In this episode, Emily Tanner (founder of Brave Widow) talks about the “in‑between” season of widowhood: the space between the life you had and the life you can’t yet see. She unpacks why this hidden season is not a punishment but a place of formation, how to wrestle honestly with God without pretending, and a simple 3‑step framework to start moving forward, even when you still feel sad, foggy, or unsure. 00:00 – Living In The In‑Between 01:10 – When Your Old Life Is Gone And The Future Feels Blank 03:05 – Signs You’re In The In‑Between 04:10 – Feeling Forgotten By God 05:15 – Elijah, The Wilderness, And Hidden Seasons 06:20 – Israel In The Desert & Grief As Lament 07:15 – Can I Still Trust God After He Didn’t Answer My Prayer? 08:10 – Praying Through Tears Without Pretending 10:00 – “Waiting On God” vs Doing Nothing 11:10 – What Faithful Waiting Really Looks Like 14:00 – “If I’m Still Sad, I Shouldn’t Move Forward” 15:05 – Forcing Outcomes vs Faithful Action 16:00 – A 3‑Step Framework For The In‑Between: Anchor – Act – Attune 19:30 – What God’s Guidance Usually Feels Like 20:00 – The In‑Between As Formation, Not Failure 22:00 – Life Update: Nathan’s Birthday & Graveside Sunrise 23:20 – Holding Two Truths: Grieving Nathan & Loving Robert 27:00 – Growing Your Capacity To Hold Mixed Emotions 31:40 – Final Encouragement For The In‑Between In this episode, you’ll hear: * What the “in‑between” is * Not the crisis moment and not the fully rebuilt chapter * Signs you’re in it: you can function but feel hollow, invisible, or forgotten * Why decision‑making feels impossible when you don’t know who you are now * Hidden seasons in Scripture * Elijah in the wilderness and God’s slow rebuilding work * Israel in the desert learning to trust and depend on God daily * Jesus’ 30 hidden years, David’s years between anointing and the throne * Why being unseen doesn’t mean you’re unimportant or unproductive * Wrestling honestly with God * Confusion when God feels “good” on paper but not in your reality * Why biblical faith doesn’t skip pain; it brings pain to God * How stuffing questions and stopping prayer keeps you stuck * Waiting on God vs. taking action * Common trap: “If I move, I’m not trusting God” * What faithful waiting actually looks like: seeking, listening, obeying the next step * The difference between forcing outcomes vs. taking small, surrendered steps * A 3‑step framework for the in‑between * Anchor – simple daily anchors (prayer, Scripture, boundaries, movement) * Act – identify what you want “more of” (peace, gentleness, stability, purpose) and take tiny actions toward that * Attune – regularly ask: What brings peace vs. pressure? Where do I sense God inviting me? What lights even a small spark? * Growing your capacity to hold “both/and” * Emily’s story of honoring Nathan’s birthday while preparing to celebrate her anniversary with Robert * Learning to hold grief and joy, past love and new love, loss and hope, without one erasing the other * Why expanding your emotional capacity makes life feel lighter and more grounded * Life update * Visiting Nathan’s graveside on his birthday * Upcoming anniversary trip with Robert * A teaser for an upcoming Q&A episode with Robert on dating/marrying a widow Resources mentioned: * Elijah: Faith and Fire by Priscilla Shirer * Just Be Honest: How to Pray When You’re Suffering by Clint Watkins 🌱 READY FOR DEEPER SUPPORT? If you’re tired of feeling lost, lonely, and second‑guessing every decision, Brave Widow Academy is a 6‑month, faith‑based coaching program to help you rebuild a life you can love again. Learn more: https://bravewidow.com/academy
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https://bravewidow.com/call 💬 If this episode helped you, please: * Hit Subscribe * Leave a quick rating & review – it helps more widows find this support * Share this with a friend who’s facing grief or the holidays without their person If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy. I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person. By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief. Since then, I’ve: Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone. Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world. Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events. Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again. I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips. I teach widows how to: Heal their heart. Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything. Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again. How I Got Here… 2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap. 2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different. 2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did. Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice. Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding. Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. Today: My work is simple: Help widows stop white-knuckling their way through each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again. You don’t have to do it alone. 💜