Hope Mommies Podcast - Gospel Hope for Grieving Moms

Host Kristin Hernandez welcomes Ashley Opliger—founder and executive director of Bridget's Cradles—to share how God lovingly draws near in our grief, cradling us in hope as He cradles our babies in heaven. Ashley tells the story of her daughter Bridget, who was stillborn in 2014, and how her loss became the catalyst for a ministry that now provides handmade cradles to bereaved families across the...

"In losing my three sweet babies, I was not left empty-handed. God filled my hands with his own nail-pierced hands. He met me in my grief and sat with me in the ashes. He will do this for you, too. You can know him–your suffering Savior. To know him more is to treasure him more. Jesus is not a consolation prize for the loss of your unborn babies.. He is the prize–the Treasure that surpasses all ot...

Ashlee Schmidt joins Kristin Hernandez for a conversation about drawing near to God in prayer and trusting His love and sovereignty through the journey of pregnancy after loss. Ashlee vulnerably shares her story of losing two babies and navigating the high-risk pregnancy that followed, and how God taught her to lean on Him in the midst of grief, fear, and uncertainty. Together, Kristin and Ashlee...

In this episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Eric Schumacher to explore the often-overlooked grief of fathers after the loss of a baby. Eric shares his personal story of fatherhood and loss, the challenges many men face in expressing sorrow, and how cultural expectations can silence grief. Together, they discuss the importance of honest communication in marriage, the vital role of the church co...

Joy and grief often walk hand in hand for Hope Moms. In this episode, Erin Thibodeaux joins Kristin Hernandez to share her motherhood journey—the excitement of expecting twins and the devastating loss of her daughter, Adalyn Layne, who lived just 26 days. Together, they talk about the complexities of grieving one child while raising another, the unique challenges of parenting through sorrow, and t...

In this tender and theologically rich episode, host Kristin Hernandez is joined by author Abbey Wedgworth to talk about miscarriage, grief, and the unshakable hope we have in Christ. Abbey shares about losing her second baby, the emotional and spiritual wrestling that followed, and how the Lord met her in the midst of her pain.  Kristin and Abbey discuss the unique challenges of miscarriage—includ...

How do you respond when someone asks how many kids you have? Or when a baby shower invite arrives in your inbox? What about the medical advice you didn't ask for or the pressure to "move on"? In this episode, Brooke Schuelke, Jennie Parks, and Kristin Hernandez share personal stories and practical wisdom for navigating the often uncomfortable and unexpected situations that arise after the loss of...

Rachel Lohman, author of Miscarried Hope, guides listeners through the events of Holy Week, drawing parallels between a grieving mother's emotions and the emotions experienced by Jesus' disciples. She explains how the stages of expectation, shock, despair, grief, and hope mirror the disciples' journey with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday–through the excitement of His arrival, the ago...

Friendship after the loss of a baby can feel complicated. In this episode, Kristin Hernandez and Jennie Parks discuss how grief can reshape relationships—deepening some while straining others. They reflect on how their expectations of friendship changed after loss, things they would have done differently, the emotional labor of maintaining connections, and the struggle of navigating grief together...

Whether you attended this year's retreat or couldn't join us in person, we invite you to revisit all four teaching sessions with us. This episode is the final installment in our four-part teaching series on John 15:1-9 and features a re-recording of Session 4 from the 2025 Hope Mommies Retreat. In this session, Kristin Hernandez shares about the joy of abiding in God's love. She addresses the ques...

Whether you attended this year's retreat or couldn't join us in person, we invite you to revisit all four teaching sessions with us. This episode is the third installment in our four-part teaching series on John 15:1-9 and features a re-recording of Session 3 from the 2025 Hope Mommies Retreat. In this session, Kristin Hernandez explores the context of John 15:7 ("If you abide in me, and my words...

Welcome to the second installment of our four-part teaching series on John 15:1-9. This episode contains a re-record of the complete audio from Session 2 of our 2025 Hope Mommies Retreat.  Kristin Hernandez explores how pruning–an often uncomfortable process–can lead to spiritual growth and fruitfulness. We dive into how God's Word prunes and cleanses us, as well as the distinction between being p...

Welcome to the first installment of our four-part teaching series on John 15:1-9. This episode contains a re-record of the complete audio from Session 1 of our 2025 Hope Mommies Retreat.  Kristin Hernandez shares about the context and setting in which Jesus spoke the words of John 15, while also telling her own personal story of loss and striving for joy. We hope you are deeply encouraged as you l...

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, host Kristin Hernandez sits down with Jessalyn Hutto, author of An Inheritance of Tears, to explore the grief of pregnancy loss through the lens of scripture and God's sovereignty. They discuss the doctrine of the Fall—how it brought physical brokenness into the world—and the hope found in God's redemptive plan and our inheritance in Christ. Jessalyn sh...

In this episode, Tatum Green shares the life and legacy of her son, Timothy Jacob "TJ" Green, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and spent 56 miraculous days on earth before going to be with Jesus. Tatum shares about the challenges that arose with guiding her toddler son, Sam, through the diagnosis and loss of his baby brother and about the inspiration behind Where Did TJ Go? A Book for Kids on Gri...

In this episode, Kristin Hernandez sits down with her husband, Chris, to discuss their journey through grief, marriage, and parenting after the loss of their firstborn son, Ethan. They reflect on how they met, their dreams for their family as newlyweds, and the unexpected challenges that arose as they walked through loss and each grieved in different ways. Chris and Kristin talk about the importan...

Alyson Brown and Kelsi Cole were already close friends when they faced the unimaginable heartbreak of losing their precious babies, Cora and Whitson, to stillbirth—just two weeks apart.  In this episode, Kristin is joined by Alyson and Kelsi of Foreknown Ministries to talk about reconciling God's goodness with suffering, and whether healing and joy are possible after loss. Alyson and Kelsi share t...

In this special bonus Q&A episode, we're answering your listener-submitted questions and covering everything from our favorite grief-related resources to the little joys we're loving right now. Join Kristin Hernandez, Emily Copeland, Sarah Hutchinson, Jennie Parks, Constance Ray, and Brooke Schuelke as we dive into topics ranging from our favorite scriptures for comfort to the unexpected things th...

We're celebrating one year of The Hope Mommies Podcast! In this milestone episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by some of the Hope Mommies Leadership Team to share the story of how the podcast came to be, discuss our favorite episodes so far, and give a behind-the-scenes look at memorable stories and recording mishaps along the way. We also look ahead to upcoming episodes and give a preview into 2...

Christmas morning can feel especially painful when you're missing your baby. There's one less pair of Christmas pajamas to buy, one less pair of eyes lighting up at the sight of gifts beneath the tree. The silence can be deafening. We see you, Hope Mom. We understand the ache of empty arms and a heavy heart. In this special Christmas Day episode, we've joined together with 16 friends to bring you...

The holiday season can be especially challenging when you're grieving the loss of your baby. What was once a time of joy and anticipation may now feel overwhelming and painful. In this episode, Kristin is joined by Jamie Speegle, Julie Lehman, and Paige Meyer to share their personal experiences of spending their first Christmas without their Hope Babies. They discuss practical ways to honor and re...

The holidays remind us of all the things we hoped would be different by now. For prayers to be answered, For ultrasounds to bring good news; For wombs and cribs to be filled, For silent nights to be anything but silent, For things to go back to "normal." We can feel worn out from trying to hold on to hope in the aftermath of pregnancy and infant loss, but there is still a reason to rejoice this ye...

Waiting can often feel discouraging and isolating. But is there value in these seasons of waiting? What does it mean to wait with hope, and where can we find that hope? In this episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Kelley Ramsey, Jen Hesse, and Jaclyn Toscas from Waiting in Hope Infertility Ministries to explore what it truly means to wait in hope. Together, we discuss important topics such as i...

Join us for an audio format of Hope Mommies' 2024 Annual Review. Losing a baby comes with so many complicated emotions and feelings. Grieving without God is a hopeless pursuit. We want Hope Moms to know their baby's death is not their fault, it wasn't a failing of their bodies or a lack of their faith. Our desire is for these women to filter life through the lens of the Gospel and to orient their...

In today's episode, Brooke Schuelke, Jennie Parks, and Kristin Hernandez shine light on several untrue phrases that often circulate within Christian communities. Our hope for this episode is not to shame, but rather to lovingly equip Hope Moms and those who love them with truth that lasts and truth that comforts.  We discuss the phrases… "God must have needed another angel."  "Everything happens f...