242 | Jesus Wept ... with Shawn and Sandy Smith

02/12/25 • 32 min

While We're Waiting® - Hope After Child Loss

Today's episode is a continuation of my conversation with Shawn and Sandy Smith about their son Andrew—a joy-filled boy with a love for music—who went to heaven in 2009 after a courageous battle with DIPG.

Today, we look at what life has been like over the sixteen years since Andrew went home to Jesus. In this episode, Shawn and Sandy open up about how they’ve learned to carry their loss, what has brought them comfort, and how their faith has deepened in ways they never expected.

We’ll talk about the struggles and the hope, the moments that still take them by surprise, and the ways God has shown His love and faithfulness through the years. I believe today’s episode will be an encouragement to you.

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** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.
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Previous Episode

Bonus 174 | A Painful Decision

During our clinic appointment sixteen years ago today, we had the opportunity to chat with Hannah's oncologist while she received her requisite platelet infusion. She was scheduled for an MRI on Monday, which would tell us a lot about what the future might hold. Her doctor was very honest with us, explaining that he believed the results would indicate progression of the cancer. He went on to say that if that was indeed the case, there was very little, if anything, that could be done for her medically from this point on.

Thank you for joining me for another bonus episode of the While We're Waiting podcast in this year-long series in which I share our family’s experiences as our teenage daughter Hannah battled glioblastoma brain cancer from February 2008 through February 2009. My desire is to process through the events of those twelve months with the perspective that 16 years has brought ... and point listeners to hope in Jesus along the way.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message!

Next Episode

Bonus 175 | A Valentine Princess

It was Friday, and time for the junior high Valentine dance, and even though Bethany had been out of school since Tuesday, she had made plans to attend. Since Brad was available to be home with Hannah, I was able to spend the day with her. We already had her dress, and I enjoyed taking her to get her hair and make-up done that afternoon at my regular salon. She had plans to ride to the dance with a group of friends, so I figured once we got her all beautiful, she would head out for the evening and I would see her when she got home.
That afternoon, we received a phone call from one of her teachers letting us know that Bethany had been voted as the Valentine Dance princess by her fellow students. It would be a surprise for Bethany that evening, so she didn't want us to tell her ... She just wanted me to know about it so I could come to the dance and see her crowned if I wanted to. Of course I wanted to! We let her leave for the dance with her friends without giving away the surprise, then I drove to the gym so I could be there for the coronation.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message!