1104 results for author: Ashlee Schmidt
In the Word: Children of God
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. It is our desire that this series will aid you in getting in the Bible for yourself and discovering the joy that comes from hearing from God through the pages of His Word.
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."John 1:12
One of the first sentences out of our doctor's mouth when coming back into the hospital room to consult with us after we learned that our daughter no longer had a heartbeat was that we now had our own “angel” looking over us. We knew his comment was intended to give a ...
Blessed Hope
My Gwendolyn was my very first pregnancy. It was beautiful, and it was perfect. Then I was in labor, and we lost her heartbeat. I was at a birthing center, and so they rushed me over to get an emergency c-section and the on call head of L&D told me, “You need to be prepared for the fact that when you wake up your baby might not be alive.” Even in labor I was just thinking, “What are you telling me? How do I prepare for that? I prepared the past nine months for a baby. I had baby showers, I have a nursery, I have dreams of what my life is going to be like. I have plans for the holidays. I’m prepared for all of that. I am not ...
Freely Given, Freely Received: Seeking Reconciliation
It was only a few weeks after Anna died and I could sense that she was pregnant. Why wouldn’t she just tell me and get it over with? And how could she hide this knowing how badly I hurt? I talked with my grief counselor about my fears. I expressed how hurt I was—as if my friend getting pregnant was a direct attack on me and my grief. I was jealous, I was envious, I was angry.
I wasn’t angry at God for allowing it, I was angry at her for letting this happen so soon after my loss. I realized it was incredibly selfish, but I needed time to heal first before dealing with a new baby so close to home. I felt so neglected by God in my ...
Bear Much Fruit: Self-Control
The notion of self-control suggests that our hearts are divided. As children of God, we are constantly battling against desires, responses, and impulses that should not be gratified. Every day of our lives is filled with choices. And every choice presents us with the opportunity to either honor the Lord or satisfy the flesh. Self-control is the ability to forsake these sinful inclinations.
The battle for self-control is fought in every area of our lives—from choosing what we eat, to how we respond in traffic. And while different aspects of our lives may be easier to “control” than others, nothing is exempt from the need of self-c...
Bear Much Fruit: Gentleness
I can't quite imagine the emotion of the scene. A woman, caught in the act of adultery, put on display before many, judgements falling free from her peers. If I had to guess I would imagine her voice was shaking, body trembling, and her mind racing with worry about what was about to become of her.
"At dawn He appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to ...
In the Word: Shaped By His Promises
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. It is our desire that this series will aid you in getting in the Bible for yourself and discovering the joy that comes from hearing from God through the pages of His Word.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks ...
Tomorrow is October 15
Many families will join across the country tomorrow, t, to remember babies, both in and out of the womb, who have been lost from our earthly lives. As we ready our hearts for this day, let us not forget the bereaved mothers and families who do not yet personally know the hope that is in Christ.
I pray that more and more grieving families in our country come to know and hear that this present fallen life, containing devastating loss and grief, is but a moment, and that there is hope beyond this world.
I hope this October 15 is a day to see that our grief does not need to isolate us—for there are others alongside of us ...
Purpose in the Pain: Greater Fruitfulness
Every year, there is a season as a gardener where it’s time to prune my roses. When pruning roses, the technique is to pluck all the leaves off the rose bush and cut the long stems (called canes) in half, generally speaking.
I look at my once voluptuous Julia Child roses, grab my sheers, and cut them down to only the necessities every February here in Texas. When I’m done they look lifeless and nonexistent. The first time I did this, I thought they would never come back—but I was wrong. Not only do they come back from this every year, but they also thrive in the next growing season.
It’s hard to imagine how, or why, ...
