Ep. 038 - Beyond Coincidence: Seeing God’s Hand in Hard Things With Sheila Layton

In this episode of She Rises, Rachel sits down with Sheila Layton to talk about grief, faith, divine timing, and the quiet ways God carries us through unimaginable loss. Sheila shares what it was like growing up in a small LDS town in Canada with a faithful mother and a father who struggled with alcoholism. At just 21 years old, Sheila lost three immediate family members within five weeks—her father, and then her mother and younger sister in a tragic car accident—just weeks before her wedding day. Together, Rachel and Sheila explore: -How grief changes shape over time -The role of agency and mortality in life’s hardest moments -What faith looks like when answers don’t come easily -The tender mercies that carried Sheila through devastating loss -How God places people in our lives exactly when we need them -Why “coincidences” may actually be evidence of divine intervention -Learning to trust promptings, even when they feel uncomfortable or impossible Sheila also shares the powerful story behind starting her podcast, Beyond Coincidence, after repeatedly feeling prompted by God to do something she never thought she was capable of. This episode is for anyone navigating grief, questioning God in hard seasons, or wondering if He is still present in their story. Sheila can be found on Instagram @beyondcoincidence.podcast, or on her podcast, Beyond Coincidence, available where ever you listen to podcasts. As always, Rachel can be found on Instagram @simplyrachelclare, and her website, rachelclare.com.