Testimony Tuesday {Hope Groups: Leading}

When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I was so excited! I had so many expectations of what the pregnancy, labor, and eventually caring for Auddie would be like. The beginning of my pregnancy was difficult and there were times we thought we were going to lose her early on.

So, from the start of her life we prayed, “God, she is Yours. May her life glorify You.”

We had so many plans for what we thought she would do in her life to glorify God. We were in total shock that after a mostly healthy, full-term pregnancy, 24 normal hours of labor, and two pushes left her heartbeat was gone. After 25 minutes of trying to resuscitate her, there was nothing left that the doctors could do. She was gone. She never took a breath or had her heart beat outside of my womb. This wasn’t the outcome we had imagined. We prayed that God would use her short life to bring Him glory, and that through her, He would grow His kingdom. With losing our first born, it seemed that our dreams were crushed. As we spent time with her precious body before we went home, we had many firsts, lasts, and onlys. We asked that God would be at work and heal our brokenness. We also wanted God to be seen through us during this dark time by the hospital staff we were interacting with and our family. We’ve been told there was something “different” about our room after losing her. To this day, I still say it was the power of God who filled us with strength and the room with His love.

As we made it home and settled into a new way of life, I was hurting and longing for support from women who knew what I was going through, but who also knew the Lord. On a random web search, I found Hope Mommies and eagerly jumped right into the bible study they offered through Hope Groups. God did so much to my heart through that special time. He continued to work as He laid it on my heart to lead a study if the opportunity ever presented itself. I was nervous to jump in when I was first asked, but I had lead bible studies before, and this was a group I felt so strongly called to. Each time I’ve lead a Hope Group, I’ve learned new things about myself, my walk with the Lord, and God Himself. He has used my time with these mothers to shape my heart to be more like His. Each time we gather, I’m encouraged because I see hearts softened toward Him, relationships renewed, and healing occur. I’ve grown close to these mothers—our time was short, but it feels like we’ve known each other for years. He has shown me where I’m clenching my fists and need to let Him in more. He has used these mothers to encourage and spiritually challenge me. I knew God could and would use all things for His glory, and I have seen that in the life and death of Auddie. I had no idea how God would answer the prayer that we prayed early in my pregnancy with her. No matter the circumstance, God has used Auddie and her life to glorify Him! It is a joy to come along side mothers who are walking similar paths, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to lead a Hope Group. This may not have been what I wanted out of Auddie’s life, but God has shown me over and over again that His ways are “higher” than mine.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

I am wife to Rob, mom to Auddie in heaven, and mom to a spunky one year old, Lennox, who keeps everyone on their toes. I just transitioned to life as a stay-at-home mom, and I’m enjoying every moment of it. I love Jesus, bee keeping, crafting, and loving on my family and others.

Registration for our Fall Hope Groups is open now through August 13 only!  

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with other women, share your story, and experience the hope of Christ!  Hope Groups will run from the week of September 10 through the week of November 18.

To learn more and register for a group follow this link —–> Register Now

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