🔥 Waiting can feel heavier than the hardship itself. In this powerful conversation, Pastor and author Sam Wegner opens up about the emotional and spiritual weight of navigating anticipatory grief, caregiving, uncertainty, and hope. If you're looking for personal growth insights, bold conversations that inspire action, and real stories that strengthen your resilience, this episode is for you. 🎙️ EPISODE SUMMARY In this deeply moving interview, Sam shares the story behind his book The Weight of the Wait and walks through his years-long journey supporting his wife through stage-four cancer, facing job loss, and wrestling with fear, control, hope, and faith. He breaks down what it means to wait well, how hope brings direction to uncertain seasons, and why community and vulnerability are essential anchors when life feels overwhelming. What You’ll Learn: • Why the emotional weight of “waiting” can be heavier than the hardship • How hope gives purpose during uncertain seasons • The difference between fear, faith, and control • Why community matters when life gets difficult Episode Keywords: anticipatory grief, hope, waiting, faith, resilience, caregiving, emotional strength, spiritual growth 👤 GUEST BIO: SAM WEGNER Sam Wegner is an author, pastor, chaplain, and longtime IT professional who brings practical wisdom and spiritual insight to life’s toughest challenges. After walking through more than a decade of his wife’s cancer journey, Sam captured the lessons he learned about hope and waiting in his book The Weight of the Wait. His transparency and grounded faith have encouraged many navigating hardship. 📘 GUEST BOOK / RESOURCES 📘 The Weight of the Wait — Available in print, eBook, and audiobook Website: https://samwegner.com ❤️SUPPORT SAM & CRYSTAL In response to numerous requests from others, a page has been created for people who would like to support Crystal and Sam during this season. Donate here: https://www.thousandhillsmissionary.org/hope-in-the-waiting *The sponsoring organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible. 🌐 CONNECT WITH SAM Website (book, blog, contact): https://samwegner.com ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to The Audacious Living Podcast 01:45 – How Sam and Audley connect over their names 03:20 – Sam’s background and calling into ministry and mentorship 07:55 – The story behind The Weight of the Wait 14:24 – Understanding anticipatory grief 19:50 – The burden and irony of long-term waiting 23:41 – What waiting taught Sam about himself 31:27 – Silence, listening, and releasing control 35:55 – Why community is essential during hardship 41:03 – Crystal’s medical update and the next stage of their journey 46:12 – A morning of fear and rediscovering peace 51:50 – Why authentic hope must work everywhere, every time 53:43 – Where to connect with Sam and find the book 👉 👉 Read the full EPISODE blog post here: [https://www.bestaudaciouslife.com/episodes/sam-wegner-weight-of-the-wait-podcast] 🎧 LISTEN ON MAJOR PLATFORMS Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2jVR6V7X2kRiCCDXE0FTyl?si=IR3TsfEWR3WA6BzfBRnVXQ Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-audacious-living-podcast/id1547447345 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to help others live their most audacious lives ever! ⭐ BEHIND-THE-SCENES NOTE FROM AUDLEY Sam’s openness hit me in a deep way. His ability to speak honestly about fear, faith, and waiting — without pretending to have it all figured out — reminded me that audacity is sometimes quiet. Sometimes audacity is choosing hope when everything in you wants control. This conversation stayed with me, and I know it will stay with you too.
