Finding Strength in Grief: Quiet Confidence in God with Raewyn Elsegood
Have you ever tried to fix everything yourself—frantically strategizing, problem‑solving, and praying—and still felt like your world was collapsing?
In this episode, we sit with Isaiah 30:15 and discover how, even in the deepest grief, God invites us to be delivered not by striving, but by returning, resting, and finding quiet confidence in Him.
Description
In this Life as Worship episode, Angela talks with Australian chaplain and author Raewyn Elsegood about the tender but challenging invitation of Isaiah 30:15: “You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence.”
Raewyn walks us through the context of Isaiah—God’s people in chaos, looking to Egypt and human solutions instead of trusting the Holy One of Israel—and why this verse has become an anchor for her as a grieving mother.
She shares candidly about her daughter Amy’s sudden diagnosis of severe aplastic anemia, the grueling months of treatment and bone marrow transplant during COVID, and the unexpected virus that ultimately took Amy’s life.
In the fog of loss, Raewyn describes how she could barely open her Bible, yet God met her through a daily worship song, her mother’s repeated reminder that “in quietness and confidence is your strength,” and the simple act of lying on the grass, looking up, and remembering who God is.
If you feel overwhelmed, spiritually weary, or unsure how to trust God when life doesn’t make sense, this conversation will gently invite you to look up, slow down, and discover that real strength comes not from frantic effort, but from returning and resting in Him.
Episode Highlights
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How Isaiah’s audience mirrors us: God’s people in political and spiritual chaos, seeking security in human alliances instead of the Lord.
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What “returning and resting” means in context—turning back to God, stopping our frantic plans, and letting Him re‑center our hearts.
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Raewyn’s story of Amy’s diagnosis, hospital journey, and homegoing, and how this verse became a heartbeat prayer in ICU and beyond.
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The role of lament: why honest questions, tears, and even anger can actually be part of returning to God instead of drifting from Him.
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Practical ways to cultivate “quiet confidence” in everyday life—like finding literal quiet spaces, starting the day with worship, and noticing the small gifts of God’s presence in grief.
Great Quotes
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“My home became the quietest it had ever been—almost like a tomb—and the only person left to talk to was God.”
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“In quietness and confidence is your strength, Raewyn. That’s the verse my mum kept speaking over me as I sat by Amy’s bed.”
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“I trusted God. I didn’t have to like what He had done—but I knew I couldn’t walk this road without Him.”
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“Lament doesn’t push you away from God; it keeps you close enough to sit with Him in the quiet and actually hear His heart.”
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“Look up. Stop. Listen. Rest. Your strength is not in doing everything; it’s in returning to the One who already holds everything.”
Resources Mentioned
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Isaiah 30:15 – “You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence… but you were not willing.”
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Worship music as daily nourishment – a friend sending Raewyn one worship song each morning to help her get out of bed and fix her eyes on God.
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21 Gifts: A Sacred Dance Through Grief and Healing – Raewyn’s book, sharing 21 “gifts” God gave her through Amy’s life and homegoing, with space for readers to process their own grief. Amazon Affiliate link. I earn money on qualifying purchases.
- p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0″>Raewyn’s YouTube Channel
- p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0″>Raewyn’s Website
Related Episodes
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Strength When Sorrow Wearies Our Souls with Jackie Freeman – Finding God’s strength when grief and sorrow feel like more than you can bear.
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Praising God When He Gives and When He Takes with Kelly Arena – Learning to worship God honestly in both joy and deep loss.
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God’s Creative Process for Rebuilding with Dawn Mann Sanders – Seeing how God gently rebuilds life after loss, disruption, or disappointment.
Newsletter Invitation
If Raewyn’s story and Isaiah 30:15 have reminded you that God invites you to return, rest, and find quiet confidence in Him—even in chaos—I’d love to keep encouraging you.
Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for weekly biblical encouragement, honest reflections, and a free devotional to help you worship God with your whole life, in every season: https://eepurl.com/h3Nafz.
