Advent: Hope

We're releasing a series of episodes centered around the Season of Advent. In this episode, Chelsea sits down with Lindsey Jackson by reflecting on Hope — not as wishful thinking, but as a firm trust in God's promises amid suffering. Lindsey shares the story of losing her infant daughter Hadley in 2017 to sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) and how her grief became a place where God reoriented her faith, built deeper endurance, and reshaped her understanding of biblical hope. Together, they discuss how lament differs from grief, why holidays can be hard, and how the church can show up for those in pain. In This Episode 01:00 – Introducing the Advent series: Hope, Joy, Love, Peace 03:00 – Lindsey’s story: marriage, motherhood, and baby Hadley 05:00 – Hadley’s death and the immediate aftermath 07:00 – “So much of me died when she died” — grief and resurrection 10:00 – What helped: letters, meals, naps, presence 12:00 – On studying grief and counseling at DTS 14:00 – Hope and the discipline of remembering 17:00 – Hebrews: endurance, lament, and anchoring in Christ 20:00 – Longing in Advent: slow down, find wonder again 24:00 – Misplaced hope vs. rooted hope 27:00 – Lament is not passive grief — it holds expectation 30:00 – Heaven: the promise of restoration 33:00 – “Pre-Hadley” Lindsay vs. post-suffering hope 36:00 – Endurance is a group project Key Takeaways Hope is not optimism or emotional positivity — it's a discipline to root your mind in God's promises. Grief is the response to loss; lament is grief directed toward God, filled with trust and expectancy. Holidays can amplify sorrow — presence, not perfection, is what grieving people need most. Studying grief deepened Lindsey’s calling: to walk with others through loss as a biblical counselor. The resurrection reframes our pain — we grieve, but not without hope. Advent means coming — Christ came once, and He is coming again. This fuels our hope. Follow Us! Instagram Youtube -- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email [email protected]