Facing Grief Boldly: Finding God through the Storm with JoBeth Polley

What do you do when the worst thing you can imagine actually happens? When prayers go unanswered and the pain feels unbearable? In this raw and powerful conversation, Anna sits down with JoBeth Polley, who was widowed at 32 and left to navigate grief while raising two adopted children and running a 120-acre cattle farm and construction company.

JoBeth doesn't sugarcoat the journey—grief is dark, physically debilitating, and requires serious work. But she also brings hope: joy is attainable, healing is possible, and the only way out is through. This episode is for anyone navigating fresh grief, carrying unresolved pain from years past, or wanting to better support someone who's hurting. JoBeth shares practical strategies for "treating grief like a business," the danger of stuffing emotions, and why anger at God doesn't mean your faith is over—it means you're still in relationship.

If you've been sitting in your pain too long, or you're afraid to open the door to grief because you think it has no bottom, this conversation will challenge you to move your feet and do the hard work that leads to freedom.

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Key Points

• Harmful Platitudes – Well-meaning phrases (“God needed another angel”) can wound and push people away from God.

• Anger at God = Relationship – Anger doesn’t end faith; it shows you’re still engaged with Him.

• Holding Two Emotions – You can grieve deeply and still be thankful at the same time.

• Grief in the Body – Unresolved grief can show up as illness, even long-term health issues.

• The “Poopy Diaper” Analogy – Staying stuck in grief without working through it drains you and your relationships.

• Treat Grief Like Work – Commit to therapy, safe spaces, crying sessions—don’t stuff emotions for later.

• Find Safe People – Share with those who can handle raw grief without judgment.

• Validation Over Advice – Say “Of course you feel that way” instead of trying to fix or minimize.

• Download Before Organizing – Let people tell their story often before moving into solutions.

• No Set Timeline – Grief doesn’t vanish after a year; sometimes later milestones feel harder.

• Gratitude Heals – Shifting thoughts toward thankfulness helps reframe pain.

• The Only Way Out is Through – Healing comes from walking through grief, not avoiding it.

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Scriptures Mentioned

• Lamentations 3:21-23 (New Living Translation): "Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (Paraphrased in conversation as "I will never forget this awful time as I grieve over my loss. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed. His mercies are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.")

• Call to love one another: Referenced in discussing how grief gives us greater capacity to love and show up for others

• Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect: Mentioned in the context that perfection/completeness comes through love, not performance

• Give thanks in everything: Referenced as God's call to gratitude even while mourning

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Connect with JoBeth Polley

• Free 30-minute consultation call: JoBeth offers a no-obligation conversation where she can assess where you are and what kind of support would be most beneficial (grief group, one-on-one coaching, therapy, etc.) - https://auroranetwork.life/connect-with-coach-jobeth

• Grief Groups: 8-week evidence-based program using the Grief Recovery Method for those who need community and shared understanding - https://auroranetwork.life/coach-jobeth-grief-recovery-group

• Contact: Facebook  - https://www.facebook.com/jobeth.polley/

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If you're feeling that burning inside—that knowing that it's time to deal with your grief—don't wait for the perfect moment or the perfect person. Move your feet. Reach out to JoBeth or another professional. The only way out is through, and peace and joy are waiting on the other side.

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MUSIC CREDITS

Theme music: Brave New World

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Artist: Fantoms

Inspiring Hopeful

Audio source: Jamendo

Artist: Aliaksei Yukhnevich

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