When a father loses a child, the world shifts forever. In this first half of my two-part conversation with grieving dad Terry Sternad, he takes us back more than forty years to the day his six-year-old son, TJ, went to heaven—and the remarkable way God was already preparing his heart for that moment.

Before TJ’s death in December of 1983, Terry didn’t believe in God. But through the faithful witness of a coworker and tender moments with his mother, seeds of faith were planted long before he knew how desperately he would need them. On the day that changed everything, Terry found himself praying for the first time—and discovering a God who met him right in the middle of his deepest pain.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How God often begins preparing us for what’s ahead, even when we don’t see it
• The shock of sudden loss and the early days of grief
• The power of a simple, honest prayer: “God, help me”
• Why Terry calls the day of TJ’s death both the worst and the best day of his life
• How faith began to take root, even in the middle of unimaginable sorrow

Terry’s story is a tender reminder that even in our darkest moments, God’s presence is near—and that the seeds He plants in quiet, ordinary seasons can one day sustain us through the unthinkable.

Join us again next week for Part 2, where Terry shares how his grief and faith have continued to grow over the past forty years, how God has used his story to help others, and what hope looks like for a grieving dad who has learned to trust God with every chapter of his life.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

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Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

“Surrender is not a moment; it’s a posture I’ve had to return to again and again.”

With these words, Julie South describes the ongoing journey she’s walked since her daughter Bellah’s homegoing. In this second part of our conversation, Julie shares honestly about living with PTSD, how trauma has impacted her family, and what surrender has looked like as she continues to walk with God through grief.

She also reflects on how her grief has evolved nearly six years later, why simple practices like worship rooted in Scripture and putting up the Christmas tree in October have become anchors of hope, and the significance of the phrase “the best is yet to come.”

Julie shares encouragement for moms who are just beginning their grief journey and talks about the new While We’re Waiting support group she and her husband, Scott, are preparing to begin in Florida.

This conversation is tender, honest, and full of reminders that even in the darkest seasons, God holds us fast.

Click HERE to learn more about the Sibling Lifeline retreats for adult bereaved siblings.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

“Even in the halls of the hospital, God showed me I was not alone.”

I'm excited today to introduce you to my friend Julie South. In this first half of our conversation, Julie shares the story of her daughter Bellah—a joyful, compassionate little girl whose life was marked by both laughter and serious medical challenges. Julie talks about how her daughter Makaylah’s health struggles prepared their family for medical adoption, how God led them to Bellah, and the joy Bellah brought to their home.

We also discuss what it looked like to navigate countless hospital stays, major surgeries, and ultimately a five-organ transplant—and how God’s presence was evident even in the darkest hospital hallways.

Next week, in Part 2 of our conversation, Julie will share about her experience with PTSD after Bellah’s homegoing and how she is now coming alongside other grieving parents to bring hope and encouragement. I know you will be blessed by what she has to share in both episodes!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org