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

In this final episode of the Cradled in Hope Book Club, Ashley reflects on the sacred journey of walking chapter by chapter through grief and healing alongside grieving moms from across the country. She offers heartfelt thanks to every listener who showed up, shared their tears, and let Jesus meet them in the midst of sorrow.Reading a section from the final pages of the book, Ashley compares this closing moment to a “Midwest goodbye”—the kind where no one really wants to leave. With tenderness, she reminds grieving moms that this is not goodbye, but see you later. The journey doesn't end here, and Jesus has more to show you.Ashley shares how you can continue your healing:Cradled in Hope Guided Journal – Available on Amazon or as a free download, the journal provides guided prompts, Scripture reflections, and sacred space to continue processing your grief with Jesus.YouVersion 7-Day Devotional – A short and powerful series drawn from the book to help you stay grounded in God’s Word when you need a quick dose of truth.Support Groups – Both in-person (Kansas) and virtual (Hope Online), Bridget’s Cradles offers Christ-centered community for grieving moms.Free eBooks – Practical and compassionate resources for every stage of the grief journey, from preparing to meet your baby to navigating holidays and anniversaries.Re-read the Book + Journal Together – With time, new truths will stand out. Healing is not linear, and God reveals new layers as we walk with Him.Share Hope – Gift a copy of the book to a grieving friend, hospital, or church to help others find comfort and hope in their darkest days.Keep Listening to the Podcast – With over 60 episodes and more coming in 2026 (including a powerful message from Becky Thompson on January 1), the Cradled in Hope podcast will continue walking with you in your journey.Ashley also reads several moving Amazon reviews from readers, expressing deep gratitude for how God has used the book to speak healing into broken hearts. She encourages listeners to leave a review as a way of helping more grieving moms discover this hope-filled resource.As the episode closes, Ashley reminds every mom:Your baby’s life has eternal value.Your grief is sacred to God.The hope of Heaven is sure.Jesus is holding you and your baby close. Until we are reunited, He is faithful to carry you every step of the way.GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub16]• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles][www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles][www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER[www.ashleyopliger.com][www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger][www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 14 of Cradled in Hope, “Our Future Forever: When You Long for Your Heavenly Home.” She invites grieving moms to set their eyes on eternity and live with urgency, hope, and peace in the promise that Jesus is coming back—and that we will be reunited with our babies in Heaven.Ashley shares vivid memories of the day Bridget was born and went to Heaven, and how the fleeting nature of time shaped her longing for eternity. Through Scripture and personal reflections, she explains the biblical truth of the Resurrection, why she believes it is coming soon, and how we are called to live as we wait for Jesus’ return.In this episode, Ashley shared:Why she ended the book by focusing on eternity and the return of JesusA powerful visual using a skein of yarn to represent how brief our time on earth is compared to eternityScriptural truths about the Resurrection, glorified bodies, and our Heavenly citizenshipThe comfort of knowing her daughter Bridget is already part of her eternal familyReflections on her own mortality and how the sudden loss of her dad deepened her desire to live with intentionThe difference between the Rapture and Second Coming, and why Ashley believes Jesus could return in our lifetimeHow Christians are called to “keep their lamps burning” and shine the light of Jesus as they waitA fresh perspective on the story of Lazarus and how it mirrors our hope in Jesus’ Resurrection powerThe word “Maranatha” and how it shaped the closing of this chapter and the entire book—He is coming soon!Ashley encourages listeners to live every day with the mindset of “one day closer,” believing that suffering has an expiration date and that joy is coming forever. No matter how heavy the grief, there is a future full of glory and reunion ahead.GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub15]• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles][www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles][www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER[www.ashleyopliger.com][www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger][www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 13 of Cradled in Hope, “With the Same Comfort: When You Want to Use Your Grief for Good.” She reflects on how God can use our heartbreak to minister to others and reminds grieving moms that purpose flows from a transformed heart—not from striving or pressure to “make meaning” out of tragedy.Ashley shares a powerful story about the day of Bridget’s funeral and how their procession unknowingly passed by the future headquarters of Bridget’s Cradles—a building not yet built, but already known to God. This moment, years later, became a testimony to His faithfulness and sovereign plan.In this episode, Ashley shared:The story of Bridget’s funeral day and the moment sunbeams broke through the clouds over the cemeteryWhy grief feels unbearable at first and how Ashley once told God, “Nothing good will ever come from this”How years of walking through loss, including her dad’s death, revealed that God could redeem her pain for goodA reflection on 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 and how we’re called to comfort others with the same comfort we’ve received from GodWhy moms don’t need to strive to honor their babies—their value is inherent, and they are already honored in HeavenThe distinction between serving God from love and gratitude vs. striving to earn worth or validationHow Bridget’s Cradles is not just a grief project but a ministry rooted in obedience and the Great CommissionEncouragement that everyone’s calling will look different—and why obedience in small acts is where impact beginsHow her ministry started with a single cradle in Bridget’s nursery, and grew through thousands of small, unseen yesesAn explanation of the difference between purpose (which is always to serve Jesus) and calling (which is specific to each woman)Testimonies of grieving moms who’ve found unique ways to serve others and share the hope of ChristA reminder that we may never see the fruit of our obedience here on earth—but God sees every seed plantedAn encouragement to keep serving, keep shining, and keep running your race until the day you hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”Ashley reminds us that we are called to serve the one who sees us—Jesus—and to love the one in front of us, even in small ways. We don’t have to do something grand. We just have to begin.GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub14]• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles][www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles][www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER[www.ashleyopliger.com][www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger][www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 12 of Cradled in Hope, “More Than Gold: When You Allow God to Transform You,” and reflects on how her faith has been shaped through trials—even before losing Bridget. She shares how past hardships prepared her to walk through grief with Jesus and how those earlier seasons of suffering laid a foundation of trust in God's goodness.Ashley explains that transformation doesn’t mean moving on from grief—it’s about sanctification: becoming more like Christ through the pain. Rooted in 1 Peter 1:6–7, she talks about how God can use the fire of loss to refine our faith. With honesty and hope, she encourages grieving moms to surrender their broken hearts to Jesus and to consider how He might be working in them—even in the midst of deep sorrow.In this episode, Ashley shared:How suffering is often the way Jesus molds and refines us through trialsThe biblical meaning behind the title “More Than Gold” from 1 Peter 1:6–7Her personal story of walking through many painful trials—including a divorce due to adultery, Bridget’s death, her son Brenner’s medical crisis, and her father’s tragic deathA chart she includes in the book illustrating that in life, we are always either about to enter, in the middle of, or coming out of a trialHow her questions to God have shifted over time—from “Why me?” to “What do You want to teach me through this?”Why pruning is part of the process of bearing more fruit for God’s Kingdom (John 15)How our desperation in grief leads us into deeper dependence on JesusScriptural promises that link suffering with future glory and purposeThe urgency to live for eternity, invest in Heavenly treasure, and serve God out of gratitude—not obligationAshley gently reminds moms that God never wastes our pain. If we allow Him, He will take the ashes of grief and turn them into something more beautiful and eternal than we could ever imagine—faith that is more precious than gold.GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub13]• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles][www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles][www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER[www.ashleyopliger.com][www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger][www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Ashley shares a deeply personal story of how grief resurfaced during her third pregnancy, years after the loss of her daughter Bridget. Centered on Chapter 11 of Cradled in Hope, “Holding Both: When You Experience Both Joy and Sorrow,” she reflects on how conflicting emotions—gratitude and grief, joy and sadness—can coexist and create confusion, guilt, and shame for grieving moms.Through honest storytelling and gentle encouragement, Ashley invites listeners to reframe “either/or” thinking into “both/and” truth. With grace, she reminds moms that it’s possible to feel immense love for one child while still mourning another, and that sorrow and joy can live side-by-side in the sacred space of a grieving mother’s heart.In this episode, Ashley shared:The emotional experience of finding out her third child was a boy, and the waves of unexpected grief that followedThe phrase “holding both” and how her counselor introduced it as a healing framework for complex emotionsHow expectations versus reality can lead to disappointment—and how the enemy uses that gap to plant liesReal-life examples of “both/and” experiences in grief (e.g., being thankful and heartbroken, smiling while missing your baby)Why joy does not cancel out sorrow, and laughter is not a betrayal of your griefThe temptation to tie grief up with a “rainbow baby” happy ending—and why only Jesus can be our redemptionHow rainbow babies can bring joy, but should never bear the burden of being our hope or healingEncouragement to trust God’s sovereignty even when your story doesn’t go the way you plannedAshley reminds grieving moms that time alone does not heal all wounds—but Jesus does. And though we live in the tension now, one day in Heaven, we will no longer have to hold both—because we’ll be holding our babies again.GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub12]• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles][www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles][www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER[www.ashleyopliger.com][www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger][www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles ★ Support this podcast ★