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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 boxes worldwide, helping pass the Stillbirth Prevention Act in Louisiana, advocating for the Shine for Autumn Act, and funding cooling cots for hospitals.

Together, Ashley and Lisa speak candidly about the mental health struggles that can follow loss, including seasons of despair and even suicidal thoughts. They discuss how grief can open the door to spiritual warfare, lies from the enemy, and distorted views of God—especially when father wounds shape how we interpret suffering. They explore the tension between faith and works, the temptation to strive for healing through doing, and what it means to transform heartbreak into holy purpose.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Lisa’s story and the founding of Julianna Grace Ministry
• How grief boxes provide tangible comfort and remind parents they are not alone
• The mental health impact of grief, including suicidal thoughts and despair
• Spiritual warfare and the enemy’s lies during vulnerable seasons
• The importance of cooling cots and giving families time and dignity to say goodbye
• Legislative advocacy surrounding stillbirth and infant loss, including the Stillbirth Prevention Act and the Shine for Autumn Act
• What it means to carry your baby’s legacy forward through action
• Advocacy as a form of love, remembrance, and honoring our children
• The spiritual tension between faith and works—serving from love vs. striving for worth
• How grief can expose deeper wounds, including father wounds that affect how we see God
• The sacred responsibility of stewarding our babies’ legacies

This episode is both tender and empowering—a reminder that while we never would have chosen this path, God can use even our deepest sorrow to bring comfort, awareness, and change. Whether you are newly grieving or years into your journey, this episode offers encouragement that your baby’s life matters—and your voice does too.

Full transcript below.

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MEET OUR GUEST

Lisa Rowell is the host of the Silent Footprints Podcast and the founder of Julianna Grace Ministry.

Since 2013, she has walked alongside families impacted by pregnancy and infant loss through ministry, advocacy, and tangible support. Through Julianna Grace Ministry, grief boxes are provided to bereaved families across the United States and around the world, offering comfort and reminding parents they are not alone in their darkest moments.

Lisa has also been actively involved in legislative advocacy surrounding stillbirth and infant loss, including work on two state bills in Louisiana, helping pass the Stillbirth Prevention Act in 2024, and currently advocating for the Shine for Autumn Act.

In addition, she has helped raise funds to donate cooling cots to hospitals, ensuring families have the time and dignity they deserve to say goodbye. Her heart is to bring comfort, raise awareness, and be a voice for families whose stories deserve to be heard.

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Episode 69 | When Love Becomes a Voice: Turning Loss into Action | Lisa Rowell

Ashley Opliger: [00:00:00] You’re listening to the Cradled in Hope Podcast. I’m your host, Ashley Opliger. I’m a wife, mom, and follower of Christ who founded Bridget’s Cradles, a ministry in memory of my daughter, Bridget, who was stillborn at 24 weeks. Our nonprofit donates knit and crocheted cradles to hospitals in all fifty states to hold babies born into Heaven.

I’m also the author of the book Cradled in Hope, a biblical guide for moms grieving miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. This podcast shares the same name—and the same heart—as the book: to help you find the comfort, compassion, and healing of Jesus in the midst of deep sorrow.

Rooted in the hope of the Gospel, this podcast is a sacred space for your broken heart to land. Here, we are going to trust God’s promise to heal our hearts, restore our joy, and use our grief for good. With faith in Jesus and eyes fixed on Heaven, we do not have to grieve without hope. We believe that Jesus cradles us in hope while He cradles our babies in Heaven. 

Welcome to the Cradled in Hope Podcast.

Ashley Opliger: [00:01:01] Welcome back to another episode of the Cradled in Hope Podcast. Today’s conversation is both tender and deeply honest, and I’m honored to welcome Lisa Rowell to the podcast. I had the honor to be on her podcast, the Silent Footprints Podcast, and after that conversation, I knew that I wanted her to also share her story on our podcast.

[00:01:23] So let me introduce you to Lisa. She is the host of the Silent Footprints Podcast and the founder of the Julianna Grace Ministry. Since 2013, she has walked alongside families impacted by pregnancy and infant loss, through ministry, advocacy, and tangible support. Through Julianna Grace Ministry, grief boxes are provided to grieving families across the country and around the world, offering comfort and reminding parents they’re not alone in their darkest moments.

[00:01:49] Lisa has also been actively involved in legislative advocacy surrounding stillbirth and infant loss, including work on two state bills in Louisiana, helping pass the Stillbirth Prevention Act in 2024, and currently advocating for the Shine for Autumn Act. In addition, she has helped raise funds to donate cooling cots to hospitals, ensuring families have time and dignity they deserve to say goodbye. 

Her heart is to bring comfort, raise awareness, and be a voice for families whose stories deserve to be heard. But beyond her advocacy and ministry work, Lisa is a fully devoted follower of Christ and bereaved mother, whose journey has included deep grief, mental health battles, spiritual warfare, and a refining of faith.

[00:02:31] In this episode, we talk about more than ministry. We talk about identity, father wounds, the tension between faith and works, and what it means to serve Jesus from a heart of gratitude for our salvation. I know this episode is going to deeply encourage your heart, so let’s start the conversation and welcome Lisa.

Ashley Opliger: [00:02:49] Welcome, Lisa, to the Cradled in Hope Podcast. I’m so honored to have you on our podcast after I had the privilege to be on yours.

Lisa Rowell: [00:02:57] Yes. Ashley, thank you so much. It is such a privilege to be here and to share. It’s just such an honor to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Ashley Opliger: [00:03:06] Of course. I would love for you to share about who you are and your story, and then we’ll have a lot to talk about, all the amazing and beautiful things that you’re doing in memory of your daughter and to help grieving families. So I’d love for you to introduce yourself.

Lisa Rowell: [00:03:20] Hi, my name is Lisa Rowell. I’m in northwest Louisiana. And I always joke, I’m on Congressman Mike Johnson‘s, the Speaker of the House, district, because that has a lot of play on what I do. I am a mother of two, one here on earth and one in Heaven. And I am married, I want to say 20 years now, maybe. I’m not sure, 18 years.

Ashley Opliger: [00:03:42] Losing track of time.

Lisa Rowell: [00:03:42] Already. Yeah, there’s a lot. I run a ministry to serve the grieving to those who have had a loss in miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss. I’ve helped raise money for Cuddle Cots and Caring Cradles here in the area. I’ve helped pass laws here in Louisiana regarding loss, and I helped pass a law on the legislative level in Congress regarding loss, in 2024 I want to say.

[00:04:09] And I minister to those who are grieving. That’s just my heart. That’s a lot, but it’s been, I want to say, soon to be 13 years in the making. Unfortunately, like yourself, Ashley, I had one of the worst things happen to me, and that was also losing a baby. 

And in your book that I have been actually listening to as I clean the house, I’m listening to it, I’m just thinking, one of the things that you mentioned was this prosperity gospel, and it really hit me hard because I fell into that too. And starting way back, how my story all began, many do know if they listen to my podcast or personally know me. I grew up in foster care. I was, unfortunately, abused by my parents.

[00:04:54] My mother left at a very early age. I was abused by a stepmother and my biological father every which way possible. I was sexually abused, I was physically abused, and mentally abused, until I was about 12 years old. And then I entered the foster care system, had a failed adoption, went to college, dropped out, but I attended church a lot throughout those years.

[00:05:18] When I was 17, I was, I put the quotes in the air, “saved” because I felt that was my ticket into Heaven, like my get-out-of-jail, get-out-of-Hell card, and I felt like I needed to do that. But I fell into this: If I did the right things and went to church and got married, I could start all over and God would give me a brand new start.

[00:05:41] So I did. I got married. I always say I ran away to Louisiana to get away from back home, which was San Antonio, and I wanted to start new. We got the jobs, saved our money, bought the house, bought the cars, went to church, and did all the right things. 

And then I want to say five years into our marriage, when we bought our first house, we decided to start a family. And at the time I had been working out. I keep saying over and over, because this is the story of a lot of us, I was working out, I was very healthy, eating right, had the perfect job and everything. And I got pregnant. And in the back of my mind we get that thought, “What if we lose our pregnancy?”

And that came and went. And, “Surely,” I was like, “surely nothing else bad would happen to me, and I’m doing all these right things for the Lord.” Right? Minus, like, I wasn’t having my quiet time with the Lord. I wasn’t spending time with the Lord. So I didn’t really truly understand what it was to walk with God. 

[00:06:37] Unfortunately, in September of 2013, my Julianna quit moving. And I went to the hospital and my doctor said she had passed. Obviously, my world just crashed, and at that time I felt like I had nothing to live for. 

I felt that God hated me, that I had done something wrong, and I didn’t know what that was, but I just felt like I was done trying in this life. Nobody loved me was what I thought. 

And one day, I think after we’d given birth to Julianna, she weighed one pound, five ounces, was like 11 and a half inches long. She was born at 23 weeks gestation. We had her cremated. I have a mother who took me in as an adult. She was my Sunday school teacher. She came and spent time with me, but after she left and my husband’s family left, everyone visits you during this time of grief and mourning, I say the dust settled.

[00:07:35] I was laying in bed and I was like, “God, this hurts. Why would You allow this pain? I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve done nothing wrong in this life, and why would You allow all this pain in my life?”

And I hear the voice of the enemy. He says, “Take the sleeping pills your doctor gave you and the alcohol that you have in your cabinet, and you can go to sleep and you’ll wake up on the other side with Julianna.”

[00:08:02] The thing about Satan, he gives half truths. Was I saved at that time? I think so. But if I would’ve committed suicide during that time, I probably would’ve woken up with Julianna, but I would’ve missed out on everything else God had for me. 

[00:08:20] And so I don’t believe in ghosts or anything like that. I mean, I didn’t understand the Holy Spirit at the time. And what happened next I can’t explain. It’s never happened ever in my life. But I’m sitting there crying, contemplating suicide, and I hear God’s voice come out of me saying, “I understand what you went through. I’ve lost My own Son. Trust Me. And pick up your mat and let’s walk.”

And that’s out of, I want to say the book of John [John 5:8]. And I don’t know, it’s like the Spirit came over me and comforted me in a way that I needed comfort during that time.

[00:08:54] And He continued doing that throughout the years. What I didn’t know was that comfort that He gave us is talked about in 1 Corinthians [correction: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4], that He wanted me to comfort others the same way He had comforted me. 

[00:09:07] And so during that time, a stranger, now friend, gave me this basket full of books and CDs back in the day when we listened to CDs, tissues, mascara, desserts, Scripture, all this stuff. And as I’m pulling everything out, I hear God telling me, “Others need to know how much I love them, even in this deep grief. Others need to know how much I’m there with them, especially in this grief.”

And so as I’m pulling this, I literally, I just, this thing came over me thinking, “I have to let people know how much God loves them.”

[00:09:42] And so as God’s putting these dreams in my mind, as I’m getting medical bills and I’m able to pay for them, I’m able to take time off of work, I’m thinking, “How about the people who cannot take time off work? How about people who can’t pay these bills? How about people who can’t pay for a mental health,” 

[00:10:01] I was able to see a counselor, “Other people just can’t do that. This is my only baby,” that I had lost. I had no other children. I could take time off. I could go to the counseling. I didn’t have anything in the way. But there’s people out there with kids already and they can’t. Life’s hard. 

[00:10:23] And so I’m thinking, “Lord, I wish there was some kind of a tax credit,” because I’m finding out there’s no tax credit bills. I got [a] death certificate, but I’m not getting a birth certificate. I’m finding all these things out, and God’s just putting them in my heart. I’m keeping quiet about that. 

[00:10:35] And so I tell God, I’m like, “Okay, if I start on this journey that I feel that You’re calling me on, I want to do it. But don’t let my daughter die in vain.” Us mothers, we want people to say our children’s name. It’s the most precious sound we’ll hear is hearing our children’s name. And so I’m saying, “Don’t let her die in vain.” And also. “I will only do this if You lead me,”

[00:11:03] Because in my mind, I was this orphan, college dropout, nobody loved person, and so I didn’t believe that anybody would listen to me. And so I said, “God, You literally have to shine a light before my feet and I’ll take a step.” There was no way I could do this by myself, so I was terrified, but I knew in my heart that God was calling me to do this.

[00:11:21] And so one of the first things I did was we actually have a birth certificate that’s called a MISSing Angel Certificate here in Louisiana. I made it easier accessible. 

I contacted the original person who came up with the bill, and by the grace of God, she and I became friends and we started messaging each other, and I got involved with the Governor of Louisiana, and we just made it possible to where the, I want to say the Department of Health made it more accessible for people in Louisiana to get these certificates. Because when I had applied for it back in 20, I don’t know, it was ‘15 or ‘16, it literally took seven months for me to get it.

[00:12:00] And we did that. And then God wanted me to start donating Cuddle Cot, and so we did that. That took a year to raise money. And then we did the Caring Cradle. And then I wanted to do a tax credit and a certificate of birth for people who had a miscarriage, which is before the 28th week. 

And so throughout the years, we started doing these things and it was very much God placing the right people in my life to give me good advice, sound advice, on how to write a legislative person, to write a representative, and to write Mike Johnson and to write to these people. 

[00:12:38] And God also reminded me that they’re people, and so their hearts could be moved. And so if He sends me to tell somebody, “Hey, we want this bill to be passed,” God was going to do the work on their end. I just had to be available to do it. 

And so over the past, soon to be 13 years, I’ve been on this journey of, “Lord, what do You want me to do next?” It’s like He gave me a checklist of things that bothered me in the beginning, and they literally have been being checked off.

[00:13:09] And the ministry, I started the Julianna Grace Ministry earlier. And what that is, I basically give out grief baskets or boxes to families who lose children. So it could be miscarriage all the way into early infant loss. 

And at first I would deliver them to people’s homes, which was very uncomfortable, but that was something God wanted me to do, and I did. And now they go wherever they want to go. I’ve sent some to New Zealand, South Africa, Hawaii, Canada, like everywhere. 

And again, it was just one of those, “All right, Lord. You’re going to provide financially for this.” And that was another thing with the Julianna Grace Ministry, I didn’t want to be begging for money or anything like that. So literally, God put people in my life to provide. 

[00:13:51] And during that, I prayed that somebody would provide, like bears, and God raised the girl up in my community who does nothing but bears, and so she provides all our bears. 

[00:14:08] I prayed for somebody to provide Scripture and God raised somebody up to write, she actually writes out Scripture and has memorized, I want to say hundreds of Scriptures just by writing them out throughout the year on booklets and stuff. 

And God provided different people to provide for the baskets. And then, I don’t know if you’ve heard of Grieving the Child I Never Knew.

Ashley Opliger: [00:14:23] Yes, the book,

Lisa Rowell: [00:14:24] Yes. Believe it or not, Kathe Wunnenberg, her son played baseball in my city, in my area. And so, by the grace of God, I was able to meet her in person because I included all her books in my boxes, and now she’s like a mentor of mine.

Ashley Opliger: [00:14:40] That’s amazing.

Lisa Rowell: [00:14:40] And so it really is. Like I said, it was in grief that God literally just told me, “Hey, let’s do this.” And I’m only able, even to this day, only able to do this because of Him, because He is still shining a light and directing my footsteps. The biggest thing is I would only walk in this work, in this Kingdom work only if He showed me the way. 

[00:15:07] And the cool thing is, for example, one of the laws that we’re trying to get passed here, and hopefully by the time this comes out it would have passed, is providing Caring Cradles and Cuddle Cots, as time is quickly stolen from us whenever we have a stillbirth and those devices really extend the time.

[00:15:25] And for years I’ve been trying to get a local hospital to get to have one donated and they have one, but they are very reluctant to have it. They don’t want to change their roles. It’s going to cost them more time. And so I’ve struggled with it for years.

[00:15:41] And God has always told me He wasn’t done with them. And so He literally put this dream into two other people down south of Louisiana and they were able to get in contact with a representative. And so literally they got two. me and some other person. who submitted the same bill request. 

And so now it’s in the process of, hopefully, getting passed. But it will require all Louisiana maternity wards and NICUs to carry a Caring Cradle or Cuddle Cot. And again, it’s one of those, God said, “Wait. Keep asking. I’m not done.”

[00:16:18] And as frustrating as it was, I was like, “Okay, I’m only doing this because You’re saying so. But the second it’s a, ‘No,’ I’m out. I’m out.” So I think obedience is the biggest thing that I’ve had to learn along the way.

Ashley Opliger: [00:16:31] That’s amazing, Lisa. And I’m just so amazed and inspired by everything that you’ve done in memory of Julianna.

[00:16:38] And I just want to acknowledge everything that you walked through as a child. That’s a very difficult upbringing, and I could see how the enemy would use that kind of childhood to plant these seeds, like you said, that you’re not loved, that you’re not chosen, and how, as you would walk through further trials, think that’s when Satan really tries to reinforce those core wounds that we believe, those negative beliefs about ourselves, about God.

[00:17:07] And when you lost your daughter, that was the perfect time for him to reinforce, “See, God doesn’t love you. You’ve been following Him, you’re walking with Him now, and this is what He does. He abandons you.” And we know that’s not true. But of course, his mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. And as you said so vulnerably, and thank you for sharing about the mental health struggles that you walked through-

Lisa Rowell: [00:17:31] Of course. 

Ashley Opliger: [00:17:31] … and suicidal thoughts, because the enemy was like, “This is how I get her to take her life. I reinforce that God is not good, that God must hate you, that God is punishing you, and I reinforce that wound to the point of complete hopelessness, that you feel there’s no other option.”

[00:17:50] And praise God for the Holy Spirit that was in you, that spoke to you and gave you truth in that moment to bring you back to life, and for you to make a different choice in that moment. 

But I just want to say thank you for being vulnerable, because I think so many of us have struggled with really dark and hard thoughts in grief. It is so painful to lose a child. And in the midst of that, there is very real spiritual warfare happening, and so I just want to acknowledge that. 

[00:18:23] And I also wanted to say, for our audience who’s listening about everything that Lisa’s doing in Louisiana and the different bills that she’s having passed, I wanted to say, when you were talking, I was just thinking. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if the Lord raised up more Lisas in all of these different states?” Right?

Lisa Rowell: [00:18:44] Yeah.

Ashley Opliger: [00:18:44] Because you can’t do it in every state.

Lisa Rowell: [00:18:46] No.

Ashley Opliger: [00:18:46] But look at the difference that you’re making in Louisiana for so many people! And I think about, in my home state of Kansas, we did receive a stillbirth certificate for Bridget because she was born after 20 weeks.

[00:18:59] And I don’t know who helped pass that bill before Bridget was born, but someone did because it wasn’t always that way, that after 20 weeks that you would receive a stillbirth certificate. And we received one. And so I think there was some faithful person that was walking this road before me that put that into place.

[00:19:17] And Lisa, you’re doing that for so many families in Louisiana. And there’s all these other states, and each state is different where they’re at. And some states probably have bills, some don’t. And I think that it’s amazing that the Lord, first of all, convicted your heart to want to do something about it, and then led your steps. Because you didn’t know anything about how to pass laws. We’ve talked about this. You didn’t know anything. 

Lisa Rowell: [00:19:43] No.

Ashley Opliger: [00:19:43] But the Lord connected the dots, connected you to the right people. As you said, He softened the hearts of those that you were asking and sharing. And I think it’s so important to know: We feel so scared to do these things for the Lord, but He’s the one that equips us.

[00:20:00] I didn’t know how to be an Executive Director. I didn’t know how to be a Podcaster. But the Lord, over time, He just equips and He calls and He shows you and He helps you take the right next step.

[00:20:11] And I just would love for the fruit of this podcast potentially to be for people to think, “Yeah, that can be me, even though I don’t know what I’m doing, but the Lord is putting something in my heart.” And it may not be passing laws. It may not be starting a ministry. But whatever it is the Lord puts on your heart, it’s going to be specific to each person. 

And then the last thing I wanted to say, before I ask you a question, was I just wanted to clarify for those who are listening who may not know what a Caring Cradle or a Cuddle Cot is. And you might be confusing that with our cradles, Bridget’s Cradles,

[00:20:43] They’re very different, and so I just want to say that. Because honestly, we have called hospitals, Lisa, trying to get our cradles into the hospitals and saying, “We’re going to donate our cradles to you.”

And they’re like, “We don’t have room for 50 cradles,” and they’re thinking we’re talking about life-size, large cradles, and we’re actually talking about these little knit and crocheted cradles.

[00:21:07] And so the difference here is that our cradles are for each tiny baby to be held in their mom and dad’s hands inside this little knit or crocheted cradle, whereas the Caring Cradle or a Cuddle Cot, and those are just two different brands essentially of the same thing, they are a big medical device cradle, kind of something you would imagine in a hospital. 

But they have a cooling device underneath and it keeps the baby cold so that the natural process of death after a baby is born already into Heaven, that it allows the family more time before the physical aspects of death start showing. And it just gives them a day, maybe even two days in the hospital where they can hold their baby, they can see their baby before the baby goes to the funeral home.

[00:22:00] And would you want to elaborate anything more about that? I just wanted to clarify the differences because I think it’s really important. And my heart would be that hospitals would have both, that they would have the little cradles for the families to hold them in and the Caring Cradle, or a Cuddle Cot, especially for full term second and third trimester losses, for them to be able to have and give families the gift of time.

Lisa Rowell: [00:22:24] Yeah, it’s really neat. I’m in contact with both the founder of the Caring Cradle and also a worker, Lindsay, who works for the Cuddle Cot. The Caring Cradle–

Ashley Opliger: [00:22:33] Because they’re based in the UK, right?

Lisa Rowell: [00:22:34] They are based in the UK.

Ashley Opliger: [00:22:35] Yeah. 

Lisa Rowell: [00:22:35] And the cool thing about the Caring Cradle is Wendy has designed a smaller one. You may or may not know, but if you have a stillborn baby before the 20th week, let’s say between the 16th and 19th week, believe it or not, it’s called a miscarriage, but yours looks just like a baby. 

Ashley Opliger: [00:22:53] Yes, 

Lisa Rowell: [00:22:53] Depending; it’s a different story for every baby. Some babies have deformities, we don’t know. But however, there’s these smaller cradles that they’re able to use for these smaller babies to keep their bodies cool.

Ashley Opliger: [00:23:04] Okay. I did not know that they were making smaller ones.

Lisa Rowell: [00:23:07] Yeah.

Ashley Opliger: [00:23:08] But that is so good, because I agree with you. I don’t feel like those losses that are before 20 weeks should be considered miscarriage, especially when you’re going through labor and delivery and you have a baby to hold. And they would need a Cuddle Cot or a Caring Cradle, just as the same as someone 20 weeks and beyond. So I’m glad to hear that they are making smaller ones and giving access to families.

Lisa Rowell: [00:23:31] Yeah, definitely. And I want to go back to that. I do want to talk about the Cuddle Cot. They also have this cooling blanket, which is cool because you are able to carry your baby on you for a longer period of time using a cooling blanket.

[00:23:45] But back to the miscarriage thing, I have a friend who said that she wasn’t angry when she lost her baby. She got angry when she had her second baby. And so what made me angry about this is that you’re using a maternity ward, you’re getting billed for using a maternity ward, but it’s labeled a miscarriage and you still receive a death certificate.

[00:24:07] So the Lord put it in my heart to get a law passed here in Louisiana for those who did lose a baby before the 20th week, that they would get a miscarriage certificate. 

[00:24:19] The cool thing, again God moving the hearts of man, when I wrote my testimony to my representative to testify for this bill, the way I wrote it, the way the Lord wants me to change the language and I encourage everybody else to change the language, instead of saying miscarriage: In this letter I wrote miscarriage once, explained why the word itself was devastating. And then I kept saying, the loss of a child, the loss of a child, the loss of a child.

Ashley Opliger: [00:24:44] Yes.

Lisa Rowell: [00:24:45] He changed the bill name Miscarriage Certificate to Miscarried Child or Missing Child Certificate.

Ashley Opliger: [00:24:53] Yes, because it is a child. And that’s what you’re doing is showing the sanctity of human life, that why would only families after 20 weeks get a certificate when, if you lost your baby at 19 weeks, that’s still a child.

Lisa Rowell: [00:25:07] Yeah.

Ashley Opliger: [00:25:08] It’s still a baby, and even at eight weeks or five weeks.

Lisa Rowell: [00:25:12] I agree.

Ashley Opliger: [00:25:12] And so, yeah, in Kansas we don’t have that. And so I think that is so important for grieving families to acknowledge that yes, you lost a child, but also for the general community of showing life of the unborn and the sanctity of human life, that life does begin at conception.

Lisa Rowell: [00:25:32] Yeah. 

Ashley Opliger: [00:25:32] And so Lisa, if anyone’s listening and they’re like, “I want to do this in my state, but I don’t even know where to start,” what couple steps would you say? Where should they start, if they want to look into this?

Lisa Rowell: [00:25:46] Well, the one thing God has put a passion in me is this kind of stuff. Message me. Please message me, because you’ll need encouragement just the way I needed encouragement, and I want to encourage you and hold your hand along the way.

[00:25:56] I want to give you all the tools that you need. I have templates written out that can be placed on your own website to show people how they can support you in getting this bill passed. 

The first thing after we talk is: Message your representative. Ask around, “Hey, who is my representative?” If you go to your state, you can find your representative, but usually if you know somebody who knows the representative, there’s your in.

[00:26:22] And pray. Ask the Lord, “Okay, how do You want me to go about this?” Because it may be different from me. It may look totally different. Share your story to the representative. Your story will have an impact, has had an impact of those around. You have a sphere of influence. Use it. Use it to share your story. 

[00:26:41] Post it on social media, hashtag your city, hashtag your representative. Tag your representative and say, “Hey, I would love to see this here.” Because it is not only you who are dealing with this. The Scriptures say that you’re not the only one enduring these things. Nothing is new under the sun. And so know that when you come out with your pain, with this idea of, “Hey, we need to get a bill passed,” other people will also start coming out.

[00:27:11] Because, and I think you probably, Ashley, have heard this, a lot of people haven’t been given the permission to talk about their miscarriage. Why? Because, quote unquote, “It wasn’t as bad.” And the fact is, pain is pain to God. Right? Grief is grief to God. 

Ashley Opliger: [00:27:27] Every baby, no matter how many weeks, is worthy of being grieved.

Lisa Rowell: [00:27:31] Yeah, exactly. It’s the same love that you developed the second you found out that you were pregnant with your baby. That love that you developed for him or her didn’t cease to exist the day he or she died. 

And so I think in the Scriptures that says,” I knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb,” we at least need to acknowledge when we first got pregnant. 

Ashley Opliger: [00:27:53] Yes, 

Lisa Rowell: [00:27:54] God knew us before. We should at least acknowledge when it happened. 

Yes, please contact me. And it’s funny that you said my ultimate goal is to see these bills passed all around the United States, and I’m in it for the long haul.

Ashley Opliger: [00:28:06] And I love that your heart is connection and that you’re willing to encourage and raise up other women to do this. And so how can they reach out to you? What’s your contact information?

Lisa Rowell: [00:28:19] Yeah, so just go to my Julianna Grace Ministry website. I have my email address on there, which is juliannagraceministry@gmail.com, and I will literally give you everything you need, all the tools you need to get any certificate law passed, even the law that we’re trying to get passed here, having every hospital carry a Caring Cradle or a Cuddle Cot.

Ashley Opliger: [00:28:42] 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.

Ashley Opliger: [00:30:02] Thank you so much for being a willing resource and friend. And we will post your website and your contact information in the show notes.

[00:30:11] So feel free to click on our show notes and get straight to her website so that you can reach out. 

[00:30:17] I do have a question though. Before someone decides to reach out to you, is there an easy way for them to figure out what the current laws are in our state? Is it just a Google search or is there some sort of database that shows the different miscarriage and stillbirth laws in the different states?

Lisa Rowell: [00:30:36] Yeah. For our state, it’s the Louisiana Secretary website, Secretary of State website, I think it’s called. And so if it’s Oregon, you’re going to go to the Oregon Secretary of State website, or you can Google it. But usually on the site you can find it. 

[00:30:53] And then there’s a little search bar. You can type in miscarriage, see what pops up. You can type in stillbirth, see what pops up. And then if you don’t get a good answer, ask your representative and say, “Hey, I’m just wondering if there’s a law regarding this, X, Y, Z.” And normally, those people are wanting to help you. 

And also one of the things that came to mind, your representative and senators are always looking for something to pass. So if anything, you’re doing them a favor, in saying, “Hey, this should pass,” because then they have … If you go to your representative’s website on the Secretary of State, you’ll see all the bills they’ve ever passed.

Ashley Opliger: [00:31:34] Hey, this is Ashley. I’m popping in post-edit because after our conversation, Lisa realized that she incorrectly said, “Secretary of State website,” and it is actually the State Legislator website. And so I just wanted to clarify that because Lisa wanted to make sure you got the right information. So it is not the Secretary of State website. You’re going to look for the State Legislator website. Thanks.

Lisa Rowell: [00:31:59] And so they’re also looking for bills. And if you message a representative, they’re like, “No, this isn’t a good idea,” go to somebody else. You’re going to hear nos. Don’t let a no be something that stops you. It just means no for that person. There’s somebody else who’s going to say yes.

Ashley Opliger: [00:32:18] Now, were you responsible for writing the bill? Reviewing it? 

Lisa Rowell: [00:32:21] No.

Ashley Opliger: [00:32:21] Okay. because that’s what I was going to say, is I think that could get very overwhelming for those that are listening. I’m even thinking of myself. I’m like, “I would like to do this, but this feels like a big time commitment.” But you’re not responsible-

Lisa Rowell: [00:32:34] No.

Ashley Opliger: [00:32:34] … for all of that. Your mission really is to raise the awareness, share your story, and then they take it from there.

Lisa Rowell: [00:32:41] Yeah. Basically you say, “Hey,” for the certificate, I was like, “there’s people using maternity wards, having funerals, and they’re not getting anything. What can we do?” And what I also did with them is I also listed like Florida and a few other states who had a similar bill passed already. And I said, “These people did it. Why can’t we do it?”

Ashley Opliger: [00:33:03] Yeah. So they have a background of, “Here’s a template of how we can move forward.”

Lisa Rowell: [00:33:08] Yeah. And it’s funny, because everyone talks bad about Louisiana, but now, like when I message other people, I’m like, “Hey, Louisiana, did it. Come on!”

Ashley Opliger: [00:33:18] Yeah. Yeah. Wow! That’s amazing. I just love everything that you’re doing, and your heart, and the grief boxes that you’re giving out, and just showing the love of Christ to people when they’re so heartbroken. And I know that you’ve started to use Cradled in Hope in those grief boxes.

Lisa Rowell: [00:33:37] Yes.

Ashley Opliger: [00:33:38] And I’m so honored that you would choose my book to be a part of that. So thank you so much for-

Lisa Rowell: [00:33:43] Yes. Thank you,

Ashley Opliger: [00:33:44] … helping me spread my own testimony, and most importantly, the hope of Christ is what I’m wanting every grieving parent to read when they read my book.

[00:33:53] And so I’m honored to partner with you in that way, and sent you some memory keepsakes for your grief boxes as well, from Bridget’s Cradles. But would you share more specifically about your grief journey? 

You had alluded to the prosperity gospel, which I talked a lot about in my book, and it’s exactly what you were saying, is we feel as though once we start following God and we are a Christian, that if we’re doing all the right things, then we’ll be blessed.

[00:34:23] And so therefore when a trial comes, we think, “Wait a second here. I love You, Jesus. I’m trying to do things the right way. And this doesn’t feel like You’re reciprocating. In fact, it feels like You’ve abandoned me.” And that causes all sorts of problems when we’re grieving, because we then no longer can trust Him.

[00:34:44] And that’s what I talk about in my book, is how if we misinterpret Scripture and we have this false gospel that we’re believing, we’re going to then misunderstand God and then we’re going to mistrust Him. And how do you grieve with God if you don’t trust Him? That wreaks a lot of chaos in our grieving journey.

[00:35:01] So how did you untangle all of that and got onto the path of trusting God and knowing His true character and getting out of that false gospel?

Lisa Rowell: [00:35:11] First of all, I went on and off to church growing up, and the church that I went to is a very popular denomination in America, very popular. I won’t mention it because I’m literally learning not to blaspheme anything that God has a hand in.

[00:35:27] And I’ve done that in the past and it’s something that God’s really convicted me. And so I’m not going to say anything about the church, but it’s a very popular church. There’s literally one on every corner in our area. But we focused in the book of James too much and in [the] book of James, is, “Show me your faith by your actions.”

[00:35:45] And so I feel that I grew up thinking, “If I had more actions …” It wasn’t said I wasn’t going to get … I was going to get into Heaven, but it taught me that the more actions I do showed the more faith I had. And I literally felt that if I went to church on Sunday and then on Wednesday and I volunteered at VBS and vacation Bible, like all this stuff that- 

Ashley Opliger: [00:36:11] Works-based salvation.

Lisa Rowell: [00:36:13] Very much, and I fell into that. I didn’t realize. That was the thing. I didn’t realize. I didn’t know any different. And this girl who gave me my basket went to Calvary Chapel. And I looked it up and it was like some hippie church that became very popular back in the late sixties, early seventies. 

[00:36:35] And I went and I was like, it was weird, very weird to me. because they didn’t ask for membership or they didn’t do topical teaching. They literally went from chapter per chapter, verse per verse in the Scriptures. In the Scriptures it says we learn by hearing the Word of God [Romans 10:17]. Right? And so it was literally hearing the Word of God on Sundays that I began to understand the Word.

[00:36:55] And also, I begged God to understand the Word. I’m like, “I don’t understand. I’ve only read the New Testament,” really didn’t read the Old Testament. I didn’t understand what it was to have a quiet time. 

Our pastors would say, back home, “Have your quiet time. Spend time with the Lord.” I had no clue what that looked like, and it wasn’t really modeled for me. And so on Sunday, it was all topical teaching. 

[00:37:20] This woman who gave me this basket, I felt like she was a hippie herself and she was going to this church. So I started going and I just felt, “Okay, God, if this is where You want me to be, what does … I need Your help.”

[00:37:32] So after I had my first baby, this prayer group, all of a sudden, I put quotation marks because God literally had a plan for this. He had a prayer group started by these older women in the church, and I’m thinking of Titus when it says we’re supposed to listen to older women [Titus 2:3-5]. And I go there and they’re praying, but they’re not gossiping. They’re praying.

[00:37:54] I’ve been to prayer meetings where it’s a lot of gossip, but they’re praying about things that I would’ve never talked about in my life. Like “I have inappropriate thoughts. Can we please pray? What’s causing these?” And so they would pray about those. Or, “My daughter’s struggling with this sin,” or, “I’m struggling with alcoholism,” or whatever.

[00:38:12] So they start talking about things that I’m just like, “I can’t believe these people are talking about this,” but they’re praying over them. And so I had a lot of PTSD, so I started praying over that and I started praying over the ministry that God was placing in my heart. 

[00:38:25] And this woman gives me these commentary books, and they’re basically explaining Scripture verbatim. So it’ll read a Scripture and it talks about exactly what that is, historical, who they were, the audience, everything, the heart behind the Scripture, God’s heart. And when I took all this material home, it’s like God removed these scales. And I started in the book of Samuel and I read about Hannah.

[00:38:55] And it was literally this, it took about a three-year journey. I felt like that God walked me through, just sitting there with Him, reading this book. And it’s a Jon Courson commentary book, and it was studying the Scriptures. So then I would read a Scripture, not understand it, read this commentary, text my pastor. 

[00:39:16] I was in a frenzy, because all of a sudden I needed to know about Heaven, because that’s where my daughter was. So I needed to know more about it. And what was the purpose of me being here, staying here? And so I literally was studying that. 

[00:39:40] And then what really changed my whole relationship for me was seeing how David reacted to the death of his son, and how after his son died, he praised the Lord. And I was like, “This makes no sense. Why would you praise the Lord?” And then I read, “I could call into my child and he wouldn’t come to me,” because David had it set in his heart, he knew where his child was. 

[00:39:59] And so when I read that, it was like this light bulb went off and I was like, “Okay, Julianna’s with You. You’ve got her. You’ve got her safe. If I called her, she would not even want to come here.”

And so I said, “All right, You’ve got her. Now I need You to get me, get my heart, and let’s walk. Let’s see how this is going to look. And don’t let me down, God, because,” I’m getting emotional, but I’d been down for so long and I was like, “Okay, Lord, I’m going to do this. I’m going to approach these representatives. I’m going to do this ministry, God, but You cannot let me down, Lord.”

And He showed me who He was. He showed me how much He loved me by showing up like the father that I always wanted. He showed up in my walk, in my marriage, in my work, and everything. But it was literally sitting down with Him, being with Him in the Scriptures and studying His Scriptures and seeing His love interwoven through everything, even when people turned their backs on Him, and He gave them chance after chance.

[00:41:03] And so it was going through these commentaries. I feel that saved my life, but that was like the beginning of my walk, and then realizing that I couldn’t earn my salvation. There is nothing, like everything I can do is but filthy rags before the Lord. Everything. And even though all this, “Oh, Lisa’s great. Lisa does all this stuff,” all of it is filthy rags. It’s nothing, nothing compared to what God has done for us. 

And so after doing this, I just felt, “Okay, Jesus died on the cross for me. I cannot live like He didn’t die.” And so now [the book of] James makes more sense to me now.

Ashley Opliger: [00:41:43] Yes. Yeah, I was just thinking that. And I just love what you just said. I feel like we need to highlight that. I cannot live like He didn’t die.

[00:41:52] That could be a book title. That is deep! That is really deep. There’s so many things I want to unpack from what you just said. First of all, I want to go back to the 2 Samuel 12:23, when David is talking about his son and he says, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

[00:42:11] And that’s that assurance that he’s in Heaven. He’s not coming back, but I can go to him, and I can go to him because of God and Jesus. And so, obviously, David was before Jesus, but he had salvation through faith. 

And that leads me back to this conversation about what you were saying, your upbringing and this works-based salvation of focusing in on James, which, like you said, you now understand James in the full context of Scripture.

[00:42:44] And so I wanted to read a couple of verses that came to mind as you were sharing about that, because I too grew up in a religion where even though it wasn’t explicitly taught, “This is how you’re saved,” it was that underlying current of, “I must be good. I must do these things to be a good follower and to earn salvation.”

[00:43:07] And so even to this day, I think, sometimes I just have a hard time resting in, “I don’t have to do these things for the Lord to love me. He just loves me. I’m worthy of His love because of what He did for me on the cross. And that is why I am saved, not because of anything I’ve done.” 

[00:43:30] Now, to get back to your point, how can I not give Him glory for what He’s done for me? So that’s why James [2:17] says, “Faith without works is dead,” is because if you really have faith and you really love the Lord, there is going to be fruit from that tree, because Jesus comes in and makes a new creation and digs out the old roots and basically takes all of the dead branches and throws them into the fire, and then prunes the ones that were bearing fruit so that they bear more fruit.

[00:43:57] And so the fruit is coming not because we have to earn it, but because we’re so grateful we received it by His grace. 

And so I just want to read a couple of verses so that we’re very clear biblically what we’re trying to say. So let’s start with James. So this is James 2:14-18, says,

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith. I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

And so here, what this is saying is that out of our faith and our gratitude for the Lord comes fruit, comes the deeds, but not the other way around.

[00:44:59] And I think that’s something a lot of times we think, “Oh, if we want to become a follower of Jesus, we better clean up our lives and get ourselves worthy before Him,” and then do all these deeds to make ourselves righteous before Him. We can’t be righteous on our own.

Lisa Rowell: [00:45:15] No.

Ashley Opliger: [00:45:16] Jesus comes in and cleans us by His blood and makes us righteous. And then out of that comes this fruit.

[00:45:24] And so just to give the other two verses that came to mind as you were talking would be in Romans 3, literally talks about no one is righteous, which I just said. We can’t be righteous on our own. But then Paul talks about righteousness through faith. This is starting verse 21,

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood–to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished–he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just, and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded? Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 

And it keeps on going. But essentially what he’s saying here is that we are justified by the blood of Jesus and through our faith we are saved.

[00:46:54] And again, Ephesians 2:8-9 says this exactly in simplified form, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” So salvation is not by works. It is not by works. It is by grace through faith.

[00:47:20] I think that’s very simple. I think we overcomplicate salvation sometimes, but I just wanted to clarify that, because I think a lot of us have been confused about what salvation means and works versus faith, and where the good deeds come from. 

[00:47:35] Because you’re right, if you look at your life, Lisa, you have had all of these amazing good deeds that have come, but it’s not come from you trying to earn salvation or your worthiness before the Lord. 

It’s come from you surrendering to Jesus and saying, “Lord, I can’t do this by myself. Please lead me. Please show me. Lead the next step. I want to be a vessel for You.” That’s what I heard what you were saying is, “Lord, I’m available and I don’t know how to do this, but I trust You and I’m asking You to lead and guide me.”

[00:48:07] And all of that fruit comes from a trusted, surrendered heart. And I think you’re a beautiful picture of that. And to your point, yes, our works are, they’re all filthy rags because we’re sinners trying to serve a sinless, perfect God. But they do glorify Him.

Lisa Rowell: [00:48:25] They do.

Ashley Opliger: [00:48:26] Because He sees the people who love Him with a sincere heart trying, in our sinfulness, to glorify Him, and He’s honored by that.

Lisa Rowell: [00:48:35] Yeah, and I want to encourage people. I remember early on, after the death when everything was very raw, I wanted to believe the Scriptures. I wanted to believe that the Holy Spirit was praying for me. I didn’t have the faith because I had been let down. 

[00:48:55] And the thing is, when you’ve been let down by your own father, that is one of the worst wounds I think a little girl can endure. And so placing your faith and your heart into another man who you can’t see, sometimes you may not even be able to feel because He feels so distant sometimes, even though He’s not, I did it scared. I did all of this scared and I continue to do it scared sometimes. 

[00:49:19] Sometimes I have boldness and then sometimes I’m like, “All right, I’m going to do this. I don’t know what I’m doing, Lord. I’m so scared.” If you’re so terrified because maybe you’ve been let down, maybe you’re just too hurt. Maybe you’ve turned your back on God and you’re scared to come back because you may feel that He will reject you, which He won’t, do it scared. 

Maybe God’s calling you to go next door to talk to somebody who has lost a husband or a child or whatever. Maybe God’s giving you a little small step of faith. Do it scared. 

[00:49:49] When I started the ministry. And I was able to do it full time, I had Gabriela and she had just started to walk. And I had this basket and God wanted me to go deliver it to this girl who just had a baby die of SIDS the night before. I could not find a babysitter for Gabby at all, and I was terrified that I was going to go to her house and she was going to completely lose it because she saw Gabby.

[00:50:15] And so I went over there. I ministered to her. I gave her the basket. She talked to me about what happened that night. She hadn’t slept all night, and Gabby literally just walked around in her house as I talked to her. I left with Gabby and left everything, gave her hugs and left. 

I got home. I get an email and she’s telling me how seeing Gabby gave her encouragement, knowing that she would be able to survive the death of her daughter.

[00:50:43] Here I was thinking Gabby was going to be this big trigger, and God used it for something else. So I think we have to be careful not to assume how people are going to react. 

We need to be careful and just be in complete obedience, even if we’re terrified that what we’re doing is the wrong thing. because again, that’s the enemy. Right? So I hope that encourages you to just take a little step of faith. because God will honor it.

Ashley Opliger: [00:51:10] Amen. Yeah, and you were willing to sit in the hard place with her and enter into her sadness? And I think that’s what the grieving need: Someone to sit in it and willing to step into it. Because a lot of people are not willing or comfortable to do that.

[00:51:27] And I also just want to acknowledge what you said about your father wound and being abandoned when you were a child and how that affected your relationship with God. And I can completely see how that would change your perspective of God.

And for anyone who’s listening, whether it’s a father or another male influence in your life, a husband, an ex-husband, a boyfriend, any male figure that was supposed to protect and love you and didn’t, I think that can really affect your relationship with God.

[00:51:59] I have my own experience with that in a past relationship, someone that I trusted who let me down. You have to be super careful not to translate human man, who is sinful, with a perfect God who will not leave you, will not forsake you, will not lie to you, will not abandon you. And it’s a hard thing to do when, in your case this was your father.

[00:52:27] And that is a core wound that you’re going to have. And I think that when you have those wounds, the Lord really needs to come in and heal you from those and show you that’s not His character and He’s not going to do that. 

[00:52:43] And I think it’s important though to acknowledge it because sometimes we may not realize, “I’m having some trust issues with God,” or, “My own core wounds and negative beliefs are affecting how I view God and I’m having a misunderstanding and a skewed version of who He is.”

And that’s going to affect how we let Him come in and sit with us. And that goes back to what all we were saying about these theological errors that we believe, or false gospels that we believe. And it’s important to get a right understanding so that we can trust in His good character and His nature and know that He’s going to be with us. So thank you for sharing that part of your story.

Lisa Rowell: [00:53:25] Oh, it’s an honor.

Ashley Opliger: [00:53:26] Lisa, I just want to thank you so much for sharing the hard parts of your journey, and where the Lord has led you through your grief journey, and all the amazing things that He has you doing for His Kingdom and for other grieving families.

[00:53:42] And so I’d love for you to again share how people can get in touch with your ministry, get in touch with you, and be part of what you’re doing.

Lisa Rowell: [00:53:51] You can go to my website, Julianna Grace Ministry. You can just go to your favorite search engine and just type it in, and you can also email me at juliannagraceministry@gmail.com. I’m an open book, so I am here to serve you and just to encourage you in whatever way you need.

Ashley Opliger: [00:54:09] Thank you. Will you close us in prayer?

Lisa Rowell: [00:54:11] Yes. Thank you so much, Ashley, for having me on. 

Lord, I’m so grateful to and honored, God, that You’ve given me this testimony to share, Lord. And I pray, God, that it encourages other men and women and families out there who may be hurting, God, and may be in a deep space that they just seem to not be able to get out of. Lord.

I pray, God, that this podcast can just minister to that grieving heart, Lord. I pray that our stories, God, can just be an encouragement to everybody, Lord, and that they’re reminded of Your great love for them, Lord, that my testimony just will remind people how You look beyond ourselves, Lord, and You look at our heart and You just want our heart, God.

I pray that people will message me and message Ashley, God, and just listen to You, Lord, and say yes. Thank You again for this wonderful opportunity. God. And thank you, Ashley, again. Amen.

Ashley Opliger: [00:55:05] Amen. Thank you so much, Lisa. It was a joy to have you.

Lisa Rowell: [00:55:09] Yes. Thank you for letting me be on.

Ashley Opliger: [00:55:13] Thank you for listening to the Cradled in Hope Podcast. We pray that you found hope and healing in today’s episode. 

Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes when they release each month. You can also find this episode’s show notes and a full transcript on our website at bridgetscradles.com/podcast. 

Be sure to sign up for our email list on our website, so that we can keep you updated on upcoming podcast episodes, support groups, and other hope-filled resources.

You can also purchase my book, Cradled in Hope, wherever books are sold. It’s a biblical guide for grieving moms to find hope after miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. Written from the depths of my own heartbreak, I share vulnerably about losing my daughter, Bridget, and how God met me in my grief. Through Scripture, theology, and soul-deep reflections, Cradled in Hope offers biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and the eternal hope of seeing your baby again in Heaven through faith in Jesus.

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.

Are you looking for ways to use your grief for good? Visit our website to learn how you can volunteer or donate to Bridget’s Cradles in memory of a baby in Heaven. 

Do you want a quick way to make an eternal impact? Share this episode with a friend or leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more grieving moms find the same comfort you’ve received here.

Thank you so much for listening and sharing. Until next time, we will be praying for you. And remember, as Jesus cradles our babies in Heaven, He cradles us in hope. Though we grieve, we do not grieve without hope.