Loss by Suicide and Suicide Ideation Pathway
Losing a loved one can be devastatingly painful, but when that loss is by suicide, there can be an added layer of complicated emotions that follow. From anger to guilt and shame, enduring this kind of loss can leave you reeling with questions and constantly wondering if this pain could have been prevented. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that the battles that led someone to end their own life are often silent or unknown to many who loved them and even when they were known, it can be difficult to discern how to prevent such a tragedy from happening. While the pain from a loss by suicide can be intense and complex, there can also be hope in the heartache. In this Loss by Suicide/Suicide Ideation Pathway, you will hear stories from those who have experienced this agonizing kind of loss as well as those who have experienced thoughts of suicide and have found hope and healing. If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide, don’t let the darkness convince you that only pain will be the end of your story. There is the light of hope in the dark.
Podcast Episodes:
How do you break free from an abusive cycle when it feels like there’s nowhere else to turn? How can God take the pain of the past and transform it into purpose as you rebuild your life after trauma?
For former public official, TV show host, and speaker Carolene Mays, imagining the life and leadership she would one day have seemed impossible while trapped in an abusive marriage. Escaping that relationship wasn’t easy—but on the other side, God took her pain and transformed it into a story of resilience and influence. Today, Carolene has served in politics, built successful businesses, hosted a television show, and mentored countless women and minority leaders to thrive. Throughout it all, she shares the struggles she endured and how God used every hardship to shape her path—truly showing that He wastes nothing.
In this episode, Davey and Carolene explore how to overcome the trauma of abuse, why noticing who needs encouragement matters, and how leadership in any context is ultimately an overflow of what God is doing within us.
If you’ve ever wondered how God might be connecting your past to the work He has for you now, this conversation will inspire you as you see how God takes our pain and uses it to transform us into leaders who uplift and empower others with purpose.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
How do you get back up when life seems determined to knock you down? What does it look like to move toward the fire of adversity and pain in our lives instead of running from it?
For author and pastor Shawn Johnson, the challenges of growing up in a home marked by addiction, battling his own addiction and suicide attempts, and later facing crippling anxiety and panic attacks felt like more than enough fires to walk through. But recently, he found himself facing an entirely new one: an incurable brain disease that has forced him to lean fully into pain, surrender control, and trust God more deeply than ever before. In his new book, Kiss the Fire: 7 Ways to Get Back Up When You Want to Give Up, Shawn shares his journey and offers hope-filled wisdom for continuing forward when everything in you wants to quit.
In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Davey and Shawn discuss how God uses the pain of our past to prepare us for the purpose ahead, why stepping out of hiding and sharing our struggles can be so powerful—especially as leaders—and how community sustains us when new challenges arise in our lives.
If you feel surrounded by the flames of pain, trauma, and uncertainty, this episode will help you keep moving toward hope—and show you how to kiss the fire.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
How do you find hope again when the pressure of life builds to an unbearable level? What does it look like to find confidence in God’s love instead of worldly success?
Like many leaders, Pastor Charles Metcalf found himself at a breaking point. After the challenges of 2020 left him spiraling and the relentless pressures of life in ministry caused him to question his calling—and even led him to consider ending his own life—he knew something had to change. Through the support of friends who encouraged him to get the help he needed, a reframing of his spiritual life around how God truly saw him, and the development of new, healthy rhythms, Charles began to emerge from the fog of anxiety and depression. In that healing, he encountered a life-changing truth: God chose him. That message ultimately became the foundation of his book, God Chose Me: Untouchable Confidence for the Unstoppable Christian.
In this episode, Davey and Charles discuss how many leaders find themselves at a crossroads under the pressure of ministry, why we need friends to point us back to Christ when we’re at our breaking point, and how simple shifts can lead to lasting healing.
If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed, wondering how you could possibly keep going, this conversation will remind you that you are not alone—that God sees you, and most importantly, that God chose you for whatever He has called you to do.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide and suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
How do you experience Jesus fully after coming to Christ? How can you continue to experience Him when life is full of pain and difficulties?
Naeem Fazal has an incredibly powerful testimony of how he first encountered Christ. Born into a Muslim family, Naeem experienced a supernatural experience as a young adult that forever changed the trajectory of his life. The cost was significant as he grew to know Jesus more intimately—eventually becoming a pastor—and faced being disowned by his loved ones. Later, he walked through his father’s attempted suicide and the sudden loss of his brother-in-law, moments that ultimately allowed him to show his family how they, too, could encounter Jesus in a personal and transformative way. In his book, Tomorrow Needs You: Seeing Beauty When You Feel Hopeless, he explores how fear can be our greatest enemy and how life with Jesus leads us into a new way of living—not from fear, but from love.
In this episode, Davey and Naeem talk about the supernatural and spiritual warfare, the differences between the Western and Eastern Christian experience, and how to navigate the estrangement that can arise when you choose to follow Christ.
If you’ve ever longed for a deeper connection with Jesus in the midst of hardship, this conversation will encourage you that—even in your wrestlings—you can find the intimacy with Him that your heart desires.
Can life after trauma hold something more than pain? How can you discover new purpose and growth after suffering?
Nothing Is Wasted Coaching Director, Teresa Glantz, has walked her own path of trauma and healing—and has transformed her pain into a calling to help others heal through teaching about trauma and post-traumatic growth. She is passionate about showing others that while pain and trauma may happen to us, they do not have to define us, and that beauty can emerge even from the most difficult parts of our stories. Through the Biblical Trauma Care Specialist course offered at Nothing Is Wasted, Teresa is on a mission to help others understand the role trauma inevitably plays in our lives and how we can move toward post-traumatic growth.
In this episode, Davey and Teresa step into a time of year when many are seeking personal growth by exploring how to make healing part of a new year, what post-traumatic growth truly is, and the different stages of trauma.
If you are looking ahead and wondering whether anything good can come from your pain, this episode offers a reminder that growth can be found in the aftermath of trauma.
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 you do when anxiety suddenly takes hold and you find yourself spiraling? How do you begin to unravel the past wounds and circumstances that have led you to a place of chaos and uncertainty?
For author and pastor Levi Lusko, a season of anxiety emerged seemingly out of nowhere. After years of pushing hard in ministry and leadership, he found himself waking up in the middle of the night gripped by an intense panic attack. The journey to uncover the root causes of that experience took time—but it was through that very process that he discovered how God meets us not only in our triumphs but also in our most chaotic, uncertain seasons.
In one of his most vulnerable books yet, Blessed Are the Spiraling: How the Chaotic Search for Significance Can Lead to Joy Through Life’s Shifting Seasons, Levi shares the raw, personal account of navigating panic attacks, questioning his calling, confronting deep-seated fears, and unearthing childhood wounds. Through that journey, he found a healthier, more grounded rhythm of life and ministry—one anchored in God's presence through every season and joy.
In this candid conversation, Davey and Levi explore the emotional toll leadership can take, the transformative power of revisiting and healing from past childhood wounds, and the importance of discernment in choosing who walks alongside us through our healing journeys.
If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by anxiety or navigating a season that feels uncertain and out of control, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: you are not alone. In the midst of the spiral, God is present—and even in the messiness of life’s shifting seasons, it’s possible to discover deep, lasting joy.
How can we learn to trust God when our prayers for healing go unanswered? What does it truly mean for the Church to become a place of belonging and welcome for individuals with disabilities?
Dr. Laurie Thompson has deeply engaged with these questions—both personally and academically. At just 14 years old, a devastating car accident left her permanently disabled, marking the beginning of a lifelong journey of wrestling with faith, suffering, and inclusion. Now, as a college professor and academic advisor, Dr. Thompson empowers the next generation to understand that people with disabilities represent the largest minority in the United States—and that our Churches must become more inclusive, welcoming spaces for those navigating life with disabilities.
In her latest book, Disability-Inclusivity: Creating Awareness to Change the Current Trajectory, Dr. Thompson explores how the Church can become a transformative community for those with disabilities—simply by making intentional adjustments that foster inclusion, dignity, and belonging.
In this conversation, Davey sits down with Dr. Thompson to discuss the need for a robust theology of suffering, how to confront the lies that often accompany seasons of pain, and how the Church can reach and embrace people with disabilities through meaningful shifts in mindset and practice.
If you’re passionate about creating spaces of true belonging, this episode offers practical insights to help your community become a place of gospel-centered inclusion for those who are often overlooked.
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.
What do you do when you find yourself in a crisis of faith? How can you help someone walking through the questions and doubts they are experiencing?
Ian Harber came to a critical junction in his own faith after experiencing loss after loss. Doubts began to rise and yet, he didn't have a safe space to process the questions that can so often come in our journey in knowing and understanding God. But eventually, Ian found himself on the other side of that process and began to see the need for helping others find the space to process their own questions and doubts. In his latest book, “Walking Through Deconstruction: How to Be a Companion in a Crisis of Faith”, he shares his own story of deconstruction and reconstruction and encourages others to be a companion to those who are experiencing a crisis in faith.
In this episode, Davey and Ian discuss what deconstruction is, what can happen to a person who is experiencing a crisis in their faith, and how to walk alongside those who are questioning and doubting faith as they once knew it.
Whether you are struggling with questions and doubts in your own journey with Jesus or you know someone who is, this conversation will encourage patience and compassion through the ups and downs of walking with God.
What do we do with the secrets that keep us hidden in shame and despair? How do we tell our story in such a way that we can experience the true freedom that God has for us?
For author, entrepreneur, and founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Anne Beiler, the pain that came after losing a child in a tragic accident and the abuse she experienced at the hands of someone who should have helped her in her suffering, left her despairing and empty. It was only when she brought her secrets out of the dark and into the light that she was set free from the bondage of shame and pain that were set on destroying her. She shares her journey in her latest book, “The Secret Lies Within: An Inside Out Look at Overcoming Trauma and Finding Purpose in the Pain”.
In this tender conversation, Aubrey sits with Anne to talk about how the Holy Spirit can help us in our suffering, the power that is found in sharing our painful secrets, and how to let go of the shame that grips us.
If you've ever found yourself drowning in the shame of a secret from your past, this episode will encourage you to find a safe person to share your pain with and experience the freedom of being known and bringing the darkness into the light.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
What do you do when your worst nightmare comes true after a painful battle with a loved one's mental illness? How do you hold the tension between hope and the mysteries of God in your life after loss?
For author, speaker, advocate and pastor's wife Kay Warren, learning to hold onto hope after losing her son Matthew while accepting the mysteries of all she did not understand was difficult. Kay and her husband, author and Pastor Rick Warren, had walked a long, difficult journey through Matthew's lifelong struggle with mental health and faced every parent's worst fear coming true when their adult son died by suicide. Kay experienced the depths of grief and sorrow as she wrestled with God to make sense of such a tragedy. But her pain has given her the opportunity to become an advocate for mental health in the church and a voice of hope for parents who are facing a similar journey.
In this honest conversation, Davey and Kay talk about how reality, grief, and hope must all co-exist together, why we need both hope and mystery as we look back on our pain, and how to deal with the shame and guilt after losing a loved one to suicide.
If you've found it hard to hold on to hope in the darkness of your suffering, this episode will light a pathway towards it.
Warning: This episode discusses loss by suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners.
What do we do when it comes to understanding God's role in the events of our lives? How do we interpret the pain we endure, the evil that exists in the world and God's sovereignty in it all?
For author and professor of Old Testament Ingrid Faro, it was her own personal experience of pain and evil that led her to dig deeply into scripture in order to better understand how God works in the midst of suffering. Having experienced domestic abuse and divorce, a remarriage than ended when her husband died by suicide, and so much more, Ingrid began to ask questions when it came to pain and suffering and evil in our experience as humans. It was through her own story and scholarly study that she wrote Demystifying Evil: A Biblical and Personal Exploration, in which she examines the impact of evil and how to undo its power in our lives.
In this episode, Aubrey and Ingrid talk about how our stories can lead us to our life's work, the power of lament and what to do in the face of evil.
If you've ever struggled to make sense of the things that have been done to you, this conversation is a reminder that God can handle all our anger and questions, doubts and fears, and invites us to be honest with the pain that we are experiencing.
WARNING: This episode discusses teen suicide and may not be suitable for all audiences.
How do we begin to understand the staggering increase in mental health issues amongst teens? Why are the suicide rates moving in an upward trend, especially amongst younger children?
Our world has undoubtedly changed because of the advent of smart phones and social media, but no one could have predicted the impact these devices have had on our kids. Dr. Chinwé Williams, an author, speaker and teen and child mental health counselor, has seen the ways our current culture has effected youth in this country. Because of what she has seen clinically, she has been on a mission to help resource parents through her books and trainings with the tools they need to handle the challenges that many kids and teens are facing, including anxiety.
In this episode, Davey sits down with Dr. Williams to discuss the role empathy should play in helping our kids through difficulty, why we must first address our own issues with anxiety and the value in teaching our kids to develop grit in order to face whatever may come.
If you are a parent or if you are someone who has kids and teens in your life, this conversation will give you the tools you need to begin to recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and how you can help the kids you love through it.
Warning: This episode briefly mentions suicidal ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners.
What happens when we realize all our methods to find healing are merely ineffective attempts of self-help? How can pain lead us into a true understanding of our utter dependence and need for God in our lives?
Former country music recording artist and author Granger Smith found himself attempting to do everything "by the book" when it came to dealing with the drowning death of his young son, River. He did everything self-help offered when it came to finding healing and yet, it all fell flat. It was then that God revealed to him that he did not have the power to heal himself. The healing he needed could come only through the gospel of Jesus Christ. From then, Granger turned away from a nominal faith into a saving one and was able to experience the true depths of healing from his shame and guilt over the loss of his son. He gave up his successful music career and began seminary and ministry in his local church. Granger recently wrote about the story of this journey of losing River and his newfound authentic faith in his book, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache.
In this episode, Davey and Granger talk about how self-help can't truly heal us, the difference between a nominal faith and a saving one, and how the gospel is what we need most when it comes to finding healing that can last.
If you've ever turned to self-help in an attempt to assuage the guilt, shame, or hurt from your past, only to find it unable to do so, this conversation will encourage you to look for healing in the only one who can truly help: Jesus Christ.
How do we live in the most connected generation and yet feel so alone? What do we do when we find ourselves struggling with loneliness?
Author and lawyer Justin Whitmel Earley argues that loneliness isn't the way God intended for us to live because we were made for deep and intentional friendships. It was his own journey through a season of depression and anxiety led him to discover the power of spiritual disciplines including the practice of embodied community. In his latest book, Made for People: Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship, Justin looks at how we as a culture have gotten to this epidemic of loneliness and how we can find our way back to what God has for us when it comes to friendship.
In this episode, Davey talks with Justin on how spiritual disciplines can help us in our suffering, the ways in which our daily decisions are forming us and how to combat loneliness with true, Christ-centered connection.
If you are struggling with feeling alone even though your life is full of interactions each and every day, this conversation will help you recognize how to take the first steps towards the life-giving friendships God has for you.
Warning: This episode does briefly discuss loss by suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners.
How do we care for a loved one with a disease that steals their memories? How do we tend to ourselves when we are helping aging parents?
For Guideposts Editor-in-Chief Edward Grinnan, these were the very questions he had to answer after his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Edward had to learn not only how to walk through such a difficult disease, but also how to face the reality that he too might one day suffer from it. Edward went on to chronicle his own journey through his mother's illness in his latest book, A Journey of Faith: A Mother’s Alzheimer’s, A Son’s Love, and His Search for Answers. It was through his journey that he was able to see with clarity God's presence and love.
In this episode, Davey talks with Edward about how telling our stories reveals who we are, the impact Alzheimer's Disease has on families and caregivers, and specific ways that caregivers can care for themselves while tending to their loved one with the disease.
If you are being impacted by Alzheimer's, caring for aging parents or know someone who is, this conversation will encourage you to see how God can show up in the ways we show up for those we love.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide and suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Have you ever taken the time to deep dive into the stories and scripts that keep you moving in the same cycles you wish you could break free from?
Author and therapist Kobe Campbell began her journey towards understanding how trauma was impacting her and how God wanted to invite her into healing after she attempted suicide in college. God revealed Himself in a very direct way in the midst of her attempt through a friend and since that moment, she has been on a journey towards her own continued healing and in turn, helping others heal. As a therapist, Kobe has seen the power in getting curious in a person's story and learning to pay attention to our pain and how it affects our current behaviors. In her new book, Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal From Trauma, and Restore Your Faith, Kobe helps readers see how our past shapes our present and how to get at the roots of dysfunctional patterns.
In this profound conversation, Davey sits down with Kobe as she shares her insight and wisdom on the importance of leading with curiosity when it comes to our stories, what to do when triggers happen, and the ways in which trauma can skew our perspectives and identity.
This episode is for anyone who has ever wanted to break free from cycles of unhealthy behavior or to better understand why they do what they do and who desire to experience the depths of healing that God wants to offer us in our pain.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide and suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
How do you help a child in your life walk through an unimaginable trauma? How can you begin to navigate their emotions as well as your own when life turns upside down?
For Jessye and Ryan Wilden figuring out how to walk through their own pain of losing Ryan's sister, Rena, in a homicide/suicide that took her life and the life of her husband, Danny, has been difficult enough. Taking in their niece and nephew and navigating their grief and loss in losing both their parents has required wisdom and discernment from God for a circumstance that doesn't have a manual. Add to it the collective grief that people felt after losing two beloved members of their community, it could feel impossible to ever get out from under the depths of suffering. And yet, Jessye and Ryan found a way through as they relied on the Lord each step of the way. In her book, We Wrote Your Name In Color, Jessye shares the messy process of healing, redemption, and grace found in their story.
Davey sits down with Jessye and Ryan to talk about what you even do in the aftermath of the unimaginable, how to walk kids through their own pain and healing, and the value of having a community in the midst of tragedy.
You may never walk through something as painful as the Wilden's have, but the way they've seen God in the middle of their heartbreak will encourage you as you navigate your own valley.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
Having a baby seems like it will be a season full of unending joy, but for many mothers, the elation of a new child can bring with it an unforeseen darkness too. Recent studies suggest one in every eight women experience postpartum depression. It can be jarring to experience the joy of new life while also enduring the pain of depression and anxiety in the wake. How do you move through the darkness into the light when it feels impossible?
For Julie Thomas, she couldn't have imagined the way in which darkness would seem to take over. Well after the birth of her child, she was experiencing a depression that would not lift. It felt hopeless and isolating, so much so that she contemplated taking her own life. While her story isn't one of instantaneous healing, God taught her the slow and steady way He can heal when we turn to Him in the depths of our pain. For her, it was a combination of safe people, leaning into scripture and sharing her story with others that would eventually help the fog of depression clear.
In this episode, Davey and Julie talk about what to do when you become afraid of both the darkness and the light, how to help someone through a season of depression, and why telling your story can become a catalyst towards healing.
This conversation will help the one who needs hope in the most desperate of places as well as the one who wants to be a help when someone they love are suffering in the dark. And it will remind us all that no matter what difficulties we are facing, we are not alone.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
The statistics are staggering: twenty-two veterans die by suicide a day. After years of serving in the Army, Fernando Arroyo almost became one of those twenty-two when the pain of his experience in the military made him want to end his life.
Finding hope and healing in the aftermath of war and post-traumatic stress was no easy task. The transition from a life full of meaning and purpose as a Paratrooper in the Army into the civilian sector was difficult for Fernando. He went from having a tight knit community, a brotherhood, with a common mission into a life where he felt alone and without purpose. That pain began to build as he was reminded of his past and eventually, he found himself on his couch with a gun, ready to end his life when the Lord miraculously intervened. From there, he found restored hope once he began to be open and honest about his struggles. Through sharing his story and what he was walking through, a newfound purpose emerged as he found other veterans who needed understanding and help in their own journey. Now, Fernando serves veterans at Step Forward Academy, helping them through the transition from military to civilian life and has recently written a book chronicling his journey called, The Shadow of Death: From My Battles in Fallujah to the Battle for My Soul.
In this special Veteran's Day episode, Davey and Fernando talk about the difficulty for veterans to transition out of the military into the civilian world, the powerful impact that can come when we share our story, and the importance of community in our lives and our healing.
Whether you are a veteran or not, this conversation will help you walk with others through the most painful parts of their stories and encourage you in sharing your own.
What do you do when you were living the life you always dreamed of and find it taken away in a matter of moments? How do you learn to trust God after a tragic loss? How can you forgive when a grave injustice is done against you and your family?
Laura Hao had to answer these questions and so many more when she lost her husband in a senseless murder in 2018. Laura had always dreamed of becoming a missionary since she was a little girl. She realized that dream and moved to Asia as a young woman. There, she met her husband, had her four children and began working as missionaries in the place the Holy Spirit had planted a seed of a dream in her heart so many years ago. Together, they experienced blessing and favor as they served the Lord and sought to build the Church in a closed part of the world.
But that all changed just two days after returning to the United States for a time of refreshment and visiting loved ones. While packing her daughter's bag for camp the next day, gun shots echoed just outside the door. She opened it to find a traumatic scene, her husband was lying lifeless on the ground after being shot in a random act of violence.
Laura experienced the depths of the darkness that grief can bring. Feeling buried like a seed, she felt as though she was frantically grappling her way out of the dark. But through it, she also experienced the illuminating light of truths that can only be found in the recesses of pain. In this raw conversation, Davey and Laura talk through a shared experience of learning to live in the darkness of a painful loss, how to trust the Lord in the seasons fo grief, and how justice, mercy and forgiveness all coexist.
The truths Laura and Davey share are ones that will help you as you navigate the most difficult parts of your story with honesty and hope, whatever it may be.
It can be so hard to see, let alone accept the hand of God in the middle of our deepest pain. How can you learn to trust God's sovereignty in your darkest moments?
For Greg and Cathy Buffkin, that was no small feat. After losing their adult son Ryan to suicide, it was difficult to accept their loss and find the strength to move forward after so much pain.
Living every parent's greatest fear, the Buffkins found themselves wrestling with difficult emotions and yet, managed to find the Lord in the most heart wrenching loss they had ever endured.
From their pain, they have a new found purpose as they've sought to equip others as they navigate walking alongside someone who has lost a child.
In this episode, Davey sits down with Greg and Cathy to talk about what it looks like to experience God's sovereignty in grief, the best ways to support someone who has lost a child, and the difference between healthy and unhealthy ways of healing after loss.
Grief is an inevitable part of our lives this side of heaven, which is why this conversation is so important for all of us as we come face to face with pains we never imagined.
Whether or not you've endured the loss of a child, this episode will give you important insight into what it means to choose healing when grief threatens to overwhelm.
When it comes to our struggles with our emotions, pain and story, one of the most difficult by-products to navigate is the loneliness that we can experience as a result of our journey.
A pervasive sense of being unseen and unknown can lead to a deep feeling of hopelessness. With raw honesty, Dr. Mark Mayfield shares his own personal journey in learning how his unhealed emotions led to a feeling of being alone and how finding language to identify what he was experiencing brought him to a place of healing.
In this conversation, Davey and Mark sit down to talk about what loneliness is, what it can to do us and how we can find the path out of loneliness.
Whether you've felt bouts of loneliness because of the recent pandemic, have felt isolated as a pastor or church leader or if depression and anxiety have made you feel alone, this conversation is for you.
Suicide is an epidemic that is claiming an unimaginable amount of lives in our country and around the world today.
And while the church should be a bastion of hope that people can cling to in those dark moments when they contemplate taking their own lives, that isn’t always the case.
Far too many Christians are content to stay quiet on this issue, to turn a blind eye and hope the problem just goes away. Dr. Matthew Sleeth is not one of them.
As a former ER doctor, Matthew has seen people tragically lose their lives to suicide too many times, and he’s made it his mission to try to change that.
Matthew sits down with Davey to share some of the wisdom he’s gleaned about this topic over the years and why it’s a critical conversation for the church to have right now.
Brooke Talley would never have imagined being in a “singleness series” of a podcast. After all, she’d married her college sweetheart and started a family — the picture-perfect modern love story. What did singleness have to do with her? But all that changed in a moment, when Brooke lost her husband to suicide.
Now in addition to unimaginable grief, Brooke was faced with a daunting prospect that she never expected: a new season of singleness. To continue our Singleness Series, Brooke sits down with Davey to talk about her story and how this season has led her both to newfound purpose and a deeper knowledge of God.
The last year and half or so has had long-lasting effects on all of us. Studies have shown that reports of mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression have skyrocketed between 2019 and today. But for some, these issues are not brought on by one particular season, but rather they are something that we face our entire lives. Paul Asay is one such person. While he didn’t have the words for it at the time, Paul began facing anxiety as a child, and by the time he was in college that had morphed into severe depression. This depression has followed him his entire adult life, and he has had to struggle with what it means to be a follower of Jesus and also be chronically depressed. After all, shouldn’t the hope of Christ be enough to beat back depression for good? But through this season, Paul has learned what it means to follow God in the midst of darkness and to see Him on a deeper level because of it. Paul sits down with Davey to share some of his story and the wisdom he’s learned about going through depression, whether it be seasonal or a lifelong battle.
Nona Jones had what looked on the outside like success. She got a job at a Fortune 100 company at only 23, and her professional life only seemed to go up and to the right from there. Married to a pastor and with a deep faith of her own, it seemed that Nona had the “perfect” Christian life. But under the surface, trauma that had gone unaddressed built up until it could no longer be ignored, and Nora found herself in a crisis. Was all her success really enough? In her newest book Success from the Inside Out, Nona talks about how to deal with your past to have real success in the present. Nona sits down with Davey to share her story and how she’s learned to overcome her past traumas and help others do the same.
Masterclasses:
Have you or someone you know been impacted by the loss of a loved one by suicide? We know how confusing, shocking and painful any loss can be, but especially when it comes in such a tragic way.
In this masterclass, Surviving the Unthinkable: Finding God in the Aftermath of Suicide, with our very own Nothing is Wasted Certified Coach, Brooke Talley, Brooke shares the heartache she experienced in losing her husband to suicide and also the hope she’s found in Christ since then.
In this masterclass, Brooke discusses:
Untangling common emotional experiences like shock, shame, and guilt
Embracing mystery with a childlike faith
The cost of forgiveness
Naming the truth of God’s character in dark places
We wish you never had to experience the pain of losing someone you loved to suicide but we know that even in the depths of that pain, you can partner with God to take back your story and experience healing and hope.
Resources
Website: https://www.widowsong.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooketalleycoaching/
Bonus Episodes:
Despair is seemingly all around us. With everything going on in our world today, it’s only natural that we’ll sometimes fall into despair and not know how to get out. Michele Cushatt has felt her share of despair, and she shared some of that on Episode 113 of the podcast. Now she’s back to talk with our Monthly Partners about practical ways to dig ourselves out when we find ourselves in a pit of despair.
Live Events:
Author of “Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope through Loss”, Kayla Stoecklein joined us to share what she learned in the immediate aftermath of loss. When Kayla’s husband Drew died by suicide, she found herself living a story completely different than the one she had planned. Even in the midst of having her world turned upside down, Kayla is learning to rebuild beautiful, even if it is not the beautiful she once imagined.
Kayla’s Book: Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope through Loss
Pain to Purpose Coaching
Need someone to walk with you through your valley? Our Nothing is Wasted Certified Coaches are ready to help you find your way from pain into purpose. Hire yours today by scheduling a free connection call and we’ll help you started with one-on-one help.
Have you found this Pathway helpful? Be sure to check out our other Pathways for more inspiring stories of hope in the face of tragedy, trauma and pain.
Let these Pathways be a roadmap for you on your healing journey.
Warning: This episode discusses pornography addiction and may not be suitable for all listeners.
How do we break the stronghold of addiction when it becomes deeply attached to our lives? What do we do when the pain of our past resurfaces through patterns of addiction?
Drew Boa didn’t fully realize how much pain he was carrying beneath the surface until his struggle with pornography began to threaten the relationships he valued most. As he started to uncover and process that pain, he recognized how often he had looked for healing and identity in places other than God.
It was through surrendering both his pain and identity to God that the grip of pornography on his life began to loosen. Over time, he experienced genuine freedom. His book, Outgrow Porn: Find Lasting Freedom Without Fighting an Exhausting Battle—A Man’s Guide to Healing, offers men a pathway toward that same kind of lasting transformation.
In this episode, Davey and Drew explore the deeper roots of sexual addiction, the vital role of compassion and self-awareness in the healing process, and why authentic community is so powerful in breaking cycles of addiction.
If you or someone you love has struggled to find freedom from pornography, this conversation offers hope—reminding us that lasting freedom begins by understanding our identity in Jesus.