From Loss to Lifted: Amanda's Journey of Grief, Grace & God's Calling

What if the hardest day of your life became the first step toward your calling? That’s the heartbeat of Renee's conversation with her faith filled friend Amanda West, a mother of two who loved fiercely, lost suddenly, and learned to soar by leaning into God’s strength and a faithful community. Her story begins with a marriage built on showing up at 110% and pivots into the raw aftermath of widowhood, where breath-by-breath perseverance meets the conviction that only moments and relationships endure.

Amanda opens up about her faith journey, from growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness to encountering the Holy Spirit through a single worship song. Saying yes to Jesus meant excommunication and a decade apart from her parents, yet it also meant the discovery of grace and the freedom from earning love through deeds. She shares how Scripture, especially Isaiah 40:31, became a lifeline, teaching her to wait on the Lord and rise like an eagle in the face of overwhelming loss.

We also dig into the practical side of healing: how friends, neighbors, and church family carried visible and invisible burdens; how serving others sparked fresh joy; and what dating after loss really looks like when grief arrives in waves. Amanda’s candid wisdom helps anyone navigating widowhood, single parenting, or starting again with a tender heart. She explains why mixed-age discipleship groups transform singles ministry, how churches can support without turning community into courtship, and why God wastes none of our stories, especially the heavy ones.

If you’re wrestling with love, loss, faith, or the courage to try again, this episode offers honest hope and grounded tools. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs strength for the next step, and leave a review to help others find the conversation. Then tell us: which moment spoke to you most, and why?

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