What does it mean for God to be good? This common question is at the heart of what many of us will wrestle with when we experience some form of loss in our lifetime. Our guest, LaSandra Hutchinson is going to help us uncover how grief and loss has impacted our relationship with God. LaSandra is a speaker, writer, content creator and advocate for the rights and well-being of women and girls. She began her work in the non-profit sector as a teenager, spearheading a youth-led initiative in which she designed and implemented violence prevention programming to empower young women in Chicago. She has continued that work as a domestic violence advocate and currently builds awareness of the issue by providing domestic violence training and strengthening community partnerships through her with South Suburban Family Shelter, an organization that provides comprehensive domestic violence services in Illinois.  After 20 years of friendship and 13 years of marriage, LaSandra experienced the sudden loss of her husband in October 2017.  At the time, her children were 11, 10, 8, and 6 years old. Eager to learn all she could about grief and to rebuild a powerful life for her and her children, LaSandra began researching grief and sharing her new understanding, her faith, and her grief journey on YouTube, through public speaking, and through writing. She wanted to give a transparent look into grief in a way that resonated with others and that brought hope. Through these steps, Grace & Grief was born. Grace and Grief is an initiative that provides support, community, and inspiration to help others grow through grief and live boldly after loss. In this episode we discuss… The connection between her work as a domestic violence advocate and a grief coach What it means for God to be sovereign What to expect in the grief process How grief support helps us confront our loss of identity and how we can grow through grief and loss This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation. In part 2 LaSandra answers listeners' questions. Show Notes Keep up with LaSandra: graceandgrief.com @graceandgrief Words to Remember…  "Your relationship with God matters whether you're in a crisis or not. Don't wait to get to know him when you're in a crisis." - LaSandra Hutchinson "The soul can grow through loss." -LaSandra Hutchinson "We have to get down to business with God...there's no way out but through it." -LaSandra Hutchinson *** The STRONG Womanhood Growth Journal: Activate the Courage to Live Out Your Calling is a self directed guide for women who want to be active participants in their personal transformation and are looking for a process to mentor them through it. And it’s finally here! Get it at Amazon: BUY THE BOOK Amazon Book Review: “I highly recommend this journal. I discovered actionable steps to take on my next journey into becoming more consistent with reaching my goals. The messages shared by Kendra are full of wisdom and timeless. The thought provoking questions will assist you in transforming into a confident and courageous woman.” *** Subscribe to the #WorkYourPlan Podcast and published episodes will come right to the podcast app on your phone and/or join our email list for email reminders of when a new episode is ready. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify with a short review. Connect with Kendra personally @kendratillman or @strongherme on Instagram. Ask a question on the podcast episode at strongher.me or by emailing [email protected].