The Mission Mama

Some things, this side of heaven, simply don't come with a why.

In this episode, I'm sharing a talk I gave at the She Speaks Church virtual women's conference — "Grateful in the Grief: How Deep Roots Hold Us Through Loss." Ten years after losing my seventeen-month-old son, Blake, to SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood), I've stopped waiting for grief to make sense and started learning to carry it. This is the story of what held me when no answer ever came — and how I've learned to be grateful and grieving, both at the same time.

We walk through the image of the tree planted by the water from Jeremiah 17 — blessed is the one who trusts, not the one who understands — along with the two roots that reached water for me and a practice I still do every morning. There are two gentle guided moments woven in, a grounding breath and a short gratitude pause, so this is as much an experience as it is a talk.

Whatever you're carrying today, I hope you hear this: you are allowed to be exactly where you are.

A note: this episode discusses the loss of a child and grief. Please take care of your heart as you listen.

In this episode

• Why "grateful" and "grieving" can live in the same breath
• Losing Blake, and the particular ache of a loss with no explanation
• Jeremiah 17 and roots that hold without answers
• Gently setting down "everything happens for a reason"
• Grateful and, not grateful because
• The morning I finally took a full, deep breath again

Resources & connect

• Support: The SUDC Foundation (sudc.org) · The Compassionate Friends (compassionatefriends.org) · In crisis in the U.S., call or text 988
• Find me: Instagram @danielleduffeyy · guided journal & devotional on Amazon

On her dad's birthday, Danielle slows down — and lets herself feel it.

August 19 would have been Danielle's dad's 67th birthday. He died at 46, when she was in college, and this morning the weight of that number stopped her in her tracks. In this solo episode, Danielle lets herself remember him: the hardworking, complicated, entrepreneurial man who left overnight shifts and long commutes to chase a dream of his own and who, whether he knew it or not, showed her what it looks like to believe in yourself.

Grief, she's learned, isn't something we move past. It's something we learn to carry. And sometimes carrying it means sitting in your living room chair on a Tuesday morning and letting the tears come.

But this episode isn't only about loss, it's about what loss reminds us. That life is short. That we don't get forever. And that we get to decide, right now, what we actually want our lives to look like.

So Danielle asks the questions she's been sitting with lately: What do you desire? What dream have you put on the shelf? What are you waiting permission to start? She believes we can live desire-led lives — intentional instead of accidental — and that we're all more capable than we give ourselves credit for.

This may be her last solo episode for a little while as she heads into harvest and school season, so she wanted to make it count. Come sit with her. Remember someone you love. And then ask yourself the question she keeps coming back to: What do you want for your life and what's one small step you can take toward it?

Happy birthday, Dad.

Follow along on Instagram @danielleduffeyy for more on motherhood, grief, dreams, and living intentionally.

Some conversations stay with you long after they end. This is one of them.

In this episode of The Mission Mama Podcast, host Danielle Duffey sits down with Danielle Cristofano-Schwartz, mom to Lydia, who died unexpectedly on Christmas Day in 2022 at just 21 months old.

Danielle shares who Lydia was, what those first days and months of unimaginable grief looked like, and how she has carried her daughter's legacy forward with purpose. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Danielle is the founder of Love From Lydia, a nonprofit supporting grieving families, and now serves as the Director of Family Services for the SUDC Foundation.

Together, they have an honest conversation about navigating life after child loss, finding hope in the midst of heartbreak, and the ways we can better support grieving families.

If you're a mama in the rawest, earliest days of grief, Danielle offers words of comfort and understanding. And if you love someone who is grieving and have wondered what to say—or what not to say—you'll find wisdom here, too.

There's a mama who needs to hear this conversation. Maybe it's you. Maybe it's someone you'll think to share it with.

A gentle note: This episode discusses child loss, grief, and trauma. Please take care of yourself as you listen.

Resources

Love From LydiaConnect on Instagram @danielleduffeyy

Ten years. Almost a decade since Blake's heart stopped in his sleep. In this solo episode, Danielle sits with the number she still doesn't know how to hold and the truth she's learned in ten years of carrying it: gratitude and grief aren't opposites, and they don't take turns. They sit down at the same table, in the same moment.

She shares what a decade of living after child loss has taught her — how you can ache for your son and laugh with your children on the same afternoon, miss him with your whole body and still be thankful for the life you've built. This is honest reflection on healing that isn't linear, faith that grew in the dark, and the quiet, one-step-at-a-time choices that build a life worth staying awake for.

And if you're only ten days into a loss like this and can't imagine surviving ten more this one is especially for you.

🎧 You don't have to walk this road alone.

Let’s connect on instagram Danielle Duffey

Amazon journals: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=danielle+duffey&crid=13NKZLQQDANS8&sprefix=danielle+du%2Caps%2C544&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Host Danielle Duffey walks listeners through Roots & Rising — a private, intimate healing group for mothers who have experienced the loss of a child at any stage. Beginning August 2nd, four Sunday evenings on Zoom. No clinical agenda. No pressure. Just a deeply intentional space to grieve, breathe, and begin moving forward. Spots are limited — registration link in the show notes. Connect with Danielle on Instagram @danielleduffeyy.

Roots & Rising: https://forms.gle/NBLDF2LYxQiHqoa67

Lessons in Grief: A 90 Day Journey of Faith and Healing: Amazon.com: Lessons in Grief: A 90-Day Journey of Faith and Healing: Duffey, Danielle: Books

In this episode of The Mission Mama, Danielle shares a deeply personal reflection on her own seasons of grief and seasons of light.

With honesty and vulnerability, she opens up about what it has felt like to walk through heaviness, emotional exhaustion, and quiet rebuilding—while slowly beginning to notice moments of peace and hope returning.

This is not a story of everything being resolved, but of learning to hold both grief and gratitude at the same time. Danielle reflects on how healing has unfolded in layers, and how even in the hardest seasons, light still finds its way in.

For anyone walking through their own grief, burnout, or a hard season, this episode offers a space to feel seen and reminded: nothing you’re walking through is wasted, and you are not alone in it.

Follow on Instagram @danielleduffeyy

In this deeply personal episode, Danielle opens up about grief, healing, and what it means to keep moving forward when life feels heavy. As March brings its annual wave of emotion, she reflects on the layered experience of grief—how it shows up not only in the heart, but in the body, in memory, and in the quiet moments of everyday life.

Sharing candidly about her son Blake and the weight of his birthday, Danielle honors both the sorrow and the love that coexist in her story. Through fog, fatigue, and faith, she explores what it looks like to surrender instead of strive, and to trust God in seasons that feel uncertain and overwhelming.

Yet within the heaviness, there is also light. A reminder of community, connection, and the gentle ways healing begins to return. As April arrives, Danielle reflects on the shift from fog to clarity—but also the ongoing layers of healing that continue to unfold.

This episode is a reminder that grief and love can exist together, that healing is not linear, and that you are not alone in the seasons that feel heavy or unseen.

To close, Danielle shares a reflection on faith, presence, and choosing to move forward with open hands—and offers gentle journaling prompts for listeners who are walking through their own healing journeys.

If you’re in a season of grief, transition, or quiet overwhelm, this conversation is for you.

Connect on Instagram @danielleduffeyy

Today’s episode is not loud or flashy. It’s tender.

After six years of quiet healing, wrestling with faith, and showing up to the page again and again, Danielle Duffey’s devotional Lessons in Grief: A 90-Day Journey of Faith and Healing is officially available on Amazon. Amazon.com: Lessons in Grief: A 90-Day Journey of Faith and Healing: Duffey, Danielle: Books

In this deeply personal episode, Danielle shares the story behind the book — the exhaustion of early motherhood, the fog of grief after losing her 17-month-old son Blake to SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood), and the small, nearly invisible “yeses” that slowly helped her find her footing again.

This devotional was not written from theory. It was written from lived experience — from early morning journaling sessions, tear-filled prayers, and a faith that was stretched and tested. Each of the 90 days includes Scripture, a heartfelt reflection, guided questions, and a personal prayer designed to gently walk alongside anyone navigating grief, hardship, or deep struggle.

In this episode, listeners will hear:

• How journaling became a lifeline in the midst of overwhelming grief

• The tension of gratitude and sorrow coexisting

• The journey from asking “Why?” to asking “Where is joy today?”

• How Blake’s life continues to shape Danielle’s purpose

This conversation honors the reality that grief has no timeline — and that healing is often slow, sacred work.

If you are walking through loss, supporting someone who is, or finding yourself in a tender season, this episode offers companionship and hope.

Six years in the making. And just the beginning. 🤍

Follow @danielleduffeyy

In this episode of The Mission Mama Podcast, Danielle Duffey explores the profound truth that “you are the most qualified to support who you once were.” She reflects on how this idea has guided her through moments of self-doubt, questioning purpose, and navigating the whispers of insecurity.

Danielle shares insights from a recent trip to Isla Mujeres, where stepping away from routine offered clarity, renewal, and a renewed sense of purpose. Through stories of laughter, connection, and reflection, she illustrates how travel and intentional pauses can help women reconnect with themselves, honor their past, and gain perspective on what truly matters.

Listeners will hear Danielle talk about:

• How grief and life experiences sharpen clarity and reveal priorities

• The importance of honoring your past self to guide your present and future

• Small, intentional steps — like boundaries, meaningful conversations, and saying yes to yourself — that can create transformative shifts

• Ways to nurture soul care and advocate for oneself in everyday life

Additionally, Danielle is offering 30-minute virtual connection calls, dedicating time each week to mentor women who feel called to reflect, gain clarity, and explore aligned next steps. These sessions are designed to support growth, not “fix” anything, and to help women see the wisdom they already carry.

This episode is perfect for women who are seeking reflection, renewal, and encouragement to trust themselves, embrace their experiences, and step confidently into their purpose.

Call to Action:

• Schedule a free 30-minute connection call with Danielle — https://calendly.com/danielleduffey/15min

• Take time to reflect on your past self and offer encouragement.

• Subscribe to The Mission Mama Podcast for more episodes on personal growth, reflection, and empowerment.

  #MissionMamaPodcast #SelfCompassion #Reflection #PersonalGrowth #Renewal #WomenSupportingWomen #EmpowerYourself #SoulCare

The beginning of a new year often arrives with pressure—to set goals, move faster, and have it all figured out. In this episode of the Mission Mama Podcast, Danielle Duffey invites you to slow down and step into the new year with intention, faith, and grace.

After an unexpected season of change, Danielle reflects on choosing mindfulness over momentum, trusting God’s protection and timing, and allowing space for rest and renewal. This conversation offers a gentle reminder that new beginnings don’t have to be loud to be meaningful.

This episode is especially for anyone navigating uncertainty or grief as the calendar turns. If the new year feels tender or heavy, you’ll find reassurance that there is no “right” way to enter it—and that hope and sorrow can coexist.

Press play for a grounding pause, compassionate encouragement, and a reminder that you don’t need to rush into what’s next. Sometimes the most faithful step forward is simply being present.

Let's connect on Instagram @danielleduffeyy