1104 results for author: Ashlee Schmidt

Share Hope: The Power of Two Pennies

As God brings us through the various trials of life, He also provides us with opportunities to use our sorrow as a platform for sharing the hope of Christ. In this series, Hope Moms share the ways they have been able to share hope with others as they have walked through the grief of losing a child. How has God uniquely equipped you to use your story to share hope with others? Share your story with us HERE I sat in a faded, pin tucked, grey chair in the corner of my bedroom just a day after my husband, Kevin, and I had just found out the child I was carrying, our first child, would not live once born. As I sat there, I typed the final ...

In the Word: God is Self-Existent

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be pouring over Scripture with the goal of knowing God increasingly as He truly is. As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us!  Knowing Our Glorious God “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands,&nbs...

Local Chapter Update: Northern Indiana

What's happening in Northern Indiana: The Northern Indiana Chapter of Hope Mommies was established in September 2016. Prior to this, approximately 50 Hope Boxes had been distributed in Elkhart & Saint Joseph counties to women who had experienced stillbirth, miscarriage or infant loss, mainly by word of mouth over an 18 month period. Since then we have been able to stock multiple hospitals, birth centers, OBGYN offices, and other women’s organizations, as well as continuing to mail and hand deliver boxes. This year we anticipate 200 boxes will be assembled and donated by the Northern Indiana Chapter. The increasing demand for Hope Boxes is ...

Candyce’s Story

In March, 2017, I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive. It was such a surprise! My husband Jason and I were overjoyed at the news. At our first doctor appointment we had an ultrasound to show how far along our little one was. She was a bit hard to find on that first ultrasound picture. Just a tiny little blessing and everything with baby and I looked great. At my next appointment, my doctor wanted to take extra precautions because I was pregnant in my 40’s, so she ordered a genetic and gender panel for me. This would allow us to know the gender of our baby earlier than I had ever previously experienced. A week after taking the test we ...

Local Chapter Spotlight: Dallas

What's happening in Dallas: In 2017, Jenny Williams stepped into the role as the second Chapter President in the Dallas Chapter. With God's blessings, and through the outreach started with the Dallas Chapter in 2015, the chapter has grown to over 575 members. 2017 also saw the start of our public Facebook page which enables us to keep our friends and families involved in what we are doing and ways they can support the chapter. This year, we have assembled 750 Hope Boxes, and over the last years have grown to supplying 30 hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, and crisis pregnancy centers. Our need continues to grow exponentially, but we are ...

In the Word: Knowing Our Glorious God

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be pouring over Scripture with the goal of knowing God increasingly as He truly is. As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us!  Knowing Our Glorious God “In the beginning, God…” Gen. 1:1 READ: Perhaps this time of life-altering sorrow is one in which you are starting to think more theologically than you have ...

Share Hope: Kinley’s Legacy

As God brings us through the various trials of life, He also provides us with opportunities to use our sorrow as a platform for sharing the hope of Christ. In this series, Hope Moms share the ways they have been able to share hope with others as they have walked through the grief of losing a child. How has God uniquely equipped you to use your story to share hope with others? Share your story with us HERE “Hope is a verb with its shirtsleeves rolled up” David Orr Devastated. Lost. Alone. These were emotions I felt after losing Kinley. I didn’t know who could possibly understand these feelings. How could anyone know the ...

Made for a Different Land: In Honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

“they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one” Hebrews 11:16a (NIV) With Hebrews 11:16 coming to mind, I uttered the following words in the hospital room after the stillbirth of my first child: “She was made for a different land.” Soon, we announced the death of our child instead of her birth, and the same words were written across the title of our blog post. As the years have gone by, this is the phrase I have written on balloons released in memory of my daughter. And most recently, “Made for a Different Land” is the title of a forthcoming collaborative book written by women in the Hope Mommies community.* So, these have been ...

Kayla’s Story

Today marks 10 months without our first child, Anna. When I think back to the week that lead to her death and every day since I can’t say I have one specific thought or feeling that captures it all.  Words fail to express the overwhelming emotions and lessons that come with the loss of a child because it’s messy, grievous, and at times embarrassing. But what has been clearly defined through it all is that God is who He says He is, even when life isn’t what you’ve expected. At 16 weeks pregnant I experienced mild cramping all morning at church. I remember worshiping God with the song “I Will Look Up” for the first time. As each edifying ...

One Week until October 15

Hope. This four-letter word has lost its rich significance in our current vocabulary. It is tossed around flippantly as a way to voice our personal desires. I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow. I hope this goes on sale. I hope I get the job. I hope…. But hope is more than wishful thinking. It's more than putting a patch over the not-yets and wish-they-weres, because it has nothing to do with what might happen in the future. Instead, the beauty of this profound word is that it has everything to do with what has already been accomplished. You see, hope began when our perfect Savior laid down His life on a shameful cross. “Theref...