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GPS Hope

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May 12, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

I Feel Like I Am Dying in the Wilderness

 

In Matthew 4, we read how God spoke with an audible voice from heaven how pleased He was with His Son. Immediately after that, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into a wilderness where Satan attacked Him at a very weak and vulnerable time.

While Jesus was there, He was without food for forty days. Talk about being extremely vulnerable physically, emotionally, and mentally! This is when Satan came to him in full force, trying to use a time of weakness to trick Jesus into turning the stones into nice warm, fresh bread.

Jesus’ famous reply was letting the enemy know that God said we need more than just earthly food to sustain us. We need the bread of life that will sustain us for the long term.

You are still alive because God is sustaining you. You may be at that place where you don’t want Him to keep you alive. I was there myself when my daughter, Becca, died, so I get it. But God is life, and you being alive means that God is sustaining you, even though it may not feel like it. Sometimes, it is just by helping us take the next breath. That breath comes from God, and even if you don’t want that next breath, the fact that you are still breathing and still here, means that God is still sustaining you through the hurt and darkness. He is there with you.

I imagine Jesus was struggling, wondering where His Father was in all of this, especially knowing the Holy Spirit had led Him to this difficult circumstance. But I notice that Jesus did not answer Satan based on how he felt. He answered on what He knew to be God’s words. Many of us do not feel God’s presence or hear His voice because of the dark wilderness we are in. It is so hard to make our decision about where God is, not based on how we feel, but based on what God says about never leaving us or forsaking us.

There was nothing in the law of Moses saying that what Satan was asking Jesus to do was wrong. After all, He was within days of turning water into wine. The temptation to Jesus was not, “You are asking me to sin.” The temptation was asking Jesus to do something his own way to meet His desire and needs, instead of being led by God within the intimate relationship with His Father.

I know some of you have a hard time reading your Bible. Maybe it is time to try again. It can be helpful to read in the book of Psalms, since David was so good at sharing from a place of rawness and how he felt in places of darkness, writing in a way we can really relate to. But then he often goes from there into how good God is for being with him and taking care of him and going before him while in that pit of despair.

Just like Jesus said, we are sustained by the word of God. If you cannot seem to read the Bible yet, He can still speak to you in other ways. Ask him to open your ears to hear what He wants to say to you in the context of His heart and being in an intimate relationship with Him. That is an individual thing for each one of us.

We may be in a wilderness, but God has not abandoned us there, no matter how much it may feel like it. He is with you. It is so important to be able to grab ahold of this truth. Even if you cannot see it now, when you get further down this road you will be able to look back and see that He really was with you.

Note: In the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast, episode 210, Laura continues this by talking about the other two temptations of Jesus in the wilderness and how we can relate to them as bereaved parents. Click here to listen.

 

This blog was taken from Laura’s book being released later this month called Reflections of Hope: Daily Reflections for Bereaved Parents. If you would like to know more, click here.

 

Expressions of Hope is provided by Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope). The founders, Dave and Laura Diehl, travel full time in their Hope Mobile (a 38-foot motor home) to be more easily available for speaking and ministry requests, and bringing intimate weekend retreats to bereaved parents. Laura is also a singer/songwriter and the author of multiple award-winning books.

If you would like more information about bringing Dave and Laura to you for an event, please send an email to office@gpshope.org.

If you are interested in bringing GPS Hope to your area for a weekend retreat click here.

 

  • Check out the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope weekly podcast
  • Subscribe to Laura’s YouTube channel. 
  • If you are a bereaved parent, we encourage you to connect with us on our private Facebook page or our public Facebook page. 
  • If you are not a bereaved parent but want to support those who are, or want to follow us as we give hope to these precious parents, please connect with us at Friends of GPS Hope on Facebook.

Filed Under: Expressions of Hope Tagged With: Bible verses for grieving parents, Christian grief reflection, divine sustainer, faith in grief, God sustains in grief, GPS Hope grief, grief and faith, grieving parents support, Holy Spirit in hard times, hope in dark times, Jesus in the wilderness, Laura Diehl blog, Matthew 4 temptation, Psalms for grief, Reflections of Hope Laura Diehl, spiritual wilderness after loss, turning to God after child loss, when God feels distant in grief, wilderness grief journey

May 9, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

210: I Feel Like I Am Dying In the Wilderness

In the darkness of child loss, we feel like we are wandering in a wilderness with no hope of ever getting out. It is a very vulnerable place to be, and the enemy knows it.

In this episode, Laura talks about Jesus’ wilderness experience at a time when He was also extremely vulnerable. There are several things that can help us as pareavors, when we take the time to really look at what was happening with Jesus at that time.

 

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents.

Please give a rating and review here on Amazon for Reflections of Hope.

Get information about the last room available for the GPS Hope & Healing retreat here.

Join Laura and Dave on The Grief Cruise! Click here for more information.

Birthdays:

Marc Cerundolo was born on May 7 and is forever 49.

Michael Slater was born on May 8 and is forever 26.

Sarah Wilber was born on May 10 and is forever 34.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

May 2, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

209: Being Okay with Being Broken

As a pareavor (parent who is bereaved of their child) we are broken. Deeply broken and our hearts are shattered. We don’t think it is possible to ever have our hearts be put back together.

In today’s episode, Laura shares her thoughts and experience in being broken after child loss, and being okay with being broken.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Stephen and Ariel Kostrna in memory of Milo Liam Kostrna.

“From the moment we knew he was alive, we loved him. We felt such longing to meet him and to hold him, especially when we knew the time was drawing near. At last, our dear little boy was flawlessly born on May 3rd last year. We learned so much about him in those first few minutes. He was beautiful, he was cuddly, and we were and are so glad that he is ours. 

Milo, we know you are alive, and we love you. We feel such longing to meet you and to hold you, I’m sure it will be especially strong when our time is drawing near. At last, our dear little boy will see his parents flawlessly born anew. We will learn so much about you in those first few minutes. You will still be beautiful, you will still be cuddly, and you will still be ours just as we are yours.”

We love you, little boy.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents.

Please give a rating and review here on Amazon for Reflections of Hope.

Please share the following with others!

Podcast episode 106: International Bereaved Mother’s Day

Podcast episode 156: A Special Day for Bereaved Mothers

A Letter to My Child on Bereaved Mother’s Day

Click here to sponsor an episode in memory of your child.

Birthdays:

Milo Kostrna budded on earth to bloom in heaven on May 3.

Rosalie Marstall was born on May 4 and is forever 4.

Blake Anthony Wellmaker was born on May 5 and is forever 28.

Adam Walker was born on May 6 and is forever 28.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

April 25, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

208: Our Dark Thoughts After Child Loss

The Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast’s first episode was released on April 23rd, four years ago.

Today you will hear Laura read the April 23rd entry in Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents, which talks about how our thoughts affect the process of finding our way out of the suffocating darkness of our grief.

 

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents. This is where you will also find how to participate in the preorder bonus of joining Laura live for four Mondays in May.

BE a grieving parent sharing hope with a financial gift or become a monthly partner with GPS Hope here.

 

Birthdays:

Jude Como was born on April 23 and is forever 19.

Aminu Christopher was born on April 23 and is forever 41.

Abigail Jane (Abi) was born on April 25 and is forever 18 months.

Michael Roach was born on April 26 and is forever 28.

Bradley Brown was born on April 27 and is forever 17.

Christi Gayheart was born on April 29 and is forever 49.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

 

April 18, 2023 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

207: Reflections of Hope After Child Loss (with Sara Nelson and Vickie Hickox)

When we are faced with the shock of child loss, literally every part of us is out of whack – our thoughts, our bodies, our emotions, and even our relationship with God.

Most of us start looking for some sort of hope, that life will not always be like this. We look for a way to try and make sense of why a good God would allow this to happen. Unfortunately, these things can be hard to find.

For almost three years, Laura has been working on a book to help pareavors find hope in all these areas, and she is thrilled to announce that Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents is now available.

In today’s episode, Laura brings on two guests, Sara Nelson and Vickie Hickox, who were part of a team of twelve bereaved parents that stuck with her for over a year, reading every entry and giving valuable feedback. Sara and Vickie share their thoughts on Reflections of Hope, so the listeners can hear from other pareavors how this book will help them in this difficult journey, no matter the age of your child, how he or she died, or how long or short of time it has been.

Sara Faith Nelson taught elementary and middle school grades for 15 years. Now she enjoys pursuing her love of writing. The primary focus of her writing has always leaned toward themes of hope, faith, and trust in the goodness of God. Since the death of her daughter and only child, she writes about her grief journey and surviving a devastating loss. She continues to write about trusting in God’s goodness and grace while grappling with the hard questions. Sara and her husband, Dennis, live in Arizona.

Vickie Hickox lost her son, Dominic, from this earth on June 22, 2019 from brain cancer, which sent her on a journey to rediscover who God is in the midst of such a horrible tragedy. She was a correctional officer in a county jail in Georgia for ten years and recently moved, continuing her career in Florida to be closer to her other children and grandchildren.  Whenever she can get away from her job, Vickie enjoys spending time with her family, and time on a beach somewhere.

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)

 

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to find out more about Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents. This is where you will also find how to participate in the preorder bonus of joining Laura live for four Mondays in May.

Join Laura and Dave, as well as Sara and Vickie on The Grief Cruise in October! Click here for information.

 

Birthdays:

Briana Martinez was born on April 17 and is forever 17.

Christopher Schofer was born on April 21 and is forever 25.

Adam Sharp was born on April 21 and is forever 19.

Shannon Chevalier was born on April 21 and is forever 27.

 

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

 

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.

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Recent Posts

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  • When Dads Grieve: A Conversation on Faith, Family, and Holding On
  • Can I Trust God Leading Me?



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