While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss
This is a podcast FOR bereaved parents BY bereaved parents. Join your host, Jill Sullivan, as she talks with parents who have lost children of all ages to all types of circumstances. This is a podcast of stories ... stories of devastating loss and grief and heartbreak and struggle ... and stories of hope and healing and faith, and yes, even joy. Underlying every conversation will be the hope we have in Jesus Christ, which makes it possible to not just survive the loss of a child, but to live well while we're waiting to see them again in Heaven one day. Visit our website at www.WhileWereWaiting.org for more information about our nonprofit ministry to bereaved parents.
While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss
307 | Even Though, We Will (Part Two) with Matthew Efird
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Today's episode features the second half of my conversation with Matthew Efird, as we move beyond Noah’s earthly 57½ hours and into the difficult road of learning how to live after he went to Heaven. (If you missed the first half of our conversation, click HERE.)
Matthew shares candidly about grief from a father’s perspective, which is something that often goes unseen, particularly after the death of a baby. He talks about the tension of wanting to protect and fix what can't be fixed, the importance of having other men show up and simply be present, and the practical ways friends and community carried their family through the hardest days.
We also discuss the emotional fog of grief, learning to take life one moment at a time, and the delicate balance of worshiping and weeping simultaneously. Throughout the conversation, Matthew continually points back to the faith that sustained his family and the phrase that became their foundation: Even though… we will.
This episode is filled with wisdom for grieving parents, especially dads, as well as practical insight for anyone who wants to walk alongside hurting families in meaningful ways.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Grief from a father’s perspective
- Why dads often feel unseen after infant loss
- The importance of safe friendships and honest conversations
- Helpful ways men supported Matthew during grief
- Learning that “it’s okay to have a good day”
- Practical advice for grieving dads
- Why presence matters more than perfect words
- The meaning behind “worshiping and weeping” at the same time
- Taking grief one moment—and one step—at a time
- The role of community in surviving loss
- Common phrases to avoid when comforting grieving parents
- The heart behind Matthew’s book and the Even Though We Will Foundation
Resources & Links:
- Even Though We Will written by Matthew Efird
- Website & Foundation: https://eventhoughwewill.com/
** 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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Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org
