In this episode, Laura talks with bereaved mom Jody Hudson, whose daughter Alex died at the age of 22 after a long battle with undiagnosed Lyme disease. Jody shares the heartbreaking journey of watching her daughter suffer through years of unanswered medical questions and treatments, and the deep grief that followed Alex’s death. Yet in the midst of unimaginable loss, Jody made a conscious decision not to allow grief to define her identity, but instead to seek God’s direction for how to move forward.
Through faith, honest conversations with God, and a desire to honor Alex’s life, Jody found purpose in helping others, including starting a foundation to support Lyme disease patients. Her story offers encouragement for grieving parents who feel lost in the darkness, reminding them that while grief is real and lasting, it does not have to define their future. With God’s help, it is possible to carry our children with us while still finding meaning, hope, and purpose again.
Jody Hudson is a faith-filled mother, author, and speaker who shares hope from the depths of loss. After walking alongside her daughter Alex through years of medical uncertainty (which was correctly diagnosed as Lyme disease in 2017), Jody now speaks honestly about grief, identity, and choosing how we show up after life-altering loss. She is the author of My Promise to Alex, an award-winning memoir woven with themes of faith, resilience, and a mother’s enduring love. Jody encourages grieving parents to trust God, move forward with purpose, and remember that grief may shape us, but it does not define us.
(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:
Jody’s website and book: My Promise to Alex: Through Pain Comes Purpose
Reflections of Hope: Daily Readings for Bereaved Parents
Get your free copy of Rebuilding Your Life: A Gentle Guide Toward Hope and Healing After Child Loss
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Birthdays:
We lovingly remember and celebrate the lives of:
Jeremiah Wofford was born on March 9 and is forever 44.
Steven Kowalewski was born on March 11 and is forever 28.
Quintin T. Flowers was born on March 12 and is forever 54.
Kirsten Brown was born on March 12 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!
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.
Healing after pregnancy loss through faith is not a straight path. It is not quick, and it is not simple. For many parents, it begins in a hospital room filled with shock and silence, and continues into empty nurseries, aching bodies, and hearts that feel as if they may never beat normally again. Yet even there, especially there, Jesus meets us.
One of the most important parts of healing after pregnancy loss through faith is acknowledging the hidden layers of grief that follow.
Healing after pregnancy loss through faith does not mean pretending you are okay. It does not mean bypassing sorrow with spiritual clichés. It begins with lament.
Many mothers quietly carry blaming themselves.
Another painful layer of grief is the timeline of what “should have been.”
For parents who later welcome another child, grief does not disappear.
I
Romans 12:2 says:
Neuroscience has discovered something fascinating: neurons that fire together wire together. When we think the same thoughts repeatedly, those thoughts begin forming pathways in our brains. What we rehearse becomes what we believe. What we believe shapes our identity.
I know how this sounds. When your child is gone, gratitude feels offensive.
When Jesus hung on the cross and cried, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” He stepped into a darkness so deep it felt like abandonment.
Isaiah 61 speaks of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of despair. It speaks of becoming oaks of righteousness, being firmly planted for the display of His splendor.
Clinging to God after the death of a child can feel impossible in the early days of grief. When the pain is suffocating, when forgiveness feels out of reach, and when trust feels fragile at best, you may wonder how you are supposed to keep going at all.
Lament: Worship In a Minor Key
For many grieving parents, the word faith feels heavy. You may think, “If I had enough faith, this wouldn’t have happened.” (Unfortunately, there are Christians who will accuse us of a lack of faith as well.)
Few things feel harder than forgiveness after child loss, especially when someone’s actions caused your child’s death. But forgiveness is not a feeling. It is not a one-and-done moment. It is a choice we make and keep making.
Discouragement is one of the enemy’s favorite tools. It literally means to take courage out of someone. Encouragement puts courage back in.
Praise can feel impossible when you are angry or numb. But praise does not mean pretending everything is fine. It means recognizing that this separation is not permanent. It means remembering that God made a way for you to be reunited with your child for eternity.
If clinging to God after the death of a child feels far from where you are today, please do not put harsh or unrealistic expectations on yourself.
Linda’s new book is Hope for my Hurting Heart. She is also the author of several bestselling books, including Calm My Anxious Heart, Satisfy My Thirsty Soul and Intimate Issues.
