38 results for tag: Stephanie

Psalm 13

Many times, Scripture resonates so strongly with me. Psalm 13 is a great example. I read this passage several weeks after losing my daughter, Kinley. The psalmist, David, articulated my very thoughts and emotions as he addressed God:“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?How long will my enemy triumph over me?Look at me and answer, O Lord my God.Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall.But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart ...

Ten Years Later

It can often seem as though you will always be drowning beneath the acute pain of loss. However, while our grief never truly ends, it doesn't always look and feel the same way. In this series, our writers speak from where they are now in their grief, _________ years later. Throughout this series, you will find testimonies of how grief changes us, and how God uses our heartache to shape us into a greater reflection of His image. I’m not a fan of waiting rooms. Shocker. After all, who doesn’t love waiting around a long period of time for an appointment you’re probably not thrilled about in the first place? The dentist, the doctor, the ...

Christ Has Overcome the World

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. When I was in 9th grade, I found my favorite Bible verse: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 As I read that verse, it felt like God was directly speaking to me. He was ...

The Church and Grief: Stephanie’s Experience

In this series, we will explore the unique joys and difficulties we encounter as Hope Moms when re-engaging with church after loss, and seek to help the Church (leaders, members, and ministries) understand how they can come alongside the grieving mother to provide hope, healing, and community in the midst of such great sorrow. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) As I write this, we are in an unprecedented time. We are ...

Hymns of Hope: It is Well With My Soul

Many of the hymns were born out of immense sorrow. In this series, we will examine these songs of old, discover the circumstances behind when they were written, and find comfort in the lyrics that so powerfully point us to the hope of Christ. Growing up in a Baptist church, “It Is Well With My Soul” was a very familiar hymn. It made the worship lineup at least every other month. At Bible camp, it was the song my friends and I selected to perform for Talent Show night (yes, we were super cool). Yet, in all of my times singing this beloved hymn, the lyrics only landed on the surface for me. It was a pretty tune, and the words were nice, ...

My First Baby Shower Invitation After Loss

When I was little, one of my favorite things was receiving mail. Whether it was a birthday card, a magazine, or a dentist appointment reminder, it thrilled me to see my name in print. The absolute best, though, was a party invitation. That signified that I had been chosen to partake in a day of fun. I would proudly hang the invitation on the refrigerator with a magnet and count down the days until the party. Even now, I still love being invited to share in someone’s special day. I am usually always ready for a celebration. It feels wonderful to be included in those significant moments. But that wasn’t the case with this particular invitatio...

Planning a Funeral Instead of a Birthday Party

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. Through this series, we honor each other’s experiences of motherhood in love through our shared God of hope. It’s the big day. There really should have been more planning involved. Everything was thrown together at the last minute. The food has been taken care of. The flowers have already been arranged. We’ve selected some great music. The purple bear we bought her is perfect. The guests will be arriving soon, and we haven’t even left the house yet! ...

In the Word: Enduring Forever

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 “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.” Psalm 19:9 READ: In the ...

He Gives Strength to the Weary

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. Confession time—the Bible I use is still my Student Bible from high school. I’m three years shy of forty, and I still haven’t graduated to the adult Bible. But don’t worry. It’s in great shape because of my nifty Bible cover that displays the "Footprints in the Sand" poem. You 90’s girls know ...

In the Word: God is My Deliverer

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Psalm 18:1-2 together. Psalm 18 was penned by David after God had delivered Him from the hands of his enemies, and is rich with metaphors describing the nature and character of God. In this series, we will be looking at how each of these attributes affords us a greater picture of God’s care for His children, and how knowing and believing these truths can bring comfort to our hearts in the midst of 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 ...