Qualified - Lessons in Loss

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A speeding car. A crosswalk. A mother watching helplessly as everything changes in seconds. Nancy Iskander joins me to share the story of Mark and Jacob, the two sons she lost on September 29, 2020, and what it has taken to keep breathing, parenting, and believing after the kind of loss most people cannot imagine. Nancy also opens our hearts to who her boys were: Mark the bright, funny social butterfly with big dreams, and Jacob the tough, athletic “biblical boy” who loved the Word.

We talk through the real texture of early grief and trauma, including denial that lingers, the isolating silence after tragedy, and that brutal question every bereaved parent eventually asks: now what? Nancy explains how she copes while carrying ongoing sorrow, why she narrowed her circle to emotionally safe people, and how prayer became a lifeline, especially through a court case that drew national attention. She also shares a powerful perspective as a pharmacist and grieving mom who refused to numb the pain, not wanting to “mask” love or risk forgetting her children.

From there, we explore what it means to turn grief into purpose. Nancy and her family built the Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation, supporting underserved kids, scholarships, orphan care, and foster youth, and helped establish Good Shepherd, Mark and Jacob, a foster care organization serving Southern California. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can still trust God after something horrific, Nancy offers an honest, steady Christian witness and a practical kind of hope that meets you where you are.

If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more grieving parents can find it.

http://markandjacobfoundation.org/

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After the loss of two children through miscarriage and stillbirth, Bridgett’s hopes were shattered.  When a divorce, the death of a family member and other losses followed, she became depressed and began to experience health issues because of her deep grief.

Join me as I talk with Bridgett Dunbar, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and author of the book, Grief, Loss and the Goodness of God, A Path to Healing after the Death of a Child.  In our conversation Bridgett shares not only her most vulnerable emotions about her grief and loss, but also the profound insights she gained into the purpose of pain.   She explains her belief that pain is not only temporary in this life, but necessary to make you the person you were destined to be.

Download Bridgett's FREE book here:
https://bridgettdunbar.com/grief

Order on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYXG6NF6?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

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Have you experienced the painful loss of a friendship breakup? Maybe it was due to a disagreement over a position you hold firmly to.  Perhaps it was related to the way you parent your children, your political views, your lifestyle choices, or your religious beliefs.  Whatever the cause, friendship breakups are hard.

Join me as I chat with the author of “When Best Friends Aren’t Forever,” Kristen Reed-Belveal.  In her book, she takes a hard look at friendships through the lens of faith. In our discussion we explore what to do when we get a vibe that something’s wrong, how to communicate effectively in order to keep the friendship healthy, the emotional turmoil that follows a friendship loss and the crucial steps toward healing, and how to surround yourself with a supportive, mature community that can keep your focus on growth rather than gossip.  

Kristen emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, helping you understand your own role in the friendship's end and how to improve for the future. We also touch on the prospect of reconciliation, giving you the tools to decide if reaching out to a former friend is the right move. Kristen shares her personal experiences and offers biblical wisdom on approaching conflicts with humility and forgiveness, making this an episode you won't want to miss.

Kristen's website:
http://www.kristenreedauthor.com

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What happens when your deepest faith is tested by unimaginable suffering? In this episode, I talk with David Libby, who explains how he and his family contracted Lyme disease.  He shares the emotional and physical toll of watching his wife and daughters endure excruciating pain, while he himself became their primary caregiver despite his own illness. 

A self-taught student of theology, well-versed Christian apologist and published author, David has much to offer on the topics of theology, atheism, and adversity with insights from historical figures like Ernst Haeckel and Charles Darwin.  We explore the dysteleological argument, its counterpoints to the teleological argument for God's existence, and the biblical perspective on imperfections in the world. 

This episode encourages you to hold onto faith and find comfort in God's presence, even amidst life's most challenging trials.

David's book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Different-World-Gods-Sovereignty-Suffering/dp/B0C9S8SK5M

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Laura endured the adversity trifecta- cancer, infidelity, and divorce.  Listen in as she opens up about her bi-lateral breast cancer diagnosis, ravaging chemotherapy, congestive heart failure, a heart transplant, and coping with infidelity and divorce after 27 years of marriage.  

Through it all, she not only regained her strength and recovered physically but she emerged stronger and more determined to help others.

https://www.icope2hope.com/

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How are you going to feel when your child leaves for college?  Have you given it any thought in advance and how prepared are you to face an empty nest?

In this episode I talk with Stacy Kaye, an award-winning journalist and source of encouragement for those facing the silence of an empty nest.  Listen in and be inspired  as we explore the depth of parental love, the pain that comes with letting go, and the new opportunities that await in this transitional phase of life.

https://www.stacykayebooks.com/

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The loss of a dog, a cat, a horse, a bird, any pet can cause us to experience grief.  The animals we share our homes and lives with are part of our families and  when they are no longer there it can create a significant and painful void.

Listen in as I interview Rachel Shirley,   a compelling author and certified coach committed to guiding individuals through life's profound moments, including the impactful experience of pet loss.

https://www.rachel-shirley.com/

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When Katherine and her husband learned of their baby’s fatal fetal diagnosis, they knew they had some hard decisions to make.  Since their child had no kidneys he would most likely die in utero or shortly after birth, so doctors recommended termination of the pregnancy.

Listen in as Katherine shares her story about carrying a baby she knew she could not keep and making a choice to stay true to her convictions.   

Katherine's blog:
https://medium.com/@whenwatersrise/four-years-and-gods-goodness-eb7c68c003ea

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When doctors diagnosed her father with mild cognitive disorder, a form of dementia that would likely progress to Alzheimer’s, Joycelyn was in denial.  It was difficult to watch the decline of her superhero dad and she began to grieve the loss of the man he once was.

 Her personal story will resonate with anyone who has walked alongside a loved one with cognitive decline and has experienced anticipatory grief.  Listen in to this intimate discussion with Reverend Jocelyn Jones, as she shares her raw emotions and profound life lessons that will leave you inspired.

Rev. Jocelyn's website:
https://www.faithonthejourney.org/

Breaking the Power of the Mask:
https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Power-Mask-Discover-Healing/dp/1734046708/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1707439139&sr=8-1

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Born with a severe cleft palate, Sue faced ridicule and harassment on daily basis due to the way she looked.  In addition to having to endure multiple surgeries and physical pain, she would also be traumatized by her parent's divorce and an abusive encounter in college that resulted in rape.

Today, Sue Corl is an international women’s conference speaker, author, mentor, Bible teacher, missionary, founder and Executive Director of Crown of Beauty International, and His Heartbeat Podcast host. Her greatest joy is being a wife and mother of two adult children.

She has a passion to see women set free to live in the powerful truths of who they are in Christ and the love of God. She served as a missionary for twenty-five years in Asia. Currently, she travels to minister to women throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the U.S. She has a Master’s of Education from the University of Hawaii and a Master’s of Christian Counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University. She is the author of several books including Crown of Beauty Twelve Week Bible Study, For Such a Time as This, and Broken but Undefeated.

Listen in to this incredible story of perseverance and strength as one woman discovers how to stop believing the lies about beauty and realize how she is seen in the eyes of God.

Website: https://www.crownofbeautyinternational.com
Podcast Link: https://www.crownofbeautyinternational.com/podcast

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Sue+Corl&i=stripbooks&crid=MJ4LB7W50FDC&sprefix=sue+corl%2Cstripbooks%2C89&ref=nb_sb_noss_1