A Road Map for Pain: Permission to Grieve and Courage to Heal
Manage episode 519239007 series 3567051
What does trust look like when the answer you begged for doesn’t come? We sit with Linda Blechinger as she walks us through the radiant, brief life of her son DJ, born with multiple heart defects, and the unflinching choices that shaped their family’s faith. From a quiet hospital room and a first reading of Psalm 91 to a living room filled with a holy hush, Linda shows how God’s presence can steady hands and soften fear, even when the path winds through surgery suites and sleepless nights.
We trace the story from early motherhood in a new town to a diagnosis that changed everything. Linda shares how she learned to pray without demanding a specific outcome, how Scripture became a lifeline, and why “Do you trust Me?” turned into a daily practice rather than a single moment. There’s a tender fight to bring DJ home, a forbidden sip of Sprite that becomes a picture of living water, and a startling roar that reframes the battle between a prowling imitator and the Lion of Judah. Along the way we challenge bad theology—blame, shame, and the idea that God authors tragedy—and point to a better story rooted in Genesis, the reality of a broken world, and the victory of Christ.
What follows is a map for real people in real pain: permission to grieve loudly, wisdom to study the Word for yourself, and courage to name God as good when life feels anything but. You’ll hear about funeral salvations, journaled prayers that came back as anchors, and the choice to see redemption where bitterness could have taken root. If you or someone you love is walking through loss, disappointment, or long uncertainty, this conversation offers language, comfort, and hope that holds.
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Chapters
1. Welcome Back And Setup (00:00:00)
2. Falling In Love With Motherhood (00:04:15)
3. DJ’s Diagnosis And First Surgeries (00:07:20)
4. Hard Choices And Holding Hope (00:13:20)
5. Preparing For The Big Surgery (00:18:00)
6. Bringing DJ Home To Say Goodbye (00:22:30)
7. Angels, Peace, And Final Moments (00:27:00)
8. The Roar And Passing Into Heaven (00:31:30)
9. Funeral Salvations And Perspective (00:36:20)
10. Do You Trust Me: The Core Question (00:40:30)
11. Honest Grief And The Psalms (00:45:30)
37 episodes