Laura Diehl, Author at GPS Hope Page

November 8, 2022 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

184: Strength and Stability After Child Loss

The last few episodes have been discussing Isaiah 61:3 that says God will give those who mourn a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy for their mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness and despair.

This verse continues to say they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

In this final episode on Isaiah 61:3, Laura takes an interesting look at how this last part of the verse also applies to us as bereaved parents.

To comment or join in the conversation, click here.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

To join thousands of other parents recieving the Weekly Word of Hope click here.

To contact Dave and Laura to get together as they travel in the Hope Mobile send an email to office@gpshope.org.

Birthdays:

Beau-Dean Gordon was born on November 10 and left us at age 23.

David Shelton was born on November 11 and left us at age 23.

Nathan Theriault was born on November 11 and left us at age 2.

Austin Augustine was born on November 14 and left us at age16.

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!

www.gpshope.org

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.

November 6, 2022 by Laura Diehl 4 Comments

God Does Not Say He Will Give Us Joy for our Grief

Many of us are familiar with Isaiah 61:3 that tells us God will give us the oil of joy for our mourning.

Did you know there is a difference between mourning and grief? Mourning is the expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died. Grief is what we think and feel on the inside when our child (or someone we love) dies. It is the loneliness, the fear, depression, emptiness, etc. Mourning is the outward expression of our grief, the act of sorrowing.

This is huge because I always thought this verse meant that God would replace my grief with joy, but that is not what He is saying.

If you are like me, the death of my daughter, Becca, became my identity. When I met someone, I wanted to introduce myself as, “Hi, I’m Laura, and my daughter died.” I wanted people to know what I was going through and how much pain I was in.

I believe this is what God was talking about in this verse. He is saying that he will take away our need to express our grief. We will grieve for the rest of our lives, but we won’t always mourn. We will not always have a need to constantly express the pain of our loss.

I want to point out that joy and laughter are still important in our lives. The physical healing that takes place in our bodies with a good laugh is incredible. God is the one who created our bodies to respond to laughter, which means happiness is important to Him!

Psalm 2:4 says that God sits on His throne and laughs.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us there is a time to laugh.

In Job 8:21 we read He will fill our mouths with laughter.

I am not saying this to imply that we are to live from a place of happiness and laughter with our child gone. What I am saying is that God wants to replace your mourning – your expression of the pain of missing your child – with His Spirit, to eventually be able to express joy and even happiness for the good things that are still in your life (and are yet to come).

The first step we need to take is to believe having joy in our lives again is even possible, and then to actually want it back in our lives. Joy comes from a place of hope. Proverbs 10:28 (ESV) says, The hope of the righteous brings joy.

The final enemy to be defeated is death itself, and that is something to look forward to and get excited about. This means that instead of the outward expression of missing our child, it is possible to carry the outward expression of our excitement of seeing them again!

Can you start to see how it is possible for God to give us the oil of joy for our mourning?

There is joy on the other side of our pain. But you don’t have to wait for the fullness of it until you are with your child again, because right now, God wants to give you the oil of joy for your mourning.

Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope! Romans 15:13 (TPT)

This was only part of a recent episode of the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast. To listen to it in its entirety directly on the GPS Hope website, click here. If you would like to listen to it on the GPS Hope YouTube channel, click here. Or you can find it (Grieving Parents Sharing Hope: Episode 182) on your favorite listening app.

If you would like to join thousands of other bereaved parents receiving a weekly word of hope delivered to your inbox, let us know below.

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.

November 1, 2022 by Laura Diehl 4 Comments

183: The Heavy Weight of Grief after Child Loss (with Angelique Marketon)

Today’s episode is continuing to look at Isaiah 61:3 through the eyes of a parent who has lost a child from this earth.

Laura has asked worship leader, Angelique Marketon, (who lost her 16-year-old son and only child in a senseless single-car accident) to join her in talking about the struggle of allowing God to give us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and despair.

Angelique Marketon was born and raised in Germany until she moved to Florida where she met her husband, Tony. Because worship has always been something that draws Angelique closer to God, she has a heart to lead others closer into His presence as well. For many years God has flowed through Angelique, opening the door for people to experience the freedom, healing and hope we have in God and His love.

On October 27^th, 2018 Angelique lost her only child, Isaiah, in a tragic accident. Isaiah was only 16 years old. It took some time to get the strength back to sing and lead again. As God continues to heal Angelique’s own heart through worship, her ministry of healing, comfort and hope, has now deepened greatly, as God flows through her music to others who have also faced deep hardships.

(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:

Join the discussion! Leave a question or comment on today’s talk here.

To connect with Angelique:

On Facebook Angelique Marketon Music

Look for Angelique Marketon on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite music app.

Choose GPS Hope as your charity of choice on Smile Amazon here.

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:

Mary Elizabeth Englebert was born on October 30 and left us at age 21.

James was born on October 30 and left us at age 17 months.

Zen Dylan Koh was born on November 1 and left us at age 17.

Chaney Partrich was born on November 4 and left us at age 20.

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.

October 25, 2022 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

182: God Does Not Say He Will Give Us Joy for our Grief

Laura is taking a few episodes to dig into Isaiah 61:3 from the view of child loss. This week she is excited to share how the Holy Spirit shed new light on God giving us the oil of joy in the place of our deep grief.

If you are a bereaved parent who struggles with the thought of having joy in your life again, be sure to listen.

To comment or join in the conversation, click here.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here if you would like to know more about Laura’s health journey.

Email Laura at laura@gpshope.org if you would like to be added to the GPS Hope & Health group.

Don’t forget about joining Laura and Dave on the Grief Cruise! Find out more here.

Birthdays:

Dustin Clements was born on October 26 and left us at age 21.

Dawson Morris was born on October 29 and left us at age 19.

Donice Vaughan was born on October 29 and left us at age 30.

Marisa Diaz was born on October 29 and left us at age 20.

Kyle Samuel Donnelly was born on October 29 and left us at age 21.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

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.

October 18, 2022 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

181: Healing Under God’s Sovereignty (with Carol Keefer and Pat Wentworth)

In today’s episode, Laura is joined by two ladies who have together, as a team, faithfully served those who have lost a child for twelve years.

Carol Keefer and Pat Wentworth have been connected with GPS Hope from the beginning, inviting Laura to speak to their support group in Florida when Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes first came out, which was even before GPS Hope became a full-time ministry with Laura and her husband, Dave, traveling in the Hope Mobile.

Carol and Pat have learned how to go from that place of mourning to a place of joy in their lives. You will hear them share nuggets of encouragement and wisdom from their place of being seasoned pareavors and feel their heart’s desire to walk with others who are on this same journey.

Carol Keefer (pictured right) is married, lives in Deltona, Florida and will celebrate her 70th birthday this December. She is the mother of three and grandma to one. Carol lost her sweet 15 1/2-year-old daughter in a car accident on Mother’s Day weekend in 2004. She started H.U.G.S. (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty), as a co-leader with Pat Wentworth in 2010. Carol’s desire is for everyone to know Jesus and the unconditional, never-ending love of God.

Pat Wentworth (pictured left) is married, a mother of three and Nana to six boys. She has been a computer analyst and consultant for 43 years, originally in Massachusetts but is now in Central Florida. Pat keeps busy with exploring the outdoors, cooking, gardening and family get-togethers. H.U.G.S. (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty) was cofounded with Carol Keefer after the death of Pat’s youngest son, Brian, in March of 2010. They have met weekly since that time, helping other pareavors in the surrounding communities know they are not alone, they are not crazy and there is hope to be able to live with this devastating loss of a child.

(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:

Email Carol: mitmom1@yahoo.com

Email Pat: pat.wentworth@yahoo.com

Information about the October 2023 Grief Cruise.

Birthdays:

Bub Amis was born on October 16 and left us at age 36.

Carissa Ellen Hunsaker was born on October 19 and left us at age 1.

Taylor Contreras was born on October 20 and left us at age 16.

Mckenzie Aucapina was born on October 21 and left us at age 7.

Matthew Anthony Sulikowski was born on October 22 and left us at age 36.

Nate Wilson was born on October 22 and left us at age 30.

Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.

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.