In this first half of a two-part conversation, I sit down with Jenny Leavitt — pastor’s wife, author of GodPrints, and bereaved mom — to hear the story of her son, Jacob, and the unmistakable “GodPrints” woven throughout her family’s journey.
Jenny begins by describing her earlier battle with stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma while raising two very young boys, and how God used that season to prepare her heart in ways she wouldn’t fully understand until years later. She then introduces us to Jacob — a friendly, artistic, big-hearted high school senior — and recounts the tragic accident caused by a drunk driver that took Jacob’s life and left his older brother, Caleb, critically injured.
Throughout the episode, Jenny speaks honestly about the physical, emotional, and spiritual shock of those early days, the challenge of grieving one child while caring for another, and the surprising places where God’s fingerprints began to appear. She shares about a profound “GodPrint” uncovered just days after Jacob’s death — a handwritten piece Jacob created months earlier that offered their family deep assurance of his salvation and his walk with the Lord.
Jenny also offers compassionate, practical wisdom for newly bereaved parents: the importance of connection, the value of grace for yourself and others, and the reminder that you don’t have to walk this path alone.
Links Mentioned:
- GodPrints: Finding Evidence of God in the Shattered Pieces of Life by Jenny Leavitt
- Jenny’s website
- Resilient Hope resources
Be sure to join us next week for Part Two, where Jenny reflects on how her grief has evolved over the last ten years, how she and her husband navigate grieving differently, and the GodPrints they continue to see in their story.
** IMPORTANT** - All views expressed by guests on this podcast are theirs alone, and may not represent the Statement of Faith and Statement of Beliefs of the While We're Waiting ministry.
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