My guest on the podcast today is my friend Josie Doll, who I had the opportunity to meet when we hosted a While We're Waiting Weekend in Alberta, Canada last spring.  In this first half of our conversation, we get to know her 15-year-old son, Christian—a funny, compassionate young man and natural leader who loved hockey, golf, his friends, and his family.

Josie takes us back to the summer night in July of 2024 when Christian was struck by a vehicle while riding his moped with friends. She shares about the seven difficult days that followed, the desperate prayers for a miracle, and the heartbreaking reality that Christian would not survive his injuries.

We also talk about the ongoing legal process surrounding his death, Josie’s efforts toward “Christian’s Law,” and what grief has looked like as she approaches the two-year mark without her son. She describes the second year as “quieter” and shares how she has begun to view moving forward not as moving farther away from Christian, but as moving closer to the day she’ll see him again.

Next week, we’ll explore the meaning behind Courage in the Corners and go deeper into Josie’s journey of learning to trust God in the midst of devastating loss.

Josie’s journey has required the kind of courage Christian himself used to talk about ... the courage it takes to go into the corners.  I believe you’ll be blessed by listening in.

Click HERE to find Josie's book on Amazon.  

Click HERE to learn more about the Christian Doll foundation.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

In last week’s episode, we met Marty and Missie Durapau and heard about the loss of Missie’s 14-year-old son, Mason, after a golf cart accident on Easter Sunday in 2024. We also heard about the week they spent praying and believing God for a miracle ... and what it meant to keep trusting Him when that miracle didn’t come in the way they had hoped.  If you missed the first half of our conversation, you can find it HERE.  

Today, we’ll talk more about Mason’s decision to be an organ donor and the five lives that were saved through his gift. That part of his story has brought Missie tremendous comfort and purpose, but it has also brought some unexpected heartbreak that has caused her to wrestle with God in a whole new way.

We’ll also talk about why the second year of grief has been especially difficult, navigating birthdays and holidays, and the ways Marty and Missie are using their own experiences to come alongside others who are hurting.

Through all of it, they are learning that still trusting God doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means continuing to turn toward Him with the questions, the confusion, and the pain—and trusting that He is still faithful.

Link to the Our Hearts Are Home fall conference information HERE!  

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

My guests on the podcast today are Marty and Missie Durapau, and if I had to describe the thread that runs through their story, it would be this:  Still Trusting God.

Marty had already experienced devastating loss when his wife of 34 years, Angie, died suddenly in 2020. Missie had walked through difficult seasons of her own before she came to know the Lord as an adult. They married in 2023, blending their families and beginning a new chapter.

Then, just over a year later, Missie’s 14-year-old son, Mason, suffered a devastating brain injury after a golf cart accident on Easter Sunday. For the next week, Marty and Missie worshiped and prayed and believed God for a miraculous healing. But Mason’s ultimate healing occurred when he went to Heaven on April 7, 2024.

In this first half of our conversation, we’ll hear how God brought Marty and Missie together, get to know Mason—a funny, tenderhearted boy who loved Jesus and loved his mama—and talk honestly about trusting God when He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we hoped.

This is a story of heartbreak, questions, faith, and still trusting God. I believe you’ll be blessed by listening in.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

Sherry Bullock’s 19-year-old daughter, Emma, was fun-loving, easygoing, and known for leaving “a trail of Emma” wherever she went.

On February 6, 2021, Emma was killed in a devastating accident on a Florida interstate. In our conversation, Sherry shares honestly about the shock of sudden loss, the silence that followed, and the questions she wrestled with about heaven, God’s sovereignty, and where God was when Emma died.

She also explains the meaning behind the title of her book, The Mess We Leave Behind: Unshakable Hope in Unspeakable Loss. What began as the physical mess Emma left behind became a picture of the emotional and spiritual aftermath of her death—and a reminder that Emma had lived, loved, and mattered.

Sherry talks about what grieving parents need most, why grief cannot be separated from love, and how she came to see grief as holy ground. She also shares a powerful image of hope as the rope God lowers into the pit for us to hold onto.  As Sherry says, “Hope is everything.”

This is an honest conversation about child loss, faith, and the presence of God in the midst of the mess.

Sherry’s book, The Mess We Leave Behind: Unshakable Hope in Unspeakable Loss, is available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon.  Click HERE to get your copy.  

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

What does a "holy grief" look like twenty-four years after the death of a child?

In this second half of my conversation with Angie Ford-Green, we move from the story of Kevin's death to the wisdom God has cultivated in her through the years that followed. 

Building on the theme introduced in Part One of our conversation, Angie shares how God has continued to shape her understanding of a holy grief ... one that doesn't deny the pain of loss but allows Him to use it to deepen our faith, refine our hearts, and bring hope to others.

We also talk about navigating holidays and special days, loving the family members who are still with us while honoring the child who is in Heaven, and the importance of discovering purpose in pain. Angie closes by sharing the heart behind her books, A Mother Like Me and Mothers Like Me, a collection of stories that reminds grieving mothers they are not alone.

This conversation is filled with practical, Christ-centered encouragement for every bereaved parent seeking to walk faithfully through grief.

Resources Mentioned (with links):

• A Mother Like Me
• Mothers Like Me
• Little Lucy Ladybug: Where Are My Spots?

Visit Angie's website, linked HERE, to learn more about her ministry and her books.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

Angie's experience with grief began early in life, losing her father to a massive heart attack when she was just twelve years old.  With little guidance and few opportunities to express her grief, she learned to hide her pain and pretend she was okay when she wasn't ... a pattern that would follow her for decades.  

Then, more than forty years later, her 28-year-old son, Kevin, died suddenly while surfing in the Pacific Ocean.  This time, she knew she couldn't grieve the same way. 

At Kevin's burial, Angie's mother spoke words that would change the course of her life:  "My prayer for you is that you will have a holy grief."

In this first half of our conversation, Angie shares the story of Kevin's life, the heartbreaking day she learned of his death, and how God invited her to embrace her grief rather than bury it. We talk about the difference between stuffing our emotions and honestly lamenting before the Lord, the importance of inviting others into our sorrow, and the hope that comes from connecting our hurt to the Healer.

Angie's story is a powerful reminder that God meets us in our deepest sorrow and faithfully walks with us through it.

Resources Mentioned (with links!):

• A Mother Like Me by Angie Ford-Green 
• Mothers Like Me by Angie Ford-Green 

Visit Angie's website:  A Mother Like Me

Next Week: In the second half of our conversation, Angie shares what she's learned during more than two decades of living with child loss. We'll talk about marriage after loss, choosing gratitude, navigating holidays and special days, discovering purpose in pain, and the ministry God has built from her journey.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

Allie Andres always ended her notes and letters with the words, "Don't worry about me. I'll see you soon."  Because of her faith in Jesus, Allie knew that death was not the end of her story. She would see her loved ones again.

(If you missed the first half of my conversation with Dan & Melissa, click HERE to listen!)  

In this second half of our conversation, Dan and Melissa Andres share what life has been like during the first eighteen months since Allie's homegoing. They speak candidly about the loneliness, the unexpected challenges of the second year of grief, and the daily choice to trust the God who has faithfully carried them through every step of this journey.

Together, we talk about learning to grieve as husband and wife, navigating holidays and milestones, returning to church, the healing gift of music, and the eternal perspective that allows them to keep moving forward ... not because they've left Allie behind, but because they're one day closer to seeing her again.

Perhaps most importantly, Dan and Melissa offer gentle, biblical encouragement for parents who are just beginning this road, reminding us that our hope is not found in the absence of sorrow, but in the certainty of Christ and the promise of Heaven.

For the grieving parent, "I'll see you soon" is more than a comforting phrase. It is the promise of the gospel. Because Jesus conquered death, our separation is only temporary. The reunion is coming.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

"Don't worry about me. I'll see you soon."  ~ Allie

When sixteen-year-old Allie Andres was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), an aggressive and incurable pediatric brain cancer, her family was suddenly faced with every parent's worst nightmare. But instead of allowing fear to define her remaining days, Allie chose to embrace each one with extraordinary faith, contagious joy, and an unwavering focus on eternity.

In this first half of our conversation, Dan and Melissa Andres share Allie's story ... from the first subtle symptoms to the way she responded after learning she had only months to live, choosing to spend the rest of her days preparing others for Heaven.  They talk about the precious gift of seventeen months together, and the intentional way their family filled that time with unforgettable memories, meaningful conversations, and a deep confidence in God's goodness.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that while we can't choose our circumstances, we can choose how we live through them. Allie's story is one of courage, purpose, and a hope that reaches far beyond this life.

Join us next week for the second half of our conversation as Dan and Melissa share what life has been like since Allie went to Heaven, how their grief has evolved, what God has taught them through child loss, and the hope that continues to carry them forward.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

"Every scar says, 'Here's where I was broken, and here is where God met me.'" ~ Pat Elsberry

What if the deepest wound in your life could one day become your greatest testimony of God's faithfulness?

In today's episode, returning guest Pat Elsberry joins us to discuss her newest book, When Scars Become Stories: A Journey to Healing, Restoration, and Faith.  After her daughter Melanie died due to addiction in 2020, Pat began the difficult journey of child loss ... a journey that has deepened her faith and shaped the message of hope she now shares with others. 

Together, we explore many of the themes woven throughout her book, including the physical effects of grief, learning to grieve with hope and grace, finding God's presence in the darkest valleys, and discovering how our scars can become stories that point others to Jesus.

If you've ever wondered whether joy can exist alongside sorrow, this conversation offers biblical encouragement and practical hope for wherever you are on your grief journey.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The often-overlooked physical effects of child loss.
• What it means to grieve with hope rather than without hope.
• Why hope is the oxygen grieving parents desperately need.
• How God's grace enables us to keep moving forward.
• The beautiful picture of kintsugi and how God restores broken hearts.
• Why our scars are not something to hide but testimonies of God's faithfulness.
• How worship and praise become powerful anchors during grief.
• What it means to be comforted by God so we can comfort others.
• The reassurance that we serve El Roi, the God who sees us.
• How to weather unexpected "tsunami waves" of grief.
• Practical signs that healing is quietly taking place.
• Why living with an eternal perspective changes everything.
• The hope of reunion with our children through Jesus Christ.

Whether your loss is recent or decades behind you, Pat reminds us that grief and hope can exist together ... that our children's stories still matter, and that God is still writing our stories.

Resources Mentioned

• When Scars Become Stories: A Journey to Healing, Restoration, and Faith by Pat Elsberry
• Pat's website: Hope During Loss
• Connect with Pat on Facebook and Instagram
• Listen to Pat's previous appearance on the While We're Waiting podcast (Episode 219 and Episode 220), where she shares Melanie's story.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected] 

In the second half of my conversation with author and speaker Wende Gaikema, our discussion turns to some of the most difficult and deeply personal questions parents face after the suicide of a child.  (If you haven't listened to the first half of our conversation yet, please click HERE to do that!)

Drawing from her own experience following the death of her 24-year-old son, Matt, Wende continues walking through the choices outlined in her book, From Heartache to Hope: Navigating the Choices in Your Suicide Loss Journey. With biblical truth, practical wisdom, and remarkable honesty, she addresses the questions that so many grieving parents quietly carry but are often afraid to ask.

Together, we discuss how to respond to shame, regret, and anger, how to navigate birthdays and holidays after loss, and why learning to "dance with a limp" can become a picture of healing. Throughout the conversation, Wende reminds us that grief changes us forever ... but it doesn't have to define us forever.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• What Scripture actually says about suicide and salvation
• Why suicide is not the unpardonable sin
• How to respond to feelings of shame, self-blame, and regret
• Identifying and rejecting the voice of condemnation
• The importance of self-compassion after child loss
• Processing anger—including anger toward the child who died
• Understanding the "emotional shrapnel" that suicide leaves behind
• Navigating birthdays, holidays, heaven dates, and other difficult milestones
• Why every family should find its own way to remember and honor their child
• The meaning behind Wende's beautiful phrase, "Dancing with a Limp"
• How practicing gratitude can gradually shift our perspective
• Using your story to comfort others without allowing your grief to define you

One of the most encouraging themes in this episode is the reminder that God rarely gives us enough light to see the entire path ahead, but He faithfully provides enough light for the next step. As Wende shares, healing isn't about "getting over" the loss of your child. It's about learning to carry that loss with grace while continuing to live the life God still has for you.

Resources Mentioned

• From Heartache to Hope: Navigating the Choices in Your Suicide Loss Journey by Wende Gaikema
• Wende's website: https://coachwende.com

If you have lost a child to suicide, we pray this conversation reminds you that you are not alone. There is no shame in your story, no condemnation for those who are in Christ, and no grief so deep that God cannot meet you there. He is faithful to walk with you, one step at a time.

If this episode encouraged you, please consider subscribing to the podcast, leaving a review, or sharing it with another bereaved parent. Your recommendation may help another family discover hope in the midst of unimaginable loss.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry. 

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at:  [email protected]