Fighting for Joy after Losing My Son with Leanne Ballinger

About this Episode

It is such a privilege to introduce you to my special friend, Leanne Ballinger. Eric and I met Mike and Leanne in 2014 when we attended David and Nancy Guthrie’s grief retreat in Nashville together. My friendship with Leanne began with a long hug and tears, and God immediately began knitting our hearts together in powerful ways.

Mike and Leanne's second son, Andrew, was born with complications and he was given a 25% chance of survival. After enduring 7 and 1/2 months of traumatic ups and downs, sweet Drew went to be with the Lord in July of 2013. With Jackson dying in June of that same year, our grief journey has been on a very similar timeframe. Our stories are different and our sons died at different ages and through different circumstances, but God has given us such likemindedness in one another. It has been such a help to have a kindred spirit like Leanne to walk through grief with. In the midst of such heartbreaking circumstances, we have seen our friendship as a kindness of the Lord. I think you will be touched by this tender conversation between two grieving moms who have become friends and confidants through great loss and great hope.