episode that came in next, was the first one in a series about fears we deal with after the death of our child. There are so many fears we now must constantly fight our way through. The episode that laid the foundation for talking about some of the specific fears was number four.

#4 – Episode 12: Facing Our Fears After the Death of our Child

The third most popular episode of 2019 was from the series on how to take care of ourselves, body, soul and spirit. The episode where I talked about how the death of our child affects us emotionally seemed to be of interest to a lot of us.

#3 – Episode 22: The Emotional Breakdown

The podcast episode that came in second was part two of an interview with Glen Lord. Glen lost his 4 ½ year old son in 1999, so he has been on this journey for over twenty years and has so much wisdom and guidance for bereaved parents.

#2 – Episode 20 Finding Your Direction Again (with Glen Lord)

The number one Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast episode for 2019 was also with a guest. Ron Kelly has a passion for grief within the workplace, including how it affects employers, co-workers, and us as employees after the death of our child. This episode was packed with all kinds of help and information that goes beyond just the workplace.

#1 – Episode 9: Grief and the Workplace (with Ron Kelly)

So those are the top five podcast episodes for 2019.

Thank you for being a listener. With all the things going on in your life, we don’t take it lightly that you would take the time to hear what we hope is encouraging and helpful on this unwanted journey we have found ourselves on.

If you have a subject you would like to be discussed, or someone you think would be a good guest, I would love to hear from you. Let me know by emailing me at [email protected].

NOTE: Any podcast can easily be found by using the URL: gpshope.org/podcast/#   but instead of the # put in the actual number of the podcast, such as gpshope.org/podcast/28.

#5 – Episode 1: Is Forgiveness Really Necessary? (The other episodes in this series are 2-8.)

#4 – Episode 12: Facing Our Fears After the Death of our Child (The other episodes in this series are 13-18.)

#3 – Episode 22: The Emotional Breakdown (The other episodes in this series are 23-27.)

#2 – Episode 20 Finding Your Direction Again with Glen Lord (Part one is episode 19.)

#1 – Episode 9: Grief and the Workplace with Ron Kelly

I want to keep this podcast listener supported (either with a special gift or become a monthly partner).

Ryan Hines was born on January 7 and is forever 27.

Adrienne was born on January 11 and is forever 19.

Jake Kalicki was born on January 12 and is forever 17.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard 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 judgement 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 new year is now upon us. For most people, anything that is new evokes a measure of excitement with possibilities, especially a new year.

But for those who have had to face the darkness of the death of their child, “new” can bring almost a panicked feeling, as if we are leaving our child behind. This especially applies to the new year for those who lost their child within the past year.

Podcast host, Laura Diehl, shares three things that going into a new year usually brings to bereaved parents, based on her own experience after the death of her daughter, Becca.

And to help you with that, Laura offers some suggestions to move you in that direction.

A new year can bring new hope, new light, new life and new possibilities. What is discussed in this podcast episode can help with something we cannot control – crossing over into a new year.

Blog: Three Ways to Face Bittersweet Events as a Bereaved Parent

Order a signed copy of When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life With Hope and Healing after the Death of Your Child from GPS Hope for a discount price of only $14 plus get a FREE copy of My Grief Journey: A Coloring Book and Journal for Bereaved Parents. Take me to the GPS Hope store.  (Put the book When Tragedy Strikes in your cart, and use the promo code PODCAST37.)

Sponsor a podcast episode in memory of you child.

There are no birthdays to share this week.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard 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 judgement in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

We all need a deeper revelation of God’s love for us, but especially those who are questioning God’s love after the death of their child.

There are so many things that show God’s love. We just need to have our eyes and hearts open to see and receive them. In this episode, Laura does her best to point the listeners in the right direction to have this happen.

Book: He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobson

Give a gift to GPS Hope to help continue providing resources and support to grieving parents

Sponsor an In Loving Memory heart on the Hope Mobile for your son or daughter

Ryan Durkin was born on December 27 and is forever 19.

Tevin Tyon was born on December 28 and is forever 21.

Melanie Bach was born on December 30 and is forever 46.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard 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 judgement in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.