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  • Ep. 11 - Grief, Grace, and Gratitude

    Ep. 11 - Grief, Grace, and Gratitude
    2026/06/02
    Grief, Grace and Gratitude 🎙️ FULL EPISODE SCRIPT Grief, Grace, and Gratitude INTRO Hey Ya'll. Welcome back to Grief Relief for Christian Women, where we talk about faith, healing, and all the things nobody warned us about—like how grief can turn a normal trip to H-E-B into a full-blown emotional meltdown in Isle 9. Yes, I've been there--did that! I’m your host, Patty Jackson, and today we’re diving into three little words that sound sweet enough to put on a farmhouse sign but powerful enough to change your healing journey: Grief, Grace, and Gratitude. But before we dig in, let’s start with prayer. OPENING PRAYER “Father God, we come to You today with hearts that are tender, tired, and maybe a little worn out. You see our tears, You know our pain, and You love us right through it. We ask for Your grace to steady us, Your peace to fill us, and Your mercy to remind us we don’t have to have it all together--not yesterday, today or even tomorrow. Lord, show us the little glimmers of gratitude! Bless every woman listening. Wrap her in Your comfort and remind her she’s not walking alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” SEGMENT 1: GRIEF — THE UNINVITED HOUSEGUEST Alright, let’s talk about grief—that uninvited houseguest who shows up unannounced, eats all your snacks, and refuses to leave. Grief is messy. Grief is sneaky. Grief shows up when you’re trying to pump gas or just minding your business, like while cooking or even watching TV. And if you’re anything like me, you may have thought, “Okay, surely this is supposed to get easier by now. Spoiler alert: it really does. Trust me on this! But here’s the truth I learned the hard way… Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. It follows your heart. And some days, that heart needs extra grace. Which brings us to our next part… SEGMENT 2: GRACE — GOD’S GIFT FOR THE DAYS WE CAN’T EVEN Grace is God’s way of saying, “Lady, sit down. You’re doing the best you can.” Give yourself some grace. Grace is what whispers, “You don’t have to be strong every minute.” Give yourself grace. Grace reminds us that Jesus never once said, “Thou shalt not fall apart in Target.” Give yourself grace. Grace shows up when we’ve used up all our patience, all our coping skills, and all your emergency food. I had to quit having "emergency food in my house, like Ice Cream, Chocolate, and wine, because when the emergency came, that stuff was already gone. And listen—grace is not only what God gives you, but what you must learn to give yourself. Maybe today grace looks like: Taking a nap instead of pretending you’re fine Saying no to people who drain you Letting the laundry stay dirty for one more day Crying without apologizing for it Grace meets you where you are—not where you think you “should be.” SEGMENT 3: GRATITUDE — THE TINY LIGHTS IN A DARK ROOM Now… let’s talk about gratitude. I’m talking about the real-life, grief-stage gratitude that sounds more like: “Well, thank You, Lord, that my coffee didn’t spill on my shirt today.” Gratitude in grief isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about noticing the little mercies that keep you going. Sometimes gratitude looks like: A good hair day when you needed it A friend texting “thinking of you” at the perfect moment A funny memory that makes you smile through tears A day where you didn’t cry until 2 pm Every tiny thank-you is worship. Every moment of noticing good is healing. Because gratitude doesn’t erase grief— it simply gives grief somewhere softer to land. "When people hear the word gratitude, they think I'm supposed to be grateful for losing Ralph. Not a chance. I would give anything to have one more conversation with him. That's not what gratitude means. Gratitude means I'm thankful for the years we had. I'm thankful for the love we shared. I'm thankful for the people God sent to help me survive after he was gone. I'm thankful that somehow, through all the tears, God took my greatest pain and turned it into a ministry that helps women all over the world. Some days my gratitude is deep and spiritual. Other days it's, 'Thank You, Lord, that I only had to do my makeup once today" 🌸 These are Things I'm Grateful For Even While Grieving I'm grateful that Ralph loved me so well that losing him hurt this much. I'm grateful for the years we had together instead of focusing only on the years we lost. I'm grateful that God never left me, even during the days I was angry, confused, and heartbroken. I'm grateful that my pain became my purpose. I'm grateful that my story can help another widow feel less alone. I'm grateful for every woman who listens to this podcast and realizes she's not crazy—she's grieving. I'm grateful for laughter. Some days it feels like medicine straight from Heaven. I'm grateful for coffee because Jesus works miracles, but sometimes He starts with caffeine. I'm grateful for the memories that still make me smile. ...
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    12 分
  • Ep 10 - Joy in Grief: Joy Hunting

    Ep 10 - Joy in Grief: Joy Hunting
    2026/05/26

    Joy Without Grief — Joy Hunting

    In this powerful and joy-restoring episode of Grief Relief for Christian Women, we explore what it really looks like to experience joy again after loss — not the fake smile, “I’m fine,” forced kind of joy, but the gentle, God-given kind that grows quietly in the cracks of a broken heart.

    I’m introducing you to practice Joy Hunting — the intentional act of noticing, receiving, and welcoming joy back into your life, even while grief is still present. Because, ya'll, joy doesn’t show up like a package on your doorstep. After loss, joy becomes something you look for, choose, and allow. And yes… It’s absolutely worth giving it a shot.

    Through personal stories, spiritual insight, and real-life encouragement, we’ll talk about:

    • Why joy and grief can coexist
    • How God invites you to experience joy without guilt
    • The small, sacred moments where joy quietly returns
    • How to train your heart to notice life again
    • Why joy is not “moving on,” but moving with Grief and God

    If you’ve ever wondered whether you’ll feel light again, laugh again, or even recognize yourself again — this episode will speak straight to your soul.

    Grab your journal, or your Notes app on your phone, take a breath, and join me as we learn how to hunt for joy in a season that tried to steal it. Jesus is still writing your story… and joy is still part of it.
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    11 分
  • Ep 9 - Physical Pain vs Grief Pain

    Ep 9 - Physical Pain vs Grief Pain
    2026/05/19

    In this episode, Patty invites you to walk beside her as she compares two kinds of healing: physical recovery from rotator cuff surgery and the emotional journey of grief. Physical pain is sharp, located, and with a clear treatment plan—grief pain, by contrast, is invisible and relentless, surfacing in moments, memories, and quiet nights. She breaks down:

    • The difference between a pain you can point to and a pain you can’t.
    • How grief doesn’t come with a predictable timeline, unlike medical recovery.
    • The body’s response to emotional trauma and what “normal” fatigue, aches, and sleeplessness can look like during grief.
    • Why both physical therapy and emotional work hurt—and why both are healing.
    • The danger of numbness and the importance of acknowledging and feeling pain to heal.
    • The reality that you cannot rush healing, whether it’s tendons or expressions of grief.
    • How grief and faith can reshape your life into a new rhythm, with God present in every rebuilding moment.

    Patty also shares a personal snapshot: six months into her physical healing and eight years into her grief journey. Her message is clear and hopeful: you’re not alone, and healing is possible—even on days it doesn’t feel like it.

    If you’re a widow or a Christian woman walking through loss, this episode offers compassionate encouragement, practical reflections, and a reminder that healing happens at the speed of love—and the speed of God.
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    10 分
  • Ep 8 - Mother's Day and Missing My Momma

    Ep 8 - Mother's Day and Missing My Momma
    2026/05/12
    Podcast Episode: “Mother’s Day, and Missing My Mama” Hey ya'll, welcome back to Grief Relief for Christian Women. I’m Patty, and today…We are talking about Mother's Day and missing my momma. Mother’s Day holds a whole lot of beauty and a whole lot of ache at the same time. And this year marks two years since my sweet mama went home to be with Jesus. Let me pray for you. “Father, for every woman listening who is missing her mom this Mother’s Day, would You wrap her in Your gentle comfort? Remind her she is not alone. Remind her that grief is a sign of great love. Hold her heart the way only You can. Restore her strength. Give her peace. And let her feel her mama’s love lingering in every treasured memory. In Jesus’ name, amen.” If Mother’s Day feels tender for you — if it feels complicated, or lonely, or even a little unfair — sister, pull up a chair. You’re in the right place. Mother’s Day can be beautiful. But Mother’s Day can also be brutal. Social media turns into a giant Hallmark commercial. Restaurants fill up with families in coordinated outfits. Florists get a workout. Churches hand out roses. And for those of us whose mamas aren’t here anymore… it can feel like the whole world is celebrating something we’ve lost. Two years ago, on May 13th, my world changed. My mama stepped into eternity, and even though I know exactly where she is — healed, whole, and with Jesus — I still miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs! Grief doesn’t erase love. And love doesn’t erase grief. When I think about my mom, the first things that come to mind are her love for Jesus and her strength. That woman could’ve moved mountains with just a prayer...and she did move a lot of mountains in her lifetime here on earth. She loved everyone, prayed hard, and taught me what resilience looks like when life tries to bring you down. I don't know how I would have gotten through the grief I experienced after Ralph died, without my momma's faith and encouragement. I know many of you have experienced the same thing. Losing your mama feels like becoming a different version of yourself overnight — a version you didn’t ask to be. I remember someone telling me once that she felt like an orphan after her mom had passed away. That is what I felt like the day my mom died. My mom was the strongest connection I had to Jesus and myself. My mom's last Mother's Day was May 12th, 2024. She was very sick, but she was alert enough to know that all of her family was there celebrating her for Mother's Day. My dad gave her a beautiful bouquet of flowers as he always did, and sat by her bed and whispered to her (and I can still see this picture vividly in my head), he told her that he loves her and will miss her for the rest of his life, but that it was OK if she needed to go home to meet Jesus. He told her he would see her when he gets to Heaven. We didn't know it then, but it was only 2 short months later that my dad went home to see her and Jesus. They are together forever. But here’s what I’ve learned in these two years: My mom may not be here physically, but her legacy still shows up in me every single day. In the way I show compassion. In the way I pray. In the way I mother my own adult son. In the way I serve you, women walking this same hard road. Grief doesn’t just take — it gives. It gives perspective. It gives depth. It gives a new kind of wisdom that only comes from loss. And I like to think my mama would be proud of how I’ve used my pain to help others heal. This Mother's Day, I spent the entire day with my son, Ryan. We went to a Mineral Spa that is about an hour away from where we live, so we talked all the way there, and talked and talked more while at the spa. We talked about my mom (his momo) and how we both miss her so much. I had the best time with him and am so grateful that he wants to spend all day on Mother's Day with his mom! I love being his mom, and I am blessed to have Ryan! I love that I have so many memories of my mom, and I am blessed that she is my momma! Here are a few things that have helped me, whether it be on Mother's day or really any day of your life. 1. Give Yourself Permission to Feel There is no right way to grieve on Mother’s Day or any other day. Cry if you need to. Laugh if you can. Stay home. Go out. Buy flowers. Don’t buy flowers. There’s no gold star for doing this “right" so do what feels right to you in that moment. Because we know that moment's feeling changes quickly. 2. Remember Her — Your Way You don’t have to make a big production. Maybe it’s: Cooking her favorite food Wearing her jewelry Lighting a candle Looking through old photos wearing a T-Shirt of hers Sitting quietly and thanking God for her life ...There's no right or wrong here---just choose to try something this year and be gentle with yourself. Grief is love and can exist side by side 3. Let Yourself Be Loved This one might be hard for some. Let people ...
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    8 分
  • Ep 7 - Reimagine After Loss

    Ep 7 - Reimagine After Loss
    2026/04/14
    Have you ever had one of those quiet moments… Not a dramatic, crying-on-the-floor moment… Just a quiet afternoon, in the middle of doing absolutely nothing, And this little thought floats through your mind… "what's ahead for me?" Not said out loud. Not even fully formed. Just… there. Like a question you're almost afraid to ask because you're not sure you're ready for the answer. Well — if that's ever been you… You are exactly where you need to be today. Because that quiet question? It's not hopelessness. That's the beginning of reimagining. 💛 INTRO Hi y'all, welcome back to Grief Relief for Christian Women. I'm Patty — and if you're new here, welcome. I am so glad you found this little podcast. Pull up a chair. Grab your coffee. Or your tea. And you don't even have to take notes because you can come back and listen as often as you need! Today we are talking about the third R in our grief framework: Reimagine. And before we go one step further, I want to say something I need you to hear before your brain starts doing that thing where it talks you out of everything good: Reimagining does not mean forgetting. It does not mean you've moved on. It does not mean you love him less. It does not mean your grief wasn't real or deep or valid. (I read once that the deeper your love was- the harder the grief is.) Reimagining means you are slowly, gently, sometimes reluctantly… allowing yourself to believe that there is still more ahead. That God is not done with your story. That the last chapter has not been written. And that is not a betrayal of who you lost — it is an act of faith. Let's pray before we dive in. 🙏 PRAYER Father, thank You for every woman listening right now. You know exactly where she is. Lord, give us vision again today. Not all at once — Just enough. Just enough light to see that our lives still hold purpose. Just enough hope to believe that You are not finished with us. Help every woman here trust that the story you started in her is still being written — and that the pages ahead are filled with more than she can currently imagine. We trust You with what we cannot yet see. In Jesus' name — Amen. 🧠 MAIN TEACHING Okay, let's talk about reimagining — because I want to be real with you about how this actually happened for me. It did not look like some beautiful sunrise moment where I stood on a hilltop and felt the wind in my hair and suddenly knew my purpose. (That is not grief. That is a movie trailer.) Reimagining, for me, was small. Very small. It was tiny little thoughts that I almost dismissed because they felt so strange, but hopeful at the same time. Not one or the other, but both. Because that's exactly what reimagining is in the early stages. It's not a clean, confident, kind of hope. It's a quiet, "I'm not sure I believe this yet, but I'm not shutting the door" kind of hope. And hey, that is enough. That is more than enough. Let me tell you how my very first “reimagining my future” went. Remember back in Episode 6 when I told you I discovered I didn’t actually want the barn house and land Ralph and I bought together… so I sold it? Well, the next step in that journey was trying to reimagine where I wanted to live next. I was still working at the time, and I loved my job, so I needed to stay in the area, but where and in what? Rent or buy? House or condo? I couldn't make up my mind, nor was I in the mood to figure it out. Oh, btw, the ability to make any decisions at all, let alone life-changing decisions, at this point in my grief, was gone. I couldn't make a decision for my life! But here’s the thing: by the time the house closed and the new owners moved in, I had absolutely zero idea what came next. So I sat down with my son — Ryan — and shared this wild little idea I had: “What if I used the money from selling the house to buy a run-down place… and flip it?” Now, Ryan had to be involved because he has a degree in architecture, works with contractors every day, and has basically been in the building industry since birth — his dad was a licensed plumber, so that boy grew up with blueprints in one hand and tools in the other. I imagined we’d find a cute little fixer-upper that just needed some cosmetic updates… paint, floors, maybe a new kitchen faucet — you know, EASY stuff. We’d flip it, make a little money, and move on. Well… I didn’t imagine big enough. But God did. He already knew the plan. Ryan ended up becoming the general contractor for our first flip. And let me just say — the house we bought wasn’t just “run-down.” It was unlivable. He had to level the foundation — and if you know anything about remodeling, you KNOW you pray there are no foundation issues. Well… this house missed that memo. Then he tore it down to the studs, added on another 1,200 square feet, and between the permit delays, scheduling issues, and then COVID hitting… what should’ve taken six months turned into a year and a ...
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    12 分
  • Ep 6 - Rediscover Yourself After Loss

    Ep 6 - Rediscover Yourself After Loss
    2026/04/08
    Second R: REDISCOVER 🎙️ EPISODE: REDISCOVER Rediscover: Finding What Matters to You Now This is the season where you don't rush, but you reintroduce yourself to the woman God is shaping you into. Think of it like meeting yourself again...but this time, with more wisdom, more grace, and way less tolerance for nonsense. Have you ever caught yourself thinking… “I’m still me… but life doesn’t feel the same?” Like something has shifted…Not just around you…but inside you? This is where rediscovery begins. 💛 INTRO Hi y’all, welcome back to Grief Relief for Christian Women. I’m Patty, and today we’re talking about the second R of my 3 R's: Rediscover. This one might surprise you, Because rediscovery isn’t always about finding yourself--or rediscovering yourself. Sometimes… It’s about reconnecting with what matters now. Let’s pray. 🙏 PRAYER “Lord, help her see herself clearly. Not through grief alone… but through Your eyes. Show her what still matters… and what she can gently release. Guide her as she rediscovers life in this new season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” 🧠 MAIN TEACHING Now listen--this is important: You didn’t lose yourself. You lost someone you love. But life around you has changed. THAT'S THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE YOU’RE NOT THE SAME! And when life changes… priorities shift. I remember thinking… “What do I want this next season of my life to look like?” Not because I didn’t know who I was… But because what mattered to me started to feel different. I slowed down. I let go of things that didn’t feel important anymore. And I leaned into things that brought peace… and meaning. I discovered how important my family and my friends are to me. They have always been important, but let's be honest, life gets in the way, and I needed to reconnect with a lot of these people. These are people that I've known all my life, and when I needed them, sometimes, just to sit and let me cry, they were there and still are. The ones that can't handle that, well, they probably weren't that important to you in the first place. This grief journey is a way of cleaning out the closets and drawers of unimportant stuff--or things that no longer fit and that is the same with people in your life. Rediscover and Declutter! :) I started reading the Bible more--I was searching for answers from God, but I was also trying to discover what was next. That’s when I started asking: “What does this season look like for me?” Rediscovery isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about alignment. What matters now? What feels right now? What do I want to carry forward… and what can I let go of? Speaking of letting go of...well, you might also discover things that you don't like in this process. Like me! I discovered I didn't want our house any longer. Ralph and I bought our house on 6.2 acres out in the country. This was in 2003, before we got married, but we did get married in that backyard less than a year later. This was our dream home. It looked like a barn (a barndominium), some called it, and not perfect for just any family, but it was perfect for us. It had only one large open room upstairs, which was our bedroom, a guest bed, an office, and a bathroom with 2 very small closets. God built this house for us, and I think that's why it hadn't sold until we found it! We had chickens, goats, pigeons, and horses, not all at the same time, but at different times for the 15 years that we lived there. Of course, we had our dogs and cats, which had been laid to rest on that land, and oh so many memories in that house! I thought I couldn't bear ever to get rid of it--but I also thought I couldn't bear to live there without Ralph. That was our dream, not just mine alone. 6 acres is a lot to take care of, and the 2 of us did keep up with all the maintenance pretty well for years, even though it was a lot. But for just one person, that person being me--it wasn't easy, and it wasn't getting done. So one day, about a year after he was gone, I decided to sell it. I finally had a contractor come out and had the things repaired that needed to be repaired, and remodeled where we always planned to, but never did, and put it up for sale. It took about 6 months, but it sold, and I could not have been more excited. Yes, it was sad too, but I knew I couldn't keep it up on my own, and I have plenty of pictures to remember it when we both lived there. So, I DISCOVERED that I didn't really want a house and a lot of land in the country--not without him anyway. 💬 Change happens after you lose your husband! Whether you like it or not, or are ready for it or not, it's all part of the journey. I will say that some changes are easier than others, and some turn out better than others. Even if life feels unfamiliar… You are still you--just a different you--walking through a different season. When Ralph died, I remember thinking: “OK, what do I do now! I was a married woman ...
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    14 分
  • Ep 5 - Rebuilding After Loss: What it Actually Looks Like

    Ep 5 - Rebuilding After Loss: What it Actually Looks Like
    2026/03/31

    What does life look like after everything has changed?

    In this episode, Patty Jackson introduces the first of the 3 R’s—Rebuild—and gently explores what it means to keep living in a world that feels quieter, different, and unfamiliar after loss.

    Through real-life stories and honest reflection, Patty shares how rebuilding isn’t about starting over—it’s about learning how to live in the life that remains, one small step at a time, with God walking beside you in every moment.

    Download: Rebuilding After Loss — What It Actually Looks Like
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    8 分
  • Ep 4 - The 3 R's: Rebuild - Rediscover - Reimagine after Loss

    Ep 4 - The 3 R's: Rebuild - Rediscover - Reimagine after Loss
    2026/03/24
    🎙️ Episode 4: The 3 R’s of Grief — Rebuild, Rediscover, Reimagine

    Grief Relief for Christian Women

    In today’s episode, Patty shares a deeply personal and faith-centered approach to navigating grief through what she calls The 3 R’s: Rebuild, Rediscover, and Reimagine.

    Grief doesn’t always look like losing your identity. Sometimes, it’s learning how to move forward in a life that feels unfamiliar… quieter… and different.

    If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I move forward without him here?” — this episode will meet you right where you are.

    💛 What You’ll Hear in This Episode
    • Why grief isn’t always about “losing yourself”
    • The unexpected emotional weight of everyday moments after loss
    • The hidden reason behind avoiding things you once loved
    • How grief shifts your perspective, priorities, and rhythms
    • A gentle, faith-filled path forward through the 3 R’s
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    15 分