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GPS Hope

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May 23, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

212: Grief and Laughter (with Nancy Weil)

Do you feel guilty for laughing after your child died? Are humorous things that used to make you laugh no longer funny? How do we get past that? What if we don’t want to ever laugh again?

Laura’s guest, Nancy Weil, is a certified laughter specialist, who combines it with being a certified grief worker. Laughter is something that is needed in our lives as soon as possible because of the physical, mental and emotional benefits it brings to the grieving process. Find out why and how in today’s discussion.

Nancy Weil is a leading authority on the relationship between humor and grief, and is known for her energetic, entertaining and content rich programs. She runs a national virtual grief support group through her work with the Order of the Golden Rule, an association for independent funeral homes. Nancy is Certified as a Funeral Celebrant, Grief Management Specialist, and Laughter Leader.  She is the founder of The Laugh Academy and the author of, If Stress Doesn’t Kill You, Your Family Might.

 

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

This podcast episode was sponsored by Lester and Kathy Wilfong, in memory of their daughter, Jessi Wilfong.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Listen to previous episode with Nancy: Can Our Children Still Communicate With Us?

Connect with Nancy: website thelaughacademy.com or email nancy@thelaughacademy.com

It is the last week to get in on the reduced cabin prices! Get more information to join Laura and Nancy on The Grief Cruise!

Sponsor a podcast episode in memory of your child.

 

 

Click here to become a monthly partner, giving hope to other parents, or to give a special gift to keep this podcast going, along with providing  other needed resources to bereaved parents.

(GPS Hope is a 501c3 nonprofit and runs on the financial support of those who believe in passing along the hope they have received to others.)

 

Birthdays:

Isaiah Santell was born on May 22 and is forever 16.

Tyrin Carter was born on May 22 and is forever 19.

Andrew Ricken was born on May 22 and is forever 35.

Kyle Terry was born on May 24 and is forever 28.

Jessi Wilfong was born on May 26 and is forever 20.

Andrew LaPlante was born on May 27 and is forever 24.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope

May 16, 2023 by Laura Diehl 1 Comment

211: When the Rest of the World Moves On (with Kim Peacock)

As parents who have faced the loss of a child, our world comes to a screeching halt. It can feel devastating to see life going on as normal with those around us.

In today’s episode, Laura’s guest, Kim Peacock talks about this, along with dealing with the many triggering activities that go on this time of year, such as graduations and weddings.

 

Kim Peacock is the author of Victorious Heart, which details her handling of grief over the loss of her 17-year-old daughter. It also provides insightful advice for those seeking to support and help those who grieve. She has raised six children, residing with her husband, Larry in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Kim is the CFO of Peacock Engineering, a cemetery construction company that specializes in cemetery improvement and expansion. Through her blog, Wild Victorious Heart, and her book and speaking, Kim acts as a grief mentor to others in need. She enjoys spending time with her several grandchildren, gardening and playing with the animals on her mini farm.

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click the link to connect with Kim: www.wildvictoriousheart.com

Click the link to order Kim’s book on Amazon.

(Note: This is an affiliate link which means GPS Hope will recieve a small portion of the purchase price.)

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents.

Birthdays:

Jordan Slusher was born on May 17 and is forever 21.

Jason Turner was born on May 20 and is forever 36.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

May 12, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

I Feel Like I Am Dying in the Wilderness

 

In Matthew 4, we read how God spoke with an audible voice from heaven how pleased He was with His Son. Immediately after that, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into a wilderness where Satan attacked Him at a very weak and vulnerable time.

While Jesus was there, He was without food for forty days. Talk about being extremely vulnerable physically, emotionally, and mentally! This is when Satan came to him in full force, trying to use a time of weakness to trick Jesus into turning the stones into nice warm, fresh bread.

Jesus’ famous reply was letting the enemy know that God said we need more than just earthly food to sustain us. We need the bread of life that will sustain us for the long term.

You are still alive because God is sustaining you. You may be at that place where you don’t want Him to keep you alive. I was there myself when my daughter, Becca, died, so I get it. But God is life, and you being alive means that God is sustaining you, even though it may not feel like it. Sometimes, it is just by helping us take the next breath. That breath comes from God, and even if you don’t want that next breath, the fact that you are still breathing and still here, means that God is still sustaining you through the hurt and darkness. He is there with you.

I imagine Jesus was struggling, wondering where His Father was in all of this, especially knowing the Holy Spirit had led Him to this difficult circumstance. But I notice that Jesus did not answer Satan based on how he felt. He answered on what He knew to be God’s words. Many of us do not feel God’s presence or hear His voice because of the dark wilderness we are in. It is so hard to make our decision about where God is, not based on how we feel, but based on what God says about never leaving us or forsaking us.

There was nothing in the law of Moses saying that what Satan was asking Jesus to do was wrong. After all, He was within days of turning water into wine. The temptation to Jesus was not, “You are asking me to sin.” The temptation was asking Jesus to do something his own way to meet His desire and needs, instead of being led by God within the intimate relationship with His Father.

I know some of you have a hard time reading your Bible. Maybe it is time to try again. It can be helpful to read in the book of Psalms, since David was so good at sharing from a place of rawness and how he felt in places of darkness, writing in a way we can really relate to. But then he often goes from there into how good God is for being with him and taking care of him and going before him while in that pit of despair.

Just like Jesus said, we are sustained by the word of God. If you cannot seem to read the Bible yet, He can still speak to you in other ways. Ask him to open your ears to hear what He wants to say to you in the context of His heart and being in an intimate relationship with Him. That is an individual thing for each one of us.

We may be in a wilderness, but God has not abandoned us there, no matter how much it may feel like it. He is with you. It is so important to be able to grab ahold of this truth. Even if you cannot see it now, when you get further down this road you will be able to look back and see that He really was with you.

Note: In the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast, episode 210, Laura continues this by talking about the other two temptations of Jesus in the wilderness and how we can relate to them as bereaved parents. Click here to listen.

 

This blog was taken from Laura’s book being released later this month called Reflections of Hope: Daily Reflections for Bereaved Parents. If you would like to know more, click here.

 

Expressions of Hope is provided by Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope). The founders, Dave and Laura Diehl, travel full time in their Hope Mobile (a 38-foot motor home) to be more easily available for speaking and ministry requests, and bringing intimate weekend retreats to bereaved parents. Laura is also a singer/songwriter and the author of multiple award-winning books.

If you would like more information about bringing Dave and Laura to you for an event, please send an email to office@gpshope.org.

If you are interested in bringing GPS Hope to your area for a weekend retreat click here.

 

  • Check out the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope weekly podcast
  • Subscribe to Laura’s YouTube channel. 
  • If you are a bereaved parent, we encourage you to connect with us on our private Facebook page or our public Facebook page. 
  • If you are not a bereaved parent but want to support those who are, or want to follow us as we give hope to these precious parents, please connect with us at Friends of GPS Hope on Facebook.

Filed Under: Expressions of Hope Tagged With: Bible verses for grieving parents, Christian grief reflection, divine sustainer, faith in grief, God sustains in grief, GPS Hope grief, grief and faith, grieving parents support, Holy Spirit in hard times, hope in dark times, Jesus in the wilderness, Laura Diehl blog, Matthew 4 temptation, Psalms for grief, Reflections of Hope Laura Diehl, spiritual wilderness after loss, turning to God after child loss, when God feels distant in grief, wilderness grief journey

May 9, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

210: I Feel Like I Am Dying In the Wilderness

In the darkness of child loss, we feel like we are wandering in a wilderness with no hope of ever getting out. It is a very vulnerable place to be, and the enemy knows it.

In this episode, Laura talks about Jesus’ wilderness experience at a time when He was also extremely vulnerable. There are several things that can help us as pareavors, when we take the time to really look at what was happening with Jesus at that time.

 

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents.

Please give a rating and review here on Amazon for Reflections of Hope.

Get information about the last room available for the GPS Hope & Healing retreat here.

Join Laura and Dave on The Grief Cruise! Click here for more information.

Birthdays:

Marc Cerundolo was born on May 7 and is forever 49.

Michael Slater was born on May 8 and is forever 26.

Sarah Wilber was born on May 10 and is forever 34.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

May 2, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

209: Being Okay with Being Broken

As a pareavor (parent who is bereaved of their child) we are broken. Deeply broken and our hearts are shattered. We don’t think it is possible to ever have our hearts be put back together.

In today’s episode, Laura shares her thoughts and experience in being broken after child loss, and being okay with being broken.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Stephen and Ariel Kostrna in memory of Milo Liam Kostrna.

“From the moment we knew he was alive, we loved him. We felt such longing to meet him and to hold him, especially when we knew the time was drawing near. At last, our dear little boy was flawlessly born on May 3rd last year. We learned so much about him in those first few minutes. He was beautiful, he was cuddly, and we were and are so glad that he is ours. 

Milo, we know you are alive, and we love you. We feel such longing to meet you and to hold you, I’m sure it will be especially strong when our time is drawing near. At last, our dear little boy will see his parents flawlessly born anew. We will learn so much about you in those first few minutes. You will still be beautiful, you will still be cuddly, and you will still be ours just as we are yours.”

We love you, little boy.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents.

Please give a rating and review here on Amazon for Reflections of Hope.

Please share the following with others!

Podcast episode 106: International Bereaved Mother’s Day

Podcast episode 156: A Special Day for Bereaved Mothers

A Letter to My Child on Bereaved Mother’s Day

Click here to sponsor an episode in memory of your child.

Birthdays:

Milo Kostrna budded on earth to bloom in heaven on May 3.

Rosalie Marstall was born on May 4 and is forever 4.

Blake Anthony Wellmaker was born on May 5 and is forever 28.

Adam Walker was born on May 6 and is forever 28.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

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Recent Posts

  • Finding Freedom and Hope After Child Loss
  • Finding Meaning and Purpose After the Death of a Child By Laura Diehl with Kim Harms
  • Is God Punishing Me for My Past? A Word for Grieving Parents Struggling with Guilt
  • When Dads Grieve: A Conversation on Faith, Family, and Holding On



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