Part 1 - From Grief to Hope with Amy JoobPart 1 - From Grief to Hope with Amy Joob
Crossroads with Jenny Bushkell
Jenny Bushkell talks with author and coach Amy Joob about her intense season of grief, including the loss of her father, church community, and brother. Their conversation focuses on honest emotion, Christian faith, and how prayer, support, and remembrance can help someone begin to move from deep sorrow towards hope.
24:49•14 Aug 2026
From Grief Storms to Glimmers of Hope with Amy Joob
Episode Overview
- Grief can come from many directions at once—death, church conflict, relocation—and each layer needs to be acknowledged rather than minimised.
- Trying to handle grief by isolating, stuffing emotions, or self-medicating can keep someone stuck; talking honestly and seeking help can open a way forward.
- Remembering what a lost loved one would want for your life can become motivation to keep writing, serving, and living rather than staying frozen in sorrow.
- Forgiveness after betrayal is a process, especially when others refuse to reconcile, and may require releasing outcomes to God instead of forcing resolution.
- Small acts of practical support and simply mentioning the name of the person who died can be a huge comfort to someone who is grieving.
“"It's like a bomb fell into your building, into your family, into your life... and you're just, like, crushed."”
What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? This conversation between host Jenny Bushkell and award-winning author and coach Amy Joob centres on grief, faith, and the shaky, honest middle ground between the two. Aimed at Christians who are walking through loss or supporting someone who is, the episode blends gentle humour, raw honesty and Bible truth.
Jenny sets the tone by naming how loss can make you wonder if life will ever feel whole again, then asks what it could look like for God to help someone "flourish again" instead of just surviving. Amy shares how, shortly after launching her ministry, she was hit by what she calls a "grief storm": the sudden death of her father, a painful breakdown in her church community, and a major move from Chicago to southwest Florida.
She talks about the hidden grief of starting over after nearly 30 years in one place and learning that "there's a grief, right, in letting go of the old". She then speaks about even deeper wounds: betrayal in family and business, serious medical issues in her family, and the tragic suicide of her brother Donnie.
Amy is frank about panic attacks, nights of wailing into a pillow, and the shattering impact of suicide: "It's like a bomb fell into your building, into your family, into your life." Yet she also recounts a powerful moment at "rock bottom" where she sensed Jesus saying, "Good. I've been waiting for you here." Throughout, Amy keeps circling back to prayer, forgiveness, and the idea that loved ones would not want us permanently stuck in grief.
Jenny and Amy talk about the comfort of being remembered, why mentioning a lost loved one’s name matters, and how small acts of support—like friends showing up to help her move—became lifelines. If you're carrying the weight of loss, this gentle, faith-filled chat might help you ask: what if this isn’t the end of your story?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.