Here in the United States, the last Monday in May is Memorial Day, which is a day to honor those who have given their lives for our country. In this episode, Laura focuses on pareavors who have lost their children because of being in the military. Their child chose to go into the armed forces, knowing their life might be sacrificed, which can have so many mixed emotions for their families because it became a very heavy and personal sacrifice for themselves.
Three guests join Laura today. Bev Shoemaker is a previous guest whose oldest son has had several military tours as special forces, but it was her younger son who died in an accident killed by a drunk driver. Three years later her husband died by suicide. Through dealing with these two painful losses, God directed her on a path that has resulted in ministering to Gold Star Moms.
The other two guests are Gold Star Moms, which are mothers whose children served in the military and lost their lives as a result of their service. Lori Southerland’s son, Michael, was killed while serving in Iraq. Amy Drake lost her son, Benjamin, from PTSD after serving during wartime in the Middle East.
As pareavors, we all know the pain and solemness of losing a child. Let’s be sure to take some time on Memorial Day to remember and honor those who gave their lives willingly for our freedoms, and also send up a prayer for these families who personally bear the pain of that sacrifice.
Having faced serious trauma in her own life, Beverly 
is no stranger to adversity. After losing a husband to suicide and her son in a drunk driving crash, she wanted to give up. She battled depression and discouragement, loneliness and pain, yet she persevered and ultimately found hope. Now Beverly seeks to share that hope with others. She speaks to churches, schools, businesses, and military events, showing strength and courage in a way that offers hope to those listening. She makes it her mission to help others rediscover their identity and purpose after loss and trauma.
Lorie Southerland, a native Texan, served 
in the Airforce as an Aircrew Life Support Equipment Specialist. She is the wife of a military husband, the mother of Spc Michael Rodriguez, as well as three other children, and is the grandmother of four beautiful grandchildren. Lorie started both the Dogwood Chapter of the American Gold Star Mothers in Sanford, North Carolina, and Wreaths Across America at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake. She was also instrumental in naming part of NC Hwy 24 “Gold Star Memorial Highway”. Lorie has also volunteered with and managed the Fort Bragg Fisher House and has worked closely with the Warrior Transition Battalion for wounded soldiers at Fort Bragg. She spends her time helping local veteran groups and is very active in her church.
Amy Drake is a mom of ten and grandma to 
twenty-one grandchildren so far. She was a stay-at-home while mom raising her family. Church was first in the lives of her children and teaching them about the Lord Jesus Christ was most important. After the death of her son, due to military PTSD, Amy started making and selling aprons to raise awareness of PTSD (which can be found on Facebook as Aprons for PTSD Awareness) and to get resources for military veterans. When her husband retires later this year, they plan to travel around the country to visit their children and grandchildren who are scattered around the US.
(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:
Listen to previous episodes with Bev: Passing It On and Finding Meaning and Purpose Again
Connect with Bev on her website: theresilientheartpodcast.com or beverlyshoemaker.com
Email Lori at lsoutherland82@gmail.com
Find Amy and her Aprons for PTSD Awareness here.
Join over 1,000 other pareavors who recieve a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.
Birthdays:
Isaiah Santell was born on May 22 and is forever 16.
Kyle Terry was born on May 24 and is forever 28.
Andrew LaPlante was born on May 27 and is forever 24.
Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.
The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.
Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!
Would you like to have Laura come and speak to your group? 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.
Brenton forever 24, Charlie and Cheyenne. He also has two grandsons and twin granddaughters born at only 28 weeks in April. Jeff and his wife, Stacie, recently moved to their dream home in north-central Texas with lots of acreage and a barn for animals. He retired from the trucking industry at the beginning of this year to take care of their little farm and spend time with his family. 
father to seven children and a Papa to one. Two red-headed young ones still live at home, keeping he and his wife, Courtney, very busy. Curtis works as a receiving associate at Mitsubishi Chemical. Along with juggling work and home, Curtis is also pursuing his Biblical Studies degree, which he will receive from Liberty University in 2 more semesters. As a pareavor who is four years into this journey, Curtis enjoys nothing more than spending every available moment with his family.
also lost Timothy and Benjamin, the two youngest of our five sons. It has taken many years of leaning into my grief to move along in my journey. It is far from over as I find myself in that place of raw grief once again. There are times when the enormity of my loss overwhelms me. I don’t pretend to understand it all, but I trust God and I know He will continue to faithfully carry me.
Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (
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