If there is one thing I hope you take away from our grief and gratitude series, it's this: you don't have to choose. 

In this solo show, I'm sharing: 

• a "what if" question about grief I can't quit thinking about
• misconceptions I've had about God and how He works
• two things God has used in my life- one happy, one sad- to break my illusion of control
• showing up for our lives and our people 
• why perseverance is so important 

You don't have to choose between grief and gratitude. By the grace of God, we can carry them both, as He carries us. Listen in for more. 

LINKS: 

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

Be an email friend here

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and while I'm not currently a caregiver, I know how important this topic is. I knew the exact right person to join us, lead us, and teach us in this conversation!  

Jess Ronne is the founder of The Lucas Project, a nonprofit that serves special needs families with recognition, resources, and respite. She is the creator of two documentaries, Unseen: How We're Failing Parent Caregivers and Why It Matters (airing on ABC this month!), and Uncertain: The Search for Supported Living. 

Jess is the author of multiple books, including her latest devotional, Caregiving with Grit and Grace: 100 Days of Hope and Encouragement, that comes out in December. 

Join Jess and I as we talk about: 

• Jess' journey of becoming a caregiver times two, with the birth of her second son Lucas, who has profound disabilities, and her late husband, Jason, who battled brain cancer
• Hard and holy moments in caregiving
• Practical ways that we can help caregiving families
• Finding your fuel as a caregiver
• Paying attention to your body and soul's natural response to adversity
• The struggle of staying engaged when weariness sets in and the need doesn't have an end date

LINKS:

Connect with Jess on Instagram @jessplusthemess

Pre-order Jess' new devotional Caregiving with Grit and Grace: 100 Days of Hope and Encouragement

Connect with The Lucas Project on Instagram @theofficiallucasproject

Watch the documentary Unseen: How We're Failing Parent Caregivers and Why It Matters

Watch the trailer for Uncertain: The Search for Supported Living

Connect with Kayla on Instagram @kaylacookwrites

Connect with the show on Instagram @thebitterandthesweetpodcast

Become Kayla's email friend here

Some losses are so sudden and profound, you could have never seen them coming. That's the kind of loss we are talking about today. 

Mallory Stokes was in the car with her twin sister, Mia, and two of their softball teammates when they were hit head on by a drunk driver. Tragically, Mia died instantly, and one of their teammates also lost her life.

Mallory is here today to share Mia's story, and what her life has been like as she has lived a part of her story that was once unimaginable: life without Mia. 

Join Mallory and I as we talk about: 

• navigating anniversaries of loss
• grieving plans and dreams when you lose someone you love in a sudden and tragic way
• what people get wrong about the grief that accompanies this type of loss, and how we can love our people better in the face of it 
• wrestling with God's sovereignty and questions of "why" 

LINKS

Connect with Mallory via Instagram @miastokesfoundation

Connect with Kayla via Instagram @kaylacookwrites

Connect with the show via Instagram @thebitterandthesweetpodcast

Book Kayla to speak: email [email protected]

When you're grieving, you know that, while THE world hasn't ended, it feels like YOUR world has. 

My friend Dawn Mann Sanders deeply understands this feeling, so much so that she wrote the book on it: When Your World Ends: God's Creative Process for Rebuilding a Life. Dawn is brilliant and wise and also funny, which counts a lot around here :) 

Join Dawn and I as we talk about: 

• what happens when God invites us into the wilderness
• giving yourself time to process your grief, and the pressure we feel at times to move on 
• how the creation story applies directly to our lives
• times when you feel like you're going in circles with God
• practical advice for navigating deep grief (Dawn's advice for every 3rd day is gold!)
• connecting with God and finding the Light when life gets dark

LINKS: 

Take Dawn's Quiz: "What's Your Start-Over Style?"

Visit Dawn's website: dawnmannsanders.com

Get your copy of Dawn's book on Amazon: When Your World Ends: God's Creative Process for Rebuilding a Life

Connect with Dawn on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Become Kayla's email friend here

Book Kayla to speak at your small group or church

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that should mean more to us than just wearing lots of pink!

My friend Caitlan Reese Killian is the host of the Goodness & Grace podcast, faithful writer of the Goodness & Grace newsletter, and founder of Still Good Co.

Caitlan is a metastatic breast cancer thriver and living miracle (truly!). I'm excited and grateful to have her on the show today to share part of her story!

Join Caitlan and I as we talk about: 

• Caitlan's journey with metastatic breast cancer, from her initial diagnosis in 2019 to now
• what it looks like to choose hope over cynicism in the middle of discouraging circumstances
• healing as a long game
• looking for the help God sends when it looks different than we expect
• grieving the things we hoped would be
• embracing the miracles that come in ways we didn't imagine
• practical ways we can love a friend who has been diagnosed with cancer and the people closest to them

LINKS:

Caitlan's podcast: The Goodness & Grace podcast

Shop Still Good Co. here!

Connect with Caitlan on Instagram

Sign up for Caitlan's newsletter

Sign up for Kayla's newsletter

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Book Kayla to speak

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month, and I'm so grateful to get to introduce you to one of my friends who has infant loss as part of her story. 

Hannah J. Clements is a licensed professional counselor, wife, and mom of four kids on Earth and one in Heaven. She is so dear to me, and I know that by the end of this episode, she will be so dear to you, too. 

Join Hannah and I as we talk about: 

• grieving as a parent, in front of and with our children
• practical ways to love our grieving friends better (and what not to say to your friend who has lost a child)
• why you should resist the temptation to isolate when you are grieving
• loving ways to remember your friend's child in Heaven
• being honest about our grief in a way that honors God

LINKS: 

Hannah's Counseling Practice: Oak and Sparrow Counseling

Connect with the show on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Become Kayla's email friend here

We tell the truth about grief, joy, and the grace that covers it all around here, and today, it's my turn!

This is a very special solo episode- just you and me today- all about the family you hoped would be, when the picture you had in your head of what your family would look like does not match the story you're living. 

We're talking about my experiences with infertility and loss, questions I've asked God, and a question He asked me. 

This episode comes out on Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day, and that is fitting. I'm grateful to get to share more of my story with you today.

I hope it helps you see God's faithfulness in your own story. 

LINKS: 

Song: Bethesda by RIVERS

Connect with the show on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Become Kayla's email friend here

We've talked about many different kinds of family relationships on the show, and today I'm thrilled to talk about the family we choose- our friends!

Our guest today, Sam Williams, is a public school teacher who does friendship better than just about anyone I know. 

Sam and I co-lead Bible studies and small groups at our local church, and I can't wait for you to get to know her today! 

Join Sam and I as we talk about: 

• making (and keeping!) friends in adulthood
• navigating friendship changes over time
• why communication is even more important than we think
• how married friends can love our single friends better
• why just showing up is such a big deal

Whether you have many friends or a few, strong relationships or relationships you want to improve, this episode will encourage you in your friendships! 

When I wanted to talk about offering a sense of family to people who don't have that (for whatever reason they may not), I knew Lauren Alexander was our girl.

Lauren is a speaker and Bible teacher, a pastor's wife, mom of four, and foster parent.

She is a rockstar advocate for vulnerable women, children, and families, and an all around joy to be with. It is an honor and a joy to have her on the show today!

Join Lauren and I for a candid conversation about: 

• caring for vulnerable people without trying to control outcomes
• challenging our assumptions about how and why people end up in the systems they do
• the responsibility of the Church in caring for vulnerable people in our communities
• what we often miss about incarnational ministry, as Jesus describes it in Matthew 25
• what it looks like to dream with God when our family situations would tell us it is not worth it or impossible

The Gospel is good news for the poor and vulnerable, and this conversation will remind you of that truth!

Connect with Lauren on Instagram: @allthethingslauren

Connect with Kayla on Instagram: @kaylacookwrites

Lauren's recommended resources: 

• The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family (Family & Relationships) 
• ALL IN Orphan Care: Exploring the Call to Care for Vulnerable Children and Families 
• Everyone Can Do Something: A Field Guide for Strategically Rallying Your Church Around the Orphaned and Vulnerable 
• Foster the Family: Encouragement, Hope, and Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent 
• Jesus and Women: In the First Century and Now - Bible Study Book with Video Access 
• Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times 

If you're looking for a conversation about church hurt that holds the tension of being both honest and honoring, you're in the right place! 

When I wanted to talk about church hurt, I knew Sarah Wood is the friend we need for this conversation. 

Sarah is a writer who has contributed to She Reads Truth, a Bible teacher and ministry leader, and Community Manager at Lisa Whittle Ministries (where we work together!), where she oversees online engagement. 

Join Sarah and I as we talk about: 

• the difference between disappointment, church hurt, and spiritual abuse
• questions to ask when you are considering leaving a church
• what boundaries do (and don't do) in the church setting
• where to start when you feel called to go back to church but just don't want to
• what the Church does well

Connect with Sarah on Instagram: @sarahwoodwrites

Connect with Kayla on Instagram: @kaylacookwrites

Join the email party (become one of Kayla's email friends) here!