Trigger / Content Warning: I want to be sure my listeners are aware that in this episode we will be talking about the loss of a child and brief mentions of suicidal ideation. If these kinds of topics are hard for you to hear about, we recommend skipping this conversation.
Dealing with grief can feel like being plunged into a terrible darkness and not knowing if or when you will get out. It’s a heavy burden to carry, no matter the circumstances surrounding your loss. In the midst of that pain, you may find yourself wondering if you’ll ever feel whole again, whether God truly sees and cares about your sorrow, or how you’re supposed to move forward with the ache now living in your heart.
My guests for this episode know all about the process of grappling with grief.
Dennis and Debbie Jordan walked through the death of their six-year-old son, Ryan, who lost his fight with leukemia. While it wasn’t easy, they wrestled with hard questions, clung to their faith, and today use their experience to help others walking through grief.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How grief impacts marriages
- The importance of sharing our hurts
- How to comfort those walking through grief today
- And more!
We have been so encouraged by Dennis and Debbie’s story. We hope that anyone experiencing grief today would find hope and a path to healing.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
- [BOOK] Grief’s Deception: Overcoming the Twelve Lies Whispered to a Broken Heart
- Marriage Mentor Course
- God Stories from Uganda | Episode 290
- Connect with Dennis and Debbie on Instagram
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) The journey through grief will develop differently for each person. Several factors determine how you will navigate grief. For example, men tend to hold it in more, whereas women tend to be more likely to talk about it. However, your personality, temperament, and relationship with God will also impact how you journey through grief. Don’t try to compare your experience to anyone else’s and recognize that it’s okay if you are moving at a different pace from your loved ones.
2) You can’t rush through the process. As much as we may like to, there is no rushing past the pain of grief. It is something we have to process slowly over time in order to come to terms with our new reality. Rather than focusing on big goals like where you want to be in your healing journey a year from now, focus on the short term. We just have to make it to the end of the day, through the next hour, and through the next minute.
3) God will give purpose for the pain. While God did not willfully cause our suffering, he does use what we experience to encourage and help others. He can redeem the pain we walk through, and won’t waste it. Dennis and Debbie share how, while they would not wish their experience on anyone, they are grateful they can help others who are walking down the same road of grief they have been through.
About Dennis and Debbie:
Dennis and Debbie Jordan have been married for over 50 years. In that time, they experienced the death of their six and a half year old son, Ryan, to leukemia. Today, they use their experience and training as marriage mentors to help and encourage others who are navigating grief and loss.
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