All Episodes

After the death of a child, the idea of joy can feel unreachable, or inappropriate. In this tender episode, we explore a deeper understanding of joy that does not cancel grief or require happiness.

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is a quiet, steady work of God within us. It is something that can exist even while sorrow still weighs heavily on the soul. Drawing from Scripture and lived experience, this episode offers hope to grieving parents who wonder if joy can ever return, and reassurance that joy may look different now, and that’s okay.

This conversation offers hope for grieving parents who are asking hard questions, holding onto faith, and wondering what healing might look like now. If you are searching for hope after loss and reassurance that joy may return, even if it looks a bit different, this episode meets you where you are.

This episode includes a session from the Rebuilding Your Life After Child Loss online workshops, created specifically for grieving parents navigating life after child loss. The workshops are based on the award-winning book When Tragedy Strikes.

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We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

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

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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.

Entering a new year without our child bring heavy emotions for bereaved parents. The turning of the calendar can feel like we are leaving our child behind, especially if this is the first new year since their death. Even years later, the weight of time passing can still take our breath away.

In this episode, Laura pulls up a recording from the archives, inviting listeners to hear from several experienced bereaved parents (pareavors) who have walked through anywhere from six to over thirty new years, without their child. Each guest shares their thoughts and suggestions about how to soften the pain of this difficult transition of entering a new year without our child.  

You may find that one or more of these voices speaks directly to your heart as you step into this new year.

Featured Guests

Reflections of Hope: A Daily Reading for Bereaved ParentsA full year of encouragement written specifically for parents who have lost a child. It doesn’t have to be read daily. Just pick it up on the days you need extra hope and encouragement. Click here to learn more.

Please take a few seconds to leave a rating and review, so other parents can find the same hope you are receiving from this podcast.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Aria Arrona was born on December 31 and is forever 15.

Trenton Plummer was born on December 31 and is forever  22.

Madison Clark was born on January 2 and is forever 20. 

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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 Christmas draws near and a new year approaches, this episode is a gentle pause; a sacred moment set aside to pray over grieving parents who are carrying love and loss side by side.

The heart of the episode is a heartfelt Christmas prayer, spoken just two days before Christmas, acknowledging the unique pain this season holds for parents who are missing a child. Rather than forced cheer, this prayer invites God’s presence, Emmanuel, God with us, into the quiet, heavy and complicated moments of grief.

Listeners are reminded that:

This episode closes with reflections on love, hope, and purpose; how the love we have for our child, when wrapped in God’s love for us, can become a powerful force in this world, even after profound loss.

Join the Patreon community as a way to help keep the podcast ad-free, along with getting special access to things Laura only shares in the Patreon community. Click here.

As the new year approaches, many grieving parents feel the weight of moving forward without their child. Reflections of Hope: A Daily Reading for Bereaved Parents, written specifically with that reality in mind. Learn more: gpshope.org/reflections

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Carissa Perkins was born on December 21 and is forever 29.

Megan Tryphaena Petkau was born on December 23 and is forever 8.

John Ferreira Jr. was born on December 24 and is forever 32.

Diane Holt (Laura’s sister) was born on December 25 and is forever 62.

Isaiah Key was born on December 25 and is forever 13.

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

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Subscribe, share, and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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.

The holiday season can feel unbearably painful after the death of a child. While the world around us glitters with lights, gatherings, and celebrations, we grieving parents feel the weight of loss more intensely during this time of year. In this episode, Laura offers heartfelt guidance, practical support, and spiritual encouragement to help pareavors gently navigate the holidays with compassion for themselves.

Drawing from lived experience, this conversation explores meaningful “gifts” you can give your mind, body, and soul as you move through the weeks ahead, whether this is your first holiday season without your child or your twentieth.

Join Laura live on YouTube at 8:00 PM Central as she shares Sunday’s reading and lights the red candle of love. Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents — a hardback devotional offering comfort throughout the year. Click here to learn more.

Click here to be sent a PDF of Ten Ways to Honor Your Child.

Special December Offer — a free Pareavor bracelet included with every paperback book order (excluding Reflections of Hope, which ships directly from the printer). Click here to claim yours in the GPS Hope webstore, where you will also find wearable hope on clothing merchandise.

Help us keep this podcast ad-free while receiving special encouragement and bonus content. Join the GPS Hope Community on Patreon

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Jeff-Free Hoke was born on December 17 and is forever 33.

Adelaide Rowell was born on December 20 and is forever 19.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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.

Christmas can stir up a deep ache for any parent who has lost a child. The lights, the music, and the memories bring both beauty and pain, often side by side. In this week’s episode, Laura shares a tender and meaningful offering for this difficult season: she reads several comforting and encouraging daily entries (Tuesday through Saturday) from her book Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents.

These readings are meant to gently guide you toward finding God’s peace after child loss at Christmastime, whether you listen all at once or pause after each day’s reflection. This episode provides calm, hope-filled moments to breathe, reflect, and feel less alone during the holidays.

Laura’s hope and prayer for each listener, is that as you move through this sacred and tender season, you experience God’s peace after child loss at Christmastime in ways that meet you gently right where you are. May His love wrap around you like a warm blanket, bringing moments of comfort, hope, and light.

One powerful way to experience and share God’s peace after child loss at Christmastime is to honor your child in a meaningful, lasting way. To Sponsor a podcast episode, click here .

Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

GPS Hope YouTube Channel for weekly Advent candle lighting

Take advantage of purchasing a book and getting a free pareavor/hope bracelet. Click here.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Ashton Boldt was born on December 8 and is forever 22.

Aaron Fitzgerald was born on December 10 and is forever 24.

Tyler Sitter was born on December 12 and is forever 32.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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 we lose a child, part of us dies too. One of the deepest questions a grieving parent asks in those early months and even years is, “Who am I now?” The identity we had as a parent suddenly shifts, and our role looks nothing like what we thought it would. Today’s episode looks at that identity after child loss and what it truly means to be a pareavor.

Most of us never heard a word for a parent who has lost a child until the word pareavor came along. Pareavor gives language to a grief and experience that was never named in our culture. It validates our loss and our story. But as powerful as it is, it still isn’t the whole story of who you are.

In this episode we talk about the deeper identity we carry as believers—one that goes beyond grief and beyond the label of pareavor. We look at who we are in Christ, why God calls us His children, and why it changes everything for our future.

Whether you are new to GPS Hope or have been walking with us for years, you are not alone. You carry a story that continues beyond death. Your child is safe with God, and you are held firmly in His hands. Your purpose is not over, and your life still has great meaning.

If you’ve ever asked, “Who am I now after losing my child?” this episode is for you.

Join the GPS Hope Community on Patreon Here: Help us keep this podcast ad-free while receiving special encouragement and bonus content.

Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

Click here to look at Laura’s books and get your free pareavor/hope bracelet when you place your order through the month of December. (This excludes digital books or Reflections of Hope.) See the bracelet or order more here.

Subscribe to the GPS Hope YouTube channel to join Laura during advent.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Ginny Rettig was born on November 30 and is forever 21.

Drew Jaggars was born on December 2 and is forever 19.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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.

Today’s guest has lived life after losing a child for nearly thirty years, which means he brings decades of hard-won wisdom and the honesty of someone who still remembers the darkness well. Like most pareavors, Tracy Brinkmann never imagined he could climb out of that crushing place of grief. But his story is a powerful example of how one dad found meaning, purpose, and God again after the unthinkable happened.

In our conversation, Tracy shares openly about the deep anger he carried toward God after his 18-month-old daughter, Krysta, died in his arms. We talk about what it looks like to move through that anger instead of living in it, the surprising ways his prayers and relationship with God were reshaped, and the conscious decision he made to rebuild a life that mattered again.

This episode is a heartfelt look at the real journey of life after losing a child; a journey full of questions, rebuilding, unexpected grace, and the slow return of purpose. Tracy’s honesty shows that even when faith feels shattered, God has a way of meeting us in the dark and gently leading us forward.

Tracy Brinkmann is a father of four, a former military man, and the voice behind The Dark Horse Entrepreneur – AI Escape Plan and Your Success DNA, two shows drawing more than 300,000 monthly downloads. His life reads like a redemption story—addiction, the devastating loss of his daughter, divorce, bankruptcy—yet Tracy rose from it all to lead corporate marketing teams and build a thriving digital brand.

Today, he helps parents and small business owners compress time and multiply income through AI, podcasting, and automation. His reactivation campaigns have produced a month’s worth of revenue in under seven days. Tracy speaks with compassion, clarity, and conviction—living proof that no setback is final, and no dream is too late.

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

Connect with Tracy Brinkmann: Website | Podcast

Join the community who are making sure this podcast continues, giving hope to others the way you have received hope. Choose your level here on Patreon.

Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

Share with Laura and others a way you brightened your own day a bit by brightening someone else’s here on the GPS Hope website under the show notes. (Or on the public or private GPS Hope page under the podcast episode.)

Subscribe to the GPS Hope YouTube channel to join Laura during advent.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Elizabeth Pasqualone was born on November 14 and is forever 28.

Melissa Sulikowski Hill was born on November 23 and is forever 38.

Brendan Weidner was born on November 28 and is forever 14.

Liam “Trip” Nugent was born on November 29 and is forever 21.

Raelyne Ten Bruggencate was born on November 29 and is forever 1.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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.

In recognition of National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Nov. 22), today’s episode features a deeply heartfelt conversation with a remarkable pareavor, Carol Krawiec. Carol has endured the unimaginable, losing three of her five sons, with her most recent loss being to suicide.

She opens her heart and shares the stories of her boys, the weight of navigating suicide loss, and how God’s steady presence has carried her and her husband, Fran, through overwhelming grief. Carol speaks honestly about mental illness, addiction, guilt, questions, and the lifelong ache of losing a child.

Although this episode focuses on suicide loss, the wisdom, comfort, and hope Carol offers are meaningful for every grieving parent.

Carol and her husband Francis have been married for 48 years.  Carol is a retired Special Education teacher. For over 50 years she worked to develop programs for children and adults with special needs in the community, the classroom and in local churches. Carol is currently a Leader with Grieving Moms Finding Hope and conducts several Zoom Groups each week. She has also been a speaker and group leader for Umbrella Ministries. Carol and Fran facilitate a BASIS support group for parents that have experienced child loss each month in Cape May County, NJ.

After the inconceivable loss of her 3 sons, it has become Carol’s desire that none of her pain would be wasted, but rather used by God to strengthen the hearts of others walking the journey of child loss.

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

Connect with Carol: [email protected] 

Join the community who are making sure this podcast continues, giving hope to others the way you have received hope. Choose your level here on Patreon.

Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

Subscribe to the GPS Hope YouTube channel to join Laura during advent.

Check out all the ways to wrap yourself in warmth and hope here. 

Would you like to sponsor an episode in honor of your child? You can do that here.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Lara Ann was born on November 17 and is forever 15.

Timothy Krawiec was born on November 17 and is forever 27.

Benjamin Krawiec was born on November 21 and is forever 32.

Matthew Conte was born on November 22 and is forever 36.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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 holidays can highlight our grief in painful ways when our child is no longer here with us. This week, Laura talks about how gratitude and grief can coexist — especially during the holiday season — and how God gently meets us in both.

You’ll hear Laura share a deeply personal story about Becca’s last Thanksgiving — how supporting her desire to host created a bittersweet memory that has become precious. It’s a beautiful reminder that the smallest gifts and moments can be sacred, even in the ache of loss.

She also shares that God truly can be Emmanuel – God with us – through the Christmas season.

This episode offers gentle encouragement to recognize the goodness still present, without denying or minimizing the pain.

Join the community who are making sure this podcast continues, giving hope to others the way you have received hope. Choose your level here on Patreon.

Hope for the Future: An Advent Book for Bereaved Parents — Click here

If this episode encouraged your heart, would you share it with another grieving parent who may need to know they aren’t alone this holiday season?

You can also connect with Laura and other pareavors through:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Jake Hammaker was born on November 4 and is forever 26. 

Everett Molino was born on November 9 and is forever 15.

Beau-Dean Gordon was born on November 10 and is forever 23.

Nathan Theriault was born on November 11 and is forever 2.

Solange Pantoja was born on November 13 and is forever 33.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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 leaves this earth before we do, it can feel like everything inside of us has died too. But God has already planted a small seed of hope deep within our hearts, because Jesus, the giver of Hope lives in us (through the Holy Spirit). However, we need to water that seed of hope after child loss. It is a seed that needs care, connection, and time to grow.

In this heartfelt episode, Laura shares how healing begins to take root when we stay connected with God and with others who understand our pain. You will also hear from other pareavors what they have done to water that seed of hope.

As we water the seed of hope in our own hearts, we will find that sharing our hope with others actually multiplies it. In this episode, Laura also shares how you can do that through GPS Hope, the ministry behind the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast, and how together, we can build a community where no grieving parent walks alone.

Join the community who are making sure this podcast continues, giving hope to others the way you have received hope. Choose your level here on Patreon.

Order your signed copy of My Grief Journey here.

Click here to write a review for My Grief Journey.

Ask to join the My Grief Journey Facebook group here.

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Chione Beverly McNeil was born on October 31 and is forever 15.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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 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.