Sucker Punched

When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. We knew the prognosis was not good, so we decided to have many uncomfortable conversations about what this fight would look like together and after he was gone. It was heart wrenching to make those kinds of decisions, but I'm so glad that we did. From the moment Keith experienced his first symptom to the time he passed away, it had only been three months. It was shocking and emotionally complicated since I had a two-year-old to care for and a baby that wasn't due for another month. I spent the month between his death and Libby's birth in a dark and angry place. I had lots of questions and very freely told God that he had messed up. And then Libby was born and light started shining through the cracks in my heart; this little baby reminded me that there was good and there was hope, even when my heart was so very broken. We experienced so much grace in the months Keith was sick and after he died. People brought food, cared for the kids, and cleaned my house. My kids brought laughter to our house. Being widowed and a single mom was never the plan for my life, but the grace, the good things, remind me that there is hope and that my story isn't over.

Becky's Fun Question Answers:
• What are you loving right now? Golden Girls on Hulu!
• What's your favorite food/meal/snack? Queso (always) and Underwood Cellars' Pinot Noir
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Bubble baths and glasses of wine when I make the time for it. Waking up an hour before the kids to have time for myself.
• What are you doing to be brave? Getting to know who I am and living confidently based on my strengths and weaknesses (especially not being ashamed of my weaknesses)

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

It's hard to believe it's been 30 episodes. I started this podcast wanting to give people an avenue to share their stories of struggle and grace, but I wasn't sure what the reaction would be. It's been particularly challenging to share my own story because the vulnerability scares me; is it worth risking my comfort and is anyone even listening or reading? Now that it's the end of the first season, I felt it was appropriate to share how I've had to choose to live bravely even when I didn't feel like it. My friend Heather Bender from episode 7 interviewed me from our hotel room at the Hope*Writers Workshop and we shared thoughts on being vulnerable as a writer, the fears all creatives face, and some projects I've been working on. She's an ENFP and I'm an INFJ (for all you Meyers Briggs fans), but we magically make a great team.

Becky's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Being at the Hope*Writers Workshop and having the space and time to dream
• What's your favorite food at the moment? Cherry Oat Bars at Starbucks at East Coast Taco
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Making time for reading and waking up before the kids
• What are you doing to be brave? Taking time off from writing and podcasting to give my brain a break

Connect with Heather:
BLOG:HeatherDBender.com
FACEBOOK:facebook.com/heatherdbender
TWITTER: Twitter.com/DFHK_blog
INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/HeatherDBender

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Adrienne, an adoptive mom and autism advocate. Her family watched as two international adoptions fell through and they lost all of the money they had saved to put towards those children. They decided to take a break from trying to add to their family since their infertility issues and adoption disappointments were devastating. After they moved to another Air Force base and her husband had deployed, she got a phone call from their social worker, saying a family had picked them to adopt their baby. Adrienne and her daughter drove nine hours to pick up the baby when he was born and seven months later, her husband returned from deployment and they loved every moment of being a "complete" family. Around her son Jonah's first birthday, Adrienne got pregnant and they moved again. Shortly afterwards, Jonah started exhibiting developmental delays and was diagnosed with autism. Adrienne saw grace in the support she received from her friends and family through emails, texts, and prayers through figuring out Jonah's needs. Adrienne encourages people dealing with a child's difficult diagnosis to find a support group that can help you identify the next right steps for you and your child. "It's okay to be sad," Adrienne says, when life doesn't turn out how you expect.

Adrienne's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Beth Moore's novel "The Undoing of Saint Silvanus" and Kimberly Williams Paisley's memoir "Where the Light Gets In"
• What's your favorite food at the moment? Anything chocolate and pumpkin in the fall, especially pumpkin spice muffins (a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin baked per instructions for cupcakes on box)
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Making time for exercise
• What are you doing to be brave? Being a diplomat for Jonah at school and working as a team with his teachers

Connect with Adrienne:
BLOG: blessedbeyondexhaustion.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/blessedbeyondexhaustion

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Sarah, host of the Heart Lessons podcast. Two of her children were diagnosed with fatal anomalies during pregnancy and lived tragically short lives. Sarah questioned why this had happened twice and how God could let it happen at all. She grieved quietly as she continued to parent her other children. The grief was overwhelming, but she found grace in answered prayers. "Life is hard," Sarah says, "but there's still hope."

Sarah's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Online grocery shopping
• What's your favorite meal right now? Slow cooker gyros
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Permission to do restful things instead of chores
• What are you doing to be brave? Podcasting and writing and being vulnerable

Connect with Sarah:
BLOG & PODCAST: sarahrieke.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/SarahJRieke
TWITTER: twitter.com/heart_lessons
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/sarah_rieke

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Tracey, author of "Out of the Darkroom, Into the Light: A Story of Faith and Forgiveness after Child Abuse." At a young age, she was a victim of abuse and grew up with an alcoholic parent. Tracey was ashamed of her family and experienced a lot of guilt and fear. She estranged herself from them and eventually started going to counseling. Through all of the struggles of her growing up years, Tracey says she hoped there was a God and that he would get her through it. The more she got to know about God, the more she experienced forgiveness, restored relationships, and found a community to help her parent and establish a family that did not reflect her own childhood. As a child and young adult, Tracey "struggled with wanting to be loved" and encourages other victims of abuse that they do not need to suffer alone. "Don't give up," she tells them, "Find someone you can tell."

Get Tracey's book, "Out of the Darkroom, Into the Light: A Story of Faith and Forgiveness after Child Abuse" on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dJz1r3

Tracey's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Her new job at an elementary school.
• What's your favorite meal right now? Anything with quinoa
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? A lot of exercise for emotional and mental health
• What are you doing to be brave? Sharing her story is still scary, so it takes courage to be open

Connect with Tracey:
BLOG: traceycasciano.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/TMCasciano
TWITTER: twitter.com/TraceyCasciano

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Della, a bubbly former ballroom dancing instructor, who moved to Connecticut from North Carolina with her husband, only to be facing a divorce soon after. Adding insult to injury, Della had a severe pulmonary embolism (a blockage of blood flow to the lungs) as a complication of her cystic fibrosis (CF). She didn't handle all of the changes well and even attempted suicide. Now, Della is living with her parents, taking care of herself, and learning what unconditional love really means. The biggest thing Della has learned through these challenges is who God really is. Being a Christian, Della explained, is much more about relationships than it is about saying the right things or acting the right way. She wants people to know that it's okay to "take God into a boxing ring and then out for ice cream" because he can handle the reality of our lives. Her advice for people handling significant amounts of change or struggling with living a life that's less than what they dreamed of is "don't give up and take your time," learn to love and accept yourself, find a counselor, and spend time praying.

Della's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Love Does by Bob Goff
• What's your favorite meal right now? Sushi and Chipotle
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Doing all her CF treatments, leaving the house, and being open and honest with people
• What are you doing to be brave? Giving herself permission to love herself, her life, and God

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Debbie, a mom of four and fitness and nutrition expert, who lost her husband in a sudden, tragic accident. While her and her four sons were on vacation, her husband stayed home to work on some projects. When she hadn't heard from him all day, she began to get nervous. After sending out an official search party, his body was found in the woods near the school where he worked. Debbie was suddenly forced to learn to live and parent without her husband. Debbie has seen grace through cards, gift cards, and prayers from strangers and encourages those who are grieving to "feel the feelings". Even after getting remarried, Debbie says her grief hasn't disappeared, but she's thankful that her husband is a long-time family friend who can help her boys learn about their dad.

Debbie's Answers To The Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Food (see next)
• What's your favorite meal right now? Bojangles, pizza, Smirnoff (she loves sugar)
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Fitness and nutrition (ironically)
• What are you doing to be brave? Wanting to be shoved out of her comfort zone

Connect with Debbie:
BLOG: projectmomsanity.com and DebbieWilkinsBaisden.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/momsanity
TWITTER: twitter.com/momsanitysisters
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/momsanitysisters
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/momsanity1

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Jen, Nina, and I recorded this episode during our live podcast even September 3, 2016. It's an honor to help these brave women share their stories of grace during times of transition. Nina is a mom of two wonderful girls, one with her and one in heaven, and has just transitioned to staying home after 16 years of working. It's hard to not be seeing the students she's worked with for the last several years as a speech therapist, but she is excited to be home with baby Lennox and spend the time caring for her, since she did not get that time with her first daughter, Audie. Nina finds grace everywhere in her more simpler life and is thankful for this season. Jen, on the other hand, has added a baby, a small business, and homeschooling responsibilities to her life this year. While her life may be crazier than it was before, Jen is glad for how enriched their lives are. She says their family is more busy with three little girls, a business, and homeschooling, but they are having so much fun.

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: eepurl.com/bBOHH1

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Amy, a mom of three and writer at Carried By Hope, who discovered her husband had an affair while deployed. They were living abroad at the time and spend months working towards reconciliation. Several months later, her husband had another affair and asked for her to leave. Amy and her kids came back to the United States for the summer and ended up moving in with her parents to start their new life when her husband asked for a divorce. Amy says life was surreal and she felt like a failure. She describes divorce as "a lot like death, but with no real closure" and found comfort in hymns, scripture, and a divorce group. James Dobson's book Love Must Be Tough helped her to find healthy perspective. Since becoming a single parent, Amy spends time journaling all of the ways that their needs have been met. Her favorite story came from when she went back to school and didn't have the money she needed for textbooks: she gave the money she had as a gift to her church and, on the way out, was given a financial gift that covered her needs. When it comes to other people facing infidelity and divorce, she wants people to know "you're not alone. It feels very lonely…but you're not alone…The end of your marriage is not the end of your happily ever after."

Amy's Answers to the Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? Hamilton soundtrack
• What's your favorite meal right now? A good burger with sweet potato fries (especially at any local place)
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? Taking Sundays off
• What are you doing to be brave? Sharing her story

Connect with Amy:
BLOG: CarriedByHope.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/CarriedByHope
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/Carried_By_Hope

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace

Meet Christina, writer at Laughter Without Fear and host of Minivan Confessions, who had a challenging child as the daughter of a mom with several mental illnesses. When Christina was four, her dad had a heart attack and she and her siblings were placed into foster care because of her mom's bipolar disorder, learning disabilities, and schizoaffective disorder. Without reason, Christina was placed back in the care of her mother even though her siblings remained in the foster care system. As she grew up, Christina realized that her relationship with her mom was not like those of her friends and their moms. As a teenager, she resented the fact that they didn't have the bond she expected and was embarrassed by her mother's hoarding tendencies. After attending a seminar on mental illness at the Cornerstone Music Festival, Christina realized that people who struggle with mental illnesses need a tremendous amount of compassion and she began to learn more about her mom's particular struggles. Christina sees grace throughout her life in the strong support system she grew up with and in learning to trust God with her life details. Difficult seasons in life, she says, are merely plot twists and not the ending.

Christina's Answers to the Fun Questions:
• What are you loving right now? the new Harry Potter book
• What's your favorite meal right now? alfredo sauce and chocolate
• What are you doing to take care of yourself? making time for interests, hobbies, and running
• What are you doing to be brave? getting her words out there and making a point of encouraging people

Connect with Christina:
BLOG: LaughterWithoutFear.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/LaughterWithoutFear
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/ChristinaHerr

Connect with Becky:
BLOG: BeckyLMcCoy.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BeckyLMcCoy
TWITTER: twitter.com/BeckyLMcCoy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/BeckyLMcCoy
NEWSLETTER: BeckyLMcCoy.com/email 

Share your Sucker Punched story at BeckyLMcCoy.com/Submissions Please subscribe to and rate this podcast to help others find Sucker Punched.

NOTE: Sucker Punched is the podcast formerly known as Stories of Unfolding Grace