Episode 73: Knowing Christ More Deeply Through Suffering How suffering reshapes our discipleship and intimacy with Christ with Katie Bordelon

Episode 73: Knowing Christ More Deeply Through Suffering How suffering reshapes our discipleship and intimacy with Christ with Katie Bordelon

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Jennie Parks sits down with Katie Bordelon, founder of We Are Disciples Co., for a heartfelt conversation about suffering, discipleship, and knowing Christ more deeply through loss. After the unexpected deaths of her twins, Scarlet and Jackson, at 19 weeks gestation, Katie found herself walking a road she never would have chosen. One baby was stillborn, and the other lived for nearly an hour before being welcomed into the arms of Jesus. Through that devastating loss, Katie began to discover that suffering is not an interruption to the Christian life but something God often uses to draw us closer to Himself. Together, Jennie and Katie discuss how grief reshapes our understanding of God, how suffering changes the way we read Scripture, pray, worship, and trust Christ, and the difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Him. They also talk about God's presence in seasons when He feels distant, the grace available on days when opening your Bible feels impossible, and the powerful role that hearing other loss stories and connecting with other grieving parents can play in helping us find hope and feel less alone. If you are walking through grief and wondering where God is, struggling to reconcile your pain with your faith, or trying to understand how to keep following Jesus when your heart is broken, this conversation will remind you that there is no rushing through grief, and that Christ is present with you in every step of the journey. Links: We Are Disciples [https://www.wearedisciplesco.com/] Hope Mommies Website [https://hopemommies.org/] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://hopemommies.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3d9990764303b816fb7f5bbdb&id=e5e3ac4e45&fbclid=IwY2xjawFZm99leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRilwqyE-oxoLx8zeSmpQBC4rKOp6a-D2yeAEl-oiWLnkPhlnabzyPvlvA_aem_RPN0RnoTZy_AdSZuFwx1vQ] Join our online Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopemommies] Connect with us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HopeMommies/] Connect with us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hopemommies/] Podcast Guest Submission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFC72StykkjnHHfRGPdjGgtdfteEjtNtR2Y0KQR829vfz4ww/viewform] Make a Donation [https://hopemommies.org/donate-blackbaud] Sponsor an episode of the HM Podcast in honor of a Hope Baby [https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/HopeMommies/podcastsponsorship.html] In Loving Memory This episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast is sponsored by the Wik Family in honor of their precious Hope Baby, Elliana. Her family writes, "Happy first birthday to our beloved Elly. We are so grateful God gave us 64 days with you, and we will forever cherish the memories we made. We miss you everyday and can't wait until we see you again in heaven. Love from Dad, Mom, Kael, Hazel and Isaiah. Wik family, thank you so much for sponsoring this episode and for sharing Elly's memory with our listeners. We are honored to remember her with you today. If you'd like to sponsor an episode in honor of your Hope Baby, or on behalf of a Hope Mom you know, visit hopemommies.org The Hope Mommies Podcast is a ministry of Hope Mommies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that exists to bring bereaved families comfort, encouragement, and relational support as they continue to walk this side of eternity without their beloved son or daughter. The music used is Sparrow Song, courtesy of Katie Cobbs and Flourish Creative.

Episode 72: Mourning God: Grieving Loss, Wrestling with God, and Finding Your Way Back to Life with Tiffany Stein

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Jennie sits down with Tiffany Stein for a deeply honest conversation about grief, lament, disappointment with God, and what it looks like to keep walking with Him after devastating loss. Tiffany shares the story of losing her son David and the spiritual unraveling that followed. Together, Jennie and Tiffany talk about the kind of grief that doesn't just leave you mourning your child, but also mourning the God you thought you knew. They discuss the hard questions many grieving believers carry: Can I really be honest with God? What do I do with anger, confusion, and disappointment? What happens when faith feels disoriented or stripped down to almost nothing? Drawing from her book, Mourning God, Tiffany unpacks the biblical practice of lament and the freedom believers have to bring their true thoughts and emotions before the Lord. She talks about "hitting the Wall," the invitation that waits for us there, the struggle of surrender, and the reality of what many Christians historically called the "Dark Night of the Soul." Jennie and Tiffany also spend time talking about the role of community, remembrance, and even celebration in grief, and why those things matter so deeply for hurting people. Toward the end of the conversation, Tiffany reflects on one of the most moving themes in her book: discovering that while she feared she had lost God after David died, God was actually revealing Himself more fully as "the mourning God," the God who weeps with us, stays near to the brokenhearted, and gently carries His people through suffering. This episode is tender, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in the hope of Christ. If you have ever wrestled with God in your grief, wondered whether your honest emotions were "too much," or felt like loss changed the way you understand the Lord entirely, we pray this conversation helps you feel less alone. Links: Tiffany's Website [https://www.tiffanystein.com/] Hope Mommies Website [https://hopemommies.org/] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://hopemommies.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3d9990764303b816fb7f5bbdb&id=e5e3ac4e45&fbclid=IwY2xjawFZm99leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRilwqyE-oxoLx8zeSmpQBC4rKOp6a-D2yeAEl-oiWLnkPhlnabzyPvlvA_aem_RPN0RnoTZy_AdSZuFwx1vQ] Join our online Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopemommies] Connect with us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HopeMommies/] Connect with us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hopemommies/] Podcast Guest Submission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFC72StykkjnHHfRGPdjGgtdfteEjtNtR2Y0KQR829vfz4ww/viewform] Make a Donation [https://hopemommies.org/donate-blackbaud] Sponsor an episode of the HM Podcast in honor of a Hope Baby [https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/HopeMommies/podcastsponsorship.html] In Loving Memory This episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast is sponsored by Austin, Talia, and Xander Ward in honor of their precious Hope Babies, Israel, Ember, and Esther Ward. Their family writes, "Our precious Hope Babies—daddy, mama, and big brother miss you and love you so much. We can't wait to see you again someday when we are all in the presence of Jesus." Ward family, thank you for sponsoring this episode and for sharing the memories of Israel, Ember, and Esther with our listeners. It is a privilege to remember and honor their lives today. If you'd like to sponsor an episode in honor of your Hope Baby, or on behalf of a Hope Mom you know, visit hopemommies.org The Hope Mommies Podcast is a ministry of Hope Mommies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that exists to bring bereaved families comfort, encouragement, and relational support as they continue to walk this side of eternity without their beloved son or daughter. The music used is Sparrow Song, courtesy of Katie Cobbs and Flourish Creative.

Episode 71: More Love to Pour Out: A Redemptive Story of Loss and Meaning for Siblings with Jenny Burghardt

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Jennie Parks is joined by Jenny Burghardt for a tender and deeply meaningful conversation about navigating grief within the family after the loss of a baby. Jenny is a wife, mother, and author of More Love to Pour Out: A Redemptive Story of Loss and Meaning for Siblings. After losing her daughter Ruthie, Jenny found herself not only grieving as a mother, but also learning how to help her living child understand the sister he would never meet this side of heaven. Together, they talk about what it looks like to hold grief and love at the same time within a home. Jenny shares about her pregnancy with Ruthie, the experience of carrying another baby while grieving, and the moment she realized the importance of telling her son about the sister he has in heaven. They discuss why it matters for children to know and remember their siblings, and how parents can gently and truthfully explain miscarriage and infant loss in ways that are both age-appropriate and anchored in hope. Jenny offers practical guidance for families who feel unsure of what to say, as well as encouragement for parents who long to honor all of their children, both here and in heaven. This conversation also highlights the heart behind Jenny's book, tracing the progression of love from parent to child, to the baby who died, and ultimately to the greater Love that holds it all together. This episode is for the family learning to carry grief together, for the parent searching for words, and for anyone who desires to help children understand loss through the lens of truth, love, and eternal hope. Links: Buy More Love to Pour Out on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/-/es/More-Love-Pour-Out-Redemptive/dp/B0G23G5JYD] Jenny Burghardt's Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jennyjones.burghardt] Jenny Burghardt's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jennyburghardt/] Hope Mommies Website [https://hopemommies.org/] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://hopemommies.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3d9990764303b816fb7f5bbdb&id=e5e3ac4e45&fbclid=IwY2xjawFZm99leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRilwqyE-oxoLx8zeSmpQBC4rKOp6a-D2yeAEl-oiWLnkPhlnabzyPvlvA_aem_RPN0RnoTZy_AdSZuFwx1vQ] Join our online Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopemommies] Connect with us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HopeMommies/] Connect with us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hopemommies/] Podcast Guest Submission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFC72StykkjnHHfRGPdjGgtdfteEjtNtR2Y0KQR829vfz4ww/viewform] Make a Donation [https://hopemommies.org/donate-blackbaud] Sponsor an episode of the HM Podcast in honor of a Hope Baby [https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/HopeMommies/podcastsponsorship.html] The Hope Mommies Podcast is a ministry of Hope Mommies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that exists to bring bereaved families comfort, encouragement, and relational support as they continue to walk this side of eternity without their beloved son or daughter. The music used is Sparrow Song, courtesy of Katie Cobbs and Flourish Creative.

Episode 70: A Father's Perspective: A Conversation About Grief, Marriage, and Hope with Brooke & Clint Schuelke

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Brooke Schuelke is joined by her husband, Clint, for a deeply honest conversation about grief, marriage, and walking through the loss of their daughter, Blair, together. As Father's Day approaches, this episode creates space to acknowledge and honor Hope Dads and the often unseen ways fathers carry grief after the loss of a baby. Together, Brooke and Clint reflect on losing Blair at 37 weeks after a healthy pregnancy and share how differently grief unfolded for each of them in the months and years that followed. They talk about the helplessness and pressure Clint felt as a husband and father, the physical and emotional weight Brooke carried as a grieving mother, and the challenges of navigating loss while remaining united in marriage. Throughout the conversation, they discuss practical topics many couples quietly wrestle with after loss, including communication, intimacy, fear during future pregnancies, going back to work, grief triggers, feeling disconnected from one another, and learning how to give grace when husband and wife are grieving in very different ways. They also speak candidly about the tension of joy and sorrow coexisting, the guilt that can come when grief feels "easier" over time, and the importance of building a marriage on Christ when suffering comes. Fourteen years after losing Blair, Brooke and Clint share how the Lord has continued to meet them in grief, strengthen their marriage, and use their story to encourage others. This episode is filled with biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and hope for couples navigating the painful and complicated road of grieving a baby together. Whether you are in the earliest days of loss or many years down the road, our prayer is that this conversation reminds you that you are not alone, your marriage is worth fighting for, and there is still hope in Christ even in the midst of deep sorrow. Links: Hope Mommies Website [https://hopemommies.org/] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://hopemommies.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3d9990764303b816fb7f5bbdb&id=e5e3ac4e45&fbclid=IwY2xjawFZm99leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRilwqyE-oxoLx8zeSmpQBC4rKOp6a-D2yeAEl-oiWLnkPhlnabzyPvlvA_aem_RPN0RnoTZy_AdSZuFwx1vQ] Join our online Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopemommies] Connect with us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HopeMommies/] Connect with us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hopemommies/] Podcast Guest Submission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFC72StykkjnHHfRGPdjGgtdfteEjtNtR2Y0KQR829vfz4ww/viewform] Make a Donation [https://hopemommies.org/donate-blackbaud] Sponsor an episode of the HM Podcast in honor of a Hope Baby [https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/HopeMommies/podcastsponsorship.html] The Hope Mommies Podcast is a ministry of Hope Mommies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that exists to bring bereaved families comfort, encouragement, and relational support as they continue to walk this side of eternity without their beloved son or daughter. The music used is Sparrow Song, courtesy of Katie Cobbs and Flourish Creative.

Episode 69: A Water Lily Among the Wildflowers: Hope and Truth for Moms after Pregnancy Loss with Rachel Dickey

In this episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast, Jennie sits down with Rachel Dickey for a thoughtful and deeply grounded conversation about pregnancy loss, trauma, theology, and the steady hope we have in Christ. Rachel is a former Labor and Delivery nurse, author, wife, and mom to three boys—two here and one in heaven. After losing her son Asher at eighteen weeks gestation in 2018, Rachel found herself navigating not only overwhelming grief, but also the hard theological questions that often follow the loss of a baby during pregnancy. As someone trained in birth and medicine, she understood the physical realities of pregnancy. But as a grieving mother, she longed for clear biblical truth about the life of her son and the character of God in the midst of heartbreak. That longing led her to write A Water Lily Among the Wildflowers: Hope and Truth for Moms after Pregnancy Loss, a book created to help mothers understand what Scripture says about unborn life, eternity, and the deep ache of loss that can feel invisible or minimized by the world. In this conversation, Jennie and Rachel explore the distinction between grief and trauma and why pregnancy loss often carries both. Rachel speaks candidly about what is commonly misunderstood about pregnancy loss and about difficult theological questions such as whether God values life in the womb and whether mothers will see their babies again in heaven. Rachel also shares how men and women often grieve differently and why it was important for her husband to contribute a chapter in her book specifically for fathers. With pastoral gentleness and biblical clarity, she offers words of encouragement to the mom who feels paralyzed in early grief or who finds herself questioning God's goodness in the aftermath of loss. This episode is for the mother longing for solid ground beneath her feet, for the woman wrestling with spiritual questions, and for anyone who wants to better understand how Scripture speaks to the sacredness of unborn life and the hope of eternity. Links: Rachel's Website [https://rachelcdickey.com/] Hope Mommies Website [https://hopemommies.org/] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://hopemommies.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3d9990764303b816fb7f5bbdb&id=e5e3ac4e45&fbclid=IwY2xjawFZm99leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRilwqyE-oxoLx8zeSmpQBC4rKOp6a-D2yeAEl-oiWLnkPhlnabzyPvlvA_aem_RPN0RnoTZy_AdSZuFwx1vQ] Join our online Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopemommies] Connect with us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HopeMommies/] Connect with us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hopemommies/] Podcast Guest Submission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFC72StykkjnHHfRGPdjGgtdfteEjtNtR2Y0KQR829vfz4ww/viewform] Make a Donation [https://hopemommies.org/donate-blackbaud] Sponsor an episode of the HM Podcast in honor of a Hope Baby [https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/HopeMommies/podcastsponsorship.html] In Loving Memory This episode of the Hope Mommies Podcast is sponsored by Keeley Moore in honor of her precious Hope Baby, Madelyn. She writes, "Happy first birthday, Madelyn. We miss you always and love you forever. We will see you again one day in heaven." A verse that has carried Keeley through this first year without her baby is Psalm 62:5-6. It reads, "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Keeley, it is an honor to remember Madelyn with you. Thank you for being part of our community and for sponsoring this episode. If you would like to sponsor a podcast episode in honor of your Hope Baby, or on behalf of a Hope Mom you love, visit hopemommies.org The Hope Mommies Podcast is a ministry of Hope Mommies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that exists to bring bereaved families comfort, encouragement, and relational support as they continue to walk this side of eternity without their beloved son or daughter. The music used is Sparrow Song, courtesy of Katie Cobbs and Flourish Creative.