After the death of a child, the darkness can feel suffocating. In this deeply personal episode, Laura shares from her own journey of losing her daughter, Becca. The panic attacks, the desperate prayers and the overwhelming thoughts told her that she would never survive this kind of pain.

When everything inside us says life will never be worth living again, how do we begin to move forward? Rooted in Romans 12:2, this conversation gently explores how transformation begins in the mind, even when the heart feels completely shattered.

With both biblical truth and insights from neuroscience, this episode addresses how repeated thoughts can shape beliefs and identity, and how intentional, faith-filled shifts in thinking can begin creating space for light. Renewing your mind after child loss is not about denying grief or minimizing love; it is about challenging the lies that keep grieving parents trapped in despair and learning that it is our love, not the pain, that keeps us connected to our child. With deeply heart-felt compassion and clarity, Laura offers encouragement that, with God’s help, it is possible to move forward without leaving our child behind.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

The paperback and Companion Journal are now available for orders on the GPS Hope webstore, along with the free gift of My Grief Journey when ordered in February. Click here to order. (They are both also available on Amazon.)

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Click here to receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Mark Patrick King II was born on February 22 and is forever 29.

Dharahan Walker was born on February 23 and is forever 31.

Nolan Sanders was born on February 24 and is forever 28.

Paul Huprich was born on February 24 and is forever 19.

Ian Rodriguez was born on February 26 and is forever 33.

Dylan Paul Yancey Clarke was born on February 26 and is forever 17.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

What does it look like to cling to God after the death of a child, when the pain feels suffocating, forgiveness feels impossible, and trust feels fragile?

In this powerful continuation of Laura’s conversation with Linda Dillow, they explore the remaining heart skills that help grieving parents hold on to God and not give up. They talk honestly about lament as worship in a minor key, choosing trust over fear, the ongoing act of forgiveness (even when it must be repeated again and again), finding encouragement in God’s presence, and allowing praise to slowly become the language of a surrendered heart.

If you are walking through child loss and wondering how to keep going, this episode will gently remind you that you are not expected to “get over” your grief. This is a journey taken one step, one breath at a time. God meets you in the mess, in the anger, in the questions, and invites you to experience His love in a deeper way than head knowledge alone.

You may not know what tomorrow holds. But you can learn, even in grief, to trust the One who holds tomorrow.

Linda’s new book is Hope for my Hurting Heart. She is also the author of several bestselling books, including Calm My Anxious Heart, Satisfy My Thirsty Soul and Intimate Issues.

Linda and her husband, Jody, ministered in the former East European Communist countries and in Asia for eighteen years, training the leadership of the church. They have four grown children (one in heaven) and ten amazing grandchildren. Linda loves to encourage women to hope in God and trust in His faithfulness!

(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 here to preorder The Bible’s Grieving Parents paperback and Companion Journal on the GPS Hope webstore. Order in February and receive a free My Grief Journey. Also available on Amazon starting February 19th.

Click here to order Linda’s book Hope for My Hurting Heart. (Note: This is an affiliate link, which means a small portion of your purchase price will go to GPS Hope.)

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Click here to receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Sean Kraus was born on February 19 and is forever 24.

Jason Zimdars was born on February 20 and is forever 35.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

In this first of a two-part conversation, Laura sits down with Linda Dillow to explore the heart behind her book “Hope for My Hurting Heart” and the personal losses that shaped it, including the death of her daughter, Joy. Together they begin unpacking the first three of eight “heart skills” designed to help hurting hearts cling to God and not give up.

As they discuss loss, Linda shares how grief must be faced rather than resisted, drawing from her own experiences of multiple life-altering losses. She offers gentle wisdom on endurance, perspective, and allowing pain to become a transforming work in God’s hands, setting the stage for part two of this rich and hope-filled discussion.

Linda’s new book is Hope for my Hurting Heart. She is also the author of several bestselling books, including Calm My Anxious Heart, Satisfy My Thirsty Soul and Intimate Issues.

Linda and her husband, Jody, ministered in the former East European Communist countries and in Asia for eighteen years, training the leadership of the church. They have four grown children (one in heaven) and ten amazing grandchildren. Linda loves to encourage women to hope in God and trust in His faithfulness!

(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 here to order Linda’s book Hope for My Hurting Heart. (Note: This is an affiliate link, which means a small portion of your purchase price will go to GPS Hope.)\

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Click here to receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Coming soon: The Bible’s Grieving Parents paperback and Companion Journal.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Brenton Smith was born on February 10 and is forever 24.

Gage Purcell was born on February 10 and is forever 11.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

When God feels silent after the death of a child, many grieving parents wonder if their faith has failed, or if God has stepped away. In this tender and honest episode, Laura speaks to pareavors (parents bereaved of their child) who love God yet feel disconnected, angry, or unable to sense His presence in the depths of grief.

Through real words from grieving parents and gentle spiritual reflection, this conversation offers space for honesty, lament, and the possibility of encountering God again; not through answers, but through His quiet presence within.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to grab a copy of The Bible’s Grieving Parents eBook and find comfort in God’s Word for your grieving heart.

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Click here to receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Josh Peterson was born on February 2 and is forever 35.

Ava Shaw was born on February 4 and is forever 20.

Rose Elizabeth Charlton was born on February 5 and is forever 27.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

After the death of a child, grief can feel suffocating and impossible to escape. Many bereaved parents find themselves overwhelmed by painful thoughts that deepen the darkness and make it hard to imagine ever breathing freely again. In this episode, Laura explores how your thoughts affect grief after the death of a child, and why what happens in our minds matters so much in the healing journey.

With honesty, compassion, and faith-centered encouragement, Laura shares how anger, bitterness, and false beliefs can quietly take root—and how, with God’s help, those thought patterns can begin to change. While we cannot control every thought that enters our mind, we can learn how to recognize which thoughts are pulling us deeper into despair and which ones can gently guide us toward hope. This episode offers reassurance, understanding, and a reminder that even in the darkest places of grief, you are not alone—and that healing can begin one thought at a time.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to get your copy of Reflections of Hope

Click here to grab a copy of The Bible’s Grieving Parents eBook and find comfort in God’s Word for your grieving heart.

Sorry, When Tragedy Strikes Kindle version is no longer 50 cents. But the paperback version is on sale for only $11.99 (as of 1/27/26). Click here to order from Amazon. (Note: using this link may give GPS Hope a small commission from your purchase.)

If When Tragedy Strikes has encouraged you, I’d be grateful if you’d click here to leave a rating or review.

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Lucas Wildgoose was born on January 25 and is forever 17.

Celeste France was born on January 29 and is forever 17.

Lion Kingsbury was born on January 29 and is forever 20.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

After the loss of a child, joy can feel impossible, like a door that has been permanently locked shut. In this episode, Laura gently shares three biblical, grace-filled keys that can help unlock your heart again after child loss.

Drawing from her own journey as a bereaved parent and from her book When Tragedy Strikes, Laura explores how thankfulness, the Word of God, and extending care to others can slowly allow joy to take root, not as surface happiness, but as a deep, steady undercurrent.

This episode offers encouragement for grieving parents who long to believe that joy is still possible, even when life will never look the same.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

This episode includes a session from the Rebuilding Your Life After Child Loss online workshops, created specifically for grieving parents navigating life after child loss. The workshops are based on the award-winning book When Tragedy Strikes and comes with a free eBook copy. Learn more at gpshope.org/wtscourse

Click here to share your thoughts on the GPS Hope Facebook page (under the post of this podcast episode) or click here to share directly on the GPS Hope website in the comment section under the episode.

Click here to support the podcast, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Joshua Caldwell was born on January 16 and is forever 28.

Adrian Augustine was born on January 17 and is forever 18.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

After the death of a child, the idea of joy can feel unreachable, or inappropriate. In this tender episode, we explore a deeper understanding of joy that does not cancel grief or require happiness.

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is a quiet, steady work of God within us. It is something that can exist even while sorrow still weighs heavily on the soul. Drawing from Scripture and lived experience, this episode offers hope to grieving parents who wonder if joy can ever return, and reassurance that joy may look different now, and that’s okay.

This conversation offers hope for grieving parents who are asking hard questions, holding onto faith, and wondering what healing might look like now. If you are searching for hope after loss and reassurance that joy may return, even if it looks a bit different, this episode meets you where you are.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

This episode includes a session from the Rebuilding Your Life After Child Loss online workshops, created specifically for grieving parents navigating life after child loss. The workshops are based on the award-winning book When Tragedy Strikes.

Learn more at gpshope.org/wtscourse

Click here to post your picture on the GPS Hope Facebook page, under the post of this podcast episode.

Support the podcast and keep it ad-free: patreon.com/gpshope

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Ryan Hines was born on January 7 and is forever 27.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.