8 results for author: Constance Ray


When death steals your song God prepares the way for joy and light to return

In Psalm 42 we’re given a poetic description of a man who is suffering unbearable circumstances. He pants and thirsts. Tears have been his food day and night. His soul is downcast. Can you relate? I can. 14 years ago, I gave birth to my daughter in a silent hospital room. There was no sweet cry of a newborn, only hushed voices. Joy and light left my world the moment death entered. Her little body was so perfectly formed by the Creator. I held her and wept as I admired every single feature. 22 weeks with her wasn’t enough.  Even now, there are moments I cry tears I didn’t know I had left to cry, still longing for what was lost. Mothering a ...

He is Risen! Hope is Alive!

For all of us with aching hearts today,  I pray we hold onto the glorious truth of Easter—Jesus has conquered death! Because of His victory, we have the unshakable hope that one day, we will see our precious children again. Though our arms may feel empty, our hearts can rejoice, for the resurrection of Christ assures us that death is not the end. His love endures and eternity awaits. “Death is swallowed up in victory. ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’”– 1 Corinthians 15:55 “Because I live, you also will live.” – John 14:19 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! ...

The Sweetest Hope – Easter’s Promise for Hope Moms

Dear Hope Mom, Easter wasn’t always my favorite holiday. But after my daughter went to Heaven, it became the sweetest, most important one to me. Grief has a way of making you see things differently. Before loss, I knew the story of Easter—I believed in the cross, in the empty tomb, and in the hope of Christ. But after saying goodbye to my baby, Easter became personal. It became the lifeline that held me together when my arms were empty and my heart was shattered. Because of Christ, my daughter is safe in the loving hands of God. The Son of God was tortured, ridiculed, and put to death—not only to offer me forgiveness, but to cover me in ...

When Hope Feels Distant – Easter Through a Grieving Mother’s Eyes

Few things make you ponder the resurrection like losing a loved one—especially a child. In the weeks leading up to Easter, the talk of celebration and hope can feel heavy when your arms are painfully empty. The weight of grief can make it difficult to rejoice, and the ache of longing can make it hard to embrace the joy of resurrection. But Easter was made for the weary. It was made for the brokenhearted. It was made for those who long for restoration, for reunion, and for life to be made whole again. When Mary Magdalene stood outside the empty tomb, she wept (John 20:11). She grieved deeply because she thought all hope was lost. But in that ...

Christ Holds Us Indefinitely, Eternally.

"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." —Colossians 1:17 There is a sacred mystery in the way Christ holds us. It is not a temporary embrace, not a fleeting moment of comfort that comes and goes with the waves of our circumstances. His hold is unshaken, unrelenting—eternal. He holds us when dreams are shattered, when the life we imagined slips through our fingers and leaves us grasping at the unknown. He holds us through the pain and trauma, through the nights when sorrow grips our chest so tightly we wonder how we will take the next breath. He holds us when the delivery room is silent, when joy is swallowed by grief, ...

Abide: 2025 Retreat

Are you grieving the loss of a baby? Do you wonder if you’ll ever be okay again? First, we’re so sorry. Second, you can be okay again (even on this side of heaven) with Jesus! He can heal you in all the ways you simply can’t heal yourself. To help you along the way, we want to invite you to our next Hope Mommies Retreat. When you arrive at our Retreat, you’ll quickly see that we all have different stories, struggles, fears, and feelings. We might all stand at different points in faith. Some of us are years of tears past the days that wrecked and reset our lives; yet for others of us, the loss is so fresh we can’t remember what it’s ...

Stand Firm: 2024 Retreat

Losing a child is something most consider unimaginable, yet it’s our reality every morning when we open our eyes. This suffering and grief can tempt us to not trust God. It can be hard to believe His character is still good. We can wonder if He is keeping His promises to see and care for us. We may even doubt that He wants to and will protect us. We have a lot of questions. Questions that may never be answered this side of Heaven; and I pray that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to believe what God says about Himself, because the devil loves to use the things we’ve gone through as an attempt to distort our minds about what God has revealed. The ...

Bonnie’s Virtual Retreat Experience

I was the fortunate recipient of a drawing that gave me a free registration for the 2020 Hope Mommies Fall Virtual Retreat. My child loss occurred over 25 years ago during a time when there was very little support available. I also have experienced grandchild loss.  The communication and preparation for retreat was outstanding. There were suggestions on what to bring and how to get the most out of a virtual retreat. For example, bringing with you some memories from your child, a candle or flowers to decorate your room. There was an app you could download and everything was so user friendly but also included very beautiful graphics you ...