163 results for tag: Ashlee

In the Word: God is Faithful

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different characteristics of God—specifically reflecting on how each aspect of His character offers us hope in the midst of our grief.  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 dig into the infinitely beautiful character of God along with us!  “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm ...

Known

“Imagine a priceless vase or ornament is dropped on the floor and smashed to pieces. The woman who loved it kneels down. She picks up the pieces, one by one. She looks at each one in detail, turning it round, as if to remember where it once belonged. The vase was loved and so when it was shattered, every piece was worth picking up, no matter how small. A grieving person will often want to talk about the smallest detail of their loss. It is as if every broken piece is taken up and wept over. When you listen, you may feel that the detail was small, but it is part of something that was supremely valued, part of something dearly loved” (Colin ...

In the Word: God is Holy

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different characteristics of God—specifically reflecting on how each aspect of His character offers us hope in the midst of our grief.  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 dig into the infinitely beautiful character of God along with us!  “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and ...

In the Word: God is Good

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different characteristics of God—specifically reflecting on how each aspect of His character offers us hope in the midst of our grief.  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 dig into the infinitely beautiful character of God along with us!  “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8 READ: God is ...

My Strength in the Sorrow

In the early days following each of my losses, people would often comment on how “strong” I was in the midst of my grief—as if I accomplished some amazing feat. But if they could have seen into my heart, they would have quickly discovered how wrong they were. I was weak, confused, lonely, and broken—not strong. Each grieving mother carries her own unique fears, burdens, and heartaches; and while we all long for the strength to endure the grief and pain that have become a part of our stories, what we each envision that strength to look like can be vastly different from one woman to the next. Some of us think that to be strong in grief means ...

In the Word: God is Sovereign

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at different characteristics of God—specifically reflecting on how each aspect of His character offers us hope in the midst of our grief.  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 dig into the infinitely beautiful character of God along with us!  “Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret,...

My Eyes are Fixed on You

I was sitting in the airport waiting to fly back to Chicago. It was rainy and cold and overcast. As I sat there watching dark clouds continually roll in, I couldn’t help but think that so often that’s what pain looks like. If I could paint a picture of my heart in the weeks that immediately followed my losses, I would illustrate this sorrow with storm clouds. Even on the clearest of days I often found myself in the middle of a downpour. Even when I was surrounded by laughter and joy and hope it could so quickly turn into a tempest. Some days it just seemed like the storm clouds of sorrow rushed in out of nowhere. I still had two hours to wait ...

Being Pregnant After Loss

Each child gone ahead from among us is a precious person made in the image of God—and all having been made into Hope Moms, we together declare motherhood in each of our journeys. We are eager to go above and beyond in showing honor and love for one another (Rom. 12:10, 15). Through this series, we honor each other’s experiences of motherhood in love through our shared God of hope. “It was the beginning of my fourteenth week of pregnancy when I went in for a routine ultrasound and prenatal appointment. I had been eagerly looking forward to this day for many weeks. What a treat to get a glimpse of the precious life forming inside of ...

Hope Mommies Publication Release: “I AM,” by Ashlee Schmidt

Editor's Note: This is the first half of an interview continued in the 2018 Hope Mommies e-book.  “Everyone will experience suffering; it is the effect of living in a fallen world where imperfection and sin have touched everything we see and experience. The grief of losing a beloved child is among the most painful and crippling of sorrows. Yet in your darkest moments, God, who suffered the loss of His own Son, longs to strengthen and sustain you. He calls you to draw near as He offers you the hope that your grieving heart so desperately needs. As you learn more about the character of God that is revealed throughout the pages of Script...

Psalm 16 Reflections {Refuge}

Welcome to our Psalm 16 Reflections Link-Up. We’re so glad you joined us! Here’s how it works: To participate in this link-up, all you have to do is write on the word or phrase of the week, post your words on your own blog, and link up the post here (via the InLinkz button at the bottom of the post). Be sure to add the actual permalink to your specific post, and not your blog’s homepage (e.g. https://hopemommies.org/psalm-16-reflections and not just hopemommies.org). If you don’t have a blog, you’re welcome to post your reflection in the comments here each week! This is meant to be a space for you to write what’s on ...