Hope Mommies Podcast - Gospel Hope for Grieving Moms

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5 Darkness takes on a new meaning when our babies die. It's a place of sadness, tears, and heartache, but it's in the darkness that Christ's light can shine brightest. When we choose to turn to Him in grief, He will faithfully lead us to joy, peace, hope, and abundant life. When we choose to praise God amidst our pain...

"What I want most for them is for their lives to be used by God for his glory and to point others to Jesus. And I think: Wow, God has done that with Annabelle's life. And it's not about me sitting here sharing on a podcast or putting her story in a book…I saw Him doing the work on day one of that diagnosis, when I was lonely and afraid in the dark on my knees…There in the dark when no one knew who...

Hope Mommies' Annual Retreat is just that–a retreat from the everyday battle of busyness and heartache and adjusting to your "new normal" as a Hope Mom. It is a unique week of sharing stories, worshiping the Lord together, and listening to Biblical teaching as we look to God's word to illuminate our sorrows and point us to Jesus, the only hope we have for healing and Heaven. Brooke Schuelke, Emily...

Grief can feel especially complex for Hope Grandparents as they mourn the loss of a precious grandchild while carrying the heartache of their own son or daughter. In this episode, Bonnie Klein (mother of Sarah Hutchinson), Marie Donley (mother of Jennie Parks), and Rene De La Cruz (father of Kristin Hernandez) join the podcast to discuss the unique ways grandparents grieve the loss of a Hope Baby....

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Hope Mom and licensed professional counselor associate, Shannon Owen, to discuss the practice of lament as a powerful tool in processing grief. Shannon shares her personal experiences with suffering, including an ectopic pregnancy and raising a child with a rare genetic physical disability. Shannon outlines the four stages...

In this episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Katie Cobbs, the voice behind 'Sparrow Song,' to discuss what it looks like to worship through seasons of grief and suffering. We talk about what it means to worship, the various forms worship can take, and the way our grief can result in worship to the Lord. Katie also gives a behind-the-scenes look at how 'Sparrow Song' was inspired, written, and r...

Kristin Hernandez is joined by Sara Paradoski, Kristin Jackson, and Megan Thivierge to discuss important dates in our Hope Babies' stories, such as birthdays, due dates, and diagnosis days. They discuss dates that have been the most difficult, how moms can prepare their hearts for these milestones, ideas for making those days special, and tips for including family and friends. Kristin H., Sara, Kr...

Kristin Hernandez is joined by Sarah Klein Hutchinson, Community Director for Hope Mommies, to talk about the importance of community in grief. Sarah shares her story of losing two daughters, Eisley and Ava, and how she found solace and support in the Hope Mommies community. Sarah shares how other grieving women can find support through social media, Bible studies, online support groups, and in-pe...

In today's episode, Vaneetha Risner joins Kristin Hernandez to share how God has met and comforted her through multiple seasons of grief, including the death of her infant son, Paul, and her struggle with post-polio syndrome. Vaneetha answers the question, "If God loves me, why would He have let this happen?" in a truthful and biblical way that will deeply encourage your heart. Vaneetha talks abou...

"I had to remind myself of the love of the Lord, of the goodness of the Lord, of His faithfulness. Even when I wasn't feeling it, looking to the Lord daily, sometimes minute by minute…turn to the Lord because He is so good and He is so faithful and He will meet you right where you're at in your journey." - Emily Copeland Kristin Hernandez is joined by Emily Copeland to talk about Hope Boxes and th...

In this special Father's Day episode, Kristin Hernandez welcomes Blair Cushman, husband to Erin and Hope Dad to Gwendolyn and Baby C. Blair shares Gwendolyn's story from a father's perspective and imparts biblical wisdom for grieving fathers and for mothers who want to support their husbands through grief. Whether you are a Hope Dad, or love a Hope Dad in your life, this episode will leave you wit...

As we kick off summer and step into Miles for Hope, we're straying from our usual every-other-week release schedule and bringing you a brand new episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast every Wednesday during June! To kick things off, Kristin is joined by Holly Colonna, a fitness instructor and Hope Mom, to talk about how exercise can be a powerful tool when we are grieving. Holly shares her personal s...

What is the definition and the purpose of prayer? How can we reconcile the goodness of God when He says "no" to a specific request that is so precious to us?  In this episode, Jennie Parks and Kristin Hernandez delve deeper into what the Bible says about prayer and God's goodness. They discuss how we can confidently and boldly approach God in prayer, because of the saving work of Jesus Christ. The...

In this episode, Kristin is joined by Shelly Templin, a Hope Mom 28 years into her journey of grieving with hope. Shelly shares about her son Zachary and the ways the Lord has worked in her life over the past three decades. We chat about clinging to the Hope of Christ in seasons of deep sorrow, what it was like to walk through loss in a pre-social media age, and the invitation we have to be honest...

We're snowed in! In this special bonus episode, the Hope Mommies Leadership shares live from their annual leadership summit in Truckee, California. Brooke Schuelke, Constance Ray, Emily Copeland, Jennie Parks, Kristin Hernandez, and Sarah Hutchinson reflect on highlights from the previous year and exciting plans for the year ahead, and laugh about the unexpected joys and challenges of being stuck...

Mother's Day can hold so many complicated emotions when you're a Hope Mom. A day intended for joyful celebration can often stir up feelings of emptiness and longing. This Mother's Day, we asked women in our community how they would encourage a fellow sister whose heart feels broken and whose arms feel so empty. We're so excited to bring you encouragement and hope from your fellow sisters and Hope...

"We began to ask those questions that…you kind of can answer theologically maybe before you experience something. But then when you experience something like this, it really matters…Will I worship him in the darkness and will I trust that something beyond what I can see is going on?" -Lindsey Dennis Lindsey Dennis recounts her experiences of losing two precious daughters, Sophie and Dasah, and the...

Pregnancy can feel incredibly complicated after you've lost a baby. When is the right time to try to get pregnant again? How do we combat anxiety when our worst fear happened before? How can we wait well? What hope can we cling to when we are unable to carry more children? Join us as Jennie Parks, Jenny Williams, Kelly Ransdell, and Kristin Hernandez dive deeper into the topic of pregnancy after l...

…It's talking about the death not being able to hold Jesus. But then it says, "God raised him up, loosening the pangs of death." So it's like this mixed metaphor where death is seen as giving birth. And because of Jesus, death had to give birth to life. It couldn't do anything else, but deliver life because it's Jesus who died. - Lianna Davis   In this episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Liann...

"If you feel called to do this ministry, you can trust that Jesus will equip you to do it. You don't have to have everything together. You don't have to be this perfect person who has leadership skills and who has speaking skills and organizational skills. He equips you as you do it, and He empowers you and gives you the strength." - Brooke Schuelke Brooke Schuelke, Hope Mommies Chapter Coordinato...

Wrestling with God can be uncomfortable but has the potential to lead us into greater intimacy with Him. But what does it mean to wrestle? How do we wrestle in a way that honors God, rather than in a way that draws our heavy hearts away from Him?  In this episode, host Kristin Hernandez delves into the topic of wrestling with God while navigating the heartache of grief and loss. We discuss what it...

"Lament is God's invitation to be honest: you do not need to silence your questions for the sake of sounding more spiritual. The Lord commends your protests as faithful participation in a fractured world." - Clint Watkins, Just Be Honest: How to Worship through Tears and Pray without Pretending What would it look like to pour out an honest lament before God? Why do we so often feel the need to hid...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast. This is the first in a series of surprise bonus episodes highlighting articles from the Hope Mommies Blog. This first bonus episode is a companion to Episode 4: Grace for Hurtful Words and includes the following blog posts read aloud in an audio format: Discussions in Grief: Forgiving Others by Brittnie Blackburn I Wish You Knew: What...

The well-intentioned words of friends and family can sound more painful than comforting when you are grieving. How should we respond when others try to encourage, but the words sting? What does scripture say about our own responsibility as Hope Moms?  In this episode, Kristin Hernandez is joined by Jennie Parks, Hope Mommies' Director, and Brooke Schuelke, Chapters Coordinator, to discuss ways to...

Hope Mommies' Founder Erin Cushman reflects on God's unchanging character and love, as she shares how God carried her and her husband through the death of their firstborn daughter, Gwendolyn. Erin also shares the origin story of Hope Mommies and how she was encouraged to use a platform she never would have chosen to minister to grieving mothers and to point others to the hope of Christ.  Erin is a...