3 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 2 | Ashley Opliger

In this episode, Ashley explores one of the most tender and difficult aspects of grief: the feeling of abandonment by God. In Chapter 2, "Broken and Bleeding: When You Feel Abandoned by God," Ashley shares her personal wrestling with faith during her pregnancy with Bridget and the raw questions that arose when her prayers went unanswered. With profound honesty and biblical truth, she unpacks how to grieve in the tension between what our hearts feel and what our heads know to be true.

This chapter is an invitation to examine your core beliefs about God, especially when pain tempts you to question His goodness or presence. Ashley shares how to shift your perspective from a feeling-driven view of God to a truth-rooted faith grounded in Scripture. Through theology, personal experience, and practical steps, she reminds us that we are not alone in our grief—Jesus is with us in the darkness, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

In this episode, Ashley shared:

• Her personal struggle with feeling forsaken by God during her pregnancy complications with Bridget

• Why understanding original sin is key to rightly viewing the cause of suffering and baby loss

• A powerful moment of identifying with Jesus as broken and bleeding—and how our Savior relates to our physical and emotional pain

• The difference between letting your feelings shape your view of God vs. letting God’s truth reshape your feelings and circumstances

• How a right view of God leads to trust, and how a wrong view leads to mistrust 

• The danger of the prosperity gospel and how it can distort our understanding of suffering and blessing

• The critical importance of reading the Bible with the right hermeneutic (interpretation method)

• Why Scripture is the balm our souls need in grief, even when it feels hard to open the Bible

Ashley invites listeners to sit honestly with their doubts, bring their questions to God, and allow His Word to bring clarity, comfort, and truth in the middle of confusion. She gently reminds us that the tunnel of grief is still dark, even with Jesus—but with Him, we are never alone, and there is light at the end.

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[www.bridgetscradles.com/book]

EPISODE SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT:
[www.bridgetscradles.com/post/bookclub3]

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