In this heartfelt episode, Ashley welcomes James Shove to share the story behind his powerful song, Jealous That Heaven's Your Home. James' wife, Emily, was previously on our podcast on Episode 61, but in this conversation, James offers a unique perspective as a grieving father navigating the loss of their son, Phoenix.

Together, Ashley and James discuss the excitement of expecting a baby, the heartbreak of miscarriage, and the often-overlooked grief experienced by fathers. James vulnerably shares his struggles with depression, anxiety, emotional expression, and how poetry, music, and prayer became a pathway for processing his grief. Through the writing of this song, he wrestled with questions about Heaven, longing for his son, and the hope found in Christ's promises.

This episode is an honest conversation about pain, healing, fatherhood, and eternity. It reminds grieving parents that while loss leaves an ache that remains, we can hold onto the hope that our children are safe with Jesus and that Heaven is ultimately our Hhome too.

In this episode, we discussed:

• James and Emily's journey of expecting their son Phoenix and the heartbreak of miscarriage
• The unique grief fathers experience and the pressure many dads feel to stay strong during loss
• Allowing yourself to feel grief while also supporting your spouse through suffering
• James's personal struggles with depression, anxiety, and expressing difficult emotions
• Wrestling with the biblical question of whether babies are in Heaven and finding hope in Scripture
• The inspiration behind the song Jealous That Heaven's Your Home
• How songwriting became one of the most healing experiences in James's grief journey
• Why James hopes the song serves as a stepping stone toward healing for grieving families
• James's experience attending Wave of Light and how remembrance events can help grieving parents process loss
• Holding both sorrow and hope at the same time as we wait for eternity with our children

If you have ever wrestled with questions about Heaven, struggled to express your grief, or felt the ache of missing your child while longing for eternity, this episode will resonate deeply. Through James's story and song, listeners are reminded that grief and hope can coexist—and that because of Jesus, our separation from our children is temporary, our hope is secure, and Heaven truly is our Home.

GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.
[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]

EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:
[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode72]

• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]

• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]

• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles]
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• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
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#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles

In this hope-filled episode, Ashley welcomes author, speaker, and fellow Bethany House author Lisa Appelo to discuss her new devotional, God of Comfort. After losing her husband unexpectedly and later walking alongside her son and daughter-in-law through the stillbirth of their baby, Lisa shares how grief transformed her faith, priorities, and understanding of God's presence in suffering.

Together, Ashley and Lisa explore the unique challenges of devastating loss, the lies grief often whispers to hurting hearts, and the biblical practice of bringing our deepest questions, fears, and emotions directly to God. Through personal stories, Scripture, and honest reflection, they discuss surrender, God's sovereignty, the hope of Heaven, and the comfort available to every grieving heart through Christ.

This conversation offers encouragement that God is not intimidated by your questions, your tears, or your pain. He invites you to bring it all to Him and discover that the pathway through grief is not a formula or a set of stages—but the God of all comfort Himself.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Lisa's story of unexpectedly losing her husband, Dan, overnight, and becoming a widow with seven children
• Walking through the recent stillbirth of her grandson and supporting her grieving son and daughter-in-law
• How grandparents experience a unique "double grief" when a grandchild dies
• Practical ways to support grieving families without inserting your own story or taking control
• The lies grief often whispers, including fears that joy will never return
• Regret, guilt, and the "what if" questions that frequently accompany loss
• Learning to surrender control and trust God's sovereignty when life does not make sense
• Letting go of the life you expected and embracing the life God has given you
• The sanctifying work God accomplishes through suffering and grief
• Why grief is not a tidy process and cannot be reduced to a series of stages
• Wrestling with the question "Why?" and learning to trust God's character even without answers
• How suffering deepens our longing for Heaven and reshapes our earthly priorities
• The gifts that can emerge from grief, including compassion, intimacy with God, and eternal perspective
• Lisa's devotional God of Comfort and how it helps grieving people encounter God's character through Scripture, prayer, journaling, and reflection
• Finding hope in the truth that God comforts us so we can comfort others with the same comfort we have received from Him

This conversation is a beautiful reminder that grief may change us, but it does not have the final word. As Lisa shares, the way through grief is not found in a method, a timeline, or a set of steps—it is found in a Person. If you are carrying sorrow, wrestling with unanswered questions, or wondering if joy will ever return, this episode will encourage you to bring your broken heart to the God of Comfort, who sees you, loves you, and promises to walk with you every step of the journey.

GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.
[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]

EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:
[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode71]

• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]

• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]

• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles]
[www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles]
[www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]

• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
[www.ashleyopliger.com]
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[www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]

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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 after returning home without her daughter. Together, Ashley and Aubrey explore difficult questions about suffering, unanswered prayers, pregnancy after loss, and the tension of holding both deep sorrow and deep hope at the same time.

Throughout the conversation, they reflect on God's faithfulness in grief, the promise of Heaven, and the ways a baby's life can continue to impact others. This episode is a powerful reminder that while loss changes us forever, our hope in Christ remains secure.

In this episode, we discussed:

• Aubrey's pregnancy with Timber and the unexpected complications that began during a trip to Kauai
• Giving birth to Timber at 22 weeks and the precious hours Aubrey and Justin spent with her
• Returning home after loss and navigating the early days of grief
• How Exodus 14:14 ("The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still") became an anchor during the crisis
• Wrestling with unanswered prayers while continuing to trust God's character
• The impact Timber's life had on others and how God continues to use her story
• Pregnancy after loss, cervical insufficiency, and the anxiety of carrying another baby
• Honest conversations about "what ifs," regrets, and the realities of being a grieving mother
• Raising children with an awareness of Heaven and helping siblings know and remember their sister
• How grief reshaped priorities, family life, and Aubrey's perspective on what matters most
• Finding hope in the promise of reunion and eternity with our children in Heaven

If you are grieving a baby, struggling with unanswered questions, navigating pregnancy after loss, or longing for reassurance that your child's life mattered, this conversation will encourage your heart. Aubrey's story is a beautiful testimony of faith in the midst of heartbreak, reminding us that while we may not understand every part of our suffering, we can trust the God who walks with us through it—and cling to the hope that one day we will be reunited with our children in Heaven.

GET THE BOOK! Cradled in Hope is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Christianbook, and Baker Bookhouse.
[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]

EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:
[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/episode70]

• CRADLED IN HOPE PODCAST WEBSITE:
Sign up here to receive email updates and hope-filled resources
[www.bridgetscradles.com/podcast]

• CRADLED IN HOPE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR GRIEVING MOMS:
[www.facebook.com/groups/cradledinhope]

• FOLLOW BRIDGET'S CRADLES
[www.facebook.com/bridgetscradles]
[www.instagram.com/bridgetscradles]
[www.pinterest.com/bridgetscradles]

• CONNECT WITH THE HOST | ASHLEY OPLIGER
[www.ashleyopliger.com]
[www.facebook.com/ashleyopliger]
[www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger]

#cradledinhope #cradledinhopepodcast #bridgetscradles