Marriage & Faith After Prenatal Life-Limiting Diagnosis | Episode 114 with Sarah Westfall
Episode 114
This week I am talking with Sarah Westfall about her son Carter and her experience with grief over the past 10 years. Carter was diagnosed with a prenatal life-limiting condition and during our time together she talks about what it was like to make the decision to continue carrying a baby that would not live long outside the womb, what she would tell a mom who has recently received a life-limiting diagnosis for her baby and what she wishes she had known about carrying and delivering a baby with a life-limiting diagnosis.
Sarah also talks about navigating marriage over the past 10 years of life after loss and the two specific things that her and husband did to navigate the challenges that exist in a marriage after the loss of a baby.
Sarah also shares candidly about her faith amidst her journey of loss and she talks about what it was like to be at a different place spiritually than her husband in the years following their son’s death. Sarah is really open in this interview about her faith journey and if you have ever asked questions like “Could God have healed my baby? If so, why didn’t he? Did he plan this? Could He have stopped it? Why didn’t He?” Sarah’s words are going to bring you a lot of comfort and hope. And if you are curious or interested about God, Sarah gives her thoughts on a good place to start on learning more.
We cover so much in this episode about loss and grief and marriage and spirituality, I love that Sarah shares from a perspective of having walked this journey for many years now. She brings encouragement and reminders of hope as someone who has been there and knows. I think her words and insights are going to really be a blessing to you.
QUESTIONS we discuss IN EPISODE 114
What surprised you most about loss and the grief journey?
What would you say to a woman who has just been given a life-limiting diagnosis for her baby? What do you wish someone would have said to you?
Is there anything you wish you had known about what it would be like to carry and deliver a baby that would likely not live long after birth?
MARRIAGE AFTER LOSS
How did you grieve differently than your husband and how have you navigated those differences?
What do you think is the most challenging aspect of navigating the marriage relationship after loss?
What advice would you give a grieving couple about how to navigate those challenges?
What wisdom would you give to a couple who may be at different places on their spiritual journey and have now entered a season of grief?
FAITH AFTER LOSS
What did your faith look like amidst your loss? Were you angry at God? Hurt? Did you want to pray or not want to pray? Tell me about your faith journey after Carter’s diagnosis?
What does it mean to find joy amidst mourning? To find hope even in the suffering?
What would you say to a woman who is having a difficult time navigating faith after loss?
Meet Sarah
Sarah E. Westfall is a full-time writer, speaker, and host of Not My Story, a conversational podcast about faith and the unexpected. She holds a BS in English Education and MA in Student Development Counseling, and her past work includes teaching and serving as a student life professional on college campuses. After experiencing the loss of her son almost a decade ago, Sarah invites readers into a life of authenticity and deep communion with God and with each other. Her work has been featured in RELEVANT, Fathom Mag, and The Joyful Life Magazine. Sarah calls Indiana home, where she lives with her husband Ben and four sons.
Connect with Sarah
29 Date Night Ideas
Re-connect with your spouse and have fun again, even amidst the heaviness of this season.
Use these 29 simple, not complicated, date night ideas to give your hearts a break from the heavy and hard conversations and moments of grief.
