When faced with parenting crises, special-needs challenges, fear, and exhaustion, how do you keep moving forward?

Today's guest Sarah Walton is an author, wife, and mom of four whose family has faced chronic illness, a son with severe behavioral episodes, and years of uncertainty without answers. In this conversation, Sarah talks about what it looked like to survive the hardest seasons of motherhood and how her faith carried her through.

She shares how she learned to grieve her expectations, hold hope and acceptance together, and find small joys when everything felt dark. She also offers practical words for how to support a friend who is suffering — and what not to say. Her new book is "Jesus Will Meet You There." 

03:14 — Sarah shares what happened when her oldest son spiked a severe fever at 7 weeks old and what followed in the years after

06:11 — The family's Lyme disease diagnosis and how it connected the dots across years of unexplained health struggles

08:19 — How Sarah stayed spiritually afloat — opening her Bible daily, journaling, and talking to God about how awful things felt

10:37 — What to say to the parent who is disappointed and asking why they got a hard child

17:44 — Holding hope and acceptance at the same time: the balance of praying for a miracle while being at peace if it doesn't come

21:05 — How Sarah talks to her kids about suffering and why she lets them see her struggle with hard questions too

26:15 — Why God doesn't always give us the "why" — and why that's actually a gift to our faith

30:02 — Listen, learn, lean in: what to do (and not do) when a friend is going through something hard

 

Grab a copy of Sarah Walton's book at JesusWillMeetYouThere.com

Sarah Walton's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahpwalton/?hl=en

Substack: https://substack.com/@sarahpwalton

 

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:

SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.

Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.

Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook

Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com

Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

 

 

When faced with parenting crises, special-needs challenges, fear, and exhaustion, how do you keep moving forward?
Today's guest Sarah Walton is an author, wife, and mom of four whose family has faced chronic illness, a son with severe behavioral episodes, and years of uncertainty without answers. In this conversation, Sarah talks about what it looked like to survive the hardest seasons of motherhood and how her faith carried her through.
She shares how she learned to grieve her expectations, hold hope and acceptance together, and find small joys when everything felt dark. She also offers practical words for how to support a friend who is suffering &mdash; and what not to say. Her new book is "Jesus Will Meet You There."&nbsp;
03:14&nbsp;&mdash; Sarah shares what happened when her oldest son spiked a severe fever at 7 weeks old and what followed in the years after
06:11&nbsp;&mdash; The family's Lyme disease diagnosis and how it connected the dots across years of unexplained health struggles
08:19&nbsp;&mdash; How Sarah stayed spiritually afloat &mdash; opening her Bible daily, journaling, and talking to God about how awful things felt
10:37&nbsp;&mdash; What to say to the parent who is disappointed and asking why they got a hard child
17:44 &mdash; Holding hope and acceptance at the same time: the balance of praying for a miracle while being at peace if it doesn't come
21:05&nbsp;&mdash; How Sarah talks to her kids about suffering and why she lets them see her struggle with hard questions too
26:15&nbsp;&mdash; Why God doesn't always give us the "why" &mdash; and why that's actually a gift to our faith
30:02&nbsp;&mdash; Listen, learn, lean in: what to do (and not do) when a friend is going through something hard
&nbsp;
Grab a copy of Sarah Walton's book at&nbsp;<a href="http://jesuswillmeetyouthere.com">JesusWillMeetYouThere.com</a>
Sarah Walton's Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahpwalton/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/sarahpwalton/?hl=en</a>
Substack: <a href="https://substack.com/@sarahpwalton">https://substack.com/@sarahpwalton</a>
&nbsp;
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe">Arlene's newsletter&nbsp;</a>"What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://arlenepellicane.com/books/">Arlene's BOOKS</a>&nbsp;including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/arlenepellicane/">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and/or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArlenePellicaneAuthor/">Facebook</a>
Watch the podcast on Arlene's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ArleneHappyHome">YouTube Channel</a>
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film">Watch the free video</a>,&nbsp;Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://gabb.com/">Gabb Wireless phone&nbsp;</a>for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

A happy home doesn't happen by accident, but it can be created with love, intention, and good family habits. If you need encouragement and guidance as a parent and/or spouse, this show is for you!  Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your present reality and ideal family. 

Your host Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books, including Making Marriage Easier, Screen Kids and Parents Rising. She and her husband James have been married for more than 27 years and have three children. 

Inside this podcast, you’ll meet some of the kindest and smartest experts when it comes to marriage and parenting. Get ready for fun, Biblical insights, and practical conversations that will change your thinking, give you hope, and spark positive change.  Let's do this together! 

A happy home doesn't happen by accident, but it can be created with love, intention, and good family habits. If you need encouragement and guidance as a parent and/or spouse, this show is for you!&nbsp; Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your present reality and ideal family.&nbsp; Your host <a href="https://arlenepellicane.com/">Arlene Pellicane</a> is a speaker and author of several books, including Making Marriage Easier, Screen Kids and Parents Rising. She and her husband James have been married for more than 27 years and have three children.&nbsp; Inside this podcast, you&rsquo;ll meet some of the kindest and smartest experts when it comes to marriage and parenting. Get ready for fun, Biblical insights, and practical conversations that will change your thinking, give you hope, and spark positive change.&nbsp; Let's do this together!&nbsp;

This show is for women and men who want a happier home life. Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your ideal family and the real thing. You don’t have to come from a happy home to create one. Your host <a...

The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

This show is for women and men who want a happier home life. Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your ideal family and the real thing. You don’t have to come from a happy home to create one. 

Your host Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books, including 31 Days to a Happy Husband and Parents Rising. She and her husband James have been married for more than 21 years and have three children. 

Inside this podcast, you’ll meet some of the kindest and smartest experts when it comes to marriage and parenting. Get ready for fun and practical conversations that will change your thinking, give you hope, and spark positive change.  

This show is for women and men who want a happier home life. Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your ideal family and the real thing. You don&rsquo;t have to come from a happy home to create one. Your host <a href="https://arlenepellicane.com/">Arlene Pellicane</a> is a speaker and author of several books, including 31 Days to a Happy Husband and Parents Rising. She and her husband James have been married for more than 21 years and have three children.&nbsp; Inside this podcast, you&rsquo;ll meet some of the kindest and smartest experts when it comes to marriage and parenting. Get ready for fun and practical conversations that will change your thinking, give you hope, and spark positive change.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Happy Home with Arlene Pellicane 

Hope, Chronic Illness, and Trusting God with Your Kids with Sarah Walton

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/70aebb3a-63f5-4e9e-9be4-b46d01397393/transcript