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.

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.

Every moment in motherhood is an opportunity to trust God. Through suffering, hardships, and difficulties, we have to answer the question, “Is the gospel really true?” In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Nancy Guthrie about faithfulness and hope in motherhood. Nancy is a wife, mom, author, and Bible teacher who experienced deep suffering when she lost two children. We can fret, strategize, and lose sleep over many worries in motherhood, but when we trust God is sovereign and faithful, we’ll see the gospel meets us in every situation.

Tired, overwhelmed, hurting, and lonely. Every mom struggles in different ways, but there are some moms whose experiences make them vulnerable in society. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how the gospel changes us at the heart level so we can see and serve others with humility. Our challenges are different, but our common dependence on Christ encourages us as we love the vulnerable women in our communities.

Have you ever felt like you can't shake the baby blues? Like maybe you've recovered from childbirth physically, but emotionally, you feel like an empty shell of who you once were? It's possible that you are battling postpartum depression (PPD). In this episode, writer and speaker, Lindsey Carlson discusses her struggles with PPD, giving practical insight and gospel-hope to other moms. She answers questions like, "How do I know if this is PPD or the baby blues?" and "What's the next step if I think I might have PPD?" But most importantly, she reinforces the truth that in Christ, PPD doesn't define our identity and it definitely isn't the end of our story. Whether you are walking through this, or you have a friend or family member with questions, this is a must-listen on a sensitive topic that many moms face.

Despite the sorrows of multiple miscarriages and a two year season of infertility, Courtney Reissig still has faith in God's goodness. An author and speaker, Courtney shares her journey in this interview, discussing the way she found solace in scripture, and she recounts the many blessed but barren women God used throughout redemptive history. If you are in a season of suffering, waiting, or even just enduring life's daily hardships, this episode will be a blessing to you. Courtney's encouraging perspective of God's good plans is a humbling reminder that our loving father is in control of all things.

In this special episode, you’ll hear two moms share their stories of loss and healing. While they are different women with different stories, they both experienced multiple miscarriages before the birth of their first child* in their arms. They both felt tempted to despair and withdrawal as they walked through the grief. But they both found deep comfort and hope in the promises of God as they trusted him, despite the pain.

So whether you have experienced a miscarriage, you know someone who has experienced a miscarriage, or you are just walking through really hard circumstances as a mom, this episode was recorded with you in mind. Our prayer is that these stories would leave you more in awe of God’s love, with a deep desire to hope in Jesus, even in the hard places.