Ep 12 - Celebrating Anniversaries With Faith, Hope, and Healing

Ep 15 - This Is Not As Good As It Gets: Finding Hope When You're Just Surviving

What happens when the people you've been caring for are gone, and you're left wondering what to do with all the empty hours? In this heartfelt episode of Grief Relief for Christian Women, Patty Jackson shares how losing her husband, Ralph, and later both of her parents left her grieving not only the people she loved, but also the routines, purpose, and identity that came with caring for them. If you've ever felt like you're just going through the motions, dreaded the silence of evenings and weekends, or wondered if life will ever feel meaningful again, this episode is for you. Patty offers biblical encouragement, personal stories, and practical hope to remind you that while grief changes your life, it doesn't end your purpose. You'll discover why it's normal to grieve the loss of your daily routines, how God gently leads us into new seasons, and why this is not as good as it gets. There is hope beyond surviving—and with God's help, you can begin living again, one faithful step at a time. Scripture: Psalm 34:18 Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs a little hope today. www.mygriefrelief.com

Ep 14 - Father's Day Without Dad: Honoring His Memory While Healing Your Heart

Father’s Day Without Dad: Honoring His Memory While Healing Your Heart Father’s Day can bring a mix of emotions when your dad is no longer here. Even years after a loss, special days have a way of reminding us of the love, memories, and moments we miss most. In this heartfelt episode of Grief Relief for Christian Women, Patty shares her personal experience of missing her father and offers faith-filled encouragement for navigating Father's Day while grieving. Together, we'll explore how to honor our dads, embrace cherished memories, and find comfort in God's presence when our hearts feel heavy. You'll discover: * Why Father's Day can trigger grief, even years later * How to honor your dad's legacy in meaningful ways * Biblical encouragement for brokenhearted daughters * A simple healing challenge to help you celebrate his impact on your life * Hope for carrying both love and loss with faith Scripture: Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." For more grief support and resources, visit MyGriefRelief.com and connect with a community of Christian women learning to find hope, healing, and purpose after loss. ❤️

Ep 13 - Feel Confident Again After Loss

Feel Confident Again After Loss Have you ever looked in the mirror after loss and wondered where your confidence went? Grief has a way of shaking our identity, our routines, and even our belief in ourselves. The decisions that once felt easy suddenly feel overwhelming, and the future can seem uncertain. But confidence isn't something you've lost forever—it's something that can be rebuilt, one faithful step at a time. In this episode of Grief Relief for Christian Women, Patty shares from her own journey after losing her husband, Ralph, and the challenges of learning to navigate life alone. She discusses how grief affects confidence, why confidence grows through action rather than waiting to "feel ready," and practical ways to begin trusting yourself again. You'll discover: * Why grief often causes a loss of confidence * The difference between confidence and courage * Three simple ways to rebuild confidence after loss * How God can help you step forward even when you're afraid * A practical Confidence Inventory exercise to help you recognize how far you've already come If you've been questioning your ability to handle what's next, this episode is a reminder that God is still with you, still strengthening you, and still writing your story. Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3 NIV; 1 John 5:14-15 NIV; Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV; Hebrews 4:16 NIV; Heb 13:6 NIV Weekly Challenge: Complete a Confidence Inventory and celebrate three things you've accomplished since your loss. Remember, Y'all: You don't have to feel confident before you take the next step. Sometimes confidence grows because you took it. 🎙️ Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement, and visit MyGriefRelief.com for additional grief support resources for Christian women. ❤️

Ep 12 - Celebrating Anniversaries With Faith, Hope, and Healing

Episode 12: Celebrating Anniversaries With Faith, Hope, and Healing Do birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays, and heavenly anniversaries make your heart ache a little more? You're not alone. In this heartfelt episode of Grief Relief for Christian Women, Patty shares personal stories about her parents' nearly 67-year marriage, her dad's love of celebrating anniversaries, and how those special dates changed after loss. She also shares funny and touching memories of Ralph, including the anniversary they both completely forgot and the creative way he tried to convince her he had planned it all along. Together, we'll talk about why anniversary dates can trigger grief, anxiety, dread, and even guilt—and why every one of those emotions is completely normal. In this episode, you'll discover: ❤️ Why your heart remembers because love remembers ❤️ How anticipation is often harder than the actual day ❤️ Practical ways to prepare for difficult dates without putting pressure on yourself ❤️ How to honor your loved one while continuing to live the life God has called you to live ❤️ Why there is no "right way" to grieve anniversaries ❤️ How faith, gratitude, and grace can help carry you through special dates Whether you're facing a birthday, wedding anniversary, holiday, or the anniversary of your loved one's passing, this episode will remind you that grief and love are forever connected—and that God walks beside you through both. You'll leave encouraged, understood, and reminded that you can miss someone deeply while still living beautifully. Scripture: Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Grab a cup of coffee, a box of tissues if you need them, and join us for a conversation about celebrating anniversaries with faith, hope, healing, and gratitude for the memories that never leave our hearts.

Ep 11 - Grief, Grace, and Gratitude

Grief, Grace and Gratitude 🎙️ FULL EPISODE SCRIPT Grief, Grace, and Gratitude INTRO Hey Ya'll. Welcome back to Grief Relief for Christian Women, where we talk about faith, healing, and all the things nobody warned us about—like how grief can turn a normal trip to H-E-B into a full-blown emotional meltdown in Isle 9. Yes, I've been there--did that! I’m your host, Patty Jackson, and today we’re diving into three little words that sound sweet enough to put on a farmhouse sign but powerful enough to change your healing journey: Grief, Grace, and Gratitude. But before we dig in, let’s start with prayer. OPENING PRAYER “Father God, we come to You today with hearts that are tender, tired, and maybe a little worn out. You see our tears, You know our pain, and You love us right through it. We ask for Your grace to steady us, Your peace to fill us, and Your mercy to remind us we don’t have to have it all together--not yesterday, today or even tomorrow. Lord, show us the little glimmers of gratitude! Bless every woman listening. Wrap her in Your comfort and remind her she’s not walking alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” SEGMENT 1: GRIEF — THE UNINVITED HOUSEGUEST Alright, let’s talk about grief—that uninvited houseguest who shows up unannounced, eats all your snacks, and refuses to leave. Grief is messy. Grief is sneaky. Grief shows up when you’re trying to pump gas or just minding your business, like while cooking or even watching TV. And if you’re anything like me, you may have thought, “Okay, surely this is supposed to get easier by now. Spoiler alert: it really does. Trust me on this! But here’s the truth I learned the hard way… Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. It follows your heart. And some days, that heart needs extra grace. Which brings us to our next part… SEGMENT 2: GRACE — GOD’S GIFT FOR THE DAYS WE CAN’T EVEN Grace is God’s way of saying, “Lady, sit down. You’re doing the best you can.”  Give yourself some grace. Grace is what whispers, “You don’t have to be strong every minute.” Give yourself grace. Grace reminds us that Jesus never once said, “Thou shalt not fall apart in Target.”  Give yourself grace. Grace shows up when we’ve used up all our patience, all our coping skills, and all your emergency food. I had to quit having "emergency food in my house, like Ice Cream, Chocolate, and wine, because when the emergency came, that stuff was already gone. And listen—grace is not only what God gives you, but what you must learn to give yourself. Maybe today grace looks like: Taking a nap instead of pretending you’re fine Saying no to people who drain you Letting the laundry stay dirty for one more day Crying without apologizing for it Grace meets you where you are—not where you think you “should be.” SEGMENT 3: GRATITUDE — THE TINY LIGHTS IN A DARK ROOM Now… let’s talk about gratitude.   I’m talking about the real-life, grief-stage gratitude that sounds more like: “Well, thank You, Lord, that my coffee didn’t spill on my shirt today.” Gratitude in grief isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about noticing the little mercies that keep you going. Sometimes gratitude looks like: A good hair day when you needed it A friend texting “thinking of you” at the perfect moment A funny memory that makes you smile through tears A day where you didn’t cry until 2 pm Every tiny thank-you is worship. Every moment of noticing good is healing. Because gratitude doesn’t erase grief— it simply gives grief somewhere softer to land.   "When people hear the word gratitude, they think I'm supposed to be grateful for losing Ralph. Not a chance. I would give anything to have one more conversation with him. That's not what gratitude means. Gratitude means I'm thankful for the years we had. I'm thankful for the love we shared. I'm thankful for the people God sent to help me survive after he was gone. I'm thankful that somehow, through all the tears, God took my greatest pain and turned it into a ministry that helps women all over the world. Some days my gratitude is deep and spiritual. Other days it's, 'Thank You, Lord, that I only had to do my makeup once today" 🌸 These are Things I'm Grateful For Even While Grieving I'm grateful that Ralph loved me so well that losing him hurt this much. I'm grateful for the years we had together instead of focusing only on the years we lost. I'm grateful that God never left me, even during the days I was angry, confused, and heartbroken. I'm grateful that my pain became my purpose. I'm grateful that my story can help another widow feel less alone. I'm grateful for every woman who listens to this podcast and realizes she's not crazy—she's grieving. I'm grateful for laughter. Some days it feels like medicine straight from Heaven. I'm grateful for coffee because Jesus works miracles, but sometimes He starts with caffeine. I'm grateful for the memories that still make me smile. I'm grateful for my friends and family, who carried me when I couldn't carry myself. I'm grateful that God helped me rediscover and reimagine my future. I'm grateful for the courage to sell our farmhouse and create a new dream. I'm grateful for my Lexus--the first luxury car I've ever had. I'm grateful for the lessons grief taught me that comfort never could. I'm grateful for every sunrise that reminds me God isn't finished with my story. I'm grateful that healing didn't require me to forget Ralph. I'm grateful for my parents, and I have so many memories of my wonderful, normal childhood. I'm grateful that joy and grief can sit at the same table. I'm grateful for the women God has brought into my life through this ministry. I'm grateful for second chances, new beginnings, and unexpected blessings. I'm grateful for the strength I didn't know I had until I needed it. I'm grateful that God specializes in resurrection stories. I want to explain gratitude — and I want to say this carefully, because gratitude is not the same as pretending everything is fine. Gratitude is not faking it until you make it. It is not dismissing your pain. Gratitude in grief is one of the most powerful, spiritually defiant acts you can do. It is saying to the enemy, "You took something from me, but you did not take everything." It is saying to God, "I still see you in here--in my heart." So here are some of the things I have become deeply, fiercely grateful for on this side of loss — things I might have taken for granted before. I am grateful for the years, the memories, and the moments I actually had. Loss has a way of sharpening your appreciation for what was given. I really don't want to spend so much time grieving what I lost that I forget to be thankful for what I had. Not everyone gets what I had. And that is a gift. I am grateful for the people grief revealed — the ones who showed up and keep showing up.  I know who they are, and they know who they are, and I do not take them for granted. Grief has a way of making you ruthlessly grateful for the right people. I am grateful for the woman I am becoming through this. I did not ask for this season. I would not have chosen it. But I can see — even on the hard days — that something is being built in me. Strength. Compassion. Faith. The kind of faith that doesn't just believe in God when life is good. The kind that believes him when it's not. That is a version of yourself worth being grateful for. And I am grateful, genuinely, for the small graces. The morning that I woke up and actually felt okay. The song that came on at the exact right moment. The friend who texted out of nowhere. The sunrise or sunset that I almost didn't stop to look at. God is in those moments. He is leaving little love notes everywhere! SEGMENT 4: HOW THESE THREE WORK TOGETHER Here’s where the magic happens… Grief will break you open. Grace will hold you together. Gratitude will slowly stitch you back up. They are not separate chapters. They’re all happening at once—like a holy casserole of emotions you didn’t ask for. Some days your grief is loud. Some days Grace holds your hand. Some days gratitude whispers, “Look right here—God is moving mountains.” It’s messy. It’s holy. It’s human. It’s healing. SEGMENT 5: PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS FOR THE WEEK Here are three things to try this week, ya'll: 1. Name your grief moment each day. Just acknowledge it: Write it down--whatever your grief is at that moment, because I promise you, when you read it later--say next year, you will see how far you have come. 2. Practice one act of grace toward yourself. Rest, soften, breathe, slow down. Just give yourself grace. 3. Write down one tiny gratitude. Doesn’t matter how small because small stack up! As for me, I start every morning with "Thank you, God, for giving me another sunrise, and don't let me waste it today." CLOSING WORDS Your journey matters. Your tears matter. Your hope matters. And you are doing better than you think you are.  If you are listening to this podcast, you are trying, and that's all you can ask for. Give yourself grace. God hasn’t left you for one single second— And He’s going to carry you, comfort you, strengthen you, and lift you until you can walk steadily again. Thank you for spending this time with me today. We heal together. We rise together. And yes, we laugh together too. Until next time, may grief be gentle, grace be abundant, and gratitude show up right when you need it.