Send us Fan Mail
Today's guest, Lesa Watson, is the mother of Kelsey Chadwick — a woman who spent the last year of her life wrestling honestly with doubt, going back to the word of God, and writing everything she found there into a book called Where Else Could I Go? Kelsey passed away unexpectedly before the book released. The manuscript was already at the publisher when she died.
In this conversation, Lesa shares Kelsey's story with extraordinary grace: the cancer diagnosis Kelsey quietly hid to protect a family vacation, the five-day writing retreat where the whole book poured out of her, the voice memos her husband found on her phone after she was gone, and the last words Kelsey said before she lost consciousness — words that have stayed with everyone who heard them.
But this episode isn't only about loss. It's about what it means to build a faith that holds before the hard day arrives. Lesa talks about her own practice of studying the character of God — and how that knowledge sustained her when scripture itself wasn't sinking in. She shares the two verses she has posted in her home, the eternal hope that shapes how her family grieves, and the single truth she most wants listeners to carry away from Kelsey's words.
Key moments in this episode include the power of returning to the source when questions overwhelm us; Kelsey's story of nine months of medical uncertainty and how it became a journey deeper into faith; how Lesa holds grief and hope together without pretending either is smaller than it is; scriptures that have anchored her — Romans 8:28 and Psalm 31:14; and the profound comfort of knowing eternal life begins not at death, but at the moment you say yes to Christ.
If you're carrying questions you don't know what to do with, or sitting with a loss that hasn't resolved itself into neat answers, this conversation is for you. Share it with a friend who might need it. The questions are okay. And there is still a place to bring them.
Read the full article at GingerHarrington.com.
*Habits of Hope is taking a short summer break as Ginger welcomes two new grandchildren into the family. New episodes will return later this summer. In the meantime, explore the podcast archive and stay connected through the Habits of Hope email newsletter.
Explore Kelsey's book, Where Else Could I Go? Embracing God When You're Doubting Everything
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Support the show
Habits of Hope Podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice—spiritual, medical, legal, or otherwise.
