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Overview

‘It is every parent’s worst nightmare to receive that phone call. I miss her presence every minute of every day.'

Annette shares her journey of the darkest time in her life when her daughter was tragically killed.

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Podcast

One foot in heaven, one foot on earth

10 Min.

Thursday, 1 January 2026

Messages of Hope Podcast

‘It is every parent’s worst nightmare to receive that phone call. I miss her presence every minute of every day. I seriously wanted to go and knock on his door and say ‘do you realise what you’ve done to our family?’ I wanted him to know how much pain, you know, the serrated sharp, jagged edges of a mother’s pain.’

It’s a phone call every parent dreads, and a situation that no parent should have to go through. How do you navigate your way through the unthinkable? Annette shares her journey of the darkest time in her life when her daughter was tragically killed.

A summary of the key points from this episode:
  • Grief affected every part of life — sleep, health, work, emotions — and didn’t ease with time; in fact, the second year was even harder than the first
  • Anger and bitterness toward the driver who caused the accident consumed her thoughts, trapping her in pain and preventing her from truly grieving her daughter
  • Hitting rock bottom forced a turning point, where Annette cried out to God for help, asking only to survive one moment, one day at a time
  • Forgiveness became the path to freedom — not as a feeling, but as a long, deliberate process that released her from being imprisoned by bitterness
  • Letting God carry what she could not change brought peace, lightness, and signs of healing, even in small things like returning to brighter clothes and joy
  • Grief never fully disappears, but it changes — painful days still come, especially around anniversaries, yet they no longer last forever
Full Episode A full written transcript (PDF format) of this episode is available via the link below:

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We believe God is at work in all things, draws near in challenging circumstances, and loves each and every person fully and unconditionally.

If you would like us to pray for you or for someone you know, we would be happy to keep your situation in our prayers.