Finding God in Our Pain
A Podcast with Sherrie Pilkington
- Because every shattered heart needs to know they're not alone
A podcast dedicated to helping women discover the beauty of Christ in the midst of pain and suffering.
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When life as we know it is flipped upside down, we struggle to make sense of it all. Why would a good God allow this to happen?
Hi, I’m Sherrie Pilkington, your host of Finding God In Our Pain.
In 2018, when I unexpectedly lost my husband of 32 years, questions erupted out of my deepest despair. Since then, I’ve continued to search the heart of God for what He has to say about pain and suffering.
In this podcast we’ll discover how God enters into our pain, shepherds us through our darkest valleys, and leads us to green pastures once again.
I’ll bring you firsthand stories from women who allow us into their authentic struggles, along with professional advice from experts, counselors, and others who can help us navigate pain.
Join me, as we discover God’s answers to the deepest cries of our shattered hearts.
Summary:
*My guest, LaShaundra Barnes shares her story of finding God amidst her deep personal struggles of abuse and suffering.
*LaShaundra discusses her abusive relationship, which began after reconnecting with a high school acquaintance, highlighting the barriers that kept her in the relationship, including love, loyalty, and legal issues concerning her children.
*She speaks about the fear of the unknown and anxiety that hindered her ability to leave the abusive relationship sooner.
*LaShaundra emphasizes the importance of having a supportive community and the role of her church in helping her through the healing process.
*She shares her experiences with her children’s mental and emotional health, revealing the impact of witnessing domestic abuse and the challenges of raising neurodivergent children.
*Our discussion touches on the need for individualized parenting, considering each child’s unique needs and triggers.
*LaShaundra highlights the power of scriptures and worship music in providing comfort and encouragement during difficult times.
*She talks about the importance of forgiveness in the healing journey and how it has helped her find peace and co-parent with her children’s father.
*LaShaundra encourages others to share their stories, emphasizing that our experiences can transform lives and bring people closer to God.
*She stresses that for those in abusive situations there is a need for therapy and counseling to thrive after abuse.
*LaShaundra provides hotline numbers that have 24/7 access:
In emergency and life of death situations: Call 911 or the emergency number in your area.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
The Center for Family Safety and Healing: Text the word start, S-T-A-R-T, to 88788.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, simply dial the number 988.
Podcast Intro:
When I met LaShaundra my first impression was her vibrancy. The joy in her eyes, (which as believers we know that is the presence of the Holy Spirit), the tone of her voice and her presence. These things combined, I heard and saw joy and it became more pronounced as she began to share what she has been through, is going through. Life has not been easy and yet she describes herself as blessed.
LaShaundra’s testimony is one of the reasons why I do this podcast. When everything familiar in our life gets turned upside down, people want to know where is God? Does God make a difference? Does He care and if so, what does His kindness look like? How does He make a difference?
LaShaundra is a single mom with 3 young children and she has endured countless levels of abuse some of which are mental, emotional, physical, financial, etc. And yet, she shares a message of God’s goodness despite the cruelty of this life and the proof (of God’s goodness) is displayed in her, through her, day to day.
I’m not saying her life is all sunshine, rainbows and smiles because she admits it’s difficult. Single moms know that singleness is a challenge all it’s own. Moms with special needs children know the complications on a daily basis. Abused women are familiar with the struggle to find healing and wholeness again. Women who know they need to leave abusive situations are faced with overwhelming fears of what if and that is enough to keep them in the abuse.
When faced with the possibility of a new life, rebuilding ourselves and rebuilding our lives, how do we trust, who do we trust? I even think about, if we can’t even trust the people we can see, hear and touch, how do we learn to trust God? Will God still love us even if we find ourselves in situations that are of our own doing or does He just look at us and say, you made that bed now sleep in it.
If you’re living any of these situations or questioning God about His goodness you will find great encouragement in LaShaundra’s message of how God cares for us at every turn in our journey. She has learned that having spiritual disciplines that keep her grounded in Christ is the first line of defense against overwhelm, anxiety and fear. She reads the word of God and she relies on God to be who He says he is and do what He says He’ll do. He has never failed her and even her learning curves of discovering God’s heart have brought her new levels of intimacy and greater/deeper joy.
Be encouraged today as you listen to LaShaundra’s example of who the God of the Holy Bible is in the context of pain and suffering. God speaks the most beautiful things in the dark.
Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Other Related Podcast Episodes:
Breaking Cycles of Abuse and Trauma: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/07/31/breaking-cycles-of-abuse-and-trauma-with-lindsey-smith/
From Survive to Thrive, Overcoming Sexual Abuse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/01/03/from-survive-to-thrive-overcoming-sexual-abuse-with-tina-ivey/
Heal From Childhood Abuse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/03/01/healing-from-childhood-abuse-with-virginia-jones/
Christian Marriage, Abuse and Boundaries: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/04/12/christian-marriage-abuse-and-boundaries/
Connect with LaShaundra:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@herdesiredhaven
Bio:
LaShaundra Barnes is a Podcast Host and Producer who uses her passions, gifts and creativity to glorify God. She is an entrepreneur, a domestic violence survivor and is currently a single mother raising neurodiverse children. Her life experiences both good and bad have shaped and molded her into the woman she is today. She’s determined to tell her story showing how good God is and the wonderful acts and miracles He’s done in her life. By sharing her story she desires to help others believe, to find purpose in their pain and peace in the midst of life’s storms.
RESOURCES:
Here are some 24/7 Confidential Services:
In emergency and life of death situations: Call 911 or the emergency number in your area.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
The Center for Family Safety and Healing: Text the word start, S-T-A-R-T, to 88788.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, simply dial the number 988.
About the Podcast
God is present in our pain
Beloved friend, I know what it feels like to have pain waiting to meet you every morning as you wake up.
It’s easy to conclude that God isn’t there in those dark seasons of our lives. But I’m here to tell you that is simply not true.
God is not only present in our pain, but He meets us in the middle of it, holds us fast, and shepherds us through to the other side.
That’s what this podcast is about. In Finding God in Our Pain, we walk through the journeys of real women who have faced impossible heartache, and found that God was right there in the midst of it with them.
Whether you are facing your own dark night of the soul, or you’re supporting someone who is, these conversations will help you find peace, hope, and a relentless love that is there to meet you in any circumstance.
Sherrie Pilkington
Meet Your Podcast Host
Hi precious friend, I'm Sherrie.
I’m so glad you’re here. Addressing our grief is never easy, so I am truly grateful for your trust as we navigate this delicate subject. I promise there is healing and love to be found here.
I know it from experience. Widowed in early 2018 after 32 years of marriage, my whole world and everything was shaken to the core of my existence. Life no longer made sense. I needed answers, and I desperately needed to know I was not alone.
In the midst of my continued healing, I cherish the love of my sons, daughters-in-law, and beautiful grandchildren who bring the fresh water of joy. But there is a special comfort and encouragement in the stories of other women who have endured the devastation of life-shattering events and can testify to the beauty of Christ meeting them in their despair.
As I’ve lived through this journey, I’ve discovered this truth: we are never alone, as God does not hesitate to enter into our pain with us. He speaks the most beautiful things in the dark.
Are You
Ready to Share Your Story?
Have you experienced the love of God in the midst of your own earth-shattering circumstance?
If you are open to sharing your story with our community of women searching for hope in the midst of grief, I would be honored to have you on the show.
Therapists, grief counselors, pastors, and others with expertise about pain and suffering and who would like to share their insight with our community, are also welcome to reach out about becoming a guest.
The deep fear behind every loss is that we have been abandoned by the God who should have saved us. The transforming moment in Christian conversion comes when we realize that even God has left us. We then discover it was not God, but our image of God that abandoned us…. Only then is change possible.
Support the Podcast
Want to help us share the love of God with shattered hearts?
Donate to the podcast and 100% of the proceeds will go toward encouraging hearts through authentic story and advice from professionals, because every shattered heart needs to know they’re not alone.
Your consideration and support are deeply appreciated!