Can you forgive someone who has taken everything from you?

That's the question at the heart of the second half of my conversation with Davey Blackburn.

After losing his wife, Amanda, and unborn daughter, Evie, in a tragic act of violence in 2015, Davey made national headlines when he publicly extended forgiveness to the men responsible. But as he explains in this episode, forgiveness was not a feeling that came naturally. It was a decision that was rooted in faith and continually renewed over time.

In this conversation, Davey shares how his understanding of forgiveness has evolved over the years and why he believes forgiveness is ultimately about trusting God with justice. He offers a perspective that is both challenging and freeing for those who have been deeply wounded by the actions of others.

We also explore the growth of Nothing Is Wasted Ministries, the organization that emerged from Davey's journey through grief. He reflects on what it means to steward pain well, how God can redeem suffering without minimizing it, and why our greatest impact often comes through simple obedience rather than grand plans.

Perhaps most encouraging is Davey's message to those who are still in the early stages of grief and simply cannot see any purpose in their pain. Rather than offering easy answers, he reminds us that healing is a process, faith is often borrowed from community, and God is patient with our questions.

This episode is filled with wisdom for anyone navigating loss, disappointment, trauma, or unanswered questions.

Listen to the first half of our conversation HERE!

Resources and Links:

• Nothing is Wasted Website
• Nothing Is Wasted Podcast
• Davey Blackburn's book: Nothing Is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain
• Pain to Purpose Course

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend and leave a review. Your support helps grieving parents discover hope and community through the While We're Waiting podcast.

Until next time, remember that while we're waiting, God is always at work.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

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Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

On November 10, 2015, Davey Blackburn's life changed forever.

What began as an ordinary Tuesday morning ended in unimaginable tragedy when intruders entered his home, leaving his wife Amanda critically wounded. 24 hours later, Davey faced the devastating reality of losing not only Amanda, but also their unborn daughter, Evie. Suddenly, the young pastor found himself walking a road he never expected to travel.

In this first half of our conversation, Davey shares the story of those heartbreaking days and the questions that followed. He reflects on the shock of loss, the challenge of caring for his young son Weston while grieving, and the unique pain of losing a child he never had the opportunity to meet ... a grief that's often overlooked.

We also talk about the spiritual wrestling that often accompanies tragedy. Davey speaks candidly about the questions he brought to God and the doubts he faced, and how he began working through them.

In This Episode

• Davey shares the events surrounding the loss of Amanda and their unborn daughter, Evie
• The emotional and spiritual shock that followed
• Single-parenting a young child while grieving profound loss
• The often-overlooked grief of losing an unborn child
• Wrestling with God when life doesn't make sense
• Finding reasons to keep moving forward in the midst of overwhelming sorrow

Resources & Links

• Nothing Is Wasted Ministries
• Nothing Is Wasted Podcast
• Davey Blackburn's book: Nothing Is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain

Coming Next Week ...

In Part Two of our conversation, Davey shares his journey toward forgiveness, explains what it means to trust God with justice, and discusses how God transformed his deepest pain into a ministry that now helps thousands of people navigate loss, trauma, and suffering.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend and leave a review. Your support helps other grieving parents discover hope and community through the While We're Waiting podcast.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org

"God just kept putting joy in front of me and encouraging me to open my heart to it."

In this second half of my conversation with author Leanne Davidson, we move into some of the deeper questions grieving parents often wrestle with after child loss: Why? What if? Could I have done something differently? Will I ever feel joy again?

After losing her son, Mikael, to a fentanyl overdose, Leanne has walked through those questions herself. With honesty and faith, she shares what she's learning about trusting God in the midst of unanswered questions, laying down guilt, and allowing joy back into a heart that has been forever changed.

Leanne also offers practical and compassionate wisdom for families and friends who want to support grieving parents well.

Together we discuss:

• Reconciling faith with unanswered questions
• Why choosing trust matters when we don't understand
• Guilt after child loss — especially after addiction-related loss
• The difference between conviction and guilt
• Navigating grief within families when everyone grieves differently
• Giving one another grace and changing expectations after loss
• What to do when you don't have the strength to pray or open your Bible
• The difference between happiness and lasting joy
• Leanne's idea of "joy bombs" and recognizing God's gifts in everyday moments
• Practical ways to support grieving parents
• How grief changes us and why there is no returning to "normal"
• The hope of heaven and seeing our children again

Throughout our conversation, Leanne continually points us back to God's faithfulness and His tender care for grieving parents. Her reminders are simple but powerful: God sees us, carries us, and remains near even when our hearts feel permanently changed.

Resources & Links:

• Listen to the first half of our conversation HERE.
• Visit Leanne Davidson's website HERE.
• A Beautiful Pain: Reflections of a Mother’s Journey of Grief
• Tattered Hearts & Hopeful Souls: A Christian Devotional for Grieving Hearts

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show. Click here to send me a message! (Though I read every message, I am unable to respond through this format.)

** 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.

We'd love for you to connect with us here at While We're Waiting!

Click HERE to visit our website and learn about our free While We're Waiting Weekends for bereaved parents

Click HERE to learn more about our network of While We're Waiting support groups all across the country.

Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Click HERE to follow our public Facebook page

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram

Click HERE to follow us on Twitter

Click HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to the While We're Waiting ministry

Contact Jill by email at: jill@whilewerewaiting.org