Hope & Healing Virtual Summit for Grieving Parents

What is a pareavor?

Are you someone who has had your child torn away from you by death?

Have you been thrown into a suffocating pit of darkness after the loss of your child?

If you answered yes to both of these questions, then I am so sorry to say that

YOU are a pareavor.

This sounds like a pretty good description of what happens when a child dies, no matter the age of the child, doesn’t it?  We have been plundered and robbed of our child. We are now deprived of our son or daughter. They have been seized and torn away from us.

And we find ourselves in that suffocating black pit

with no way out

no hope

and no desire to live beyond the death of our child.

 

 

 

But what if there IS a way out? 

 

 

 

 

 

                   What if there IS Hope?

 

 

 

   

 

 

What if there IS a way to want to live again?  

On October 12, 2011 our oldest daughter, Becca, left this earth. I had no idea such suffocating darkness even existed. I didn’t know anyone who had lost a child. I couldn’t find any grief support groups for parents (which is a different kind of grief than any other, as you well know). Most of the books I found to read were very dark and kept me feeling hopeless, telling me I would never enjoy my life again. Many of the parents I finally found who were ahead of me on this journey said life will never be worth living again.

I refused to believe that. I knew I had the seed of hope living inside of me. I knew Becca’s death didn’t blindside God, or that He had reached His limit of bringing hope and healing to a shattered heart. I still wanted to be a part of the lives of my other four children, and didn’t want to miss out on the blessings of being a grandma (including being grandma to Becca’s daughter), as more grandchildren came into the world. I didn’t want to live out the rest of my life in a shell waiting to die; I wanted to live a full life again!

And so I fought, I cried and I rested.

I fought, I sobbed and I prayed.

I fought, I grieved and I surrendered.

 

 

I fought, I started helping other grieving parents and I found myself smiling.

 I fought, I found parents to connect with who gave me hope, and I started laughing.

 

I fought and I still cried a lot, but I  slowly started living again.

 

And in all of that, something was birthed:

 

GPS HOPE – Grieving Parents Sharing Hope.

I also unexpectedly became an author.

I began traveling to speak to grieving parents.

 

 

 

Don’t get me wrong. There is still grief.  There is still pain. There is still sorrow.  My life will never be the same with Becca gone.

But I am no longer going through the motions, stuck in a shell of horrific pain and darkness, just waiting to die.

And neither is my friend Donna.  She was one of the people God connected me with who needed hope in her place of darkness.  Her son Josh died by suicide, a victim of PTSD after 2 tours in the Middle East in the army. She and her husband are actually the reason we started GPS Hope. Over the last couple of years, after having someone walk with her through the darkest part of the grief, Donna was able to step back into going onto short term mission trips; something she loved doing but which came to a screeching halt when her son died.

 

“Knowing there was someone who was ahead of me on this horrible road and who was willing to walk with me helped so much. When I decided I was ready to start going on mission trips again after my son died, I was really nervous. I had some rough days on that trip, and wondered why I was there, and was convinced I was no good to anybody. All I had to do was text Laura, and she was right there, encouraging me and praying for me. I ended up giving a devotion to our group that touched a lot of people. I still cry a lot, and I still have so many days when it is hard to get out of bed and go to work. But it makes such a difference, knowing I am not alone.”

One thing I have learned, is that seeing and hearing from other pareavors who have been on this journey for several years can make such a big difference in being able to see hope and light in your place of darkness and despair. They can encourage you, cry with you, remember your child with you, and yes, even laugh with you, knowing personally the deep undercurrent of sorrow just below the laughter.

When I first found out there were actually conferences for grieving parents, my thought was that I didn’t want to be in a place surrounded by a bunch of people who were a mess like me!

But as God kept nudging me into being there for other pareavors in a bigger way, I knew that I was going to have to go to one of these conferences. I found one two states away. (I live in Wisconsin, and it was in Indiana.)

With my very first contact, the host, Lynn Breeden, was so gracious and immediately started putting me at ease, making me feel like I belonged. As soon as I arrived, I knew that my shattered heart had found a home; a place where it was more than okay to be me… a deeply wounded mom who just wanted her daughter back, but instead had to try and figure out how to live my life without her.

The biggest thing I took back home with me from that trip was how wonderful it was to meet and know pareavors who were a mess like me!

I just knew I HAD to do the same for other grieving parents; to give them a safe place for their shattered hearts and their shattered faith, where it is okay to be themselves, no matter where they are on this grief journey. To be a light of hope, and help them learn how to live again after the death of their child.

And you don’t have to travel like I did.

We have found a way to bring a conference directly to you, right in the privacy of your own home.  

GPS Hope has recorded 20 leaders in the field of parental grief who have shared their hearts on 18 different subjects. These are bereaved parents themselves who are authors, grief specialists, founders of ministries and organizations, all with a desire and a passion to bring YOU hope, light and words of life.

And it is available for only $49!

If you were to attend a conference with this many speakers, you would have to pay at least $397 to get in the door.

 

This means you can receive support and encouragement without having to

• Pay full admission prices for the event, a plane ticket, hotel room and lots of restaurant meals
• Take time off of work and be away from your family
• Wonder if you have the energy needed to pack, travel, and be in a crowd of people for several days

Once you purchase the summit, you will be given access to a personal profile on our GPS Hope website, where the sessions will be waiting for you.

Not only will you receive the eighteen sessions for the Hope & Healing Virtual Summit for Grieving Parents, but you also be given access to

• a written transcript of each session (valued at $95)
• A digital copy of Laura’s book Come Grieve Through Our Eyes: How to Give Comfort and Support to Grieving Parents (a $9 value). This book was written for the friends and family of pareavors, but many pareavors have said how helpful Come Grieve Through Our Eyes was to them, because it validates so many of the issues they face without their child.

 

If you were to purchase each session separately at a conference, it would cost at least $144. When adding in the value of the transcripts and the free eBook:  

That is a $248 value for only $49!

 

PLUS, as a bonus, you will also automatically be a member and have access to our free library of lots of other helpful items, including the eBook From Ring Bearer to Pall Bearer: Giving a Voice to Bereaved Siblings and Grandparents.

 

   

Here is the list of topics and speakers:

 

Forgiving Those Involved in Our Child’s Death

God transitioned Angela Alexander from military to ministry with an incredible testimony that blesses all who hear. She retired from the Air Force Reserves in 2005, now she’s an Author & Inspirational Speaker of her autobiography titled Miracles in Action ~ Turning Pain into Power and Grief into Peace, and the Executive Producer of her documentary film.

 

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Grief Attacks and Meltdowns

Shelley Ramsey wrote Grief: A Mama's Unwanted Journey eleven years following the death of her oldest son, Joseph, who died in a single-vehicle car crash.  Knowing that life in the storm-tossed sea of grief is turbulent and ugly, Shelley blogs grace, grief, and gratitude, offering empathy and hope to those who have been stung by death.

 

 

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Helping the Siblings with Their Grief

Dr. Gloria Horsley, Ph.D., M.S. C.N.S., is the founder, along with her daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley, of Open to Hope. She is an internationally known grief expert, psychotherapist, and bereaved parent.

Dr. Heidi Horsley, PsyD, LMSW, MS., is a licensed psychologist, social worker, an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and in private practice in Manhattan.

 

Open to Hope is the number one organization people go to for help with the deep grief of family losses. They receive around 53,000 unique visits a month to the website, with almost 90,000 page views, which does not include Open to Hope radio shows, blogs, webinars and YouTube videos, which receives another 10,000 views a month. Social media brings in another 5,000 people. All of this means that Open to Hope reaches literally millions of people each year who are looking for hope in the darkness of grief.

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What if I am Mad at God?

Dennis Apple has served as a pastor for well over thirty years. After the death of his son, Dennis specialized in support groups and grief counseling. He is a frequent speaker to grief groups as he shares the many years of struggle while still serving as pastor. Dennis’ articles have appeared in various magazines, and he is the author of two books, Life After the Death of My Son, and a novel, Runaway Griever.

 

 

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Death By Suicide

Dr. Doug and BJ Jenson, are International Speakers, award-winning Dramatists, Signing Artists, Song Writers, Drama Writers, and Authors of 16 books including FINDING HOPE After the Devastating Loss of Children.  You’ll find help, hope, and healing in their speaking, and song signing.

 

 

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A Dad’s View

Dave Diehl is retired from a career of over thirty years in IT. He is the cofounder of GPS Hope, doing all of the unseen technical support for the ministry. Dave wrote a chapter in Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes, and ministers directly to grieving fathers around the nation at the GPS Hope & Healing conferences.

Steve Martindale has been a minister for thirty years. For several of those years, he and his wife, Denee, held meetings for the body of Christ in a barn. Many powerful men and women of God came to minister at “The Barn”, and people would come from all over to receive a touch from God. After the death of his daughter, Steve is now in a new season of life, and has a passion for Restorative Justice for at risk youth.

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Music and Grief

Kathi Wilson has been crafting lyrics and making melodies to match them for over three decades. Songwriting has genuinely become a crucial element in how she navigates the sometimes very challenging journey we call "life." As a singer/songwriter, it is one of her greatest delights to release songs of deliverance and healing over broken hearts and torn up lives.

 

 

Hannah Linton is an integral part of the worship ministry of her mom, Kathi Wilson. She is blissfully married 12 years to Micah, her first love, and is a happy stay at home mom with her 4 beautifully abundant children. Hannah has lost 8 babies from this earth and walked the road of sorrow till she found the home comfort has become for her.  Music and writing have played an important part of this journey.

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When Others Don’t Understand

A master storyteller and award winning author, Susan B. Mead leaves audiences motivated to live a life free of regrets even though she has done the hardest thing any parent can do - bury her youngest son, Kyle. Her book, Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace, is available at book outlets everywhere.

 

 

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Pregnancy and Infant Loss

Kelly Gerken is the founder of Sufficient Grace Ministries, serving thousands of grieving families worldwide since 2004, comforting others with the comfort she received in her time of grief.  Kelly is a featured speaker at hospitals, churches, women’s groups, and a leader of educational seminars for hospital staff and caregivers.  She is also a certified SGM Perinatal Loss Support Doula, building a comprehensive perinatal hospice birth and bereavement program to support bereaved families.  Kelly’s book Sufficient Grace addresses many of the questions people ask in the face of tragedy.

 

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Publishing a Memoir

In October of 2015 Janice Pitchford released her first print book Finishing Well-My Daughter’s Journey Home. The book is the story of her daughter’s courageous battle against leukemia and the faith that carried her to the end.  A woman of faith her passion is to help others find meaning and fulfillment at every stage of life and to finish well.

 

 

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From Surviving to Thriving

Speaker and author, President of iJoy Inspirations, Founder of Parents On Call, Helping Hurting Hearts Heal, Retreats On The Go and radio host of Joy In The Morning, Joy Ware Miller has a powerful message of hope.  A down-to-earth, dynamic and authentic friend, her message is uplifting and her testimony moving as she helps women work through their disappointments and feelings of hopelessness to receive encouragement and restoration through God’s Word.

 

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Is There a Right Way to Grieve?

Shirley Johnson is the founder of Wings of Hope Living Forward Inc., an organization that supports parents who have had a child die. She holds several healing retreats per year and is the author of the soon to be released book The Stone Cold Truth about Grief. Shirley is also a grief counselor “on wheels”, providing her services for free for the bereaved and is well known in the grief community for her service and private groups on social media.

 

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When Your Faith has been Shattered

Lynn Breeden is the founder of Mourning to Dancing, a non-denominational ministry with the sole mission to offer comfort, hope, and encouragement to mothers who have suffered the loss of a child, through share groups, providing resources, and holding retreats and workshops.

 

 

 

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Your Health and Your Grief

Denee Martindale is a mom and grandmother who started her own business in the quest for health after the death of her daughter.  She also recently started a unique ministry of providing “Because I Care” baskets to mothers who have lost a child.  Denee’s passion is to help as many people as possible see the connection between physical health and mental health (especially those who have faced trauma and tragedy), guiding them to a place of wholeness, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Note: Denee starts this session by sharing the raw pain of the circumstances behind her daughter taking her own life.

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Kick Off Session and How Do I Go On?

Laura Diehl is the author of several books, including When Tragedy Strikes (Morgan James Publishing, New York) as well as an international speaker and minister in over a dozen nations. After the death of their oldest daughter, Laura and her husband, Dave, founded GPS Hope (Grieving Parents Sharing Hope) to help parents navigate the swirling black waters after the death of their child, especially those whose faith has been shattered.

Laura is also the host of the Hope & Healing Virtual Summit for Grieving Parents.

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When we first offered the Hope & Healing Virtual Summit as a live event, we offered the following three bonus sessions, that we are including with your purchase.

 

Hitting the Milestones

As a profession, Renee Blythe has forty years of sales and marketing experience, along with thirty years of experience in fundraising and working with non-profit organizations.  After the death of her only child in 2008 she authored the book When Your Baby Dies At Any Age released in April of 2013. She also coordinated the first Wings of Hope Living Forward retreat in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Renee is dedicated to helping grieving parents heal together.

 

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What About Psychics and Signs?

 

Dave and Laura Diehl are the cofounders of GPS Hope, and the hosts of this Hope & Healing Virtual Summit for Grieving Parents

 

 

 

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Does it Ever Get Better?

 

Lynn Breeden was the speaker for the session When Your Faith Has Been Shattered

 

 

 

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TESTIMONIALS

"I totally enjoyed the virtual summit. All the presenters were exceptional. Each one touched a little part of my aching heart."   - Michele S.

"This is amazing!!! I am so very glad to have found this. All your speakers so far have been helpful in some way… This Summit is awesome, because I personally do not do well in a group setting and is one of the reasons I have not attended any retreats…"  - Norma E.

"I am really enjoying the speakers and topics you are sharing this week. I'm getting so much out of it!... thank you for providing these excellent teachings." - Sara N.

"What a blessing. You guys have picked some very special folks. I am so glad I did not miss out on this special opportunity." -  Pat W.

"I have loved the summit… It's awesome to hear all the personal stories straight from these parents and how they have learned to all keep holding onto hope!" - Celeste Love

"Thank you so much for putting this together so that even way over here in Australia, I could access these talks." - Rhyl V.

 

Maybe someday I can come to your area and bring our GPS Hope & Healing Conference. But for now, this virtual summit is the next best thing. Why not see for yourself how some of the load is lifted, by allowing me and these pareavors who are further on this unwanted path, to share our hearts with you and give you the hope you need.

 

 

If you are hesitant to invest $49 into purchasing this online conference, we offer a 100% money back guarantee. If after two weeks you find these sessions are not offering anything to help you with your grief journey as a pareavor, contact us, and we will refund your $49.