When we experience deep sorrow, many of us long for heaven more than ever. The desire for a joy-filled eternity with God is a good one, wired in us by our Creator. But have you ever wondered what makes heaven such a source of hope for believers today? In this episode, Emily and Laura sit down with author and Bible teacher Courtney Doctor to look at what Scripture says about heaven. Throughout the Grief series, we’ve heard stories of suffering and pain, but the thread of hope woven throughout them all is the promise that one day God will wipe away every tear for those who are found in Christ (Rev. 21:4). As Christian moms, when we ponder what his Word has to say about heaven, we can better run our race here on earth. Never-ending joy truly awaits those in Christ.

Motherhood holds challenges, even with a loving husband and father by our side. So when the painful sting of death ends our marriage, how can we shepherd our children and find healing when grief is this deep? In this episode, Emily and Laura chat with author and widow, Lisa Appelo, on her experience raising seven children after the sudden death of her husband. The heartbreak of losing a father and husband is painfully real, but as we navigate the seas of grief, we can be reminded that God is always with us—in his presence, we can have hope in the darkest of places.

There’s no way to soften the tragedy of losing a child. As moms, we love, protect, and care for our children with fierce depth and intensity, but we don’t have ultimate control. When the unimaginable loss of a child occurs, how do we carry our grief as we walk forward in the life and family God has kept earthside? In this episode, Emily and Laura hear from author and Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie on what she learned in the process of losing two children after birth. While grief this deep may never truly leave us this side of heaven, we can look to the God who sacrificed his own Son for us and know that he meets, sustains, and restores, even in the immense sorrow of losing a beloved child.

When God allows adoption to be a part of our family’s story, there can be hopeful anticipation alongside waiting and sorrow. How can we hold the beauty and hardship of it with grace? In this episode, Emily and Laura chat with author and adoptive mom Jen Oshman on her own experience with adoption, and the tension that parents hold when bringing a child out of his or her birth family and into their own. Jen also shares a word of encouragement to adoptive moms, as well as what to consider before pursuing adoption. As we seek to love our children well in the midst of hard circumstances, we can trust that our God whose heart is for the fatherless (Ps. 68:5) supplies our every need.

Have you ever felt desperate to find something steady in the midst of grief? Someone you can turn to that can hear, see, and truly understand your pain? While our needs in seasons of grief are many and real, from getting proper sleep to eating well and spending time in community, there is only one place we can go that will never fail us or prove untrue: God’s Word. In this episode, Emily reads verses from Scripture that we hope meet and uplift you in sorrow. As you listen to the words of God’s people crying out to him for help, and God’s gracious response to them that he will save and redeem all that has been broken, we pray that these truths from Scripture will be a steady rock when all else feels like sinking sand. Whatever we may be struggling with today, God hears the cries of his beloved people.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

As moms, the grief of miscarriage is a deeply intimate one. After the joy of a positive pregnancy test, the loss of that life in the womb brings deep devastation. In this episode, Emily and Laura sit down with Abbey Wedgeworth, author of Held: 31 Biblical Reflections of God’s Comfort and Care in the Sorrow of Miscarriage, to learn about how miscarriage impacts women, the ways a mom can remember the life of her child, and how the gospel meets us in the sting of death and sorrow. Even when our darkest fears in motherhood come to life, we can trust that no questions, doubts, or pain are beyond the reach of God’s sovereignty and care for us—one day, he will wipe every tear from our eyes and death will be no more (Rev 21:4).

Motherhood has a way of revealing our limits, be it physical, mental, or emotional. When we find ourselves at the end of our abilities, it can be easy to wonder if God has equipped us with everything we need to be a good and faithful mom. In this episode, Emily and Laura sit down with Vaneetha Risner to discuss the topic of chronic pain in motherhood. Whether you suffer from chronic pain or disability, or simply find yourself wondering if you have what it takes to make it through another day of mothering, Vaneetha provides gospel encouragement and perspective for the mom who wonders if she’s ‘enough’ for her children. When we trust that our sufficiency is in Christ, our hearts are freed to steward the gift of motherhood faithfully with what God has given us today.

Have you ever wondered if your feelings are “normal” when navigating a hard season? Maybe we’re more easily irritated, shed tears more often, or even find ourselves apathetic or emotionless to what’s happening around us. In this episode, Emily and Laura chat with counselor and theologian Matthew LaPine on the science behind how our bodies process grief. Matt also shares a few trends to help a mom identify when it might be time to seek professional help. As we look at the ways God designed our bodies to respond and process in seasons of suffering, we can be reminded that he has knit us together in perfect design, and we can find refuge in our Maker even on the darkest of days.

*While this series is meant to be an encouragement to you in times of grief, we know that a podcast episode can’t speak to the specific details and struggles of your day-to-day life. If you’re walking through a season of deep grief, please reach out to a trusted friend, mentor, counselor, and/or medical professional that can speak into your specific circumstances. This series is not meant to give personal advice or be a substitute for professional help.

The daily hardships of motherhood weigh on us—difficult decisions, potty training, sleeplessness, and more. But sometimes we experience deeper, more profound suffering that makes us cry out, “Why God?” In this episode, Emily and Laura offer gospel encouragement for those in the midst of deep suffering. Suffering is different for everyone, but scripture offers unshakeable hope in every situation. Since God didn’t excuse himself from suffering, one day—through Christ—our suffering will give way to joy.

Read alouds aren’t just for our little ones. We can find great encouragement and joy in having the word of God read over us and explained. So in this special episode, Emily and Laura invite John Piper to read and reflect on what he considers to be the greatest chapter in the Bible, Romans 8. As he walks us through this incredible passage, John Piper connects its themes of suffering and loss to motherhood, encouraging us that no matter how deep the waters of our suffering, God’s unshakeable love is deeper still.

“Mommy, what happens when someone dies?” When our kids ask us about death, answering can feel intimidating and even sad. How much should we share? What can they understand? Will we scare them? In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Tim Challies about how to talk to our kids about death. Tim is a husband, father of teenagers, pastor, and writer who encourages us to bring the conversation about death back to our children’s hearts and the hope they have in Jesus. We don’t need to worry so much about what to say to our kids. God gave us what we need in his word to teach our kids the victory of the gospel in the face of death.

We experience daily hardships in motherhood that weigh on us—difficult decisions, potty training, sleeplessness, and more. But sometimes we experience deeper, more profound suffering that makes us cry out, “Why God?” In this episode, Emily and Laura offer gospel encouragement for those in the midst of deep suffering. Suffering is different for everyone, but scripture offers unshakeable hope in every situation. Since God didn’t excuse himself from suffering, one day—through Christ—our suffering will give way to joy.