God’s Nearness in the Pain of Losing a Child with Tim Challies

Losing a child is an unimaginable grief, and it was a reality my guest, Tim Challies, and his wife Aileen had to face when their son Nick, a college student, passed away unexpectedly. As a pastor and author, Tim shares his family's journey of finding hope in the midst of their pain and offers insights on how to navigate the complexities of grief, granting ourselves grace and patience, and being authentic in our mourning.

Together, we explore the questions Tim and Aileen asked God during this time, and the temptation to allow feelings to dictate our beliefs. Tim shares how his trust in God has grown despite their tragic loss, emphasizing the importance of being grounded in the truth of God's sovereignty and goodness. 

We also discussed the challenges of navigating grief within a family and the importance of offering one another grace since each person's grieving process can be different. Tim offers encouragement to those in the early stages of loss, sharing how his grief has changed over time. 

Join me as we talk about God’s comfort in suffering, the limitations of seeking answers to "why" questions, and the importance of focusing on the character of God. This conversation offers a raw and honest look at the realities of suffering, and the hope and strength we can find in God and His people when faced with life's most difficult challenges.

EPISODE CHAPTERS

(00:06) - Tim Challies Story

(08:15) - Navigating Grief

(20:13) - Joy in God's Sovereignty

(24:21) - Living With Grief

(35:47) - Faith and Support in Loss

(44:45) - Finding Hope in Suffering

GUEST BIO

Tim Challies is an author, speaker and elder at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, where he and his wife Aileen reside. He is a father to two girls (one of whom is married) and one son who is waiting for him in heaven. Tim has written a number of books including:

• The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (Crossway, 2007)
• Sexual Detox: A Guide For Guys Who Are Sick of Porn (Cruciform Press, 2010)
• The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion (Zondervan, 2011)
• Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity (Cruciform Press, 2015)
• Visual Theology: Seeing and Understanding the Truth About God (Zondervan, 2016)
• A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible (Zondervan, 2019)
• Epic: An Around-the-World Journey through Christian History (Zondervan, 2020)
• Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God (Zondervan, 2022)

GUEST RESOURCES:

www.challies.com

Twitter | Facebook

RESOURCES

• Buy the Desperate for Hope Bible Study from Lifeway
• Use discount code: HOPE for 25% off 1 item from Lifeway through August 31, 2023.
• Vaneetha’s Books: Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption | The Scars that Have Shaped Me
• To learn more, visit: https://www.vaneetha.com/

FOLLOW:

Youtube | Instagram | Twitter |  Facebook

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.