What do you do when the life you built falls apart, and the future you expected is suddenly gone?
In this episode, Jim sits down with Michelle Bader Ebersole, author, speaker, podcast host, and founder of Widow Goals, for a conversation about grief, healing, and what it looks like to rebuild after devastating loss. After losing her husband Luke in 2020 following a long battle with cancer, Michelle found herself navigating widowhood, parenting, faith, and the hard work of learning how to live again.
Together, Jim and Michelle talk about the loneliness of grief, the phrases people say that are meant to help but often hurt, and why healing is not just about time passing. Michelle shares how God met her in her darkest season, how the idea of being “chosen” changed her perspective, and how that journey eventually gave birth to her podcast, nonprofit, retreats, books, and support programs for widows across the country.
If you are carrying grief, walking through change, or trying to find your footing after life hit harder than expected, this conversation will remind you that pain is not the end of your story.
In This Episode, You Will Learn
Why grief is not only about death, but any major loss or life change
What to say, and what not to say, to someone who is grieving
Why healing is not about time alone, but what you do with the time
How Michelle moved from widowhood into purpose-driven ministry
The difference between stuffing grief and actually processing it
Why faith does not erase pain, but can steady you through it
How Widow Goals is helping widows survive, heal, and thrive
Why churches need to do more to support widows and grieving families00:00 Intro to grief, healing, and rebuilding life after loss
00:35 Michelle shares who she is and the mission behind Widow Goals
01:34 Michelle’s background in entrepreneurship and teaching
05:03 The emotional shift from a vibrant life into grief and loss
05:50 Luke’s cancer story, amputation, and the family’s long road through illness
08:13 Raising children while facing terminal cancer in the home
10:48 Jim asks about faith, bitterness, and blaming God
11:30 Michelle shares the moment God reframed her pain through the idea of being chosen
13:27 What not to say to someone who is grieving
16:38 Why grief support needs to be practical, specific, and present
18:32 The turning point from personal pain to serving other widows
19:03 How the Widowed Too Soon podcast and Widow Goals nonprofit began
21:29 Why grief does not heal just because time passes
22:12 What grief work actually looks like
23:36 Michelle explains her book, workbook, and church support program
25:10 A challenge to churches to better care for widows
26:20 Where to find Michelle, her books, podcast, and local groups
Grief changes your life, but it does not have to end your purpose
Time by itself does not heal grief
People need presence and practical help more than empty phrases
Faith can hold you steady even when life makes no sense
Healing requires honesty, not suppression
What you feel, God can heal
Widows need real community, not silence
Pain can become ministry when it is surrendered and stewarded wellConnect with Michelle Bader Ebersole
🌐 Website: WidowGoals.org
🎙️ Podcast: Widowed 2 Soon
📚 Book: Widow Goals
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Connect with Jim
🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com
🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim
▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.live
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim
Support & Engage with the Show
✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio
✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.
✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com.
Thanks for listening!
Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are.
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