In this episode of the While We’re Waiting – Hope After Child Loss podcast, Jill Sullivan begins a two-part conversation with Kirsten Black, author of the Faithful Paradox blog.

Kirsten shares about her son Ezra, a gifted musician and passionate soccer player who had a remarkable ability to make people feel seen and loved. In 2021, Ezra became sick and was eventually diagnosed with leukemia. After a difficult fourteen-month battle that included intense chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, Ezra went to heaven in September of 2022.

About a year and a half later, Kirsten began writing about her grief journey through her blog, Faithful Paradox. In it, she explores the tension many grieving believers experience—the reality that we know God’s promises are true, yet in the middle of suffering those truths can feel confusing, distant, or difficult to reconcile with our pain.

In this first half of our conversation, Kirsten shares about Ezra’s life, his cancer journey, and the honest prayers she wrestled through during those months. We also begin discussing a blog post she wrote titled “10 Things That Are Different From What I Expected,” reflecting on the surprising ways grief reshapes our lives.

Together we explore some of those unexpected realities, including:

• The mistaken belief that grief has a timeline
 • How the loss of a child fundamentally changes who we are
 • The realization that grief is not just an event—it becomes part of us

Kirsten’s reflections are thoughtful, honest, and deeply relatable for grieving parents who are trying to hold on to faith in the middle of profound loss.

This conversation reminds us that grief and faith often exist together in tension—a faithful paradox.

In the next episode, we’ll continue walking through the rest of Kirsten’s “ten things” and talk about what she has learned in the years since Ezra went to heaven.

Links & Resources

Faithful Paradox Blog:   faithfulparadox.com

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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

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

Contact Jill by email at: [email protected]

If you’re a regular listener, you know that we typically feature conversations with parents who have experienced the loss of a child on this podcast.  However, when a good friend posted a link to this sermon on Romans 8:28 in our private “While We're Waiting – Support for Bereaved Parents” Facebook group a couple weeks ago, I knew it was something I wanted to share with you.  

Kirk Miller is the speaker, and he is a member of Redeemer Church in Huntsville, Alabama.  He’s a former pastor and church planter and now is editor of digital content at Logos where he edits and writes for Word by Word.  

I wanted to share this because I know what a complicated relationship many bereaved parents have with Romans 8:28!  This often is the first verse that those who are trying to help a grieving parent will quote.  

Kirk acknowledges how this verse, offered too quickly, can feel less like a lifeline and more like a slap in the face—rushing sufferers toward a silver lining, dismissing real pain, or subtly implying that ongoing grief is a failure of faith.  

In this episode, Kirk will offer six clarifications on what this this scripture means – and does not mean – for those who are suffering.  I pray that this sermon both enlightens and encourages you, just like it did for me.  

While we’re waiting to see our children again, may the Lord hold you close and strengthen your heart.

Click HERE to watch this sermon on YouTube.  

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

"God doesn’t ask us to live the whole story at once. He walks us through it chapter by chapter.” 

In this second half of my conversation with Tricia Patrick, we move beyond the events of February 2014 and into the long journey that followed the loss of her son Jeremy to suicide.

Tricia describes those early days as a fog — returning to work just ten days after Jeremy went to heaven, sitting with her Bible open and unable to process the words, and simply trying to survive one hour at a time. And yet, even in the fog, she kept showing up.

What she discovered over time is something many grieving parents need to hear: God did not require her to process everything at once. He walked her through grief in chapters.

A chapter might last weeks or months. One season focused on survival. Another on Scripture. Later, she was able to face the complicated layers unique to suicide loss — the stigma, the anger, the cultural triggers, and the difficult questions. She didn’t have to solve it all in the beginning. God was gracious to let her heal one layer at a time.

This is an honest conversation about suicide loss, but it is also a conversation about endurance, Scripture, worship, and a Shepherd who carries His lambs close to His heart.

If you are in the early chapters of grief, please hear this: you do not have to resolve every question today. You do not have to face every layer at once. God is patient. He is gentle. And He will walk with you through each chapter — one at a time.

Click HERE to find Tricia's "Sharing Jeremy's Joy" Facebook page and get involved!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

“You don’t have to resolve every layer of grief at once. God works in chapters.” 

Today's episode begins a two-part conversation with my new friend Tricia Patrick. In this first episode, you’ll get to know her son Jeremy — a miracle baby, a football-loving, bow-tie wearing, big-hearted young man who adored children and dreamed of opening an orphanage one day. You’ll hear about the complicated years following her divorce, the restoration that came after Jeremy placed his faith in Christ, and the devastating night in February 2014 when everything changed.

This is an honest conversation about suicide loss, about surrendering a child into God’s hands, and about trusting Him even when the outcome isn’t what we prayed for.  

Be sure to come back for Part Two next week, when we move into the years after Jeremy went to heaven. Tricia will speak candidly about the early fog of grief — returning to work just days later, sitting with her Bible open and unable to process the words, and wrestling with the stigma and complicated emotions that often accompany suicide loss. She'll also explain how God gently allowed her to process her grief in “chapters,” addressing one layer at a time rather than forcing her to face everything at once. 

This is an honest and hope-filled conversation about suicide loss, surrender, healing over time, and the faithfulness of a Good Shepherd who carries us — and our children — close to His heart.

If you are in the early days of grief, please know you are not alone. You don’t have to figure it all out right now. God is patient. He is gentle. And He will walk with you through every chapter.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

If you’ve lost your song, that doesn’t mean it’s gone forever.

In this second half of my conversation with Kristi Kirk, we focus on what healing can look like over time after devastating loss. Kristi reflects on the long road of grief following the death of both her husband and her son, and how her faith, perspective, and purpose have been slowly reshaped.

Kristi shares what it meant to walk through her son’s senior year without him, how fear gradually loosened its grip, and how she learned to live forward without leaving her son behind. She speaks honestly about the difference between feelings and truth, and how anchoring herself in God’s Word became essential as faith was rebuilt.

This episode also explores worship and music—how Kristi lost her song after loss, and how it returned in time as a quiet expression of healing. Along the way, she offers practical wisdom for those in early grief, encouragement to stay connected to community, and permission to lament without shame.

Rather than offering a neat resolution, this conversation affirms that grief remains—and reminds us that though we may be shaken, we are not abandoned by God.  

Click HERE to connect with Kristi! 

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

When life no longer feels safe or predictable, trust in God can feel fragile.

In this first half of my conversation with Kristi Kirk, we talk about what it means to be shaken to the core by loss—and how faith can be tested, reshaped, and rebuilt in the aftermath.

Kristi shares her story of profound grief, including the sudden death of her husband and, less than two years later, the loss of her 18-year-old son, PK. She speaks honestly about fear, trauma, and the struggle to trust God when life no longer feels secure and the future feels uncertain.

This episode focuses on the early terrain of grief: the shock, the unanswered questions, and the fear that “the next shoe might drop.” Kristi reflects on how losing her assumptions about protection and control led her into a deeper, more honest relationship with God—one marked by lament, transparency, and the slow work of learning to separate feelings from truth.

Rather than offering easy answers, this conversation makes space for grief as it really is, while holding onto the truth that even when our faith feels shaken, God has not abandoned us.

To connect with Kristi, visit her website HERE.  

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

Today, we resume our conversation with Ken and Mary Sue Grein as they recount the events surrounding their son Jacob’s unexpected passing in 2019, the way their family was gathered together, and the profound sense of God’s presence in those hours. They speak honestly about shock, sorrow, and the weight of saying goodbye, while also sharing moments of comfort, reassurance, and hope that met them in the midst of deep grief.

We also explore what the long road of loving and losing Jacob has taught them—about surrender, about living with unanswered questions, and about allowing grief to unfold without rushing it. Ken and Mary Sue offer gentle wisdom for grieving parents, encouraging listeners to feel what they feel, to take grief one day at a time, and to trust that God meets us even when the pain doesn’t quickly resolve.

As the conversation continues, they reflect on Jacob’s ongoing legacy and the calling they felt to share his story through their book and beyond. Jacob’s life, they remind us, continues to speak—pointing others toward faith, compassion, and the enduring truth that every life is worth living.

Click HERE to listen to Part One of our conversation.  

Social Media links for the Greins:

Facebook -  Jacob's Story the Book ( https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579352574360)

Instagram - JacobGreinStory (https://www.instagram.com/jacobgreinstory/)

YouTube - @JacobGreinStory (https://www.youtube.com/@JacobGreinStory)

TikTok - @jacobgreinstory

website - jacobalifeworthliving.com

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

Today I’m joined by Ken and Mary Sue Grein as they begin sharing the story of their son Jacob—a story that would shape their family, their faith, and their understanding of what gives a life meaning.

Our conversation takes us into the early years of Jacob’s life, including his fragile beginning, a prolonged hospital journey, and the realities of raising a child with significant disabilities. Ken and Mary Sue reflect on the emotional and practical challenges they faced, as well as the unexpected joy and purpose they discovered along the way.

They talk about Jacob’s personality, his love for people, his unique way of communicating, and the quiet ways he ministered to others. Ken and Mary Sue also share how their questions, grief, and uncertainty gradually gave way to trust—and how Jacob became a teacher in their home, shaping their hearts and their perspective.  

In next week's episode, Ken and Mary Sue will continue sharing Jacob’s story—walking us through the day his earthly journey came to an end, the sacred moments that followed, and the way God has met them in grief, healing, and hope. They’ll also reflect on what Jacob’s life and legacy continue to teach them, and how his story is still reaching others today, so be sure to come back next week!

Social Media links for the Greins:

Facebook -  Jacob's Story the Book ( https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579352574360)

Instagram - JacobGreinStory (https://www.instagram.com/jacobgreinstory/)

YouTube - @JacobGreinStory (https://www.youtube.com/@JacobGreinStory)

TikTok - @jacobgreinstory

website - jacobalifeworthliving.com

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

Today's episode features a continuation of my conversation with Dawn Helms as we focus on life after the loss of her only child, Ben.

Dawn shares practical, compassionate wisdom for parents in the early days of grief—about accepting help, resisting isolation, and leaning into community even when it feels hard. She reflects on the quiet that follows years of caregiving, navigating everyday questions, and approaching holidays when traditions feel overwhelming.

Throughout our conversation, Dawn points to the faith that has sustained her—not a faith that takes the pain away, but one that meets her in it. She shares the Scriptures, music, and moments of God’s provision that have helped her keep going.

If you’re a grieving parent listening today, I want to remind you that you don’t have to walk this road alone. The While We’re Waiting ministry hosts free, faith-based retreats for bereaved parents across the country, offering space for rest, understanding, and community.  I would love to have the opportunity to meet you at one of our retreats!  

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]

Today's episode features the first half of my recent conversation with Dawn Helms, in which she shares the story of her only son Ben and the long journey of loving him through significant mental health challenges.

For years, Dawn lived in a constant state of vigilance—managing diagnoses, medications, school struggles, substance abuse, and periods of incarceration. Her home was rarely quiet, not because life was easy, but because Ben required constant attention and advocacy. 

Dawn helps us get to know Ben beyond his struggles—his humor, compassion, and the deep bond they shared. She also reflects on a brief, sweet season when Ben was home before his death, and how everything changed for her when the caregiving ended and the house grew quiet.

This episode will be especially meaningful for parents who have lost an only child or who spent years living on high alert due to a child's mental health issues. 

Be sure to return for next week's episode when Dawn will share more about the early days of grief, the choices that helped her survive, and how God met her in the quiet. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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]