In this episode of the While We’re Waiting – Hope After Child Loss podcast, I continue my conversation with Kirsten Black, author of the Faithful Paradox blog.

In Part One, Kirsten shared about her son Ezra, his battle with leukemia, and the early realities of grief that reshaped her life and faith. Today, we pick up where we left off, continuing our discussion of her blog post, “10 Things That Are Different From What I Expected.” Listen HERE to Part One of our conversation.

Today Kirsten offers honest insight into some of the more complex and often unexpected aspects of grief—especially within the context of family, faith, and daily life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How family members often grieve differently—and how to extend grace in those differences
• Why healing can bring its own kind of sorrow
• The difference between joy and happiness in the midst of grief
• The quiet, ongoing reminders of loss in everyday life
• Why faith does not necessarily make grief feel easier
• The desire to be “unknown”—and why that doesn’t remove the pain
• Learning to live without clear answers or understanding
• The reality that hard days still come, even years later

Kirsten also shares reflections from her third year of grief, including a deepened longing for heaven, a shift in how she views grief—not as something to overcome, but something to gently carry—and the reminder that truth does not always bring immediate comfort, but it is still worth holding onto.

Toward the end of the episode, Kirsten offers thoughtful encouragement for parents who are in the early days of grief, reminding them that this journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and that they do not have to walk it alone.

This conversation is both honest and hopeful—a reminder that while grief changes us, God remains faithful, even in the tension we don’t fully understand.

Links & Resources

Visit Kirsten's blog here: Faithful Paradox Blog

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.

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