How do you prepare yourself for loss? What do you do in the days before your world encounters a seismic shift? Can you ever truly be ready to face your greatest pain?
For Melissa Swain, nothing could fully prepare her for the unexpected loss of her husband, Chris, in 2021 but in the days long before such a tragic grief, she had made the decision to trust God no matter what. Just a few years before in 2019, her family faced the unexpected death of her brother, Aaron. In a way, the Lord used that difficult time to prepare her heart for more grief she would walk through as a widow. As Melissa wrestled through the pain of losing her sibling and then her husband, she was faced with more unexpected circumstances when the fate of her husband's almost finished manuscript laid in the hands of his publisher. Was she the one to take his work and bring it across the finish line? She did and the book they completed unexpectedly together called "Write it On Their Hearts: Practical Help for Discipling Your Kids" was not only a way to keep her connected to Chris after his death, but it also served as a means for him to continue to love and parent his children in the days that followed while helping other families as well.
In this candid conversation, Davey talks with Melissa about what it looks like to grieve well, why our pre-decisions about God are so important when it comes to preparing us for pain, and how to wait on God when you aren't sure what is next.
If you've ever wondered how you could prepare your heart for the suffering that inevitably comes this side of heaven, Melissa's hard-won wisdom will encourage you to decide who you think God is before you ever get that phone call that changes everything.
Website: www.WriteItOnTheirHearts.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/WITHtheSwains
Twitter: www.twitter.com/WITHtheSwains
Book: Write It On Their Hearts: Practical Help for Discipling Your Kids
We want to partner with you this holiday season and help you give the gift of healing. From now through December 9th, you can get a discount on any of the products in our store: www.nothingiswasted.com/store
Just use the promo codes:
HEALING5 ($5 off $25)
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Want to find everything Nothing is Wasted offers for your specific pain point? Check out our Curated Pathways: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways
Episode 244 - When Everything Changes with Kelli Campbell-Goodnow
Episode 243 - Making Your History Your Ally Instead of Your Enemy with Blake Williams
Episode 242 - Growing Our Soul Through Loss with Jerry Sittser
Episode 241 - Learning from Leadership Pain with Glenn Burris
Episode 240 - Making Your Way through the Seasons of Loss with Laura Hao
Episode 239 - Meeting God in the Messiness of Grief with Esther Lee
Episode 238 - Healing Childhood Trauma through Horses with Kim Tschirret
Episode 237 - Finding Faith After a National Tragedy with Christina Stanton
Episode 236 - Seeing Your Significance in Singleness with Mandy Hale
Episode 235 - The Heartbreak and the Healing with Blanca
Episode 234 - Seeing Beauty in the Darkest Days with Colleen Chao
Episode 233 - Getting Unstuck in Grief with September Vaudrey
Episode 232 - Learning to Connect with God in the Unexplainable with Emmanuel and Adrienne Threatt
Episode 231 - Finding Perspective in the Unexpected with Kelley Scites
Episode 230 - God’s Sovereignty in Our Darkest Moments with Greg and Cathy Buffkin
Episode 229 - Building Resilience in the Face of Adversity with Dr. Danisha Keating
Episode 228 - Choosing Joy in Chronic Pain and Painful Circumstances with Lindsey Wheeler
Episode 227 - The Antidote to Fear with Katie Piazza
Episode 226 - Grieving What Never Was with Megan Smalley
Episode 225 - Wrestling with God in Grief with John Onwuchekwa
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