Cradled in Hope | Podcast for Grieving Moms | Biblical Hope for Miscarriage, Stillbirth, & Infant Loss

In this deeply vulnerable and spiritually honest episode, Ashley welcomes Lisa Rowell—host of the Silent Footprints Podcast and founder of Julianna Grace Ministry—for a conversation that moves beyond advocacy into the raw realities of grief, mental health, spiritual warfare, and identity in Christ. Lisa has become a powerful voice for families impacted by pregnancy and infant loss—providing grief...

In this heartfelt and powerful Father’s Day episode, Ashley welcomes back her friend and returning guest, Eric Schumacher. Eric is a pastor, biblical counselor, husband, and father of nine children—five on earth and four in Heaven. Through his own journey of miscarriage and grief, Eric has become a compassionate voice for grieving dads, and today he joins us to share about his newest book: Dads Hu...

In this deeply moving episode, Ashley welcomes Emily Curtis—author, poet, and founder of Hope in the Mourning —to share her story of layered grief, enduring faith, and Gospel-centered hope. What unfolds is a sacred conversation about sorrow upon sorrow: multiple pregnancy losses and the death of her beloved father. Emily invites listeners into the holy space of lament. Through poetry, Scripture, t...

In this very special episode, Ashley welcomes her longtime friend and behind-the-scenes podcast team member, Maria Childs, to the microphone. Maria has faithfully served Cradled in Hope since its launch in 2021, designing the beautiful graphics and quote carousels that listeners see each week. But in this sacred conversation, Maria steps out from behind the screen to share her deeply personal stor...

In this honest and powerful episode, Ashley welcomes Anne Cockrell—wife, mom, and cohost of Hannah’s Heart on American Family Radio—to share her remarkable story of faith, surrender, loss, and hope. Anne vulnerably walks us through her journey of infertility, miscarriage, foster care, adoption, and the heartbreaking loss of her baby boy, John-Micah, who lived 27 precious minutes on earth before en...

Ashley welcomes longtime friends Tim and Yolanda Thomas to the Cradled in Hope podcast to share their journey through back-to-back pregnancy losses and the long road of grief, healing, and hope that followed. Tim and Yolanda share the stories of their daughters, Abundynce and Joyana, and speak candidly about what it was like to walk through compounded loss, unanswered questions, and seasons of dee...

In this profoundly powerful episode, Ashley welcomes national bestselling author and Midnight Mom Devotional founder Becky Thompson back to the podcast to talk about her newest book, Healing Rest . Together, they share an unforgettable conversation about rest for the weary, peace for the anxious, and the healing presence of Jesus for grieving hearts. What begins as an interview soon becomes a Spir...

In this final episode of the Cradled in Hope Book Club, Ashley reflects on the sacred journey of walking chapter by chapter through grief and healing alongside grieving moms from across the country. She offers heartfelt thanks to every listener who showed up, shared their tears, and let Jesus meet them in the midst of sorrow. Reading a section from the final pages of the book, Ashley compares this...

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 14 of Cradled in Hope , “Our Future Forever: When You Long for Your Heavenly Home.” She invites grieving moms to set their eyes on eternity and live with urgency, hope, and peace in the promise that Jesus is coming back—and that we will be reunited with our babies in Heaven. Ashley shares vivid memories of the day Bridget was born and went to Heaven, a...

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 13 of Cradled in Hope , “With the Same Comfort: When You Want to Use Your Grief for Good.” She reflects on how God can use our heartbreak to minister to others and reminds grieving moms that purpose flows from a transformed heart—not from striving or pressure to “make meaning” out of tragedy. Ashley shares a powerful story about the day of Bridget’s fu...

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 12 of Cradled in Hope , “More Than Gold: When You Allow God to Transform You,” and reflects on how her faith has been shaped through trials—even before losing Bridget. She shares how past hardships prepared her to walk through grief with Jesus and how those earlier seasons of suffering laid a foundation of trust in God's goodness. Ashley explains that...

In this episode, Ashley shares a deeply personal story of how grief resurfaced during her third pregnancy, years after the loss of her daughter Bridget. Centered on Chapter 11 of Cradled in Hope , “Holding Both: When You Experience Both Joy and Sorrow,” she reflects on how conflicting emotions—gratitude and grief, joy and sadness—can coexist and create confusion, guilt, and shame for grieving moms...

In this episode, Ashley walks through the many ways grief after losing a baby can trigger anxiety, panic, and overwhelm in daily life. Centered on Chapter 10 of Cradled in Hope , she shares real examples of past, present, and future (anticipatory) triggers and how they impact grieving moms emotionally and physically. Drawing from personal experiences and biblical wisdom, Ashley offers practical to...

This special bonus episode highlights the program from the Wave of Light 2025 event that Bridget’s Cradles hosted in Wichita, Kansas, on October 15, 2025, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day . In this episode, we shared:   The full program from the 2025 Wave of Light candlelight vigil at Beech Lake, including worship, messages of hope, and the reading of babies’ names in Heaven Opening remar...

In this episode, Ashley vulnerably shares how spiritual warfare often intensifies in the wake of pregnancy and infant loss. Centered on Chapter 9 of Cradled in Hope , “The Good Fight: When You Encounter the Enemy’s Attacks,” she recounts her own season of darkness on bedrest with Bridget—and the moment she voiced aloud, “Nothing good will ever come from this.” In that valley of isolation, fear, an...

In this episode, Ashley speaks to the deep wounds that can come from others’ words—or their silence—after the loss of a baby. Centered on Chapter 8 of Cradled in Hope , “They Know Not What They Do: When You Are Hurt by Others,” she gently walks alongside grieving moms who have experienced secondary pain in the wake of their primary loss. Whether through insensitive comments or heartbreaking absenc...

In this episode, Ashley walks alongside grieving moms who are struggling with guilt, shame, or regret after the loss of their baby. Centered on Chapter 7 of Cradled in Hope , “Grace Upon Grace: When You Can’t Forgive Yourself,” she offers compassionate truth for the mom who wonders if she could have or should have done something differently. With tender honesty and biblical reassurance, Ashley sha...

In this episode, Ashley walks tenderly through one of the hardest struggles grieving mothers face: trusting that God is still good, even after the loss of a baby. In Chapter 6 of Cradled in Hope , “For He is Good: When You Question Who God Is,” she unpacks the emotional, theological, and spiritual wrestlings that come when prayers go unanswered—and babies die. To help grieving hearts rebuild trust...

In this episode, Ashley takes us on a hope-filled journey into the wonder of Heaven. In Chapter 5 of Cradled in Hope , “Heaven on Earth: When You Wonder Where Your Baby Is,” she helps grieving moms find peace in knowing where their babies are now (the current Heaven)—and where they will one day be (the New Heaven). Drawing from Scripture and trusted theological resources, Ashley paints a biblicall...

In this episode, Ashley addresses one of the most common and vulnerable aspects of grief and faith: doubt. In Chapter 4 of Cradled in Hope , “A Firm Foundation: When You Wrestle with Doubts,” she shares why it’s vital to know what you believe about Jesus and why. With honesty and conviction, Ashley lays out the case for Christ’s identity as the risen Savior and explains why our hope of seeing our...

In this episode, Ashley shares the heart of the Christian faith and the unshakable hope grieving moms have in Jesus. In Chapter 3 of Cradled in Hope , “The Gospel Changes Everything: When You Are Desperate for Hope,” Ashley walks through the full Gospel message—from creation to restoration—and shows how it directly speaks to the pain of being separated from our babies. In our grief, the Gospel isn...

In this episode, Ashley explores one of the most tender and difficult aspects of grief: the feeling of abandonment by God. In Chapter 2, "Broken and Bleeding: When You Feel Abandoned by God , " Ashley shares her personal wrestling with faith during her pregnancy with Bridget and the raw questions that arose when her prayers went unanswered. With profound honesty and biblical truth, she unpacks how...

In this episode, Ashley reflects on the raw emotions that come in the early days of grief after pregnancy or infant loss. Centered on Chapter 1 of Cradled in Hope , “Sitting with Jesus | When You Are Overwhelmed with Sadness,” she invites grieving moms to slow down, feel the weight of their sorrow, and meet Jesus in their pain.  Ashley explains how grief is not just sadness—it’s love. She encourag...

Join us for a sacred conversation as Ashley Opliger kicks off the Cradled in Hope Book Club on launch day, July 22nd. In this heartfelt introduction episode, Ashley shares the powerful story behind the book, from the long road to publication to the sudden loss of her father just after submitting her manuscript. With raw vulnerability and deep faith, she explains how this book became even more pers...

In this second part of a deeply heartfelt conversation, Ashley continues her discussion with dear friend and fellow grieving mom, Kristin Hernandez, as they dive deeper into the story behind Cradled in Hope . With warmth, vulnerability, and unwavering faith, Ashley shares how the book was born out of her ministry work, her personal healing journey following the loss of her daughter, Bridget, and h...