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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 personal in the wake of fresh grief.

Ashley unpacks the unique structure of Cradled in Hope and shares her prayer for how it will minister to moms who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. She introduces the heart behind the preface (“Hands”) and the introduction (“Hugs at the Door”) and describes how each chapter is designed to move readers from heartbreak to healing through Jesus. This episode sets the foundation for a grace-filled journey through grief and points to the only One who can truly cradle us in hope.

In this episode, Ashley shared:

• The heartfelt backstory of Cradled in Hope, including how her own journey through grief—first with Bridget and then with the sudden loss of her dad—deepened the message and tone of the book
• Her emotional dedication of the book to her daughter Bridget, her Savior Jesus, and her father Steven, including a touching poem he wrote that’s printed in the book
• The structure and layout of the book, and how it’s designed to move grieving moms from heartbreak to healing, grounded in biblical truth
• The companion Cradled in Hope Guided Journal, available as a free download or printed version, to help moms reflect and engage more deeply with each chapter
• How each chapter title is intentionally written to offer a spiritual truth or comfort paired with a relatable emotion or struggle in grief
• A powerful look at the Preface (“Hands”) and Introduction (“Hugs at the Door”), and how these sections invite moms to feel seen, known, and lovingly welcomed into the book and community
• The importance of inviting Jesus into the center of our pain and trusting Him to walk with us through the darkest seasons of loss

Ashley also shared her vision for this podcast book club as a safe place for grieving moms to walk chapter by chapter together, like sitting with a friend in the little blue barn in Kechi, Kansas. She invites each listener to come as they are, bring their broken heart, and begin this sacred journey of grieving with hope in Heaven.

Full transcript below.

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MEET OUR HOST

Ashley Opliger is the Executive Director of Bridget’s Cradles, a nonprofit organization based in Wichita, Kansas that donates cradles to over 1,600 hospitals in all 50 states and comforts over 30,000 bereaved families a year.

Ashley is married to Matt and they have three children: Bridget (in Heaven), and two sons. She is a follower of Christ who desires to share the hope of Heaven with families grieving the loss of a baby.

Connect with Ashley:

Facebook /ashleyopliger

Instagram @ashleyopliger

Pinterest /ashleyopliger

www.ashleyopliger.com

Follow Bridget’s Cradles:

Facebook /bridgetscradles

Instagram @bridgetscradles

Pinterest /bridgetscradles

www.bridgetscradles.com

Follow Cradled in Hope Podcast:

Facebook /cradledinhope

Instagram @cradledinhope

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Ashley Opliger: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Cradled in Hope Podcast Book Club.

I’m your host, Ashley Opliger—grieving mom, author of Cradled in Hope, and founder of Bridget’s Cradles. I’m so honored to walk with you through my book, one chapter at a time, as we navigate the heartbreak of losing a baby together.

After my daughter Bridget went to Heaven at 24 weeks, I wrestled with deep sadness and complex questions about God’s goodness. But through that grief, Jesus showed me that He not only cradles our babies in Heaven, He also holds our broken hearts here on earth.

Whether you’re reading along or simply listening in, this is a safe space for your sorrow—a place where your tears, questions, and raw emotions are welcome. Each episode, we’ll reflect on a chapter of Cradled in Hope and gently walk together from heartbreak to healing, and from pain to purpose.

My prayer is that this podcast will remind you that you are not alone in your grief and, most importantly, that it will point you to Jesus, the only One who can truly heal your heart. Through faith in Him, there is hope to see your baby again, and He will be with you every step from here to Heaven.

So wherever you are in your journey, I invite you to join me—and together, we will grieve with hope.

Let’s begin.

Ashley Opliger: [00:01:22] Hello friends. Welcome to our very first episode of the Cradled in Hope Book Club. I am so honored to be here. Today is the official day of Cradled in Hope being released into the world. Today is Launch Day, July 22nd. It’s been a day that I have prayed over and been just so expectant and excited for a very long time.

[00:01:45] Many people may not know that when you write a book, it’s actually quite a long process between when you initially sign your contract with the publisher and when the book actually gets published. Obviously you’re writing the book, but also there’s a lot of edits and revisions and designing the book cover and so many different things that go into the process, that pretty much from the time of contract until the time that it releases is about two years. And so, this has been a very long time coming. 

[00:02:13] I started writing the book in 2020, although the Lord had placed it on my heart and I had the message that I was going to share in my heart and soul long before those words came out onto paper, but started writing in 2020 and then ended up getting the book deal in 2023 with Bethany House, my amazing publisher, and turned the book in, my first manuscript, on June 10th, 2024.

[00:02:39] And then, as many of you know, I went through the hardest trial of my life when a drunk driver killed my dad. He was riding his motorcycle on July 28th, 2024, when a driver hit him. He was severely injured and taken to the hospital, and he went to Heaven on August 4th, 2024. 

[00:03:00] And that week was so incredibly painful, watching him suffer and having to say goodbye to my dad; I was so close with him and I love him so much. And so the devastation of losing someone in such a tragic, sudden, senseless way at the hands of people who made very reckless decisions, it was incredibly painful, and there was just so much grief.

[00:03:24] And I’m 11 months into the journey and still grieving very heavily, very deeply. But through that journey, I actually had to turn in my revisions for the book right after he went to Heaven. And so I ended up going back through the entire book and making a lot of revisions based on the perspective of me being in very fresh grief. 

[00:03:46] There were a lot of things that I added just speaking to the mom who is in very fresh grief, having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, having a hard time picking up a book to read, just really struggling with trying to survive the relentless waves of grief. 

[00:04:00] And although I had been there when I lost Bridget 10 years before, I had really written a majority of my manuscript from a place of healing and looking back retroactively on my grief. And so I think for me, going through this incredibly difficult trial, it added a layer of depth and relatability to my readers who are in that very fresh pain. 

[00:04:27] And so today my book is coming out into the world, July 22nd. Over two years ago, we had decided on that date. I really love July 22nd because I love the numbers seven and 22. Those both have very symbolic meaning to me and have been important numbers in my life. 

[00:04:45] Obviously, the number seven is God’s number, the number of completion . And then 22 holds symbolic meaning to me because I was born on the 22nd, and then also Bridget was born on the 22nd, one month after my birthday.

[00:05:00] And then my oldest son, I went into labor on the 21st and we thought he was going to be born on the 22nd, and then he ended up being born at five in the morning on the 23rd. But [my] youngest son was also born on the 22nd, and so I just love both numbers. And so when they told me 7/22, I thought, “This is a perfect day,” but then everything happened with my dad. 

[00:05:22] And so here in a short six days, I’m going to be navigating the one-year anniversary of when he was hit, and then a week later, the one-year anniversary of when he went to Heaven. And so this is very bittersweet to be launching this book in the midst of such a hard season for me and my entire family. 

[00:05:42] And actually here in a couple of days, we’re going to be doing a memorial motorcycle ride called Ride Like MADD. It’s in memory of my dad, Steven Richard Golik. You can go to my In stagram and find more details about that, but it’s here in Wichita, and it’s a ride to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving and to support victims and their families who have been impacted by impaired driving. And so that’s coming up on the 26th. 

[00:06:11] And so in the midst of all of this, my book is out, and it’s something that I’ve prayed for so long. My heart has been to share the story that God’s put on my heart of my own testimony of Him comforting me in my grief after losing Bridget and now my dad, and all of the wisdom and guidance that He’s given me throughout the years on how to grieve with hope, how to grieve with the Gospel. 

[00:06:37] And so this book is everything I would want to tell another grieving mom if I could sit down and talk with her face-to-face. It was born out of the support groups that we started, all the messages that I wrote for our support groups, and all the conversations we’ve had throughout the years in our in-person and online support groups.

[00:06:56] And really this book is my heart on paper. It is my story. It is everything that God has walked me through and the wisdom that He’s imparted in the process through His Word to share and educate, but also just to love other moms through their pain. 

[00:07:16] I think so often what we need in the midst of pain is for someone to see us, for someone to acknowledge the grief and the pain. And for us to feel known and understood is so important. And so I hope that this book is that for you, that you feel as though I’m a friend that’s holding your hand through this grieving and healing journey. 

[00:07:37] Today’s episode is a little bit different than the rest of the Podcast Book Club episodes that are coming because this first one is covering the Introduction of the book. And so this episode is going over the Introduction of the book, whereas the next episodes will be covering one chapter per episode. 

[00:07:57] Today I have the honor to introduce to you how the book is set up, how it flows, and give you an introduction to the beginning of the book.

[00:08:08] In the future, the episodes are going to be structured where I’ll be reading a key passage from the chapter, and then we’ll be reflecting on that. I’ll share other chapter highlights and takeaways. We’re going to go over a journal prompt and healing action from each chapter, and I’ll close with Scripture and prayer.

[00:08:24] But today’s episode, I’m just going to share an overview of what the book is about and how it is structured, so that you know what to expect in the coming weeks as you are reading and listening to this episode. 

[00:08:40] The first thing I want to say is that this Podcast Book Club is meant to be a supplement to the book.

[00:08:48] I cannot read the entire book, obviously, through this podcast, because there is an Audible audiobook version that you can go and get and hear me reading it. I went down to Dallas and I had the privilege of reading my own book, which I know that you’re probably thinking, “Well, who else would read it?” But surprisingly, usually they use voice actors for that, and I had to audition to read my own book.

[00:09:12] And thankfully they liked my voice enough or allowed me to read it, and it was such an honor. I enjoyed it so much. I went down with my good friend Casey. We went down to Dallas, Texas. I was in the studio for 16-plus hours over the course of four days and read all of the chapters. 

[00:09:31] And as a writer and a podcaster, I know there’s so much value in words, and there’s even more value in words when you can hear them because you can hear the emotion and the tone. And my prayer for the audiobook is that, as you’re listening to it, you would hear my heart and that you would just feel comforted through that.

[00:09:51] I also love having the printed version and being able to highlight things and underline, that’s the kind of reader that I am. But I also really love that there’s an audio version. 

[00:10:00] And so this Podcast Book Club will not be me reading the entire book because there is an audiobook version for that. What this is going to be really is just an overview to give you an understanding of what’s in the book and walk through it. And it’s essentially like having the author expand upon the book. It’s like extra content, but all focused on the content that’s already in the book, if that makes sense.

[00:10:24] So just wanted to set the expectation of what this Book Club will be, and let’s go ahead and dive in now to how you would read Cradled in Hope. 

[00:10:37] If you already listened to the episode with Kristin and I, you’ve probably already heard me discuss how I structured the book, which is I really wanted to bring my readers from heartbreak to hope, from pain to purpose, from having grief to using that grief for God’s glory. And so the book progresses in that way. 

[00:10:58] And the beginning chapters are very foundational. I am trying to lay a groundwork for the truth of God’s Word being the foundation that we’re going to use through the grieving journey, and so certainly there’s progression in that way. 

[00:11:13] But also, the way that I wrote my chapter titles, I intended it to be something where a mom who is struggling with a particular area of grief, that she could look through the chapters and find whatever struggle she’s going through and be able to go immediately, find comfort and truth to walk through that particular struggle.

[00:11:37] So the chapter title focuses on the hope or the truth that I’m wanting to impart to you, whereas the subtitle addresses the emotion or struggle you may be facing in your grief. 

[00:11:48] Just to give you an example, Chapter One, which is coming up next week, the title is Sitting With Jesus, but the subtitle is When You Are Overwhelmed With Sadness.

[00:11:58] And so feeling overwhelmed with sadness would be the felt need or the emotion, and then the response or the hope or the truth, the answer or solution to that would be sitting with Jesus. And so in that chapter, we will dive into what it looks like to grieve with Him. 

[00:12:15] Chapter Two is Broken and Bleeding: When You Feel Abandoned by God. That’s the only chapter I would say that broken and bleeding isn’t necessarily the solution, but it definitely describes the content of that chapter.

[00:12:28] So I’m just going to skip around here just to give you an understanding of what I mean by these titles. One of them is A Firm Foundation: When You Wrestle With Doubts. 

[00:12:38] Another one is Heaven on Earth: When You Wonder Where Your Baby Is; Grace Upon Grace: When You Can’t Forgive Yourself; They Know Not What They Do: When You Are Hurt By Others; A Renewed Mind: When You Are Anxious Or Triggered; Holding Both: When You Experience Both Joy And Sorrow; With The Same Comfort: When You Want To Use Your Grief For Good; and Our Future Forever: When You Long For Your Heavenly Home. 

[00:13:04] Now, I was not sharing every single one. I was skipping around a little bit just to give you an understanding of what that looks like. 

[00:13:11] The idea is that you would read the book from beginning to end, but if there is something that you really were struggling with, maybe someone had hurt you in grief, and you really wanted to get some wisdom and practical ideas on how to handle those dynamics, you could skip to that chapter.

[00:13:31] Or maybe you read the whole book and then later on in your grief journey, there’s something in particular that you really want to do a deep dive on, you could go back to certain chapters. So that’s how the progression of the book works. 

[00:13:45] I also want to share that at the very beginning I have my Dedication page, and I want you to read my dedication in the book or listen to it on the audiobook book so I don’t want to spoil that, but I dedicated the book to three people.

[00:14:00] I dedicated it to my daughter, Bridget, and to Jesus, of course, because He is the One that I wrote the book for, and without Him, I would have no hope and no reason to write this book. And then lastly, I dedicated the book to my dad, and I had the privilege of sharing more about his life and publishing a poem that he had written for Bridget after she was born into Heaven. And so if you want to read the poem, that is in the book.

[00:14:30] I am going to now jump into a section of my book that’s called the Preface. It’s actually before the Introduction. Interesting behind-the-scenes comment here: I actually first wrote the Introduction, it was one of the first chapters I wrote along with Broken and Bleeding back in 2020. And I knew that I wanted that to be my Introduction because that chapter really just sets the tone for me and the reader to be on this journey together.

[00:14:58] But after I wrote the entire book, there was this day that the Lord had this entire vision of how He wanted me to start the book. And I was like, “But wait, I already have the Introduction.” 

[00:15:09] And so I sat down and I started writing it because it was like literally downloading it from Heaven. God was just giving me words, and I was like, “I don’t even know where this is going to go.” I wasn’t sure if I was going to try to work it into the Introduction or what I was going to do. 

[00:15:24] But after I wrote it, I realized, “No, this is a stand-alone and this really needs to be at the beginning.” So then I’m Googling, “Well, can you have two Introductions?” And that’s when I realized you can have a Preface before an Introduction. 

[00:15:36] So, the Preface is called Hands. And again, this is one that I don’t want to spoil because I feel as though there’s just so much emotion here. But essentially how I start the book is that I’m asking the mom, you, to look down at your hands and to think about how much they have witnessed.

[00:16:00] And so then I just walk through the journey of being a mom and finding out you’re pregnant and holding the pregnancy stick. And then the devastating news of finding out that your baby doesn’t have a heartbeat, and all the things that your hands had to do in that process, including possibly holding your little baby in your hands and having to dial the number for the funeral home and type your baby’s obituary, all these things that your hands should have never had to do. 

[00:16:30] And so I just walked through that with the illustration of your hands as a mom and how sacred of a calling it is to be a mother. And then I walk through my hands and sharing who I am, and although my hands do not have official credentials to write this book, my hands have held my daughter and my hands have held the hands of so many other grieving moms through the ministry of Bridget’s Cradles. 

[00:16:54] And so I just talk a little more about my hands because I want all the moms listening to the book and reading the book to know whose hands they’re holding through this journey. But most importantly, I want you to know that my hands do not have the power to heal your broken heart or give you what you so desperately long for, and that’s to be reunited with your baby. 

[00:17:16] However, there is a Man with nail-scarred hands who has the power to resurrect your baby and offer you eternity together in Heaven. And so, I end the Preface with saying that I want you to meet Jesus.

[00:17:31] As you read my words on these pages and as you walk this journey with me through this book, ultimately I want you to be holding Jesus’ hand because Jesus is the only One who can heal your heart, and He’s the only One who has the solution to overcoming death.

[00:17:46] And so this whole book is about Him. It’s for Him. He is the center of my book because He is the only One that does cradle us in hope. Without Him, we would have no hope to see our baby again and no hope to be truly comforted on this earth. 

[00:18:02] And so Cradled in Hope, it’s all about Him. It’s for Him, it’s by Him. It’s through Him. And so I just want to make sure as I start this Book Club episode that I give Him the praise and the glory and the honor, because He is our hope and He is the One that’s cradling both us and our babies in Heaven. 

[00:18:21] So that’s how the book starts, and then we go into a section that talks a little bit more about what each chapter includes. 

[00:18:30] We hope you’re finding encouragement in this episode so far. We want to take a moment to share some resources our ministry offers to support grieving moms like you.

On our website, bridgetscradles.com, you’ll learn more about our nonprofit and find many hope-filled resources, including free e-books to help you plan a memorial or funeral service for your baby, meaningful ways to honor your baby in your heart and home, and gentle guidance for navigating difficult days like due dates, Heaven Days, and holidays.

We invite you to join our community of grieving moms through our Christ-centered support groups, offered both in-person at our headquarters near Wichita, Kansas, and virtually through Hope Online. These gatherings provide a place to find comfort, connection, and biblical hope alongside other moms who understand your pain.

You can view upcoming dates and sign up on our website. While you’re there, we’d also be honored for you to share your baby’s story with us.

For ongoing support, we welcome you to join our private Cradled in Hope Facebook group—a safe space for grieving moms to find friendship and walk their healing journey together.

To stay connected with us and receive faith-filled encouragement, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @bridgetscradles, @cradledinhope, and my personal page @ashleyopliger. 

Now, let’s get back to the episode.

[00:19:51] As you read the book, you’ll see most of my chapters start with a personal story, and then they go into theology and biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and ideas on navigating that particular aspect of grief.

[00:20:06] But then each chapter concludes with the following four sections. There’s Prayers to Heaven, which is a prayer that I’ve written for you to pray to God. And then there’s Truth to Cling To, which are Bible verses that are for you to study further that align with the chapter’s main ideas, and they’re intended to give you real-time hope from God’s Word. There’s also a section called Time With Jesus, and those are journal prompts that encourage you to reflect on your grief, faith, and journey with Jesus. And for those of you who don’t already know this, we have the Cradled in Hope Guided Journal. 

[00:20:43] There is a journal companion guide to my book. There are two versions. There is one that is a free digital version that’s available on my website at ashleyopliger.com/journal. It’s a free journal that you can download, And you can type onto this digital one. 

[00:21:01] Or you can buy the printed version on Amazon. And because it’s over 100 pages, it’s nice to have a printed version so that you can have something to write by hand and to process your grief as you’re walking through these chapters.

[00:21:16] And so the beautiful thing about the journal is that all of these prayers, all of the Scripture is typed out, and then the journaling prompts are there with space for you to actually write it down. 

[00:21:27] And then the Healing Steps, which is the fourth section, those are the action items that you can do to put your faith into action and to process your grief. And so those are also in the journal, and there’s some extra charts. 

[00:21:40] And there’s guided exercises, there’s extra journaling prompts, and different resources in that journal. So I would highly suggest that you go and check out the free Cradled in Hope Guided Journal available at ashleyopliger.com/journal, or on Amazon if you prefer a printed copy. So that is a little bit about how the book is structured. 

[00:22:06] Let’s now go into the Introduction, which is called Hugs at the Door, that is based on the fact that we have a policy at our headquarters at Bridget’s Cradles in Kechi, Kansas, that we greet every mom that comes through our doors with a hug.

[00:22:44] Now I realize that not everyone is a hugger like me, and some people that might feel a little overwhelming. But my thought process is that when you’re coming to a support group or a remembrance event for the first time, it’s just a very overwhelming situation, and you’re being very vulnerable by coming and exposing yourself to share your grief and your pain and your sadness. 

[00:22:52] And so I really want moms when they come to our headquarters for the first time, or they come to our online support group, which is called Hope Online, just to feel welcome and loved right from the start. 

[00:23:05] And so we really try our best to hug every mom as they’re entering and just let them know that we see them, we love them, we’re here for them. And we have a special memorial wall where they write their baby’s name on a butterfly and put it up on the wall. And so we want to acknowledge their baby in Heaven and give them a very welcoming, loving space. 

[00:23:28] The reason I titled my Introduction Hugs at the Door is because I wanted to set the same tone for my book as I would if I was meeting a mom in person for the first time. And so if I were to be meeting you right now and you were coming to our Little Blue Barn building in Kechi, I would be giving you a hug and sitting down, and talking with you about your baby. 

[00:23:51] And so this whole chapter, it’s like a metaphor for me explaining what it would look like for us to just sit down and have a conversation about your baby and about what you’ve been through and how you’re grieving, and all the sadness that’s inside of you. We would just start talking about it and sharing your story. 

[00:24:12] I’m going to read just a short passage from this just to start the conversation, and then I’ll start paraphrasing, because I’m not going to read the entire Introduction, but it starts with:

“Dear Momma, oh, how I wish you did not need my book. My heart aches that you know the indescribable pain of losing a baby. I never would’ve imagined I’d write a book about pregnancy and infant loss, and I’m sure you never expected to read one. But my entire life changed when my daughter, Bridget Faith, was born into Heaven at 24 weeks on October 22nd, 2014. I know your life has changed too. 

I wish we could have met another way without sharing this mutual heartache. No mother wants to be in this club, but here we are, two mommas missing our babies and wondering how we will live without them. I wish we could be together in person, not separated by these pages, but I trust God has us where we are supposed to be.

I believe God had me write this book for you and purposefully placed it in your hands. As you read Cradled in Hope you’ll notice my writing style is to go deep fast, to be extra vulnerable in the personal stories I share, and to dive into rich theology of the Bible. I do this so that we can know God in His Word better and practically apply it to our grief. 

My friends would say I take the same approach to friendships in real life. It is simply how God made me. Though I don’t know your name yet, I have prayed many prayers and cried many tears for you. I hope I can become a close friend to you, even if it’s through ink on a page. So, friend, will you meet with me for a while?” 

[00:25:50] So then the book goes on to welcome you to the Little Blue Barn, which is our headquarters in Kechi, and I set the stage for what it’s like to be in Kechi, Kansas, and explain what our headquarters looks like and what our little town is like. 

[00:26:04] And then I express that I want you to just come as you are. I don’t want you to feel like you have to pretend that you’re doing better than you really are, and that you can just dress down and show up as you are.

[00:26:17] And I talk about how we would start talking about your baby and your story and acknowledging that your baby’s story matters, that no matter how many weeks your baby lived on this earth or how many weeks you carried them, that your baby is worthy of being grieved and that your story matters, and that I want to hear every detail you’re comfortable sharing with me.

[00:26:39] And I also mention that no matter if you lost your baby at eight weeks or eight months into your pregnancy, or even eight days or eight months after birth, that I’d grieve with you for your beloved baby because I firmly believe that life begins at conception and God created each of our babies in His image. That’s Genesis 1:27. 

[00:27:00] I acknowledge that our stories might be different, that the complications in our pregnancy or the timeline of how things happened, the number of weeks that we were might be different. But what I’m wanting to do is to unite in our heartache, in our shared pain, and all the sadness that we have over the hopes and dreams that we had for our babies’ lives, and really unite in that and know that I’m with you in the trenches of your grief, and that I’m going to sit with you and just stay with you and talk with you through everything that you’re sharing. 

[00:27:32] And I acknowledge that there’s nothing that you could really say that would scare me or make me think differently of you because I have already felt all of these emotions, sadness, anxiety, anger, bitterness, confusion, doubt, hopelessness, and about everything in between. 

[00:27:51] I talk about that, but then I mention that we’re going on a journey together and we need to know where we’re going. Because if we’re just going to say, “Okay, well, we’re going to grieve together,” well, we need a roadmap, we need a destination. Because if we’re grieving aimlessly and we’re doing things that make us temporarily feel better, and we just put Band-Aids on our pain, we’re going to end up somewhere where we don’t want to be. 

[00:28:18] I start talking about where it is that I’m trying to take you, where it is that we’re going to journey together; I’m talking about our ultimate destination, which is Heaven, and how God has a plan to bring us from here to there, and that there is importance in the in-between, that between now and then we have a life to live and God has meaning and purpose for our lives here. And He is going to use our baby’s life to change us, and He is going to sit with us in our pain and bring about healing in our hearts. 

[00:28:54] I talk about how we’re not going to be in this pit of despair forever, and reminding you that although it feels so dark right now, and you probably feel like you’re never going to get through this and never going to smile again, never going to laugh again, I’ve felt all of those feelings, but reminding you that there is a hope-filled future for you, that God is going to bring you out of this pit and He is going to restore joy to your life. He’s going to use your grief for good, and He is going to write a good story from this. The death of your baby is not the end of your story.

[00:29:33] I end this chapter saying: There is hope. There is hope. God loves you and your baby more than you can imagine and He plans to bring you together again. And in the meantime, He’s going to heal your heart. And one day He’s going to use your pain to comfort others. 

[00:29:49] That’s really the foundation that I start the book with is just saying, “We’re going to grieve together, but we’re going to grieve with hope.” And of course, ‘grieve with hope’, that phrase comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:13. And so as we take this journey together, I’m going to show you what it looks like to grieve with hope and what that exactly means. 

[00:30:11] I end the Introduction with saying, “So, Momma, let’s meet at the Little Blue Barn and get started. I’m here waiting for you with a hug at the door.” And there is a footnote on that page that says, “You are welcome to visit our headquarters anytime.” So if you are in Wichita, Kansas, or in surrounding areas, you’re more than welcome to join our support groups or events that we have throughout the year. 

[00:30:34] But even if you live in another state, you would be surprised, we have had grieving moms fly to us for our Wave of Light event and drive to us for different events, which is so amazing. 

[00:30:45] And so I just want to extend that invitation to you as you’re listening. If you are involved in Bridget’s Cradles and you’re listening to our podcast and you’re reading the book and you’re just like, “This seems like something, I want to be there in the presence of this community,” just know that you are invited, you’re welcome. You can reach out to us anytime and let us know that you’ll be joining us for a future event. We would love to see you. I would love to give you a hug.

[00:31:10] And honestly, that’s my heart is that this book would be an extension of the in-person ministry that the Lord has us doing in Wichita, that we would extend it beyond our Little Blue Barn walls, and that we could share this message that we share in person out to the world. 

[00:31:30] And so that’s my prayer for this book is that God would be glorified and that grieving moms would be comforted through Him because of my words and not because of anything special about me, but because what God has done for me and what words He’s given me to share.

[00:31:46] And so that is my heart for the book. That is the way the book starts. Of course, I want you to read it for yourself, but that was a basic overview.

[00:31:57] I am going to end today’s Podcast Book Club by sharing one Time With Jesus journaling prompt and one Healing Step which is an action item. There are usually three at the end of each chapter; I’m only going to be sharing one in each of these podcast episodes. 

[00:32:18] For today, my first journaling prompt is for you to answer this question honestly, which is: How are you really doing?

[00:32:28] Reflect on how you’re feeling as you begin this journey with Jesus. What are the top five emotions you feel on a day-to-day basis? Really thinking about your heart and where you’re at with the Lord right now, what are the prominent emotions that you feel on a day-to-day basis in your grief?

[00:32:46] And don’t feel ashamed if those words are depressed, overwhelmed, angry, confused, abandoned, whatever words they are, just put those down, because it’s important to be honest with your heart. 

[00:33:01] The Healing Step for this Introduction is actually going to be to download the free Cradled in Hope Guided Journal at ashleyopliger.com/journal. That is going to be your companion guide for this book and for the entire journey. 

[00:33:20] And so I want you to do that right now. I want you to go to my website, get the free version. If you prefer to write by hand, then I would strongly suggest getting the printed version. It’s on Amazon. 

[00:33:32] This is going to be such a helpful resource as you walk through this journey because you can write down everything that the Lord is teaching you, all of the emotions and the revelations that God’s going to be putting in your heart as you go through this journey with Him.

[00:33:48] And so go get that free version. Go get the printed version. Either way, whichever one you prefer, I really want you to have that as we start next week with Chapter One so that you have it as we go through the remaining chapters. That is your Healing Step for this episode. 

[00:34:08] I would love to close us in prayer, and I am going to read the prayer from Prayers to Heaven.

Jesus, thank You for bringing us moms together through this book. We wish that our stories were different and that we didn’t have to meet under these circumstances, but we need each other, and we need You even more. Will You meet us here? 

Our hearts are hurting, and we invite You to comfort us as we journey through Cradled in Hope. Open our hearts to receive Your hope and truth. You are the only One who can heal us. Thank You for dying on the cross and making a way for us to see our babies in Heaven. Because of You we can grieve with hope. We love You. Amen. 

[00:34:53] All right. That is it for this episode. Be sure to tune in for the next episode, which will cover Chapter One, Sitting With Jesus: When You Are Overwhelmed With Sadness. 

[00:35:06] Thank you for joining me for today’s episode of the Cradled in Hope Podcast Book Club.

New episodes covering each chapter of the book will release on the 1st, 15th, and 22nd of each month through the end of the year—so be sure to subscribe and follow along.

If you don’t have your copy of Cradled in Hope, you can find it wherever books are sold. It’s a biblical guide for grieving moms after miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss—filled with vulnerable emotion, biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and hope-filled encouragement.

To accompany the book, I’ve also created the Cradled in Hope Guided Journal—a beautiful companion that includes space to write your responses to the discussion questions, full Scripture passages from each chapter, and additional reflection pages and guided charts to help you process your grief and draw you closer to Jesus. You can download the free digital version on my author website at AshleyOpliger.com/Journal, or order the printed version on Amazon if you prefer to write by hand.

Until next time, know that you are not alone. You are seen, loved, and Cradled in Hope.