In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Becky Avery—author of Escaping Christmas, blogger, full-time professional, and full-time wife—who is on a powerful mission to help others navigate grief. After losing her mother to a long battle with cancer and her father suddenly just 17 months later, Becky and her brother found themselves dreading the holidays and wondering: Can you skip Christmas? That question became the seed for her moving book, written and published just one year after her father's death.
We talk with Becky about three core themes from her book:
The reality that people grieve differently—and that’s okay.
How grief often divides families, and why she’s grateful that wasn’t her story.
The beauty of unexpected encouragement—like a simple “Are you okay?” text arriving at just the right time.
Becky also shares about her Advent blog series that creates space for grief during a season often filled with forced cheer, and we dive into the importance of normalizing conversations around death, including the need to talk openly about end-of-life plans with loved ones.
Whether you’re in the midst of loss or walking with someone through theirs, this conversation is an invitation to embrace grace, honor grief, and find meaning—even in the hardest seasons.
Connect with Becky here:
Website:
www.beckyavery.com
Blog:
www.BeckyAvery.com/blog
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BeckyAveryBooks
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/beckyavery_books
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/BeckyAveryBooks/_created
If you like this podcast please click on the Linktree link to check out our amazing affiliate sponsors and to see how you can support the podcast through Patreon.
https://linktr.ee/AdamSwedenburg
Shop faith-inspired apparel, jewelry, and gifts that point to Jesus—plus, save 15% with link.
Christianbook.com
Excited to be an affiliate of Christianbook.com—your go-to for faith-based books, Bibles, and more!
Podcast Coach Rory Paquette
Podcast Coach & Host of Power of Man & Podcaster Nation, helping men & podcasters grow and thrive.
Amazon
My go-to Bible! Buying it or anything while using the link supports our podcast. Thank you!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
https://linktr.ee/AdamSwedenburg
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.