What does it look like to trust God when you've prayed for a miracle, but the answer isn't what you hoped for?

Jessica Mitchell was nearly 37 weeks pregnant when she learned that her daughter, Lucy Grace, had died. Just three years earlier, her family had experienced the loss of her infant niece, Madison Joy, at only 35 days old.

In this first half of our conversation, Jessica shares the stories of both girls, the remarkable ways their families were supported by their communities, and a defining moment in the hospital when she prayed for a miracle — but also surrendered herself to trusting God regardless of the outcome.

We also talk about the challenges of returning to everyday life after the loss of a baby, learning to give ourselves and others grace, and the season Jessica calls her "grief bottom," when she realized she needed help working through some of the deeper struggles that grief had brought to the surface.

Jessica's story reminds us that trusting God doesn't mean we won't struggle, and that allowing others to walk alongside us is an important part of the grief journey.

In Part 2, we'll talk about how Lucy's death affected Jessica's marriage, how she and her husband helped their two young children navigate the loss of their baby sister, and how God continues to work through Jessica's writing ministry, Old to New Creations.

Connect with Jessica Mitchell

• Website and blog: Old to New Creations
• Instagram: @oldtonew_creation
• Grief, marriage, and parenting resources: Available on Jessica's website
• What Happens to Babies Who Die? A collection of biblical reflections and resources available through her website.
• Upcoming children's book: Mommy, Is Madison Sleeping? — Inspired by her niece Madison Joy and written to help families talk with young children about death and Heaven. Follow Jessica's website or Instagram for publication updates.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

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Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

How do you keep going when the heaviness of grief is such a big part of every day life? How do you embrace new blessings while continuing to mourn all that you've lost?

In this second half of my conversation with Markie Ribera, we explore what it means to keep going after unimaginable loss ... not by moving past our grief, but by learning to carry it alongside the joy and hope we have in Christ.

After losing their four young children and Markie's mother in a devastating house fire in February of 2022, Markie and her husband, Carlos, have continued to see God's faithfulness in unexpected ways. They've welcomed three more little boys into their family, and Markie shares how they've learned to embrace the joy of raising them while keeping the memories of their older siblings alive.

We also talk about the importance of lament, why the church needs to make room for sorrow, and practical ways to navigate those especially difficult dates on the calendar. Markie shares how the body of Christ surrounded her family in the aftermath of their tragedy, and how that experience inspired a developing ministry called Keep Going, Really!

The name itself carries a special meaning, honoring the initials of their four children in Heaven while offering a simple but powerful message to others who are suffering: You really can keep going. Not because the road is easy, but because Jesus walks it with you.

I hope you'll be encouraged by this conclusion of our conversation and reminded that grief and joy can coexist, that God is worthy of our trust even in our deepest sorrow, and that because of Jesus, we can keep going, really!

Links and Resources

Markie's Website and Writing

• Keep Going, Really! — Markie's website, family story, blog, and developing ministry.
• Even IF — Markie's reflections on God's sovereignty and trusting Him through suffering.
• Tunnel Week — Navigating the difficult anniversaries and dates surrounding her family's loss.
• Invisible Dates — Remembering the milestones that often go unnoticed by others.

Books and Music

• Just Be Honest by Clint Watkins — An invitation to bring our grief and difficult emotions honestly before God.
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop — A resource on biblical lament. Markie mentions Vroegop's teaching during our conversation.
• Worthy of My Song – Phil Wickham — A worship song that has been especially meaningful to Markie in her grief.
• Crazy People – Casting Crowns — A song that reminds Markie of the people who surrounded her family with love and practical support.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

How do you keep going when your whole world has been turned upside down? When the life you knew is gone, and the future you imagined looks nothing like you expected?

In February of 2022, Markie Ribera and her husband, Carlos, lost their four young children - Kathryn, Kaleb, Kristian, and Kasper - along with Markie's mother in a devastating house fire. In a single night, they lost not only the people they loved most, but also their home and nearly everything that connected them to the life they'd known.

In this first half of our conversation, Markie shares sweet memories of each of her children and takes us back to the events surrounding that tragic night. She talks openly about the early days of grief and the difficult questions she's wrestled with about God's sovereignty.

One especially powerful moment comes as Markie reflects on the biblical account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. God was able to rescue them from the fiery furnace, yet He did not spare her children from the fire. How do we reconcile those realities and continue trusting Him?

Markie's story reminds us that keeping going doesn't mean leaving our grief behind. It means learning to carry our sorrow while holding tightly to the One who promises never to leave us.

I hope you'll come back next week as Markie and I talk about finding joy alongside grief, welcoming new life into their family, and the beautiful meaning behind the words Keep Going, Really!

Links and Resources

• Markie's website: Keep Going, Really! — Her family's story, blog, and the worship video recorded shortly after the fire.
• Markie's blog post: Even IF — Her reflections on God's sovereignty and the story of the fiery furnace.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! ~Jill

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org