Edifi Podcast Network

Cradled in Hope | Podcast for Grieving Moms | Biblical Hope for Miscarriage, Stillbirth, & Infant Loss

Cradled in Hope | Podcast for Grieving Moms | Biblical Hope for Miscarriage, Stillbirth, & Infant Loss

Jesus cradles us in hope as He cradles our babies in Heaven. What if the hope of Heaven had the power to heal your heart after the loss of your baby? Miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss are heartbreaking experiences that no mother should ever have to endure. Drowning in sadness, you cry out in pain, “God, where are You? Why did You let my baby die?” You feel abandoned by Him and question His goodness. How will you ever live without your precious baby? Will you ever see him or her again? Ashley Opliger asked these same questions when her daughter, Bridget, was born into Heaven at 24 weeks in her first pregnancy. In a crisis of faith, Ashley chose to surrender her suffering and allow God to heal her heart. She found purpose in her pain when she started Bridget’s Cradles, a nonprofit that now comforts thousands of grieving families across the country. Through her own story of heartbreak, Ashley will guide you on a journey to trust God’s promise to restore your joy, use your grief for good, and spend eternity with your baby in Heaven. Podcast episodes feature hope-filled messages, stories, and guest interviews. Grieving mothers will be reminded that though we may grieve, we do not grieve without hope! Episodes release on the 1st of every month. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode!

Episodes

  • 70 | From Babymoon to Baby Loss: Trusting God with Timber | Aubrey Pavlacka 70 | From Babymoon to Baby Loss: Trusting God with Timber | Aubrey Pavlacka Play in Edifi Player

    70 | From Babymoon to Baby Loss: Trusting God with Timber | Aubrey Pavlacka

    In this moving episode, Ashley welcomes her friend Aubrey Pavlacka to share the story of her daughter, Timber Kai. What began as a joyful babymoon in Kauai quickly became a devastating journey through premature labor, ten days of hospitalization, and the heartbreaking loss of a much-loved baby girl at 22 weeks. With remarkable honesty, Aubrey recounts the days she spent fighting to keep Timber alive, the faith that sustained her through unimaginable uncertainty, and the grief that followed …

  • 68 | Dads Hurt Too: A Father's Grief Matters | Eric Schumacher 68 | Dads Hurt Too: A Father's Grief Matters | Eric Schumacher Play in Edifi Player

    68 | Dads Hurt Too: A Father's Grief Matters | Eric Schumacher

    **In this heartfelt and powerful Father’s Day episode, Ashley welcomes back her friend and returning guest, Eric Schumacher. Eric is a pastor, biblical counselor, husband, and father of nine children—five on earth and four in Heaven. Through his own journey of miscarriage and grief, Eric has become a compassionate voice for grieving dads, and today he joins us to share about his newest book:** ** _Dads Hurt Too: A Father’s Memoir of Miscarriage_** **.** Together, Ashley and Eric have an …

  • 67 | Lament, Loss, and Hope in the Mourning | Emily Curtis 67 | Lament, Loss, and Hope in the Mourning | Emily Curtis Play in Edifi Player

    67 | Lament, Loss, and Hope in the Mourning | Emily Curtis

    **In this deeply moving episode, Ashley welcomes Emily Curtis—author, poet, and founder of** ** _Hope in the Mourning_** **—to share her story of layered grief, enduring faith, and Gospel-centered hope. What unfolds is a sacred conversation about sorrow upon sorrow: multiple pregnancy losses and the death of her beloved father.** Emily invites listeners into the holy space of lament. Through poetry, Scripture, testimony, and raw honesty, this episode creates room for sorrow to be named, …

  • 66 | From Grief to Graphic Design: Honoring Her Babies through Service and Storytelling | Maria Childs 66 | From Grief to Graphic Design: Honoring Her Babies through Service and Storytelling | Maria Childs Play in Edifi Player

    66 | From Grief to Graphic Design: Honoring Her Babies through Service and Storytelling | Maria Childs

    **In this very special episode, Ashley welcomes her longtime friend and behind-the-scenes podcast team member, Maria Childs, to the microphone. Maria has faithfully served** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **since its launch in 2021, designing the beautiful graphics and quote carousels that listeners see each week. But in this sacred conversation, Maria steps out from behind the screen to share her deeply personal story of grief, faith, and healing. ** Maria opens her heart about the stillbirth of …

  • 65 | Trusting God to Write Your Motherhood Story | Anne Cockrell 65 | Trusting God to Write Your Motherhood Story | Anne Cockrell Play in Edifi Player

    65 | Trusting God to Write Your Motherhood Story | Anne Cockrell

    **In this honest and powerful episode, Ashley welcomes Anne Cockrell—wife, mom, and cohost of** ** _Hannah’s Heart_** **on American Family Radio—to share her remarkable story of faith, surrender, loss, and hope. Anne vulnerably walks us through her journey of infertility, miscarriage, foster care, adoption, and the heartbreaking loss of her baby boy, John-Micah, who lived 27 precious minutes on earth before entering eternity. ** With wisdom and a tender spirit, Anne shares how God met her …

  • 64 | Two Losses, One Marriage: Holding On to Faith Through Grief | Tim and Yolanda Thomas 64 | Two Losses, One Marriage: Holding On to Faith Through Grief | Tim and Yolanda Thomas Play in Edifi Player

    64 | Two Losses, One Marriage: Holding On to Faith Through Grief | Tim and Yolanda Thomas

    **Ashley welcomes longtime friends Tim and Yolanda Thomas to the** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **podcast to share their journey through back-to-back pregnancy losses and the long road of grief, healing, and hope that followed.** Tim and Yolanda share the stories of their daughters, Abundynce and Joyana, and speak candidly about what it was like to walk through compounded loss, unanswered questions, and seasons of deep darkness—both individually and as a married couple. With humility and grace, …

  • 63 | Held in His Presence: Healing Rest for the Grieving Heart | Becky Thompson 63 | Held in His Presence: Healing Rest for the Grieving Heart | Becky Thompson Play in Edifi Player

    63 | Held in His Presence: Healing Rest for the Grieving Heart | Becky Thompson

    **In this profoundly powerful episode, Ashley welcomes national bestselling author and Midnight Mom Devotional founder Becky Thompson back to the podcast to talk about her newest book,** ** _Healing Rest_** **. Together, they share an unforgettable conversation about rest for the weary, peace for the anxious, and the healing presence of Jesus for grieving hearts. ** What begins as an interview soon becomes a Spirit-led encounter with God’s tender presence. Becky invites listeners into the …

  • 16 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Parting Words | Ashley Opliger 16 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Parting Words | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    16 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Parting Words | Ashley Opliger

    In this final episode of the _Cradled in Hope_ Book Club, Ashley reflects on the sacred journey of walking chapter by chapter through grief and healing alongside grieving moms from across the country. She offers heartfelt thanks to every listener who showed up, shared their tears, and let Jesus meet them in the midst of sorrow. Reading a section from the final pages of the book, Ashley compares this closing moment to a “Midwest goodbye”—the kind where no one really wants to leave. With …

  • 15 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 14 | Ashley Opliger 15 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 14 | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    15 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 14 | Ashley Opliger

    **In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 14 of** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **, “Our Future Forever: When You Long for Your Heavenly Home.” She invites grieving moms to set their eyes on eternity and live with urgency, hope, and peace in the promise that Jesus is coming back—and that we will be reunited with our babies in Heaven. ** Ashley shares vivid memories of the day Bridget was born and went to Heaven, and how the fleeting nature of time shaped her longing for eternity. Through …

  • 14 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 13 | Ashley Opliger 14 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 13 | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    14 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 13 | Ashley Opliger

    **In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 13 of** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **, “With the Same Comfort: When You Want to Use Your Grief for Good.” She reflects on how God can use our heartbreak to minister to others and reminds grieving moms that purpose flows from a transformed heart—not from striving or pressure to “make meaning” out of tragedy. ** Ashley shares a powerful story about the day of Bridget’s funeral and how their procession unknowingly passed by the future headquarters …

  • 13 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 12 | Ashley Opliger 13 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 12 | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    13 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 12 | Ashley Opliger

    **In this episode, Ashley walks through Chapter 12 of** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **, “More Than Gold: When You Allow God to Transform You,” and reflects on how her faith has been shaped through trials—even before losing Bridget.** She shares how past hardships prepared her to walk through grief with Jesus and how those earlier seasons of suffering laid a foundation of trust in God's goodness. Ashley explains that transformation doesn’t mean moving on from grief—it’s about sanctification: …

  • 12 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 11 | Ashley Opliger 12 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 11 | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    12 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 11 | Ashley Opliger

    **In this episode, Ashley shares a deeply personal story of how grief resurfaced during her third pregnancy, years after the loss of her daughter Bridget. Centered on Chapter 11 of** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **, “Holding Both: When You Experience Both Joy and Sorrow,” she reflects on how conflicting emotions—gratitude and grief, joy and sadness—can coexist and create confusion, guilt, and shame for grieving moms.** Through honest storytelling and gentle encouragement, Ashley invites listeners …

  • Bonus Ep | Wave of Light 2025 Bonus Ep | Wave of Light 2025 Play in Edifi Player

    Bonus Ep | Wave of Light 2025

    **This special bonus episode highlights the program from the Wave of Light 2025 event that Bridget’s Cradles hosted in Wichita, Kansas, on October 15, 2025,** ** _Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day_** **. In this episode, we shared:** * The full program from the 2025 Wave of Light candlelight vigil at Beech Lake, including worship, messages of hope, and the reading of babies’ names in Heaven * Opening remarks by emcee Scott Evans and an opening prayer by Pastor John Carney of …

  • 10 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 9 | Ashley Opliger 10 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 9 | Ashley Opliger Play in Edifi Player

    10 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 9 | Ashley Opliger

    **In this episode, Ashley vulnerably shares how spiritual warfare often intensifies in the wake of pregnancy and infant loss. Centered on Chapter 9 of** ** _Cradled in Hope_** **, “The Good Fight: When You Encounter the Enemy’s Attacks,” she recounts her own season of darkness on bedrest with Bridget—and the moment she voiced aloud, “Nothing good will ever come from this.” In that valley of isolation, fear, and pain, Ashley came to understand how the enemy targets grieving moms with lies meant …