Widowed After 45 Years: How Writing Gave Me a Reason to Get Up

Have you ever had an ordinary afternoon that turned out to be one of the most important of your life?

Pam was 38, living a life she calls a blessing, with a loving husband, great friends, and a house that was always ready for the next party. Then one afternoon around her pool, she got to know her younger brother as an adult for the very first time. Less than three weeks later, he was gone.

That was the first of many losses. Her brother, her mom, her dad, and then Jim, the husband who walked beside her through all of it since she was 26. Through every one of them, her faith stayed with her, and so did her pen. She started writing after her brother died, and she picked it back up after Jim passed, hoping something good could come from it all.

This is a gentle and honest conversation about grief that keeps changing shape, the things we get to say and the things we never do, and what it looks like to find your footing when part of you went with the person you loved. It is also Pam's very first video podcast, and she told me she was nervous. I am so glad she came.

What You'll Hear

• An afternoon by the pool with a brother she barely knew
• A decision about organ donation that honored who he was
• Grieving a mother before she was gone, and finding each other again
• Asking the Lord for more time, and getting almost two more years with Jim
• Why the last chapter does not get to be the whole book
• Stepping outside her comfort zone, and the message from a recent widow that made it worth it

Guest Bio

Pamela Joy Dlugos is an award-winning author, educator, and spiritual encourager whose writing brings God's Word to life through messages of comfort, hope, and inspiration. A former teacher and founder of ReJOYce Publications, she is the author of four faith-filled books for readers of all ages. Her grief journey spans more than three decades: the sudden loss of her only sibling, both parents, and most recently, her beloved husband of 45 years. Those LIFE SHIFTS inspired books on subjects she never planned to write about, guided by the Holy Spirit every step of the way. Today, Pamela's calling is to help grieving hearts find hope, healing, and joy while discovering what God may be leading them toward in life's unexpected next chapter.

Website: authorpamelajoy.com (https://authorpamelajoy.com)

YouTube: @authorpamelajoy (https://www.youtube.com/@authorpamelajoy)

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