Episode 50: New Year, Same Grief

Episode 50 marks an important milestone on The NEXT Podcast, and Jay reflects with gratitude on the journey so far—fifty honest conversations shaped by loss, faith, and the steady presence of God.As the calendar turns to a new year, this episode gently acknowledges a truth many grieving hearts know well: while the date may change, grief often remains. The New Year doesn’t automatically feel fresh or hopeful when loss still walks beside us.Drawing from C.S. Lewis, Scripture, and his own experience of entering another year without Christine, Jay explores grief not as a destination, but as a process—one God meets us in daily. He reminds listeners that God’s mercies are not reserved for New Year’s Day, but are new every single morning, even in the wilderness of sorrow.This episode is an invitation to release the pressure of forced resolutions, to honor the reality of ongoing grief, and to lean into God’s faithfulness one day at a time. If you’re stepping into a new year carrying old heartache, this conversation offers hope, honesty, and the reassurance that God is still making a way forward.