While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss

My friends Keith and Shawnda Freer join me today for a conversation that will continue over the next two episodes. Their daughter Meghan very unexpectedly took her own life in 2018, and since that time, they’ve found themselves living in the mystery of God’s sovereignty. They are the founders of GriefHope, a Christ-centered ministry that provides education and support for bereaved parents through weekend retreats, online support, and other resources. They are also featured s...

Another Grandma and Grandpa Camp was in the books and while Hannah clearly enjoyed the time with her grandparents and cousins, I could tell she was glad to be home. Monday was a clinic day, and her bloodwork revealed a fairly precipitous drop in her platelet levels, which was not entirely unexpected with the higher dose of chemo she had just completed. We were hopeful for a quick rebound in the days ahead. Thank you for joining me for another bonus episode of the While We're...

Sixteen years ago today, Hannah took her ACT test. She had just returned from her "Grandma & Grandpa" Camp week, and was pretty worn out, but she was adamant about taking that test. She had just completed her sophomore year of high school, and planned to take it several times over the next couple of years, hopefully increasing her score each time so she could get lots of college scholarships. She didn't feel well that day, and she still struggled with the "falling out of...

I am pleased to have Joni Robbins as my guest again today. She is the author of "In Grief: A Mother's Fight to Choose Joy", and the mom of two sons, Anson and Ethan. In last week's episode, Joni shared the story of her "gentle giant", Ethan, and how he lost his life due to an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. Today, we talk about the difference between happiness and joy, finding purpose in our pain, and the mission of the Ethan Robbins Fund. Lean in and be...

I never knew that life with cancer could be so "normal." On the days that Hannah was treatment-free, life seemed to go on as it always had. It was summertime, so we were moving at a little bit slower pace, but there were still school workshops to attend, dentist appointments to keep, cheerleading routines to practice, and basketball camps to sweat through. We celebrated Bethany's 13th birthday, and life was good. Hannah was feeling better after having completed her fir...

I'm pleased to welcome Joni Robbins, author of “In Grief – A Mother’s Fight to Choose Joy” to the podcast today! Her son Ethan was a gentle giant and a friend to many, who dreamed of being in law enforcement someday. He died at the age of 17 in a tragic accident in their home in the spring of 2021. In this first half of our two-part conversation, Joni shares who Ethan was, and talks about the incident that took his life and the impact it had on her marriage. Be sure and come...