Today I’m joined by Ken and Mary Sue Grein as they begin sharing the story of their son Jacob—a story that would shape their family, their faith, and their understanding of what gives a life meaning.

Our conversation takes us into the early years of Jacob’s life, including his fragile beginning, a prolonged hospital journey, and the realities of raising a child with significant disabilities. Ken and Mary Sue reflect on the emotional and practical challenges they faced, as well as the unexpected joy and purpose they discovered along the way.

They talk about Jacob’s personality, his love for people, his unique way of communicating, and the quiet ways he ministered to others. Ken and Mary Sue also share how their questions, grief, and uncertainty gradually gave way to trust—and how Jacob became a teacher in their home, shaping their hearts and their perspective.

In next week's episode, Ken and Mary Sue will continue sharing Jacob’s story—walking us through the day his earthly journey came to an end, the sacred moments that followed, and the way God has met them in grief, healing, and hope. They’ll also reflect on what Jacob’s life and legacy continue to teach them, and how his story is still reaching others today, so be sure to come back next week!

Social Media links for the Greins:

Facebook - Jacob's Story the Book ( https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579352574360)

Instagram - JacobGreinStory (https://www.instagram.com/jacobgreinstory/)

YouTube - @JacobGreinStory (https://www.youtube.com/@JacobGreinStory)

TikTok - @jacobgreinstory

website - jacobalifeworthliving.com website

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

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Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

Today's episode features a continuation of my conversation with Dawn Helms as we focus on life after the loss of her only child, Ben.

Dawn shares practical, compassionate wisdom for parents in the early days of grief—about accepting help, resisting isolation, and leaning into community even when it feels hard. She reflects on the quiet that follows years of caregiving, navigating everyday questions, and approaching holidays when traditions feel overwhelming.

Throughout our conversation, Dawn points to the faith that has sustained her—not a faith that takes the pain away, but one that meets her in it. She shares the Scriptures, music, and moments of God’s provision that have helped her keep going.

If you’re a grieving parent listening today, I want to remind you that you don’t have to walk this road alone. The While We’re Waiting ministry hosts free, faith-based retreats for bereaved parents across the country, offering space for rest, understanding, and community. I would love to have the opportunity to meet you at one of our retreats!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

Today's episode features the first half of my recent conversation with Dawn Helms, in which she shares the story of her only son Ben and the long journey of loving him through significant mental health challenges.

For years, Dawn lived in a constant state of vigilance—managing diagnoses, medications, school struggles, substance abuse, and periods of incarceration. Her home was rarely quiet, not because life was easy, but because Ben required constant attention and advocacy.

Dawn helps us get to know Ben beyond his struggles—his humor, compassion, and the deep bond they shared. She also reflects on a brief, sweet season when Ben was home before his death, and how everything changed for her when the caregiving ended and the house grew quiet.

This episode will be especially meaningful for parents who have lost an only child or who spent years living on high alert due to a child's mental health issues.

Be sure to return for next week's episode when Dawn will share more about the early days of grief, the choices that helped her survive, and how God met her in the quiet.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

“Moving forward doesn’t mean leaving my child behind.”

As one year ends and another begins, many people are eager to turn the page. For bereaved parents, however, the arrival of a new year can feel heavy and overwhelming. A new calendar can make us feel like we're leaving our child behind—and that can be deeply painful.

In this encore episode, Jill shares ten faith-anchored resolutions shaped by her own journey of grief after the loss of her daughter, Hannah. These are not resolutions about self-improvement or moving on, but about extending grace, caring for a grieving heart, and leaning fully on God’s strength.

Originally recorded near the close of 2020 in the height of the Covid pandemic, this episode acknowledges both personal loss and collective weariness, offering encouragement for grieving parents entering a new year they may not feel ready to face.

In this episode, you’ll hear reflections on:

• Why stepping into a new year can feel especially difficult after child loss
• Being patient and kind with yourself as grief unfolds
• Extending grace to others who don’t know what to say or do
• Learning to communicate what you need—and honoring your limits
• Finding joy in small, God-given moments
• Letting go of guilt, blame, and “if only” thinking
• Standing on God’s truth when emotions feel overwhelming
• Depending on God’s strength when your own is gone

The episode closes with a prayer from Verdell Davis’s book Let Me Grieve, But Not Forever, reminding listeners of the deep lessons learned in the valley and the sustaining grace of God who meets us there.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

“The first Christmas came with gifts meant for broken hearts.”

Christmas is often one of the hardest seasons for parents grieving the loss of a child. Today, I reprise a solo episode originally recorded in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic which speaks into a time marked by isolation, uncertainty, and compounded grief. Separated from loved ones, surrounded by illness and fear, many bereaved parents were carrying more than ever before.

In this episode, I reflect on the Christmas story through the lens of Isaiah 9:6, focusing not on the gifts we exchange, but on the gifts given at the very moment Jesus was born.

In this episode, I discuss:

• The gift of our Wonderful Counselor, when no human words are enough
• The gift of our Mighty God, whose strength carries us in our weakness
• The gift of our Everlasting Father, steady and committed now and forever
• The gift of our Prince of Peace, offering peace with God amid chaos and sorrow
• The gift of Immanuel—God with us, near to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit

Through Scripture, personal reflection, and gentle encouragement, this episode reminds grieving parents that they are not alone—especially when traditions feel altered, expectations feel heavy, and the future feels uncertain.

A reminder for this season

When Christmas feels overwhelming…
When your heart aches for what used to be…
When your child’s name goes unspoken…
When a new year feels impossible to imagine…

God is with us.
That is the gift of Immanuel.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

Christmas can feel especially heavy after the death of a child. Traditions that once brought joy may now magnify the absence, and the expectations of the season can feel overwhelming for a heart that is grieving.

In this episode, I gather the voices of While We’re Waiting retreat and support group facilitators—bereaved moms and dads who share honest reflections and practical wisdom for navigating Christmas after loss. Their stories offer permission to do things differently, encouragement to take the season one moment at a time, and gentle ideas for honoring a child’s memory while holding space for grief.

You’ll hear about:

• Giving yourself grace and lowering expectations
• Accepting help and having an exit plan
• Letting Christmas look different than it used to
• Finding meaningful ways to remember and include your child
• Allowing grief and joy to coexist
• Anchoring your heart in the hope of Immanuel—God with us

There is no right way to do Christmas after loss. Take what is helpful, leave what is not, and know that you are not alone. Even when Christmas feels broken, God is near, and His light still shines in the darkness.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

In Part Two of my conversation with Jenny Leavitt, we continue exploring the GodPrints—God’s gentle fingerprints of presence and faithfulness—woven through her family’s grief journey after the loss of her son, Jacob.

Jenny shares how she and her husband learned to walk together through grief even when their personalities and coping styles differed. She talks about the emotional weight of anniversaries, holidays, and court dates, and how offering grace to one another became essential in those tender seasons.

We discuss how Jenny’s grief has changed over the last ten years, including the seasons when God felt silent and the comfort she found in Scripture, especially in the Psalms. Jenny also offers practical wisdom for navigating holidays and special dates, as well as how her family chose to honor the ten-year mark of Jacob’s homegoing.

She closes by pointing listeners to resources she’s created to support others who are grieving.

In this episode:

• Grieving differently within a marriage
• The challenge of anniversaries and milestones
• How grief evolves over time
• Finding God in seasons of silence
• Navigating holidays and special dates
• Marking ten years without Jacob

Click HERE to listen to the first half of our conversation!

Resources:

• jennyleavitt.com
• resilienthope.net
• GodPrints by Jenny Leavitt

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

In this first half of a two-part conversation, I sit down with Jenny Leavitt — pastor’s wife, author of GodPrints, and bereaved mom — to hear the story of her son, Jacob, and the unmistakable “GodPrints” woven throughout her family’s journey.

Jenny begins by describing her earlier battle with stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma while raising two very young boys, and how God used that season to prepare her heart in ways she wouldn’t fully understand until years later. She then introduces us to Jacob — a friendly, artistic, big-hearted high school senior — and recounts the tragic accident caused by a drunk driver that took Jacob’s life and left his older brother, Caleb, critically injured.

Throughout the episode, Jenny speaks honestly about the physical, emotional, and spiritual shock of those early days, the challenge of grieving one child while caring for another, and the surprising places where God’s fingerprints began to appear. She shares about a profound “GodPrint” uncovered just days after Jacob’s death — a handwritten piece Jacob created months earlier that offered their family deep assurance of his salvation and his walk with the Lord.

Jenny also offers compassionate, practical wisdom for newly bereaved parents: the importance of connection, the value of grace for yourself and others, and the reminder that you don’t have to walk this path alone.

Links Mentioned:

• GodPrints: Finding Evidence of God in the Shattered Pieces of Life by Jenny Leavitt
• Jenny’s website
• Resilient Hope resources

Be sure to join us next week for Part Two, where Jenny reflects on how her grief has evolved over the last ten years, how she and her husband navigate grieving differently, and the GodPrints they continue to see in their story.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org