1104 results for author: Ashlee Schmidt

Kristin’s Retreat Experience

A few months after Abby died, I received a Hope Box in the mail. It was my first introduction to Hope Mommies. I was intrigued. Their annual retreat was something that caught my eye, and soon enough, I had convinced another Hope Mom to go to this retreat with me in Texas. It all sounded like a great idea at the time, but as the weekend of the retreat drew near, it sounded like a terrible, anxiety-ridden, I-think-I’m-gonna-pass-out kind of idea. I mean, lots of talking with people I don’t know? PANIC. Bunking with roommates? NOPE. Before Abby died, I would have loved a weekend away, but now my anxiety made it difficult to venture far from ...

In the Word: Never Alone (Part 1)

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Psalm 139 together. This Psalm is used often (and rightly so) to demonstrate the value of human life, and God's care for us from even before we were conceived. What can we learn about God's tender care for us and for our babies from these verses? How does a greater knowledge of these truths offer hope and comfort to us in the midst of grief? NEVER ALONE (Part 1) "Where shall I go from your Spirit?    Or where shall I flee from your presence?If I ascend to heaven, you are there!   &n...

Katie’s Story

“I’m sorry.” The two words no expectant mother wants to hear with an ultrasound wand on her stomach. Disbelief washed over me as I saw my perfect, beautiful, motionless baby on the screen. How could this be? Less than 36 hours ago, I saw him kicking and punching at my doctor’s office. How could something so monumental happen in such a short amount of time? I collapsed into a sobbing heap as the nurses wrapped me up in their arms. Strangers were holding me as I cradled my still belly after hearing the worst news I have ever received. After the nurses helped me call my husband and my parents, I was taken to a delivery room in the hospital. I ...

Able to Stand

Grief is often accompanied by a myriad of temptations: anger, bitterness, fear, and despair, just to name a few. But God has provided us with everything we need to overcome these temptations, and to move forward in our sorrow with His strength. In this series, we will be studying the various pieces of our spiritual armor, and how each of these pieces uniquely equip us to cling to the hope we have been given in Christ. The days and weeks that followed the loss of my precious baby were filled with a battlefield of emotions and temptations. After becoming so intimately familiar with the frailty of life, I found myself fearful ...

He Holds Your Faith

You always wonder how you would react in a tragedy. Would you lose it? Would your faith be strong enough? Would you fall and not get up? All these unknowns made me fearful. Fearful of what I knew could happen. From reading the Bible, I knew we were not promised a life without hardship. Actually we were promised persecution and suffering (2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 5:8-10). Only, my life was free of hardship. I had wonderful family and friends. I had achieved every goal I ever set. The Holy Spirit made my paths clear, and I happily followed. I was blessed. But in the back of my mind I always had that anxiety—when will my hardship hit? I felt I was ...

In the Word: Fully Known

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Psalm 139 together. This Psalm is used often (and rightly so) to demonstrate the value of human life, and God's care for us from even before we were conceived. What can we learn about God's tender care for us and for our babies from these verses? How does a greater knowledge of these truths offer hope and comfort to us in the midst of grief? Fully Known "O Lord, you have searched me and known me!You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from afar.You ...

The Strength of His Might

Grief is often accompanied by a myriad of temptations: anger, bitterness, fear, and despair, just to name a few. But God has provided us with everything we need to overcome these temptations, and to move forward in our sorrow with His strength. In this series, we will be studying the various pieces of our spiritual armor, and how each of these pieces uniquely equip us to cling to the hope we have been given in Christ. I left the hospital with empty arms, an empty womb, and a broken heart.  In those early days of grief, there were always three little sets of eyes on me, observing the path their momma was choosing through the sorrow. ...

Kelly’s Story

We had always wanted a big family, Before we were even married, we knew we wanted at least four or five kids. So, even though it came as a bit of a surprise, when we found out I was pregnant with number six, I was so excited. All of my previous pregnancies and deliveries had gone wonderfully, but I’m an ultrasound technologist myself, and had seen tragedy strike in my patients. I wondered if this would ever happen to me. When the first abnormality was detected at 10 weeks, I knew how serious it could be. One week later, the specialist looked me in the eye and told me he was suspicious that our precious baby had a chromosome abnormality that was ...

He Will Meet All Your Needs

God’s Word is filled with rich promises for His children. How do these “precious and very great promises” inform and direct your grief? How does keeping your eyes fixed on these truths anchor your hope in the Lord? In this series, we write about how God, through the promises in His Word, comforts and strengthens us in our sorrow. “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 “What do you need right now?” My mind drew a blank nearly every time a person asked that question as I stared at the face of loss and death two times over. My first thought, an inner cry that ...

In the Word: Sweeter than Honey

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Psalm 19:7-11 together.The grieving heart will often grasp at anything that seems to offer even the smallest glimmer of comfort. But every attempt to be comforted apart from God and His Word will only end in greater disappointment. In this series, we will be examining the richness of the Word, and discover how we, as Hope Moms, can find true and lasting comfort in Scripture.  Enduring Forever “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:10 READ: E...