Gone for Good: Finding Healing, Faith, and Purpose in Midlife with Karen Sjoblom

“Every woman’s story holds scars, mercy, and mission — our past pain becomes part of our purpose.”

In this episode of The BraveHearted Woman Podcast, I am with Karen Sjoblom, an award-winning author and editor, to explore the beauty and purpose hidden within life’s hardest transitions. Karen — author of Gone For Good: Lessons from a Midlife Exodus — shares her powerful story of faith, grief, and renewal as she navigates the “desert seasons” of midlife.

Together, discover how seasons of loss, change, and letting go can become sacred spaces for spiritual growth and personal transformation. Karen opens up about her healing journey from childhood trauma, faith struggles, and identity shifts, revealing how God’s redemptive love turns pain into purpose.

Through honest conversation and wisdom rooted in faith, this episode invites women in midlife to reflect on their own “exodus” moments — those times of transition that lead to greater wholeness, deeper confidence, and renewed vision for the future.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unseen, or uncertain about what’s next, this episode will remind you that your desert won’t last forever. With courage, faith, and grace, you can walk into the next chapter of your life — stronger, freer, and full of hope.

✨ Key Takeaways:

• How to navigate the “desert seasons” of midlife with faith and grace
• The healing power of grief, forgiveness, and self-reflection
• Discovering your spiritual gifts and God’s purpose in your pain
• How story work and personal redemption can transform your outlook and mission
• Encouragement for women stepping into the second half of life with courage and confidence

Listen and subscribe for more empowering episodes that help midlife women grow in confidence, purpose, faith, and identity.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Guest Intro

2:04 - The BraveHeart Story of Karen Sjoblom

4:12 - Gone For Good: Lessons from a Midlife Exodus

7:17 - Finding her faith through Jesus' crash course

9:03 - How to bring good out of the bad things

11:41 - What does the word ‘Exodus’ mean?

14:44 - How to break through in life

16:35 - Grief is not forever

20:42 - Let’s talk about family, boundaries, and healing relationships

24:47 - Karen’s #1 tip for midlife women

Quotations:

“Midlife is a crossroads. We can’t go back, but we get to choose how we move forward.” - Karen Sjoblom

“Every storm runs out of rain, and every desert runs out of sand. We don’t stay there forever.” - Karen Sjoblom

“Grief is the thing that heals all the other things — if we’re willing to enter it.” - Karen Sjoblom

“God can bring good out of bad things — it just takes time to see how He redeems it.” - Karen Sjoblom

“When we revisit our grief, it’s not as sharp. It’s another layer of healing peeled away.” - Karen Sjoblom

“The healing we receive becomes the hope we give.” - Karen Sjoblom

“Letting go doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt — it means you trust God with what’s gone for good.” - Karen Sjoblom

“Keep left-foot, right-footing it — you’ll make it through your exodus stronger and more whole.” - Karen Sjoblom

Resources:

🌐Follow Karen on karensjoblom.com

📚Get a copy of Karen’s book: Gone For Good: Lessons from a Midlife Exodus

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💌 Email your