Finding Faith and Purpose After Loss with Cheri Fletcher
Have you ever walked through a season when simply making it through the day felt like all you could manage?
Maybe grief has changed everything. Perhaps the future looks nothing like you imagined, or someone you love is hurting, and you don’t know what to say.
When life feels this heavy, people often encourage us to “hang in there.” But what happens when we no longer have the strength to keep holding on?
My guest on this week’s episode of The Love Offering Podcast, Cheri Fletcher, shared a truth I haven’t stopped thinking about:
“I’m not hanging in there. I’m being held in there.”
After unexpectedly losing her daughter, Annie, in 2023, Cheri began recognizing the ways God had gone before her and prepared people and provisions to help carry her through her grief.
His care didn’t take away her pain, but it reminded her that she wasn’t walking through it alone.
Sometimes God’s presence looked like a friend sending a Scripture or prayer. Sometimes it was a neighbor bringing flowers, a pastor calling to check in, or even a bird singing outside her window.
Each small kindness became a quiet reminder: You are still being held.
In our tender conversation, Cheri shares:
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How to recognize God’s presence in the midst of grief
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Why sorrow may rewrite our stories without changing our identities
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How joy and heartache can exist at the same time
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What to say when we don’t know how to comfort someone
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Why our roles may change, but our purpose remains eternal
Cheri also reminds us that we don’t need perfect words to love a grieving person well. Sometimes a simple “I’m so sorry,” a listening ear, or the willingness to say their loved one’s name can be a meaningful offering of love.
If you feel like you are barely hanging on today, I pray this promise encourages you:
“I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
—Isaiah 41:10
Friend, your hope isn’t found in how tightly you can hold on to God. Your hope is found in the truth that He is holding on to you.
You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are not merely hanging on.
You are being held.
With love,
Rachael
CONNECT WITH CHERI FLETCHER:
Website and grief resources: https://cherifletcher.com
Explore Cheri’s Beyond “I Don’t Know What to Say” Grief Communication Cards and her private community, Now What? A Quiet Place for Grief.
CONNECT WITH RACHAEL ADAMS:
Website: https://rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor
Learn more about Everyday Prayers for Love and A Little Goes a Long Way: https://rachaelkadams.com/books
Listen to more episodes of The Love Offering Podcast: https://rachaelkadams.com/the-love-offering-podcast
Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
