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This Unexpected Life Podcast — Real stories. Real hope, on this unexpected journey.

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Have you found yourself facing an unexpected diagnosis, the unexpected role of a caregiver, disability mom, or a special needs parent? 

Are you feeling alone, stuck, or need encouragement

Would you want to hear other people’s stories and how they dealt with the unexpected in their role as mothers? 

Do you wrestle with the complex emotions of grieving the life you thought you were going to have and the actual reality of what it is today? 

This podcast is for you!

This Unexpected Life Podcast explores stories of resilience, hope, and messy faith to embrace our circumstances and find hope. Whether you’re new to this journey, have decades of experience, or are simply looking for encouragement to keep pressing on, this is a space where your story is held with honor. 

From a mom with 18 years of experience raising a child with medical, mental, and physical disabilities who also loves to listen and hold your story with care and honor, this place is for you.

Listen anytime, anywhere, with This Unexpected Life podcast on-demand


How to Process Grief as a Special Needs Mom: Lament, Sibling Dynamics & Trusting God in Ongoing Medical Trauma with Jen Potter (Part 2) This Unexpected Life

In Part 2 of Carrie’s conversation with Jen Potter, the focus turns to grief, sibling dynamics, and learning to trust God in the middle of ongoing medical trauma.Jen shares what it has looked like to raise five children while navigating cancer, 37 surgeries, and unexpected neurological setbacks. She speaks candidly about parenting “glass children,” protecting siblings from carrying too much responsibility, and creating space for their grief without shame.Together, Carrie and Jen explore the fear many special needs moms carry — that if they truly allow themselves to grieve, they may not recover. They discuss biblical lament, emotional honesty before God, and the practice of remembrance as a way to strengthen faith when circumstances don’t change.If you’re walking through repeated hospital stays, behavioral challenges, or the quiet ache of unmet expectations, this episode offers steady encouragement rooted in the unchanging character of God.Real stories. Real hope. For the path we didn’t choose but are called to.February 17, 2026; Eps. 39If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! Get my new resource: 5 Practices For Processing Grief Click here if you want to be a guest on the show Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram Find me on Substack My book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.
  1. How to Process Grief as a Special Needs Mom: Lament, Sibling Dynamics & Trusting God in Ongoing Medical Trauma with Jen Potter (Part 2)
  2. When Suffering Isn’t Resolved: Finding Rest, Faith, and Living Life Open-Handed with Jen Potter
  3. When Caregiving Feels Unseen: Finding God’s Presence in Lifelong Special Needs Parenting
  4. The Long Wait: Trusting God Through Autism, Infertility, and Unanswered Prayers with Jenna Erlandson
  5. When Special Needs Parenting Becomes Survival: Faith, Endurance and Autism Parenting with Celeste Shally
  6. Finding God in the Autism Journey: Jeanetta Bryant on Hope, Healing, and Advocacy
  7. When Fear Clouds the Future: An Advent Reflection for Special Needs Moms
  8. God With Us in the Unexpected: An Advent Reflection For Disability Mothers
  9. Finding Rest in Caregiving: Burnout, Faith, and Letting Go with Jess Ronne
  10. Acceptance: Learning to Live, Grieve, and Thrive in a Life You Didn’t Expect

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I’m looking for moms with a willingness to share their stories with honesty and vulnerability but also faith and hope. We can hold it all in our hands, can’t we? 

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