In today’s episode, Laura is joined by two ladies who have together, as a team, faithfully served those who have lost a child for twelve years.
Carol Keefer and Pat Wentworth have been connected with GPS Hope from the beginning, inviting Laura to speak to their support group in Florida when Laura’s book When Tragedy Strikes first came out, which was even before GPS Hope became a full-time ministry with Laura and her husband, Dave, traveling in the Hope Mobile.
Carol and Pat have learned how to go from that place of mourning to a place of joy in their lives. You will hear them share nuggets of encouragement and wisdom from their place of being seasoned pareavors and feel their heart’s desire to walk with others who are on this same journey.
Carol Keefer (pictured right) is married, lives in Deltona, Florida and will celebrate her 70th birthday this December. She is the mother of three and grandma to one. Carol lost her sweet 15 1/2-year-old daughter in a car accident on Mother’s Day weekend in 2004. She started H.U.G.S. (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty), as a co-leader 
with Pat Wentworth in 2010. Carol’s desire is for everyone to know Jesus and the unconditional, never-ending love of God.
Pat Wentworth (pictured left) is married, a mother of three and Nana to six boys. She has been a computer analyst and consultant for 43 years, originally in Massachusetts but is now in Central Florida. Pat keeps busy with exploring the outdoors, cooking, gardening and family get-togethers. H.U.G.S. (Healing Under God’s Sovereignty) was cofounded with Carol Keefer after the death of Pat’s youngest son, Brian, in March of 2010. They have met weekly since that time, helping other pareavors in the surrounding communities know they are not alone, they are not crazy and there is hope to be able to live with this devastating loss of a child.
(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:
Email Carol: mitmom1@yahoo.com
Email Pat: pat.wentworth@yahoo.com
Information about the October 2023 Grief Cruise.
Birthdays:
Bub Amis was born on October 16 and left us at age 36.
Carissa Ellen Hunsaker was born on October 19 and left us at age 1.
Taylor Contreras was born on October 20 and left us at age 16.
Mckenzie Aucapina was born on October 21 and left us at age 7.
Matthew Anthony Sulikowski was born on October 22 and left us at age 36.
Nate Wilson was born on October 22 and left us at age 30.
Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners.
The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.
Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!
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.
After losing her daughter in 1989, she started a resource and referral service for grieving families. Soon after she began providing personalized aftercare solutions for hundreds of funeral homes across the nation. Lin is now an aftercare specialist who has created, facilitated, and coordinated hundreds of workshops, services, and support groups. As a Christian lay counselor, Lin’s highest honor is to enter people’s lives and help make a difference. To date, Lin has supported over 158,000 people on behalf of funeral homes across North America.
Think about it. When we are getting enough sleep, eating healthy food that is fuel for our bodies and moving around (even if it is just getting outside for a short walk), it can lift our spirits a bit, causing us to feel stronger emotionally.
At some point, we will come to a place where we start making the choice. “Do I want to stay a victim and let that become my identity? Or do I want to figure out how to climb out of this pit of darkness and back into a place of hope and light and life?”
how to change your mind set about things like food and healthy movement (notice I did not say working out) and having an easy way to fuel your body, could make all the difference for you, just like it did for me.
of the REALIFE Process®, as well as an author. Her first book Do What Matters, Live from Rest Not Rush will release this fall. In the book, Teresa shares her authentic story of a recovering workaholic and her journey, through the loss of her son to drug addiction, to a new way of truly living. Teresa’s passion is to help others outline for themselves sustainable behaviors, rhythms, and routines, so they can live from an internal place of rest. 
