A Grieving Mother Shares Her Heart

Sharon W. Betters

In this poignant conversation a son, Dr. Chuck L. Betters, talks to his mother, Sharon Betters, about her grief journey after the loss of her sixteen-year-old son, Mark. They use Sharon’s book, Treasures in Darkness as a jumping off place and dive right into some of the hardest places of grief with the goal of offering help and hope to other grieving parents. Sharon’s journal is the centerpiece of Treasures in Darkness and her transparency in inviting others into the most intimate parts of her journey gave her son Chuck permission to dig deeper as they talked about the night of Mark’s death, the gift of wrestling, the importance of biblical lament, how to respect different ways of grieving and so much more. Even if you have not lost a child, this conversation will give you insights into the dark pit of grief and how to come alongside a broken friend, no matter the cause of their sorrow.


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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.


Pastor Chuck uses worship arts, preaching, teaching, and real-life experiences to reach hearts with the message of Jesus Christ. Chuck and his wife Melanie currently serve as House Parents at Path2Freedom for girls rescued from human trafficking.