Episode 10

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Published on:

26th Aug 2026

#10 When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayers the Way You Hoped-Trusting Him Anyway

Subtitle (SEO Boost):

A conversation on faith, chronic caregiving, grief, and trusting God when prayers aren't answered the way we hoped

💛 Episode Summary:

What happens when life asks you to carry more than you ever imagined? This week I'm joined by Paula Romang — wife, mother, Bible study and devotional writer, and a woman whose faith was refined through years of caregiving and profound loss. Paula's son Matthew lived with severe special needs and passed away at age twelve, and in this conversation she shares what it actually looked like to trust God on the days trust didn't feel like a given. If you're walking through chronic illness, grief, or caregiving, this one is for you.

In this conversation, we talk about:

- What "choosing faith over feelings" looked like in the daily, unglamorous grind of caregiving — no warm fuzzy feelings required

- The specific lies suffering tempted Paula to believe about her worth, and the truth from Scripture she returned to instead

- How immersing herself in God's Word and prayer became the lifeline that carried her through Matthew's twelve years and beyond

📖 Scripture: [12:40]

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." — Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)

Additional verses referenced:

Isaiah 40–41 [13:40];

Psalm 147:3-4 [14:11];

Isaiah 57:15 [14:44];

Matthew 11:28-30 [19:33]

🎶 Songs Mentioned:

- It Is Well With My Soul — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QUqo37M0wM

- All the Way My Savior Leads Me — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEOtFEs0Jos

- Praise You in This Storm, Casting Crowns — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YUGwUgBvTU

- Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), Hillsong UNITED — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI-Z0lq-LIE

- Goodness of God, CeCe Winans — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sE5kEnitqE

✨ Word of the Week: Trust

Trust isn't a feeling you wait around for — it's a choice you make, over and over, to believe God is who He says He is, even when your circumstances say otherwise. This week, may you choose trust — not because it's easy, but because He's already proven He's worthy of it.

💭 Reflection Question:

Where in your life is God asking you to trust Him even though the outcome doesn't look the way you hoped it would?

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

- Paula's book, Thriving in the Barren Place: How Trust in God Fueled My Journey Through Heartache and Loss — https://www.amazon.com/Thriving-Barren-Place-Journey-Heartache/dp/B0FCTWBHSX

- Paula's website — www.paularomang.com

- Paula on Facebook — Paula Romang

- Paula on Instagram — @promang869

- Paula on YouTube — Paula Romang

💛 Signature Truth:

Your story isn't over.

God can bring purpose to your pain

And somehow- even here- joy still remains.

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

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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.