Grief, Faith, and Suicide Loss: When Belief Is Shaken and Hope Feels Impossible- with Rachel Powell

Grief can shake everything you thought you believed — especially your faith. 💔
What happens when loss, suicide, and spiritual struggle collide?

In this raw and deeply redemptive episode of Grief 2 Growth, host Brian Smith sits down with Rachel Powell, widow, author, speaker, and founder of Hope Speaker, to talk honestly about grief, faith, and suicide loss.

After losing her husband to suicide — and surviving suicide attempts herself — Rachel shares what it means to walk through unimaginable pain while holding onto hope. Together, Brian and Rachel explore the complicated intersection of grief and faith, including:

✨ What grief looks like when you’re a person of faith
✨ How church hurt, and spiritual abuse can deepen loss
✨ Why suicide is not a failure of love or faith
✨ What it really feels like to be in a suicidal mindset
✨ How hope can still grow — even after everything falls apart

This conversation is not polished or sugar-coated. It’s honest. It’s vulnerable. And it’s filled with compassion for anyone who has ever felt buried by grief, questioned God, or struggled to keep going.

If you’ve ever asked:

“Why didn’t faith protect me from this pain?”

“Am I broken for struggling like this?”

“Is there still hope for my life after loss?”

You are not alone — and this episode is for you. 🌱

👉 After listening, continue the conversation at grief2growth.substack.com
Share your reflections, leave a comment, and connect with others who understand what it means to grieve and grow.

🎧 Guest resources:
Rachel Powell — https://hopespeaker.com

Christian Widow Community — https://hopestronghold.com

💬 If this episode speaks to you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who may need hope today.

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00:00 🌱 Grief to Growth – When Pain Becomes the Seed of Growth
02:58 🎙️ Introducing Rachel Powell and the Heart of This Conversation
03:12 💞 Rachel’s Love Story with André and Their Early Life Together
04:45 ⚠️ The “Boiling Frog” – Addiction, Abuse, and Escalating Crisis
12:30 💔 Faith, Boundaries, and Being Told to Submit at Any Cost
18:40 😔 Losing André to Suicide and the Shock That Followed
26:10 🖤 Complex Grief, Guilt, and the Silence of Suicide Widows
32:04 ✝️ Religion vs. Faith – When Belief Heals or Harms
33:14 🧠 How Grief Gets Complicated by Church Hurt and Theology
41:50 🤍 Finding a Safe Church and Beginning to Heal Spiritually
51:00 🚨 Suicide Prevention vs. Saving Your Own Life
51:45 🧠 The “Black Box” of Suicide Thinking Explained
01:06:51 🌱 Why Suicide Is Not About Weakness or Lack of Love
01:08:37 ✨ Hope vs. Hopelessness – What Actually Saves Lives
01:09:07 🔗 How to Connect with Rachel Powell & Hope Speaker
01:10:49 📝 Brian’s Grief Check-In and Final Reflections