Child Loss

How can we begin to untangle the thoughts and emotions that are keeping us stuck or pushing us toward unhealthy forms of coping? What does it look like to embrace the God-given agency we have over our minds?

Dr. Lee Warren is a practicing neurosurgeon who has experienced the depths of grief and loss after losing his son, Mitch, years ago. Through his own journey of pain and healing—as well as his deep understanding of the brain as a neurosurgeon—he began to connect the truth of what Scripture says about our minds and thoughts with the science of the brain. Dr. Warren believes each of us has the ability to do “brain surgery” on ourselves in order to experience deeper healing from loss, trauma, and the wounds we encounter throughout life.

In his book, The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life, Dr. Warren helps readers understand the power they have in their healing journey while offering practical wisdom for growing through difficulty into resilience.

In this conversation, Davey and Dr. Warren discuss the difference between the brain and the mind, the incredible power our thoughts have in the healing process, and why God gave us emotions in the first place.

If you are feeling stuck and find yourself turning to unhealthy habits or patterns in the midst of pain, this episode will encourage you with the hope that God can radically transform your life as you learn the life-changing art of self-brain surgery.

How can you believe you are highly favored when you experience great loss? What does it look like to trust that God still loves you when tragedy strikes your family?

Kurt and Denette Schaer had already seen how God can redeem suffering—having walked through Kurt’s infidelity and experiencing radical healing in their marriage. But even that couldn’t fully prepare them for the heartbreak they would face years later with the loss of their teenage son, Logan. The grief they endured was unimaginable, and yet God sustained them through it. Their journey also led Denette to wrestle deeply with the idea of favor—what it meant for her family in the midst of profound loss—which she explores in her book, Highly Favored?: Discovering Hope in the Shadows of Grief.

In this episode, Davey sits down with Kurt and Denette to talk about staying faithful in difficult circumstances, the different ways grief can manifest within a marriage, and how our testimonies can become powerful tools in the healing journeys of others.

If you’ve ever wondered how God’s favor rests upon you in seasons of pain, this conversation will remind you that even in difficulty and heartache, His love and favor endure.

What does suffering offer us when it comes to spiritual awakening? How can we experience a movement of God after walking through a season of pain?

In 2023, Pastor Zach Meerkreebs was an ordinary pastor serving at a local seminary, still walking through the emotional pain from the loss of his infant daughter, Esther, three years prior. On what seemed like an ordinary day, he delivered a chapel message at Asbury University and stepped off the stage, feeling as though his words had fallen flat. Little did he know, God would use that moment to ignite a movement of the Spirit, launching over two weeks of continuous revival at a small university in rural Kentucky. Through that experience, Zach came to see how God can use anything—and anyone—to bring revival. He tells this story in his book, Lower: Igniting Spiritual Awakening Through Radical Humility.

In this episode, Davey and Zach talk about what God does in our wrestlings after pain, how He works through our weakness, and how to faithfully steward our encounters with Him.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God will move again in your life or community, this conversation will remind you that when we humble ourselves, we position our hearts to encounter God in ways we never expected.

How do you begin to heal after facing every parent’s worst imaginable nightmare — the loss of a child? And how can a marriage withstand, and even grow, through such profound grief?

Amber Smith’s life appeared picture-perfect. Married to country music artist Granger Smith, she was a mother to three young children, living what many would consider a dream. But in an instant, that dream shattered. While playing outside with his siblings and father, Amber and Granger’s three-year-old son, River, was found unresponsive in the family’s pool. He later passed away. The heartbreak was unimaginable, and the path to healing—both individually and as a couple—was long, painful, and complex.

In the wake of their loss, Amber and Granger began a new journey—a calling toward ministry and helping others find hope in the midst of their pain. Yet, the road has been anything but easy.

Amber’s new book, The Girl on the Bathroom Floor: Held Together When Everything is Falling Apart, chronicles her journey of encountering God in the depths of grief and learning to take steps forward after unspeakable sorrow.

In this powerful conversation, Davey and Amber discuss the role of lament in processing pain, how to be present for others walking through deep suffering, and how to navigate the guilt that often follows tragedy.

If you or someone you love has experienced the loss of a child, this episode offers a message of hope—that even when everything feels like it’s falling apart, there is a God who holds you through the pain.

How do we hold on to hope when life is filled with pain and disappointment? What role can prayer play in our suffering as we learn to cling to hope?

Sally Breedlove and Willa Kane became friends through a shared commitment to prayer during a season marked by uncertainty. In 2020, as the world faced the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, they felt led to invite others into daily rhythms of prayer—and thus, Eighth Day Prayers was born. The name "Eighth Day" reflects the day of Jesus’ resurrection, symbolizing the invitation to live into the hope of Christ. What began as a simple practice during a global crisis grew into a ministry that continues through their three-book series, Eighth Day Prayers, which follows the liturgical calendar and invites readers into a life of rhythmic, intentional prayer.

Through their personal journeys of suffering—including the loss of a grandchild, the death of a parent by suicide, significant health diagnoses, and challenges in business—Sally and Willa have found prayer to be a steadying force, grounding them in hope and anchoring their walk with Jesus.

In this episode, Davey sits down with Sally and Willa to discuss the simplicity and depth of prayer, how it sustains us in seasons of deep pain, and why it remains a vital part of our spiritual formation.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the tension between hope and heartbreak, this conversation offers encouragement and perspective, reminding us that God can hold our hardest emotions and invites us into an honest, ongoing dialogue with Him through prayer.

What do we do when pain and trauma affect our children? How can we guide them through the complex journey of grief and loss?

Erin Nelson has walked through depths of sorrow that few can imagine. She lost her first husband in a sudden plane crash, her mother to suicide, and her young adult son in a tragic car accident. Having experienced grief in its rawest forms, Erin found healing—and through it, a calling. She channeled her pain into purpose by founding Jessica's House, a grief support center for children, teens, and their families.

As Jessica's House has grown, Erin has partnered with others who share her heart, including Colleen Montague, a licensed therapist and the center’s program director. Together, they co-authored When Grief Comes Home: A Gentle Guide for Living Through Loss While Supporting Your Child, a compassionate resource designed to help families facing the unimaginable.

In this deeply meaningful conversation, Davey sits down with Erin and Colleen to explore how our most painful experiences can become the foundation for our life’s purpose, how to recognize what grief looks like in children, and how to have honest conversations with kids about loss.

If you or someone you love is trying to help a child navigate grief, this episode offers practical tools and guidance for supporting young hearts through profound hurt.