Grieving the Loss of the Life You Thought You’d Have

It was such a joy to be a podcast guest on the Crystal Paine Show. Episode 346: Grieving the Loss of the Life You Thought You’d Have with Jodi Snowdon. Below is a description of our episode:  

Today’s topic is a bit emotionally heavy and difficult, but it’s nonetheless incredibly important. I am joined by Jodi Snowdon, author of Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength, and she joins me for a very vulnerable conversation to reflect on how grief shows up in many forms of life – miscarriage, divorce, loss of loved ones – and how often people feel unsure of how to support someone in those moments. Listen in as she shares her own experiences of devastating loss and how they helped reshape her faith, emotional resilience, and understanding of God’s presence in suffering. Together, the two of us discuss the importance of allowing space for grief instead of avoiding it and how honest emotional processing, support from your community, and spiritual struggle can become a part of healing over time.

Jodi also explains the STRENGTH acrostic from her book and offers some practical ways to walk through heartbreak by seeking God in the middle of pain, allowing yourself to fully grieve, and resisting the urge to numb or suppress emotions. She speaks openly about how healing is not linear and how counseling, community, and even simple daily practices such as prayer and journaling helped her begin to heal. We also discuss how suffering can shape character in unexpected ways, deepening empathy and even becoming a place where purpose can grow.

A big part of our conversation focuses on how to support others who are grieving, especially in moments when people often feel afraid to say or do the wrong thing. Jodi and I talk through miscarriage, divorce, and other griefs, highlighting the importance of directly acknowledging loss, avoiding well meaning but ultimately minimizing and unhelpful language, and showing up with acts of care rather than silence. We also touch upon the power of remembering important dates, checking in long after the initial loss, and recognizing that grief doesn’t follow a timeline that others can see or understand, especially since everyone grieves differently.

By the end of my conversation with Jodi, I truly hope that listeners will walk away after listening with both compassion for those in pain as well as a clearer sense of how to show up in small, meaningful ways that remind someone that they are not forgotten. I hope that you enjoy and get some insight from my conversation with Jodi, and, as always, please feel free to reach out with your thoughts! I would love to hear from you!

To listen, click this direct link to the Crystal Paine Show.

Also, I loved having Crystal as a guest on my Depth Podcast back in 2023. She shared about her book, *The Time Saving Mom: How to Juggle a Lot, Enjoy Your Life, and Accomplish What Matters Most. You can listen or watch her episode on YouTube. Click this direct link to Depth Podcast Episode 167.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!