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Grief Support for Christian Women to Breathe, Laugh and Live again. Loss, Grief and Healing * Coping with Grief * Beginning of Grief * Life after Loss * Stages of Grief * Purpose After Loss * Faith * Surviving Loss * Grief Resources * Holidays and Grief I help Christian women navigate grief through understanding grief, growing faith and processing daily life to find hope. • Do you feel lost, confused, or overwhelmed by grief? • Is the pain so great, you lose your breath and feel it will never get better? • Have you cried so much there can’t be any tears left? • Are you angry with God? Or question your own faith? • Do you need faith-based help through the toughest season of your life? In this podcast, you will find faith-based grief support to navigate the overwhelming and confusing journey of grief, to continue seeking God and most importantly, to breathe, laugh, and live again. My mission is to walk with you through the healing, experience the milestones and the minefields to arrive on the other side with a gratitude and peace you never thought possible. If you’re ready to take a brave step toward healing, understand your grief and find hope, this is the place to be. Hey, I’m Stef. Southern by choice, turtle triathlete, wife and Jesus follower. I’ve experienced life-changing grief and struggled for years with the physical changes, the emotional roller-coaster and the spiritual questioning. I asked ‘why’ more times than I can count, went ‘boldly’ (and disrespectfully) to the throne, and was confused by a pain I had never felt before. I believed I would never be happy again and had all but given up on fulfilling my purpose. But God! Through my trials, I discovered a path to true healing, deeper relationship with God and gratitude that continues to fill my heart. This is a story of faith, FRamily support and redemption that only God can author. And, I want to share this with you. If you are heart sick, tired of being stuck and ready for real change with Christ at the center …. Practical steps to make your hard days less hard…Understanding of what to expect physically, emotionally and spiritually…Solutions to those ‘gut-punch’ moments…And, Results that build your faith and allow you to enjoy your own ‘great day’ this is the place to be. It is possible, I promise! Join me today – take that first step of faith right now!! website: www.grief2greatday.com
Episodes
Sunday Oct 06, 2024
Sunday Oct 06, 2024
SHOW NOTES
…This made me think about life in grief.
My existence was myopic on my grief. It was nearsighted on my loss, pain, confusion, anger with the Lord. It was all I could see. It was all I focused on. In the beginning of grief, this is very normal because everything (if you knew the loss was coming or not) is traumatic and the body has to survive, process what has happened and still function. It’s overwhelming and there’s nothing else you can see at that point.
As you walk through the grief journey, there will be times when you have the option to think about, pray about, see other things that are not loss related and I struggled to choose to take my eyes off of my grief. Everything was filtered through my loss and that kept me nearsighted on pain, questions, frustration and anger.
Today I’ll share what will help you continue to process & heal are the same things that help nearsighted people see in the distance…or see a bigger picture.
WORD of the Week We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
but God’s purpose prevails. Proverbs 19:21 (Message)
Song of the Week Hallelujah Anyway by Charly Perry
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The holidays are over, but the struggle is NOT! Hear from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Thursday Oct 03, 2024
Thursday Oct 03, 2024
Memorable Quote:
People like to say, “God helps them who help themselves!”
And what they mean by that is, “We like it when people work hard and pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”
But the biblical reality is that God helps those who realize they are helpless.
Lost.
And in constant need of Him.
And His help is not just in the form of Saving Grace. Saving Grace is truly amazing. It stepped in, along with its sister, Mercy, when I deserved nothing but the wrath of God for my sin.
And Mercy put my punishment on Jesus. While Grace stood with open arms, inviting me to come into fellowship with God.
That is Saving Grace. And that is awesome.
But God also provides a different Grace.
A living, sustaining, “I-even-care-about-smoke-detectors” Grace. A daily Grace for even the things that are, at best, mundane. A Sustaining Grace.
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The Holidays are Over, but the Struggle is Not! Hear healing testimonies from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Sunday Sep 29, 2024
Sunday Sep 29, 2024
SHOW NOTES
If you are new to the podcast, let me share a quick overview of the summit I am talking about. The Holiday Grief Relief Summit is a way to ‘escape’ the normal holiday season. See when the holidays come, and they are coming – there’s a whole ‘nother level of feeling your loss. You can’t escape the happy holiday marketing that is everywhere – even in the big box stores now (what in the world, Hobby Lobby) – and the true meaning of Christmas is not only lost on our culture but it’s hard to grasp in grief. It becomes the period of time that is incredibly heavy and doubly hard. Family traditions and social times around the holidays accentuate loss, and you may feel anger, jealousy or envious of those who are clueless to the type of pain you are dealing with…which feels like everyone.
So, the Holiday Grief Relief summit was created to help you escape and be around those who aren’t hard to be around - where other Christian women who get it - share their journeys (and journeys-in-progress) to give you great hope to survive the holidays and to know that you can breathe, laugh and truly live again.
WORD of the Week
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail. James 5:10-11 (Message)
Song of the Week I Can Feel You by Bethel Music
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The holidays are over, but the struggle is NOT! Hear from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Thursday Sep 26, 2024
Thursday Sep 26, 2024
SHOW NOTES
Well, Hey Framily! Welcome to Coffee & Kathy, this is Stef from the Grief 2 Great Day Podcast. You are listening to our weekly devotional episode.
Grief is the hardest thing you’ll ever face, don’t ever let anyone diminish that – but let’s also not diminish the power of God’s Word and the transformational healing He will do in your life. I am a living testimony of going from pitiful (heartbroken, years of tears, angry at God & the world, overwhelmed and confused) to powerful (at peace, joyful and strong in my trust, hope and faith in God).
You are not alone and your today does not have to be your forever! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here today! What you need to do now is be still and just listen.
Memorable Quote:
You can…but you won’t.
Why won’t you, God?
You are able to heal my friend.
But so far, You have not.
Why not?
You are able to change my financial circumstances.
But You are choosing not to – at least, so far.
What’s up with that?
You are able to heal the marriage.
Keep the baby from miscarrying.
Cure the cancer.
Provide the money.
Send that godly husband to the lonely, godly girl.
I know You are able because You have done it before.
It’s recorded in the pages of Your Word.
Miracles.
Lots of them.
And I know because You have done it in the 2,000 years since Jesus walked the earth.
I have read the testimonies.
Heard them with my own ears.
Seen them with my own eyes.
So where are you now, God?
Because You can.
I know You can.
But You aren’t.
You haven’t.
And it feels like You won’t.
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The Holidays are over, but the struggle is not! Hear healing testimonies from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Tuesday Sep 24, 2024
Tuesday Sep 24, 2024
SHOW NOTES (part 2)
On Sunday, Zach Lloyd was here and shared his inspiring journey with God and how he became a lifestyle – anti-diet – coach.
He told us about struggling with addiction and depression and how his aunt played a role in leading him to God. If you did not hear that episode, please go back and listen to it.
Today, Zach will share his expertise on becoming healthy and it might surprise you since it’s not what you are used to hearing. What you are walking through is incredibly hard and Zach understands how life can be debilitating!
What you are walking toward (navigating this unfamiliar world without your loved one and creating your new identity in it) will absolutely be made better if you’ll take care of your physical body in the best way you are able.
If you have any questions for Zach, join the private FB group and I’ll make sure they get to Zach to be answered. If any question is important to you, then it’s important to Zach!
Listen today to see how great changes come from small steps in health and in grief.
WORD of the Week (chosen by Zach Lloyd) "In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God." John 1:1
Songs of the Week (chosen by Zach Lloyd)
UP! Forrest Frank & Connor Price
All things Zach Lloyd:
Free Gift! Zach's End Calorie CountingToolkit: https://bit.ly/EndCalCounting
Website: https://zachlloydcoaching.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9rYOAoCGonrZpdWxSl6oUQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachlloydcoaching/
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The holidays are over, but the struggle is NOT! Hear from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
SHOW NOTES
So today, you get to hear from our first ‘guy’ on the podcast. :-)
We’re gonna talk with Zach Lloyd. He is a Lifestyle – anti-diet – coach. He emailed me after listening to an episode of Grief 2 Great Day, so he had my attention with that fact. But as we emailed and then met via Zoom, I was excited to share not only WHAT he does with you but WHO he is.
I’ve said many times that after going through grief, I can also tell if someone has been through something in their life because, if they allow it, God will bring growth, maturity and most importantly a higher perspective. Well, that’s what I see in Zach.
You might be thinking - who cares about health right now? I want you to because it will help you! See, even though I knew what to do, I wish I had met someone like Zach back then.
Someone to help support the small steps, to encourage with an understanding of how hard it can be to get out of bed and to keep me accountable. He’s been through hard times which have shaped who he is.
Listen today to see how great changes come from small steps in health and in grief.
WORD of the Week (chosen by Zach Lloyd) "In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God." John 1:1
Songs of the Week (chosen by Zach Lloyd)
UP! Forrest Frank & Connor Price
All things Zach Lloyd:
Free Gift! Zach's End Calorie CountingToolkit: https://bit.ly/EndCalCounting
Website: https://zachlloydcoaching.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9rYOAoCGonrZpdWxSl6oUQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachlloydcoaching/
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The holidays are over, but the struggle is NOT! Hear from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
SHOW NOTES
Well, Hey Framily! Welcome to Coffee & Kathy, this is Stef from the Grief 2 Great Day Podcast. You are listening to our weekly devotional episode.
Grief is the hardest thing you’ll ever face, don’t ever let anyone diminish that – but let’s also not diminish the power of God’s Word and the transformational healing He will do in your life. I am a living testimony of going from pitiful (heartbroken, years of tears, angry at God & the world, overwhelmed and confused) to powerful (at peace, joyful and strong in my trust, hope and faith in God).
You are not alone and your today does not have to be your forever! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here today! What you need to do now is be still and just listen.
Memorable Quote:
Because a tiny baby was born to a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem, one day I can get all my questions answered.
I can chat with Joseph about how he felt.
I can talk to the wise men about their journeys – the exciting one to Bethlehem via Jerusalem and the covert one as they returned home another way to escape King Herod.
I can meet Jesus’ brothers and sisters.
I can ask Mary to share her side of the story.
Beginning at the stable – but continuing to the cross.
I can ask her what it felt like to watch her firstborn son be slaughtered 33 years after that night in Bethlehem.
And how she felt when she came upon the empty tomb three days later.
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The Holidays are over, but the Struggle is Not! Hear healing testimonies from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home
Sunday Sep 15, 2024
Sunday Sep 15, 2024
SHOW NOTES
Candy Chang on creating Before I Die in New Orleans:
I lived a block away from an abandoned house that had been collecting dust and graffiti for years. I wondered if I could make it a nicer space for my neighborhood and make a tribute to Joan by creating a space to restore perspective. I made a homemade stencil that said, “Before I die, I want to _____.”
With help from old and new friends, I painted the side of this crumbling house with chalkboard paint and stenciled it with this prompt so that anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on death and life, and share their personal aspirations in public.
It was all an experiment, and I didn’t know what to expect. Because it was cheap to make, I thought it would be no big deal if it didn’t work out.
By the next day, the wall was entirely filled and it kept growing: Before I die I want to… sing for millions, abandon all insecurities, get my wife back, eat all the carbs I want, hold her one more time, be completely myself. The gamut of humanity was on full display, and the wall became an honest mess of the longing, fear, insecurity, gratitude, humor, pain, and grace you find in every community. I saw how much I was not alone as I tried to make sense of my life, and the wall became in icebreaker for meaningful conversations on death and emotional health. Seeing some private corner of your psyche reflected in someone else’s handwriting on a public wall can be incredibly reassuring on an individual level, and it’s a step towards seeing ourselves in one another.
WORD of the Week This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven. Hebrews 6:19
Song of the Week I Have to Believe by Karen Wheaton
Grief 2 Great Day Website - Connect with Me
Click Here to take Action Now - “The First Year of Grief. How to Survive with Hope and Heal.”
Join The Grief Group for Christian Women on Facebook
Read about Monica’s entire Journey, Dying to Be Healed - Book - Grief2GreatDay
The holidays are over, but the struggle is NOT! Hear from Those Who Have Walked Your Journey! Holiday Grief Relief Summit (replay recording)
Visit my Church –Opendoor Church | Home