Episode 68: Walking Through Grief With Hope

“Motherhood, through loss, has forced me to my knees so many times, and every time, I feel this overwhelming presence that God is with me.”

A child’s foster care journey begins with loss, loss of what they know, who they love, and all that is familiar. Grief follows right behind and exhibits itself in various ways. As a foster parent, you and those close to you are also well-acquainted with loss and grief as the very nature of your role is to love and let go. This is true of today’s guest, Natalie Brenner, who shares the hope she clings to when life is dark.

3 TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S SHOW

1. Lamenting is an important part of the healing process.

Loss impacts us all differently and as painful as the grieving process is, it is important to be honest about our hurt. Stuffing our emotions will stifle the grieving process. It is healthy to recognize our own feelings and share them with a safe and trusted person. It is also good to note that Jesus, in his perfect and resurrected body, still had his scars. Though we will never be the same after great loss, there is hope in Jesus.

2. Grief impacts our children in different ways.

Grief is a difficult emotion to process for adults but even more so for children. Their grief may show up in a variety of emotions: sadness, anger, depression, irritability, and more. It is important to remember that their actions and behaviors likely stem from pain, raging underneath the surface. You can offer permission to “feel” and at the same time create boundaries around what actions are acceptable and what are not. For example, you could share with your child, “I understand that you are angry and that is okay. I cannot allow you to hit me though. Let’s find another way to get your anger out.”

3. There is hope.

Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” and yet as Natalie shared, sometimes the night lasts longer than we expect or feel we can survive, but Jesus promises the grace to endure. We have access to the river of Life, and in fact, we have the closest access to the river when we are in the valley, just like a river that rages in the dark valley of a looming mountain. Never give up. Call out to Jesus. Know that you matter to Him and He will walk beside you every step of the way.

RESOURCES FROM TODAY’S SHOW

This Underserved Life
Natalie’s Blog
Karen Purvis Institute of Child Development
Natalie’s Instagram
Natalie’s Facebook

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

The TFI Story
Who Loves Series
Find a TFI Advocate Near You
Become a TFI Advocate

ENJOY THIS EPISODE?

Hopefully, this episode has helped you right where you are on your foster care journey. That’s the goal. If you enjoyed it, will you tell others?

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Meet Our Guest

Natalie is a mom via adoption, birth, and foster care. She is a photographer living in Portland, Oregon and the author of #1 new release, This Undeserved Life. Natalie is a fierce believer in the impossible and hopes to create safe spaces for every fractured soul.

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