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

Join us for a conversation with Ryley Chestnut and Hayley Martinez from Labor of Hope. They are both certified bereavement doulas who have lost children due to a life-limiting condition in pregnancy. 

Labor of Hope is an organization that exists to value every life and support couples who have been given a life-limiting diagnosis in pregnancy. Ryley and Hayley advocate for choosing life and making memories with your child. From their own heartbreaking experience, they share their grief and healing journey.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Choosing life and carrying a baby with a life-limiting diagnosis
• Cherishing moments in pregnancy even with a grim prognosis
• Leaning on the local church and believers
• Grief during the first year after loss
• Why we experience fresh grief at the three month mark
• God's grace for each day
• The role of bereavement doulas
• Choices at the hospital and advocating for your decisions
• Having a birth plan and informed consent at the hospital
• How to create memories during pregnancy and at birth
• All about Labor of Hope and what they do
• Sharing our babies' stories and celebrating every life

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode23

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Jessica Speas about Bible Prophecy and The End Times. This is an opportunity for grieving mothers to learn more about Bible Prophecy and the hope we have as we await Jesus' Second Coming. With a third of the Bible being about prophecy, this is a topic we cannot ignore as Christ-followers.

In our season of grief and in this broken world we live, our hope can only be found in Jesus who has promised to return to this earth to rule and reign. Jessica, a grieving mom herself, is passionate about teaching Bible Prophecy and encouraging women to "look up" for their Blessed Hope. 

In this episode, we answered these questions:

• Why does Bible Prophecy matter to the grieving mom?
• Why aren't more people talking about prophecy?
• What will the future Heaven be like?
• When will we be reunited with our babies?
• What is the rapture and when will it happen in the timeline?
• Who is the Anti-Christ and what will he do?
• What is the Seven-Year Tribulation and the mark of the beast?
• What End Times signs should we be looking for?
• Why is prophecy centered on Israel?
• What is globalism and how does it play a role?
• How can I find hope in these difficult days?
• Where in the Bible can I read about the End Times?
• What other resources are available to learn more about Bible Prophecy?

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode22

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Moria Rooney, founder of Mother of Wilde. After losing her son, Noah Wilde, she started a business that sells memorial prints of babies who passed due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.

Moria shares how her faith in Jesus allowed her to grieve differently than the world grieves: with hope. Even after unanswered prayers and a devastating loss, she learned to trust in God's good and unchanging character. Now, she blesses grieving moms with beautiful prints of their babies to remind them of the hope they have to see their babies again in Heaven.

In this episode, we discussed:

• How to have faith when God doesn't perform the miracle you prayed for
• What it's like giving birth to death
• Why don't we blame Satan for our loss instead of God?
• Suffering's role in the Christian's life
• Searching for answers and the 'why'
• The complexities of sharing photos of our babies who have died
• Why memorial prints are so special and important
• How Mother of Wilde began and what they do
• Planting seeds for the Gospel
• Using your strengths, skills, and even college degrees for God's glory
• A coupon code for 15% off a baby memorial print

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode21

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Candy McVicar, author of Holding on to Love after You've Lost a Baby, a book she co-wrote with Dr. Gary Chapman. Candy, who has two children in Heaven, shares how to use the 5 Love Languages to strengthen your marriage after loss. Learning how to love your spouse in the midst of sorrow is a powerful way to support each other and grow closer to God and one another.

Candy is the founder of the Missing GRACE Foundation. She is passionate about providing resources and education to bereaved families and encouraging couples to love each other well in their grief.

In this episode, we discussed:

• The 5 Love Languages - what they are and how they can help your marriage after pregnancy or infant loss
• How she connected with Dr. Gary Chapman to write her book, Holding on to Love after You've Lost a Baby
• Parenting your baby in Heaven and giving them a legacy
• Differences in how men and women grieve
• Marriage struggles she experienced after loss
• The Crazy Cycle of Love & Respect in marriage
• Discovering authentic faith by asking the hard questions
• Serving others to get out of the depths of dark grief
• The Missing GRACE Foundation

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode20

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Tricia Roos on pursuing and accepting God's will when your motherhood journey looks nothing like what you had hoped or expected it to be. After her daughter, Annabelle, was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, Tricia was advised to get an abortion. Tricia chose life and watched God perform a miracle: allowing Annabelle to live for six days and defy all medical odds. 

Tricia shares Annabelle's story in her new book, When Wishes Change, which describes how God walked her through her grief and showed her how to embrace His will for her life. She is passionate about encouraging grieving moms to find purpose in their pain and use their God-given gifts for good.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Choosing life despite a fatal diagnosis in pregnancy
• Finding healing in embracing God's will
• How to find purpose in your pain (and why)
• Discovering and using your gifts for good
• Grief presenting itself years later and how that can be normal
• Life milestones and how they can trigger grief
• Experiencing joy again (when you don't think you ever will)
• What you can learn from friends who are further along in their grief
• Gender disappointment with rainbow babies and complicated feelings in grief
• The value of time and viewing each day as a gift
• All about her book, When Wishes Change

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode19

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

In this episode, Ashley Opliger is joined with her husband, Matt, for a conversation about strengthening your marriage after pregnancy loss. Together, they discuss the struggles they faced in navigating complications in Ashley's pregnancy with Bridget and how they walked together after her death. Matt shares his perspective, as the father and husband, of what grieving has been like for him.

The loss of a baby is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a couple can face in their marriage. However, even in the pain and sadness, there are opportunities to grow closer together. Matt and Ashley's prayer for couples is that they would draw near to God and learn to love and support each other through their grief.

In this episode, Matt and Ashley discuss:

• Personality differences and struggles with different perspectives
• How men and women grieve differently
• Supporting each other in the way we grieve
• How Matt bonded with Bridget and what his grief has looked like
• The importance of communication and grace in marriage
• Using a Marriage Journal to make communication intentional
• Questions you can ask your spouse to support them in grief
• How the 5 Love Languages helped us love each other better
• Why Heaven has given us so much hope
• Finding meaning in your baby's life
• The impact Bridget has made on our parenting with our boys
• Advice for grieving couples from what they've learned

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode18

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for "real talk" on pregnancy loss with Rachel Lewis, author of Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss. Rachel has five children in Heaven and regularly writes about life after loss. She is the founder of Brave Mamas, an online community for grieving mothers.

Rachel shares about her new book, Unexpecting, which walks grieving moms through loss, lament, love, and legacy after the loss of a baby.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Birth trauma and PTSD after pregnancy loss
• Foster care and grief following reunification
• Wrestling with doubt and finding authentic faith
• The Book of Job
• Heaven being "home" and familiar
• Continuing Bonds grief theory and how bereaved parents grieve differently
• Ways to create a legacy for your baby in Heaven
• How to parent your baby in Heaven in community
• Mount St. Helens and an analogy of finding beauty from ashes
• Turning the question after loss from Why? to What Now?
• All about her book, Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode17

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation about pregnancy after loss with Jenny Albers, author of Courageously Expecting. After losing two precious babies, Jenny created Still Loved, an online space for grieving families to share their stories.

She is passionate about giving bereaved parents a voice in their grief as well as supporting women in their pregnancies after loss. Jenny shares about her new book, Courageously Expecting, which provides women with 30 days of encouragement for pregnancy after loss. 

In this episode, we discussed:

• The emotions and fears of pregnancy after loss
• Professional remembrance photography, regrets and wishes
• The physical aspect of grief and what it does to your body
• Surrender as a daily practice
• What surprised Jenny about her experience with loss
• Entering back into the deep waves of grief, even years later
• The beauty of online communities for bereaved parents
• The power of writing down and sharing your baby’s story
• All about her new book, Courageously Expecting

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode16

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Casey Nestor about grieving with the Gospel. After losing her sons Judah and Caleb, Casey found herself laying on the floor in deep grief, crying out at the foot of the Cross. 

Through her tears and questions, she depended on Jesus to survive the suffering and be sanctified in His image. Because she received a cradle for her son, Casey was connected to Bridget's Cradles and has become a part of our Hope Online community. Her testimony of faith has been a source of encouragement for many grieving moms. 

In this episode, we discussed:

• Her experience receiving a Bridget's Cradle for her son, Judah
• What attending an online support group has been like for her (and why she was skeptical at first!)
• The importance of attending a Christ-centered support group
• How to believe God is good even when life hurts so bad
• Standing on the Word of God in the midst of grief and why we can't rely on our feelings or our own "truth"
• Culture's trend of seeking "mediums" to contact their babies (and why that's dangerous!)
• A beautiful illustration of the impact of the Gospel
• Grieving your old self and finding a new identity in Christ in the New Year
• Looking away from ourselves and toward helping others to find hope

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode15

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

Join us for a conversation with Alyson and Kelsi of Foreknown Ministries about the power of community for grieving mothers. Alyson and Kelsi are best friends who lost their babies two weeks apart from each other. In the deepest of grief, they leaned on their faith and friendship.

Now they host weekend retreats, digital support groups, and a texting community for women who have experienced pregnancy loss. They believe in having a "cross" of support: vertical from God and horizontal from community. In this episode, they share advice on how to make friendships with other grieving moms and point you to find hope past the grave.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Walking through grief with a friend
• Having answers and finding closure
• Viewing the time you were pregnant with your baby as a gift
• How God led them to start Foreknown Ministries
• Circling through the stages of grief and dealing with grief head-on
• Finding intimacy with God in your grieving season
• Relearning God's character and letting Him put your broken heart back together
• Weekend retreats and why they are helpful
• How to get involved in their texting community to receive daily support
• Shame and how Satan uses it to keep us silent and alone
• The power of being vulnerable and sharing your baby's story

EPISODE SHOW NOTES, FULL TRANSCRIPT, & FREE PDF HOPE GUIDE:
www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode14

CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast

CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope

FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles
www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles
www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles

CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
www.ashleyopliger.com
www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger
www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles