Grateful for COVID may not be the phrase we expect to say—but in this episode, Evelyn Sherwood shares why those three words became part of her testimony.
Unexpectedly Grateful for COVID
After her COVID diagnosis led to the discovery of lung embolisms and ultimately cancer, she found herself living with unexpected gratitude. Grateful for COVID became not a celebration of illness, but a recognition that God used it to reveal what needed treatment—and to preserve her life.
What if grace doesn’t rush us through storms, but meets us inside them? In seasons that blindside us, our instinct is to escape the chaos as quickly as possible. But what if grace works differently? What if the path forward includes lament, surrender, and even the surprising posture of being grateful for COVID because of what it revealed?
Hard is Hard, But God is Good
Evelyn lives with the conviction that, “Hard is hard, but God is good.” As the author of The Pocket Full of Hope Series—including Just Breathe, Comfort and Joy, and Small Steps Matter—she invites us into a journey from lament into gratitude. Her story reminds us that being grateful for COVID is not about minimizing suffering, but about trusting God’s redemptive work within it.
In our conversation, we explore:
- Evelyn’s “Job season” and what it taught her about surrender
- The difference between grief and lament—and how both can lead us into grace
- Practical, everyday practices that nurture gratitude and peace
- How gratitude can coexist with suffering
- Why worship can grow in the middle of hard seasons
Helping You Be Grateful for COVID Too
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep the door open to God’s grace in the messy middle, this episode will encourage you to see how grace meets us there—sometimes in ways that lead us to say, grateful for COVID.
💬 Grace Quotes from Evelyn Sherwood:
“Hard is hard but God is good.”
“I [God] can do more in your surrender that you can do with all your striving.”
“Gather gratitude like a bouquet and give it to Jesus.”
Scriptures Mentioned:
Hebrews 4:16 – Approach God with boldness to receive grace
Grateful for COVID Resources Mentioned:
🌿 Evelyn’s The Pocket Full of Hope Series
🌿 Shop Evelyn’s watercolors and other resources
🌿 Soakstream on YouTube
🌿 Dark Clouds, Deep Mercies by Mark Vroegop
🎶 Evelyn’s go-to grace song Goodness of God by Cece Winans + Always on Time by Elevation Worship
Connect with Evelyn Sherwood:
Website: evelynsherwood.com
Instagram: @evelynshwerwoodauthor
Facebook: @evelyn.sherwood
Related Episodes:
Ep. 25 Divine Detour and Deepened Faith with Lori Ann Wood
Ep. 59 Chased by Grace, Marked by Love with Crystal Mayo
Ep. 18 Sometimes I Forget with Julie Sunne
Stay Connected with Jennifer Sakata:
🎁 My FREE gift to you: Prayers That Change Us
📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content & episode updates
⭐ If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with a friend!
👉🏼Living the Grace Life is the place where real grace meets real life. Host Jennifer Sakata helps bridge the gap between grace as a theological idea and lived practice in everyday moments of faith, encouraging listeners to experience forgiveness, freedom, and trust that they then extend to others.
Website | Instagram | Facebook