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New Day Church NE Tacoma

With 05/28/23

·53 min·5 clips
Pastor David reveals he serves as a pediatric chaplain on the cancer unit, ministering to children and families across diverse faiths.
The episode features a conversation between host Jeff, Betsy, and Pastor David about their work in hospice and chaplaincy. Betsy shares that she volunteers with hospice, motivated by the loss of her parents and a verse about God bringing us alongside others in hard times. Pastor David explains his role as a staff chaplain at Seattle Children's Hospital, specifically on the cancer oncology unit, where he ministers to children and families of diverse faiths. The host prompts a discussion on what to do when you can't fix a situation, leading to insights on listening, compassionate presence, and avoiding judgment. Betsy and Pastor David describe the importance of being present without offering solutions, with Betsy emphasizing humility and Pastor David discussing spiritual interventions for pain. They delve into personal coping strategies, such as prayer, talking to others, and self-care rituals like music. Pastor David shares an African proverb about letting death find you alive, highlighting how grief can inform living. The conversation includes audience questions, such as how to walk alongside someone with a painful story you can't relate to, and the balance between sharing faith and respecting boundaries. Betsy recounts a story about singing hymns with a patient and her roommate, while Pastor David tells of a pediatric patient who promised to send him an upgrade from heaven. The episode concludes with a prayer for their ministries and the challenge of trusting God's presence in hard situations.

As heard by us

A candid conversation about hospice, grief, and staying present when pain cannot be fixed.

Grief gets the room it needs in a conversation where hospice care, prayer, and hard honesty sit close together. Betsy reflects on volunteering and working with hospice after losing both parents, and the episode stays with the question of how to be near people facing death…

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Why you'd press play

For the days when grief needs company and hard conversations need a little more courage.

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