11 | Lessons I Learned About God Through Grief | Catholic Faith, Loss & Finding Hope

✨ Something Special — Introducing The Daily Thread If you've been feeling like you want more structure and intentionality in your relationship with God, this is for you. Jessica and her friend Audrey (from the Aligned with Audrey Diaz podcast) have created The Daily Thread — a monthly workbook and podcast based on the daily Mass readings, designed to make your relationship with God the foundation so everything else flows from there. Each month's workbook meets you right where you are — in your family, your work, and your personal growth — and the podcast goes even deeper into each month's theme together. 📅 Doors open April 21st — Founding Members spots are limited, so don't wait! 🌐 Visit: www.thedailythread.co 📱 Follow on Instagram: @dailythreadpodcast   Join the Founding Members group and be part of something truly special from the very beginning. Episode Summary Grief has a way of teaching us things we never expected to learn — especially about God. In this episode of A Catholic Journey, Jessica shares five honest, hard-won lessons about who God is that she discovered in the middle of losing both of her parents in 2022. These aren't lessons she read about in a book. They came through real pain, real doubt, and real moments of feeling completely alone — and finding out she wasn't. 💛 "God is not waiting for you on the other side of your pain. He is right there with you in the middle of it." Whether your walking through loss, disappointment, or a season that feels impossibly heavy — this episode is an invitation to look up. In This Episode, You'll Hear: ⭐ Lesson 1 — God is near, even when we don't feel Him God's presence isn't determined by how we feel on any given day. He is near because of who He is — not because of what we feel. ⭐ Lesson 2 — God does not remove every cross His love for us doesn't mean life will be painless. Just like a loving parent, God walks with us through hard things — not always around them. ⭐ Lesson 3 — We can pray in the pain When grief stripped away Jessica's words, the Holy Spirit stepped in. Prayer doesn't require strength or perfect words — just honesty. ⭐ Lesson 4 — Hope and grief can exist at the same time Joy and pain. Happiness and hurt. Faith doesn't make grief disappear — it changes how we carry it. ⭐ Lesson 5 — God's love is steady He gives strength quietly. He works even when we feel weak. And He holds hope steady when life feels uncertain. Scripture Referenced in This Episode Psalm 34:18 Psalm 147:3 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 Romans 8:26 Matthew 11:28 Listener Reflection How has suffering changed the way you see God? And if you're grieving right now — know that He is not waiting on the other side of your pain. He is right there with you in the middle of it. 🙏🏻 Enjoyed This Episode? If this episode touched your heart, it would mean so much if you: ✔️ Subscribed to A Catholic Journey ✔️ Left a review — it helps others who need this find the podcast ✔️ Shared this episode with someone walking through grief or a heavy season Let's Stay Connected 📱 Instagram: instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel 🌐 Newsletter & more: mimiandmanuel.com 💌 Email Jessica: [email protected] 🙏🏻 Where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻