A Grief Redeemed

Episode 11: Things I Wish People Knew About Grief and Widowhood

This episode is somewhat of a compilation of topics and things I have already mentioned on other episodes but thought I would go more into depth into some of those things. And I wanted this to be a closing to the first season before I start season 2. I talk about the difficult and hard things about grief and widowhood and also about the main lessons and wisdom grief and widowhood has taught me as well.  If you don't already follow my Instagram and/or Fb page it is under the name: A Grief Redeemed. I post all my latest episodes and share life updates and things I have been reflecting on or want to share.

Episode 10: Persevering When You've Had More Than You Can Handle

I am no stranger to persevering through hard things. If you know my story or listened to previous episodes, like episode 1, you know that getting through hard times is nothing new to me. But during this episode I share about how I feel like I have hit this wall where I feel like,"Haven't I suffered enough?"  I know my story is much different than most people but if you are in a place, like me, where you feel like you have had enough I want you to know that you are not alone and that I am in that exact place myself. I am still in the middle of struggling and wrestling through hard questions and feeling stuck but I think I'm ok with that. Sometimes it is in the wrestling and processing that we find our way to other side eventually.  If you want to read the whole article I share at the end of my episode here is the link to Inheritance Magazine issue # 53: https://www.inheritancemag.com/stories/joy-to-the-lord And I wanted to give a shout out to my friend Stephen who I mention in the episode about his art speaking to me at such a hard time. Be sure and check him out on Instagram @Stephen_inks

Episode 9: Spiritual Direction And Why It's Important

In this episode I bring my wonderful parents onto my show to share a little of their journeys of seeking out spiritual direction after many years of having the Lord be in their own lives and how just going through the motions of doing the right things wasn't enough. I love what my dad shared on the podcast about his experience of doing life with the Lord. He said," Relying on the Lord is a relational experience not just a cerebral exercise. It's a two-way kind of connection." There is so much more wisdom in what they both have to share. I hope what they share gives you hope, encourages, and can be life giving to you as much as it has to me over the years. Going deeper with the Lord and finding deep connection with the Lord is hard work, but the fruits of it can be so comforting and so rewarding especially at a time as this pandemic when hope can feel so hard to find or hold onto.

Episode 8: Things I Learned About GriefShare

In this episode I talk about what GriefShare has taught me over the years. It has been a great grief support group and resource to me. It has taught me how to sit in someone else's grief and how to process many different topics and stages of grief with the support of others. There are many support groups that meet throughout the US, Canada, and other countries throughout the world and their website can help you find the closest group near you. I also talk about how GriefShare may not be for everyone, and it was definitely something I was not ready to do until 2 years after my late husband died, but overall it is a great resource to be aware of and joining if that fits into your grief journey.  GriefShare can also be a great resource if you are wanting to learn how to be there for someone who is grieving.  Here is the website if you want to learn more or check it out yourself: https://www.griefshare.org

Episode 7: Surviving The Day To Day and Trigger Days Without Loved Ones

Surviving and learning to live life without our loved ones is one of the hardest things we have to do. EVERYTHING and EVERY situation can be hard  and everything can feel like a trigger. At times it can feel like there is not one minute you don't feel pain.  I try to share an overview of what helped in the short term and what is needed in the long term.  Trigger days (anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions) are even harder and are the days that drain us the most. I share about how to come up with a game plan and how important it is to find life giving things on those days.  The book that I mention in the episode, that was so instrumental in putting me on the right foot in grieving, is called: Traveling Through Grief: Learning to Live Again After the Death of a A Loved One by Susan J. Zonnebelt Smeenge and Robert C. De Vries. It is an excellent book about addressing the mental health perspective and the spiritual health perspective of processing grief. Here the link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traveling-through-Grief-Learning-Again/dp/080106676X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1N7C86ZTI5WTY&dchild=1&keywords=traveling+through+grief+book&qid=1612667842&sprefix=traveling+th%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-3