To The Newly Grieving Mother
You recently found out that the precious baby you were carrying, the gift you have been longing for and planning for, is not longer with you. You had your whole world come crashing down around you. You had a knife thrust right into your heart, right into your family.
Tears can never be enough. Tears can never fully release the emotions you feel right now. They cannot even begin to convey the aching, agony, and deep, deep, gut-wrenching sorrow you feel.
There are a million questions that begin to flood your mind. Questions that keep you up at night. Questions that ...
In the Word: He Is Still Good
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying the book of Habakkuk together. In this book, we gain insight into how God is at work on our behalf even when we can't always see it. Join us in the weeks ahead as we discover the God who is who carefully and lovingly crafted you, and lovingly created the gift of your child for which you now long. He has not carried you thus far simply to leave you on your own, but will be your Guide and your Strength.
"O Lord, I have heard the report of you, ...
Longing For Jesus Again
As a mother with a child in Heaven, what is the first thing you picture yourself doing when you get there? Me, with my sinful, broken heart? I see myself scooping up my baby boy, holding him so tight, and covering him with kisses. Every time I think of heaven, Hank is the first thing that comes to my mind. That's me—so weak in my sinful ways. So weak in my broken-heartedness that I long not for my Lord and Savior, but for my boy.
When my firstborn, Hank, passed away at only two days old, it brought me to my knees in pain. It brought me to my knees begging for some ...
The Gift of Anna
My sweet Anna,
You were so longed for, and are still so loved. You were the answer to a prayer I never thought I’d have. My desire for you was brought through the conviction of my aspirations to serve life’s greatest idol—my own self. But the Lord is faithful, as you know firsthand, and He brought me to a place of surrendering my own plans and my rights in marriage. This softening gave me the ability to open my heart to the thought of having children and being a mom. We waited and waited. It was difficult, but the time was rich. God refined me even more by ...
Knowing Him: The Light of the World
There is nothing greater than knowing Christ. Seven times in the book of John, Jesus offers us profound insight into His nature and character. In this series, we seek to guide the reader into a deeper understanding of these “I Am” statements, and the rich hope and comfort that can be found in Christ in the midst of grief.
In the months following our daughter’s passing, there was one verse that stood out to me as a source of hope and comfort. John 1:5 says,
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
I knew the darkness of ...
The Gift of Simeon and Odelle
As we consider the profound impact that our Hope Babies have had on our lives, we can be filled with gratitude toward them, and toward the Lord. In this series, we reflect on some of the ways that we can say "thank you" to our precious babe(s) for the gifts that they have been and continue to be to us. We welcome you to contribute to this series by writing your own reflection on the impact your baby(ies) has had on your life and submitting it HERE.
My dear children,
Not a day goes by that I do not think of you and thank God for ...
In the Word: The Gift of Faith
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying the book of Habakkuk together. In this book, we gain insight into how God is at work on our behalf even when we can't always see it. Join us in the weeks ahead as we discover the God who is who carefully and lovingly crafted you, and lovingly created the gift of your child for which you now long. He has not carried you thus far simply to leave you on your own, but will be your Guide and your Strength.
"For still the vision awaits its ...
Knowing Him: The Bread of Life
There is nothing greater than knowing Christ. Seven times in the book of John, Jesus offers us profound insight into His nature and character. In this series, we seek to guide the reader into a deeper understanding of these “I Am” statements, and the rich hope and comfort that can be found in Christ in the midst of grief.
Bread—such a simple, staple food with so much rich biblical significance.
For the people of Israel, bread was typically a readily available element, no matter one’s income. There is nothing elite or exclusive about bread—from the poorest ...
Rebuilding My 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 ...
