Entering a new year without our child bring heavy emotions for bereaved parents. The turning of the calendar can feel like we are leaving our child behind, especially if this is the first new year since their death. Even years later, the weight of time passing can still take our breath away.

In this episode, Laura pulls up a recording from the archives, inviting listeners to hear from several experienced bereaved parents (pareavors) who have walked through anywhere from six to over thirty new years, without their child. Each guest shares their thoughts and suggestions about how to soften the pain of this difficult transition of entering a new year without our child.

You may find that one or more of these voices speaks directly to your heart as you step into this new year.

Featured Guests

• Linda Findlay – International Grief Institute & The Grief Cruises www.internationalgriefinstitute.com
• Michele Paul – Umbrella Ministries www.umbrellaministries.com
• Mitch Carmody – Heartlight Studios www.heartlightstudios.net
• Sara Nelson – Footsteps of Hope www.hopefootsteps.com
• BJ Jensen – Love in Motion Signing Choir www.healinghallelujah.org
• Glen Lord – The Grief Toolbox www.thegrieftoolbox.com

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Reflections of Hope: A Daily Reading for Bereaved ParentsA full year of encouragement written specifically for parents who have lost a child. It doesn’t have to be read daily. Just pick it up on the days you need extra hope and encouragement. Click here to learn more.

Please take a few seconds to leave a rating and review, so other parents can find the same hope you are receiving from this podcast.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Aria Arrona was born on December 31 and is forever 15.

Trenton Plummer was born on December 31 and is forever 22.

Madison Clark was born on January 2 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.

As Christmas draws near and a new year approaches, this episode is a gentle pause; a sacred moment set aside to pray over grieving parents who are carrying love and loss side by side.

The heart of the episode is a heartfelt Christmas prayer, spoken just two days before Christmas, acknowledging the unique pain this season holds for parents who are missing a child. Rather than forced cheer, this prayer invites God’s presence, Emmanuel, God with us, into the quiet, heavy and complicated moments of grief.

Listeners are reminded that:

• God sees every tear, every memory, and every ache
• Love does not end with death
• Our children are known, seen, and held by God
• Peace is not the absence of pain, but the presence of Christ

This episode closes with reflections on love, hope, and purpose; how the love we have for our child, when wrapped in God’s love for us, can become a powerful force in this world, even after profound loss.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Patreon community as a way to help keep the podcast ad-free, along with getting special access to things Laura only shares in the Patreon community. Click here.

As the new year approaches, many grieving parents feel the weight of moving forward without their child. Reflections of Hope: A Daily Reading for Bereaved Parents, written specifically with that reality in mind. Learn more: gpshope.org/reflections

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Carissa Perkins was born on December 21 and is forever 29.

Megan Tryphaena Petkau was born on December 23 and is forever 8.

John Ferreira Jr. was born on December 24 and is forever 32.

Diane Holt (Laura’s sister) was born on December 25 and is forever 62.

Isaiah Key was born on December 25 and is forever 13.

Ryan Durkin was born on December 27 and is forever 19.

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.

Subscribe, share, and listen wherever you get your podcasts. Support the podcast and keep it ad-free: patreon.com/gpshope

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.

The holiday season can feel unbearably painful after the death of a child. While the world around us glitters with lights, gatherings, and celebrations, we grieving parents feel the weight of loss more intensely during this time of year. In this episode, Laura offers heartfelt guidance, practical support, and spiritual encouragement to help pareavors gently navigate the holidays with compassion for themselves.

Drawing from lived experience, this conversation explores meaningful “gifts” you can give your mind, body, and soul as you move through the weeks ahead, whether this is your first holiday season without your child or your twentieth.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Join Laura live on YouTube at 8:00 PM Central as she shares Sunday’s reading and lights the red candle of love. Find out more and get your copy of Hope for the Future: An Advent Journey for Bereaved Parents here.

Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents — a hardback devotional offering comfort throughout the year. Click here to learn more.

Click here to be sent a PDF of Ten Ways to Honor Your Child.

Special December Offer — a free Pareavor bracelet included with every paperback book order (excluding Reflections of Hope, which ships directly from the printer). Click here to claim yours in the GPS Hope webstore, where you will also find wearable hope on clothing merchandise.

Help us keep this podcast ad-free while receiving special encouragement and bonus content. Join the GPS Hope Community on Patreon

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Jeff-Free Hoke was born on December 17 and is forever 33.

Adelaide Rowell was born on December 20 and is forever 19.

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.