177: Heroes of Hope After Child Loss (with Shirley Thiessen)

Shirley Thiessen is one of Laura’s first returning guests, which is saying a lot since the Grieving Parents Sharing Hope podcast has been going for over three years now! In the previous episode, Shirley shared an incredible story, about a little black funeral dress, and then she and Laura start discussing five things Shirley wishes she had known about grief before the death of her son, Jordan. It is highly recommended to listen to that episode first, (episode 176) since this discussion picks up where they left off, talking about the third thing Shirley wishes she had known, which is the fact that deep grief has no timeline. Twelve days after her son’s wedding, Shirley Thiessen was thrown into the unimaginable task of planning his funeral. Grief threatened to extinguish her purpose. Hope and resiliency gradually emerged as she chose to participate with God to recycle her pain for His good purpose. Because most people are uncertain how to support those who grieve, Shirley founded the grief ministry, CornerBend Ministries, along with creating a playbook of best practices to build confidence and effectiveness.   Shirley and her husband Carey live in Calgary, AB, Canada. Their daughter, Chantel, is also active in the grief ministry.    (Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.)   Links Mentioned in this episode: Shirley’s websites: Corner Bend Ministries and  shirleythiessen.com To email Shirley: [email protected] Look at the H.O.P.E. shirts and mug here. Click here to help GPS Hope continue providing support and resources to pareavors. Every dollar helps! (You can also become a monthly supporter, becoming a grieving parent sharing hope with the same link.) Birthdays: Rodney Lorenz was born on September 18 and left us at age 49. Alistair James Fleming was born on September 19  and left us at age 26. Nathan Young was born on September 19 and left us at age 19. Acacia Goertzen was born on September 19 and left us at age 15. Brittany Melton was born on September 19 and left us at age 25. Justin Balducci was born on September 19 and left us at age 35. Maya Tarbet was born on September 20 and left us at age 13. Nicole Zanoni Romualdo was born on September 21 and left us at 16 months. Ryan Bradley was born on September 22 and left us at age 25. Alyssa Barker was born on September 22 and left us at age 33.   Fill out the short form with the needed information to have your child’s birthday shared with our listeners. The special song “I Remember Well“, which was written by Laura for our children’s birthdays, can be heard on your favorite music app. To hear samples of Laura’s other songs, click here.   Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE! www.gpshope.org   To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at [email protected]. Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose. It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.