grief and loss Archives

June 23, 2026 by Ryan Leave a Comment

354: When Child Loss Changes How You See God’s Favor

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354: When Child Loss Changes How You See God's Favor

00:00 / 18:30

After the death of a child, it can feel as though everything you believed about God has been shaken. If His favor meant His protection, why did He allow this unimaginable loss? In this episode, Laura shares a perspective that has been quietly transforming her own understanding of God’s favor through the life of Moses and his relationship with the Lord. Rather than offering easy answers, she gently invites grieving parents to discover a deeper way of knowing God, even in the midst of heartbreak.

This is an honest and hope-filled conversation for pareavors who are struggling to reconcile their pain with God’s goodness. As Laura reflects on her own journey after Becca’s death, she offers encouragement that while child loss changes so much about our lives, it does not change God’s unchanging character or His desire to draw us close. His greatest gift has never been a life free from suffering, but the promise of His presence—both now and for all eternity.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Click here to give an Amazon review of When Tragedy Strikes to help other pareavors know how much it helped you.

Click here to find out more and register for the next GPS Hope & Healing retreat.

Click here to support the podcast and join Laura on Patreon for extra content

Check out all the GPS Hope resources here.

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Cassie Martinez was born on June 22 and is forever 19.

Alex Doyon was born on June 23 and is forever 30.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

June 19, 2026 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

Will We Know Our Children in Heaven?

One of the things that makes child loss so difficult is all the questions that come with it. We are suddenly faced with things we never thought much about before. Questions about heaven, eternity, and that what happens after death can become very important when our child is already there and we are still here. As grieving parents, we long for the day when we will see our children again, but we may also find ourselves wondering exactly what that reunion will be like.

Recently, I received an email from a grieving mom who asked a question that I suspect many pareavors have wondered about. She wanted to know if there were verses in the Bible that prove she will be reunited with her daughter and still have that mother-daughter relationship. Her concern came from Jesus’ statement that there will be no marriage in heaven. If marriage changes after this life, what happens to the relationship between parents and children? Will we still know each other? Will we still recognize one another? In other words, will we know our children in heaven?

While the Bible does not answer every question we have about eternity, I believe it gives us some very encouraging clues. When I look at the overall picture in Scripture, I see strong evidence that after death we retain our identity, our memories, and the unique person God created us to be.

What the Story of Lazarus Can Teach Us

One of the clearest examples is found in the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16. After both men die, Lazarus is still Lazarus. The rich man is still himself. Abraham is still Abraham. They recognize one another, remember things from their earthly lives, and engage in conversation. The rich man even remembers his brothers who are still living on earth and expresses concern for them.

What strikes me about this account is that nobody loses who they are. They do not become anonymous spirits without memory or personality. Instead, they remain recognizable individuals with thoughts, memories, and relationships. For a grieving parent, that can be incredibly comforting. When we ask whether we will know our children in heaven, one of the things we are really asking is whether our child will still be the unique person we know and love.

This passage suggests that personal identity continues beyond this life. While it does not specifically address parents and children, it certainly points toward the fact that who we are is not erased when we enter eternity.

Does “No Marriage in Heaven” Mean Relationships End?

Many parents immediately think about Jesus’ words in Matthew 22 where He says that people will neither marry nor be given in marriage after the resurrection. This verse can create concern because it sounds as if earthly relationships somehow disappear.

Yet when I look closely at what Jesus actually said, I don’t see Him teaching that relationships are erased. He simply says that marriage as an earthly institution will not continue in heaven. He never says we will stop knowing one another. He never says we will stop loving one another. In fact, the rest of Scripture seems to point in the opposite direction.

Relationships will be transformed and perfected, but transformed is not the same thing as removed. I have a hard time believing that the God who created love and family is going to erase those things in eternity.

Moses, Elijah, and the Continuity of Identity

Another example comes from the account of the Transfiguration. Hundreds of years after leaving this earth, Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. They are still Moses and Elijah. Their identities remain intact, and they are recognizable as the same individuals who lived on earth centuries earlier.

God did not erase who they were. Their earthly lives were complete, but their identity remained. Once again, we see continuity rather than disappearance. As grieving parents, this gives us another glimpse that the people we love remain the people God created them to be.

David’s Hope of Seeing His Son Again

I also think about David after the death of his infant son. In one of the most often quoted passages for grieving parents, David says, “I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Those words have brought comfort to countless bereaved parents through the years. David clearly expected a future reunion. His statement only makes sense if his son would still be his son and David would still be David. There is an expectation that death has separated them for a time, but not forever.

For those of us living with the ache of child loss, that simple statement carries a great deal of hope.

The Bible’s Promise of Recognition and Reunion

The Apostle Paul also speaks in ways that suggest recognition and relationship continue in eternity. In one passage he refers to believers as his joy and crown in the presence of Christ. In another, he encourages believers with the promise that those who have died in Christ will be reunited with those who remain.

The comfort found in these passages seems rooted in the expectation of reunion. If nobody recognizes anyone, much of that comfort loses its meaning.

Even the book of Revelation gives us glimpses of individuals who remember their earthly lives and maintain their awareness and identity. The martyrs speak with God, remember what happened to them, and understand that God’s plan is still unfolding. Once again, we see continuity of personhood rather than the loss of it.

So, Will We Know Our Children in Heaven?

When I put all of these passages together, I personally see strong biblical evidence that we remain ourselves after death. We retain our identity. We remember. We recognize others. We continue loving. Relationships continue, though transformed and perfected.

That is why when someone asks me, will we know our children in heaven, my answer is that I believe we will. Not because I desperately want it to be true, although I certainly do. Not because it sounds comforting, although it is. I believe it because the overall picture of Scripture consistently points toward recognition, relationship, and reunion.

Looking Forward to That Day

As a pareavor, one of the most beautiful thoughts I hold onto is this: if David expected to go to his son, if the rich man remembered his brothers, and if Moses was still Moses and Elijah was still Elijah, then there is every reason to believe that Becca will still be Becca and I will still be Laura.

You will still be you, and your child will still be who he or she was. The relationship may not look exactly the same as it does now, but nothing in Scripture suggests that the love, recognition and knowledge of one another will disappear.

In fact, I believe the biblical picture points in the opposite direction. Because of Jesus, we can look forward to a day when everything broken will be made whole, everything incomplete will be perfected, and every relationship surrendered to Him will be experienced as He intended from the beginning.

As grieving parents, we may not have all the answers, but we do have reason to hope. And what a glorious day it will be when faith becomes sight and we are reunited with those we have missed for so very long.

NOTE: This was partially taken from the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast episode 353. Click here to listen to the full discussion, or look for the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast on your favorite listening app.

Listen to Episode 18: I Am Afraid My Child Might Not Be in Heaven

Receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Check out all the GPS Hope resources here.

To support this podcast and, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content, visit us on Patreon.

If you’re walking this road after the loss of your child and would like something to come alongside you, I’ve created a gentle resource from my own journey that you are welcome to download below.

AWARD WINNING AUTHOR, LAURA DIEHL, has written several impactful books that provide comfort and guidance to those navigating the painful journey of child loss, after the death of her own daughter in 2011. Her most acclaimed work, When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life with Hope and Healing After the Death of Your Child, has received multiple accolades, including the 2017 Gold Medal Centauri Christian Book Award for Non-Fiction and a Silver Medal in the 2018 Illumination Awards. Several of her other books have won awards as well.

In addition to her writing, Laura is an ordained minister and has an extensive background in international children’s ministry. She is a sought-after speaker and singer at grief conferences and churches, known for her compassionate approach and deep understanding of the grieving process, especially the unique loss of a child. Through her weekly award-winning podcast, her writings, and other resources provided by GPS Hope, Laura and her husband, Dave, continue to provide hope and healing to thousands of parents worldwide, helping them find light in the midst of profound loss and darkness.

For more information about Laura’s award-winning books go to gpshope.org/books.
To find out more about Laura Diehl and the ministry of Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) visit gpshope.org.

The link to Hope for the Future is an affiliate link, allowing part of the purchase price to go to GPS Hope.

June 16, 2026 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

353: Will I Recognize My Child in Heaven?

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353: Will I Recognize My Child in Heaven?

00:00 / 19:27

One of the questions many grieving parents ask after the death of a child is whether they will know and recognize their child in heaven. In this episode, Laura explores what Scripture reveals about our identity after death and why the Bible gives us reason to believe that our loved ones remain uniquely themselves in eternity.

Through several biblical accounts, Laura shares hope and encouragement for pareavors longing for reassurance about their child’s future and their own. If you have ever wondered whether the bond between parent and child continues beyond this life, this episode offers a comforting, faith-filled perspective grounded in God’s Word.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 18: I Am Afraid My Child Might Not Be in Heaven

Receive a Weekly Word of Hope from Laura.

Check out all the GPS Hope resources here.

Click here to support the podcast and join Laura on Patreon for extra content

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Elias Glass was born on June 15 and is forever 20.

Andrew Gichu was born on June 15 and is forever 48.

Kari-Lee Venning (Birrell) was born on June 19 and is forever 25

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

June 12, 2026 by Laura Diehl 2 Comments

Jesus Is Praying for You After Child Loss

There are moments on this grief journey when prayer feels impossible. As grieving parents, we know there are days when the pain is so overwhelming that we cannot find the words. We may be sitting quietly, staring out a window, lying awake in the middle of the night, or driving down the road with tears streaming down our face, wanting to pray but not knowing what to say.

If you have ever felt that way, I want to share a truth that has brought me comfort over the years: Jesus is praying for you after child loss.

Not praying for grieving parents in general. Not praying for believers as a group. Scripture tells us that Jesus Himself is interceding for each one of us personally.

Jesus Always Lives to Intercede for You

Hebrews 7:25 tells us, “Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

I love that phrase, “He always lives to intercede for them.” Jesus is alive. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He is continually interceding on our behalf. That means that Jesus is praying for you after child loss right now. Not just on the days when your faith feels strong. Not just when you are reading your Bible. Not just when you remember to pray. Always.

For many of us, especially after the death of our child, there are times when we wonder if God sees our pain. We may feel forgotten, abandoned, or overlooked. Yet Scripture reminds us that Jesus continually carries us before the Father. What a powerful thought for a grieving parent. Even when we feel alone, we are not alone.

Jesus Reveals the Father’s Heart

Sometimes people picture Jesus standing between us and an angry Father, trying to persuade God not to punish us. But that is not what Scripture teaches.

Jesus is not trying to convince the Father to love you. The Father already loves you.

In fact, Jesus came to reveal the Father’s heart. In John 14:9, Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” He also declared, “I and the Father are one.”

When Jesus walked this earth, He showed us exactly what God is like. When Jesus welcomed those who were hurting, we saw the heart of God. When Jesus touched the untouchable, we saw the heart of God. When Jesus stood beside grieving sisters at the tomb of Lazarus and wept with them, we saw the heart of God.

The same Jesus who showed compassion to the broken and hurting is the One who is praying for you today. Jesus is praying for you after child loss because He loves you, and because the Father loves you. He is not standing against you. He is standing with you.

Jesus Was Praying for You Before You Were Born

One of the most amazing truths in Scripture is found in John chapter 17. Just before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His disciples, but then He expanded that prayer beyond those who were physically present.

Jesus said, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.”

Think about that for a moment. Jesus was praying for future believers. He was praying for you.

Before you were born, before your child was born, before you experienced the heartbreak of child loss, Jesus already knew you and was praying for you. As a pareavor, I find incredible comfort in that truth. Jesus knew the road we would walk, the questions we would ask, and the tears we would cry.

And He prayed.

According to Hebrews 7:25, He never stopped.

I don’t know how that works, but I do know that He is eternal, and that our finite brains cannot comprehend such a big God.

When You Don’t Know What to Pray

One of the challenges many grieving parents face is feeling unable to pray. Sometimes we are too exhausted. Sometimes we are too confused. Sometimes we are angry. Sometimes our pain simply runs too deep for words.

Thankfully, God understands that.

Romans 8:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us when we do not know what to pray. Think about the comfort found in that truth. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Jesus intercedes for us. The entire Godhead is involved in helping us through our weakness and our pain.

When we do not know how to pray after child loss, God does not stand back waiting for us to figure it out. He comes alongside us, carries us, helps us, and even prays for us. That alone should bring comfort to every grieving parent who has ever felt guilty for not praying enough.

Jesus Prayed for Peter Through His Trial

There is another beautiful example of Jesus’ intercession found in Luke 22. Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked to sift him like wheat. Yet Jesus said something remarkable: “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”

Notice what Jesus did not promise. He did not promise Peter would avoid hardship. He did not promise Peter would avoid pain. He did not promise Peter would avoid failure.

Instead, He promised that He was praying for him.

Peter still went through the trial, but his faith survived.

As grieving parents, we often wish God would remove our pain. Most of us have prayed for that many times. I remember one time specifically, lying on the carpet with tears running, telling God I just wanted it to stop hurting so much.

Yet often God sustains us through our pain instead of removing it. One of the ways He does that is through the ongoing intercession of Jesus.

How many times have we made it through another day because Jesus was praying for us when we could not pray for ourselves?

Rooted in His Love

Near the end of his prayer in Ephesians 3, Paul writes these beautiful words:

“By constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you. And the resting place of His love will become the very source and root of your life.”

The death of a child can leave us feeling uprooted. Everything we thought we knew about life may feel shaken. Our plans, our dreams, and sometimes even our understanding of God can be challenged.

But Jesus is praying for you after child loss so that His life can be released deep within you and His love can become the source and root of your life. Not because the pain disappears. Not because you stop missing your child. But because His love becomes the place where you live, rest and find strength for another day.

Instead of being rooted in fear, despair, confusion or hopelessness, we can become rooted in His love. That is a powerful gift for every pareavor.

A Final Thought

If you are struggling today, I want to encourage you with this simple truth: Jesus is praying for you after child loss.

When your faith feels weak, He is praying. When your heart feels shattered, He is praying. When your questions seem unanswered, He is praying. When you do not have the words, He is praying.

You are not forgotten, abandoned, or carrying this burden alone. The same Jesus who walked beside the hurting, comforted the grieving, and wept at the tomb of a friend is still interceding for you today.

May you find peace in knowing that His love surrounds you, His life is at work within you, and His prayers are helping carry you through this journey one day at a time. No matter where you are on this road of child loss, you can rest in the assurance that Jesus sees you, understands your pain, and continues to faithfully pray for you.

NOTE: This was partially taken from the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast episode 352. Click here to listen to the full discussion, or look for the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast on your favorite listening app.

Sign in to access the GPS Hope Free Resource Library with extra resources, including downloadable PDFs.

Would you like to honor your child by sponsoring a podcast episode on a meaningful week? Click here.

Click here to find out more about the word pareavor.

To support this podcast and, keep it ad-free, and get exclusive content, visit us on Patreon.

If you’re walking this road after the loss of your child and would like something to come alongside you, I’ve created a gentle resource from my own journey that you are welcome to download below.

The link to Hope for the Future is an affiliate link, allowing part of the purchase price to go to GPS Hope.

June 9, 2026 by Laura Diehl Leave a Comment

352: When You Don’t Know How to Pray After Child Loss

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352: When You Don't Know How to Pray After Child Loss

00:00 / 24:57

After the death of a child, many grieving parents find themselves struggling to pray. The pain can feel too overwhelming, the questions too deep, and the words impossible to find. If you have ever sat in silence, wondering what to say to God or whether He even hears your broken heart, you are not alone.

In this episode, Laura shares the comforting truth that when we don’t know how to pray after child loss, Jesus Himself is praying for us. Drawing from Hebrews 7:25 and other powerful Scriptures, this hope-filled message reminds bereaved parents that they are never forgotten, never abandoned, and never carrying their grief alone. Even in the darkest moments, Jesus continues to intercede on our behalf, holding us through His prayers and inviting us to rest in His love.

Today’s podcast is sponsored by Mary Anne Wofford, in loving memory of Jeremiah Richard Wofford.

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all the resources on the GPS Hope website here.

Click here to see the GPS Hope Remembrance Wall and have your child added.

Sign in to access the GPS Hope Free Resource Library with extra resources, including downloadable PDFs.

Would you like to honor your child by sponsoring a podcast episode on a meaningful week? Click here.

Click here to find out more about the word pareavor.

Click here to support the podcast and join Laura on Patreon for extra content

Birthdays:

We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:

Trevor Rolfe was born on June 1 and is forever 17.
Tyler Harkness was born on June 8 and is forever 26.

Visit gpshope.org/birthdays to submit your child’s name and date so we can honor them, too.

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.

354: When Child Loss Changes How You See God’s Favor

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Birthdays:

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

Will We Know Our Children in Heaven?

What the Story of Lazarus Can Teach Us

Does “No Marriage in Heaven” Mean Relationships End?

Moses, Elijah, and the Continuity of Identity

David’s Hope of Seeing His Son Again

The Bible’s Promise of Recognition and Reunion

So, Will We Know Our Children in Heaven?

Looking Forward to That Day

353: Will I Recognize My Child in Heaven?

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Birthdays:

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

Jesus Is Praying for You After Child Loss

Jesus Always Lives to Intercede for You

Jesus Reveals the Father’s Heart

Jesus Was Praying for You Before You Were Born

When You Don’t Know What to Pray

Jesus Prayed for Peter Through His Trial

Rooted in His Love

A Final Thought

352: When You Don’t Know How to Pray After Child Loss

Links Mentioned in this episode:

Birthdays:

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

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