Infertility, Faith, and the Fight to Become a Mother — Kerstin Lindquist on Loss, Adoption, and God’s Presence

This is StRest! In this deeply personal episode, Kerstin Lindquist opens up about her long and emotional journey through infertility, miscarriage, and adoption. What began as a short reflection turned into one of her most vulnerable episodes to date—filled with heartbreak, healing, and hard-won wisdom. With raw honesty and unwavering faith, Kerstin shares what it felt like to wait for the one o’clock phone call, to say “thank you” after another dream was dashed, and to navigate the emotional complexity of miscarriage, IVF, and adoption with God at her side. Whether you’ve walked this road yourself or are trying to support someone who has, this conversation offers tangible guidance on what to say, what not to say, and how to be truly present for those grieving the loss of what could have been. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Infertility as unseen grief ✅ Miscarriage and failed IVF as emotional trauma ✅ Why adoption is both beautiful and broken ✅ How to show up for someone in loss ✅ What not to say to the grieving ✅ Honoring pain without spiritual bypassing ✅ God’s presence in the waiting and weeping Chapter Breakdown: 00:00 – “I said thank you after she dashed my dreams.” 01:06 – Episode intro: Why this story couldn’t wait any longer 02:11 – A living room conversation: Kerstin’s heartfelt prayer for listeners 06:30 – The first miscarriage: Maternity clothes and a mother’s misstep 10:22 – Depression, trauma, and unmet grief 14:40 – IVF, IUI, and the loneliness of waiting 18:05 – What adoption really demands—from your heart, finances, and faith 21:45 – Saying no eight times and wondering if God was speaking 26:00 – Two babies, five months apart 28:21 – Why infertility is a loss, even without miscarriage 32:45 – What to say (and what not to say) to someone grieving 36:30 – When you're the pregnant friend: how to love someone in infertility 40:01 – The next episode—adoption, language, and loving well Work with Kerstin ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Workshops & Events⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Join upcoming events & retreats. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Health Coaching with Kerstin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – 1:1 coaching for stress reduction & wellness. Resources & Recommendations ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Denese Skincare ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠–   Use code STREST Ancient Nutrition - Use code STREST25 Partner Links & Discounts ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Tabatha - Hormone test & HRT⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apollo Neuro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Discount Code: KERSTINLINDQUISTLLC ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lumen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Discount Code: CoachKL ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ultrahuman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Discount Code: KERSTIN10⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More about Kerstin Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kerstin-lindquist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @kerstin.lindquist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kerstin Lindquist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @Kerstin.lindquist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @kerstin.lindquist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group Website:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠www.massifsp.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices