Episode 8

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Published on:

29th Jul 2026

#8 Just show Up: Loving Someone Through Chronic Illness and Grief

Subtitle

A conversation about faithful friendship, miscarriage, grief, fear, and the quiet power of simply being present.

Episode Summary

What does it look like to love someone through suffering when you can't fix what's broken?

In this deeply personal episode of Joy in Suffering, Melissa is joined by her lifelong friend, Carrie Barresi, whose friendship has spanned more than forty years. Together they reflect on growing up together, navigating chronic illness, walking through miscarriage and the loss of a parent, and discovering that some of the greatest acts of love aren't found in having the right words—but in faithfully showing up.

Carrie shares how watching Melissa's lifelong health journey shaped her own faith, the loneliness she experienced after multiple miscarriages, and how Psalm 23 became an anchor during the devastating loss of her mother. Melissa and Carrie also discuss the well-meaning comments that often hurt those who are grieving, why grief is never linear, and how God's presence meets us in every valley.

Whether you're walking through suffering yourself or wondering how to support someone you love, this conversation offers hope, wisdom, and practical encouragement for the journey.

In This Episode

  • How a friendship of more than forty years has shaped both Melissa's and Carrie's faith
  • Loving someone through chronic illness when you can't fix their pain
  • The hidden grief of miscarriage and why people often don't know what to say
  • Losing a parent and finding peace through Psalm 23
  • Why grief isn't something we simply "get over"
  • Common phrases that unintentionally wound people who are suffering
  • Learning to surrender fear instead of trying to control the future
  • Why faithful presence is often the greatest gift we can offer
  • What "just showing up" really looks like in everyday life

Scripture for the Season

Psalm 23 (NIV)

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing..."

Carrie shares how this familiar psalm became a lifeline during the loss of her mother and continues to bring peace whenever fear begins to rise.

Song for the Season

Be Not Afraid – John Michael Talbot

A beautiful reminder that God walks beside us through every valley and every fear

Word of the Month

Presence

Sometimes the greatest ministry isn't finding the perfect words.

It's showing up.

God's presence changes us—and our presence can become one of His greatest gifts to someone who is hurting.

Reflection Question

Who in your life needs your presence more than your answers this week?

What would it look like to simply reach out, listen well, and remind them they're loved?

Resources Mentioned

  • Bearing the Unbearable – Joanne Cacciatore
  • Faith Over Fear: Trusting God Through Life's Uncertainties –(Featuring a chapter by Melissa Winters)
  • The Courage to Say Yes –(Featuring a chapter by Melissa Winters)

Connect with Melissa

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love to continue walking this journey with you.

Subscribe to the newsletter on Substack for monthly encouragement, Scripture, and reflections for women navigating chronic illness, grief, and hard seasons.

Share This Episode

If someone came to mind while listening, would you share this episode with them?

Sometimes the greatest encouragement begins with one simple act of showing up

Mentioned in this episode:

A Quick Favor

"I'm looking for 3-5 women to hop on a short, no-pressure 15-minute call with me, just to hear a little about your journey with chronic illness, grief, or a hard season, and the words you would use to describe it. No catches, no upsells, just me wanting to understand my listeners better so I can serve you well. As a thank-you, I will send you my free faith quiz, "What Is God Growing in Your Life Right Now?" If you're willing, just send me a DM on Instagram and I will set up a time that works for you."

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About the Podcast

Joy in Suffering
A Christian Podcast for women navigating chronic illness, grief and hard seasons
Are you a Christian woman living with chronic illness, chronic pain, or deep grief — wondering where God is in the middle of your suffering?
Welcome to Joy in Suffering: a Christian podcast for women navigating chronic illness, grief, anxiety, stress, and the quiet heartbreak of lost dreams.
Hosted by Melissa Winters, who has lived with chronic illness since she was one year old, this podcast offers gentle, faith-filled conversations rooted in honest stories, Scripture, song, and hope that actually sustains you through the hard places.
Each episode creates space to wrestle honestly with suffering while remembering that God is present, loving, and still working — through stories, Scripture, and song.
Whether you're navigating chronic illness, walking through grief, struggling with anxiety and fear, grieving the life you thought you'd have, or simply exhausted from a season that won't let up — you'll find honest conversations, compassionate encouragement, and biblical hope designed to help you discover that joy is not the absence of pain. It is the presence of Christ within it.
What you'll find here:
1) Faith and hope for Christian women with chronic illness and chronic pain
2) Biblical encouragement for grief, loss, and hard seasons
3) Honest conversations about suffering, doubt, and holding onto God
4) Scripture-centered hope for anxiety, fear, and uncertainty
Stories of real women finding joy and purpose in the middle of limitations
5) Gentle encouragement for women who feel unseen, forgotten, or alone
If you've ever asked:
-Why does God feel so distant in my suffering?
-How do I find joy when nothing in my life is changing?
-Is it okay to struggle and still call myself a woman of faith?
-How do I hold onto hope when healing hasn't come?
-Does my life still have purpose even with chronic illness or grief?
You're in the right place.
This podcast is for Christian women who are tired of pretending they're okay — women who want real, Scripture-rooted encouragement that meets them right where they are, not after the storm passes.
New episodes drop every other Wednesday. Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and join Melissa on Instagram and Facebook at @melissawinters1974 for encouragement between episodes.
Your story isn’t over
Christ can bring purpose to your pain
and even here-Joy still remains

About your host

Profile picture for Melissa Winters

Melissa Winters

Melissa Winters is the creator and host of Joy in Suffering, a Christian podcast that encourages women navigating chronic illness, grief, and life’s hardest seasons. Having lived with chronic illness her entire life, Melissa understands the deep losses, questions, and unexpected detours suffering can bring. Through honest conversations, Scripture, and song, she points women to the unchanging hope found in Jesus Christ. Her prayer is that every woman who listens leaves feeling encouraged, strengthened in her faith, and reminded that Christ is with her—even in the hardest places.