Grace Upon Grace: The Williams Family Finds Joy in Grief

"For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).
 
In December of 2024, Tanner and Maria Williams were preparing to celebrate Christmas with their two young children, Alice (2) and Abram (4 months). But their lives changed forever when Abram passed away. One year later, Tanner and Maria share their testimony of how the Lord met them in their deepest grief and carried them with His strength, grace, peace, and comfort through the hardest season of their lives. 

A GUIDING STAR IN THE NIGHT

Christmas came shortly after Abram’s passing, and Tanner and Maria didn’t know how they could celebrate. But Maria knew one thing for certain: “We needed to keep Christmas alive for our 2 ½ year old.” Without being asked, friends and family decorated, wrapped gifts, and helped to create a quiet, intimate Christmas celebration at their home last year.

 

This Christmas marks one year since Abram's passing. "It will still be different this year because even in the happiest moments, he is missing,” Maria reflected.

 

Their holidays look different now because they are different. They prioritize time together as a family of three. “It goes back to perspective and the people you are with,” Tanner said. They set boundaries and say no when they need to. More than ever, “it’s about knowing what you can handle.”

 

Maria admits that it can be difficult to be fully present in large gatherings. “It’s hard to feel fulfilled in those settings anymore. It’ll never feel the same,” she explained. They hosted Thanksgiving this year, but Maria kept things simple. “We have to honor and protect our peace, and our family and friends understand,” she said.

 

A REFINING FIRE

In their grief, Tanner and Maria found themselves encountering God in new and profound ways. “I thought I knew who Jesus was,” Maria said, “but this is a whole new understanding of who He is—His grace, His peace and the Holy Spirit.” Though she had believed in the Holy Spirit her whole life, she now feels His guidance vividly. “There are so many signs now. It’s unmistakable that it’s the Holy Spirit guiding me in what to say or do.”

 

Maria also came to understand grace more deeply. Grace is defined in the Catechism as “the favor of God, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call” (CCC, 1996). “Sometimes we think we have to earn our reward in Heaven,” she said, “but we don’t need to earn His gifts. We just need to accept them.”

 

Tanner echoed that truth: “The price was already paid when Jesus died on that hill. Even though we fall short every day, the grace of Jesus washes us clean.”

That grace didn’t just carry them; it reshaped their view of life and death. “I have so many reasons to live,” Maria said, “but knowing my son is there and that we all can be together again…it is so exciting.”

 

Tanner feels that mission deeply. “We have someone there waiting for us,” he said. “We have to go above and beyond now to be better Christians.” He strives for that goal everyday, but he knows that he won’t be perfect. “I’m going to trip and fall, but I’ll get back up. I’ll lead my family the best way I know possible, and we’re going to get to Heaven.”

FAITH THAT KEEPS BURNING

By attaching their hope to God, Tanner and Maria are able to take steps forward. “What else could we hope in?” said Maria. She recalled the words of Simon Peter in the Gospel of John, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

 

They keep Abram’s memory alive every day, especially for Alice, who talks about him daily. “She makes us so happy,” Maria said, “and we see him through her. Her questions are a beautiful way to teach her about God.”

 

Alice, who is now 3 ½ years old, continues to ask about Abram often. Maria reminds her that they will all be together again one day. “I tell her that she can talk to Abram and to Jesus at all times.”

 

Tanner and Maria are both thankful to have each other to lean on and grieve with. “We can tell when it’s a good or bad day for each other,” she said. “Having a husband who is faith-filled and so similar to me…it’s God-sent. It has brought us closer together.”

 

This past year has deepened their faith profoundly. Now, they are much more in tune to the movements of the Lord and His Spirit. “I have a closer relationship with God and I’m grateful,” Maria said. “And in that sense, I can actually find joy inside of my grief.”

Maria knows that grief moves in waves, and some days are better than others. “Sometimes you just need a good cry, and then you feel lighter.” She emphasizes that grief is not meant to be compared, but shared. “Everyone experiences loss differently,” she said. Daily life can also be a challenge for her as she moves through grief. “I still need to pick Alice up, go to the store, and do ordinary things,” Maria explained.

As she navigates the daily demands of life, she finds solace in a resource for grieving parents called Redbird Ministries and their podcast titled It’s Not for Nothing. Through it, she learned a challenging truth: She would have to acknowledge the impossible reality before her. “It’s hard to accept that your child is gone, but I have to live in it and accept this as reality.” She explained further, “I have to intentionally and cognitively embrace the truth and let it settle into my own reality, in my mind, body and soul.” This practice helps her in her day-to-day life. “When my mind starts to wander, that truth recenters me. It’s really the only way I put one foot in front of the other.”

 

In the midst of her pain, Maria’s faith in God never wavered. And she credits her Catholic upbringing for that. “I’m thankful because I knew exactly where to turn. I couldn’t survive without God.” The adoration chapel has become a refuge for Maria, and she visited often in the early days of her loss. “It is a piece of heaven,” she shared.

 

Tanner echoed Maria’s conviction of unwavering faith. “We aren’t going to be here forever, so let’s make the most of it. Now, water tastes sweeter. Joy tastes sweeter. You can’t appreciate that sweetness without knowing sorrow.” He knows God has a plan and purpose for our lives. “No matter what happens,” he said, “you have Jesus Christ. Who better to walk through suffering with you?”

 

That’s why Christian music has been a lifeline for them. They both point to Brandon Lake’s “Gratitude,” Samantha Ebert’s “Flowers in the Valley,” and Phil Wickham’s “Homesick for Heaven” as standouts for God’s healing and peace. Maria intentionally surrounds herself with things that draw her closer to God.

“Most days, I rather fill my mind with religious music, TV shows like The Chosen, or with prayer. My relationship with Jesus is different, and those things bring comfort.” And instead of spending time on social media, she chooses to stay focused and be present. “That’s big for grieving families...you need support, but you have to find it the right way.”

Each day, Maria is also able to hold on to many signs of comfort and reassurance from the Lord. She recalls blessing Abram often when putting him down to sleep, whispering, “The Lord bless you and keep you.” She sees and hears this verse often now, a personal reminder for her that God is holding Abram—and them—in His arms. “It comforts me to know he’s okay, he’s with God, and God is in control,” she said.

 

And Maria no longer worries that Abram was too young to know God. “After his death, I’d read the Bible and think, ‘What about Abram?’ He was too young to pray or understand. But now I realize that Abram knew God, because he knew unconditional love through his family.”

AN EMBER OF HOPE

This year, God has blessed the Williams with a special gift: Tanner and Maria are expecting their third child in April of 2026—an Easter baby.

 

“Easter has always been my favorite holiday,” Tanner shared. “I get emotional thinking about what Jesus did for us. Having a baby at Easter time is God’s reminder of new life—of our salvation and redemption.”

 

Maria recalled the moment she learned she was pregnant this past August. “It was immediate joy combined with immediate heartbreak,” she explained. “We were so excited but also overcome with grief all over again.” Still, she remains hopeful. “It will be very spiritual, very emotional, and very different this time,” Maria said. “It will be a full-circle moment to have a new life in the midst of it all.”

 

Tanner and Maria continue to trust in God and His timing. “God has never failed us,” said Maria. “He has always shown up.” Somehow through her loss, she recognizes God’s hand in it all. Even his name—Abram Joseph—became a quiet confirmation of God’s closeness. Only later did they learn that Abram and Joseph represent the beginning and end of Jesus’ lineage. “There are so many God-winks,” she said. “It’s not just a coincidence.”

 

Through it all, Tanner and Maria feel immense gratitude. The support that has surrounded them has made an impact to this day. “There are just no words to express our thankfulness,” said Maria. “There is power in prayer, and we still feel it. I wish we could pay it back.”

Now, Tanner feels called to reach out to others who have experienced the loss of a child. “God puts people in your life for a reason. Our lives were impacted by others, and now we can touch other lives in return.”

 

Maria encourages anyone supporting a grieving family: “If God puts someone on your heart, reach out. Send a card or a text. Let them know they are not forgotten. Keep praying. You can’t just brush over grief.”

 

To honor Abram, the Williams plan to continue a family tradition with a beach vacation each year on his birthday. And of course, that’s just one of the ways they plan to keep his memory alive. “You should never stop celebrating them,” Maria said. “They are your kids forever.”

 

A LIGHT THAT LEADS US HOME

Tanner and Maria will never be the same—and they don’t want to be. God’s purpose for their lives has never been clearer. Their deep surrender and unshakeable trust show that grief didn’t harden their hearts, it expanded them, drawing them closer to the heart of Christ. By God’s grace, they can hold space for gratitude even amid sorrow, recognizing every comfort and blessing that comes from Him.

But their hope is not blind: It is rooted in the Resurrection—God’s promise that death is not the end. And like Abram’s memory, that steady flame cannot be put out.

 

“God has given us this story,” said Maria, “and we choose to still praise Him and believe in Him despite our pain.”

 

Tanner and Maria are living proof that it is possible to walk through darkness and find the light of Jesus there. Because joy and grief can go hand-in-hand. Faith and sorrow can coexist. And God can bring light into the deepest darkness, just as He did on that first Christmas night.

 

It’s the same joy that Abram’s sister, Alice, loves to sing about in her favorite song—the joy she carries so freely because it’s “down in her heart.”

 

This Christmas season, no matter what it holds, may Jesus Christ fill your hearts with His joy and surround you with His love, His presence, and His peace.