197. Grief, Faith, & Growing Your Family After A Life-Limiting Diagnosis with Monica Harris

The Joyful Mourning - A Podcast for Women Who Have Experienced Pregnancy or Infant Loss

"When God doesn't give a miracle..."

Monica Harris joins me for this episode to share her motherhood journey and her experience receiving a life-limiting diagnosis for her son Vance as well as the news that she and her husband were carriers for a genetic condition that could result in a similar diagnosis in future children.

At the time of our recording Monica was 37 weeks pregnant with a daughter who was also given a difficult diagnosis – prayerfully not a diagnosis that would limit life but difficult and complex nonetheless. Knowing this makes my time with Monica and her words that much more powerful – when she talks about what it looked like to pray for a miracle and for God to not give that miracle– about this she says: “He's good God, but He's not always going to say yes.” and we talked about her pregnancy right now, she said this: “I like to be in control, but this time I have no control. Just praying and believing that God will take us through whatever comes.”

We spend some time talking about:

• what it was like to receive that life-limiting diagnosis for her son Vance
• how to navigate when the plan you have for your family doesn’t turn out the way you had ever imagined
• navigating a pregnancy after loss
• navigating the medical aspect to a life-limiting diagnosis and high risk pregnancy after loss
• friendships after loss
• what she wishes others knew about grief and how to help a mom who is grieving.

This is a beautifully tender and honest interview with a mom who is still in a season of waiting, of anticipating, of navigating the unknown but her faith will encourage you – I know it encouraged me.

FREE DEVOTIONAL A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope

FREE RESOURCES FOR PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS:

1. Free Pregnancy After Loss Community – it’s a private group and conversation within our main community where you can feel the freedom to have honest conversations about the unique journey that is pregnancy after loss. themorning.com/pal

2. Free Download: 40 Verses for 40 Weeks - this download includes 1 verse to meditate on, pray, or memorize for every week of your pregnancy. themorning.com/pal

3. All of our best and most helpful blog articles and podcast episodes about growing your family after loss into one place. themorning.com/pal

THIS EPISODE IS IN MEMORY OF MALACHI GRECO.

This episode is sponsored in honor of Malachi Greco.

A message from ​​Adriana Gruntz:

“God used and continues to use Malachi to break our hearts to show us His tender mercies. God is using Malachi to teach me and the whole family how to intensionally be there for each other and for the people around us. Malachi is our eternal gift and though the pain will never leave, God will teach us a new kind of Joy. Malachi we will forever carry you in our minds and hearts. We love you so much. I also wanted to hug, through this message, my sister Paoli and her wonderful husband Todd. We love you so much!”

A special thank you to Adriana for sponsoring this episode. We celebrate Malachi and we remember him with you.

We remember Malachi with you.

If you love this podcast and are interested in sponsoring an episode in honor of your baby, head to themorning.com/sponsor for all the details.

FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITYA place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community

FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLEOur best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.

FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOMAnd if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

RATE, REVIEW & FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTSIf you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

SHOW NOTESwww.themorning.com/blog/episode197