While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss

321 | "Hope Is Everything" with Sherry Bullock

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 parentsClick 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 channelClick HERE to follow our public Facebook pageClick 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 ministryContact Jill by email at:  jill@whilewerewaiting.org 

320 | A Holy Grief (Part Two) with Angie Ford-Green

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 MeMothers Like MeLittle 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 parentsClick 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 channelClick HERE to follow our public Facebook pageClick 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 ministryContact Jill by email at:  jill@whilewerewaiting.org 

319 | A Holy Grief (Part One) with Angie Ford-Green

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 MeNext 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 parentsClick 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 channelClick HERE to follow our public Facebook pageClick 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 ministryContact Jill by email at:  jill@whilewerewaiting.org 

318 | "I'll See You Soon" (Part Two) with Dan and Melissa Andres

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 parentsClick 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 channelClick HERE to follow our public Facebook pageClick 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 ministryContact Jill by email at:  jill@whilewerewaiting.org 

317 | "I'll See You Soon" (Part One) with Dan and Melissa Andres

"Don't worry about me. I'll see you soon."  ~ AllieWhen 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 parentsClick 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 channelClick HERE to follow our public Facebook pageClick 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 ministryContact Jill by email at:  jill@whilewerewaiting.org