5 | Cradled in Hope Book Club | Ch 4 | Ashley Opliger

In this episode, Ashley addresses one of the most common and vulnerable aspects of grief and faith: doubt. In Chapter 4 of Cradled in Hope, “A Firm Foundation: When You Wrestle with Doubts,” she shares why it’s vital to know what you believe about Jesus and why. With honesty and conviction, Ashley lays out the case for Christ’s identity as the risen Savior and explains why our hope of seeing our babies again rests entirely on the truth of the Gospel.

This chapter provides a gentle introduction to apologetics and helps grieving moms wrestle through the hard questions of faith, especially when it feels like God is distant or unseen. Ashley walks through biblical evidence, historical testimony, and personal reflection, making a compelling case for why Jesus is not a lunatic or liar—but truly the Lord. When the ground beneath us feels shaky, this chapter offers a firm place to stand: Christ alone.

In this episode, Ashley shared:

• Why it’s essential to know why you believe what you believe, especially when grieving

• A raw moment of doubt: wishing to see Heaven and Bridget face-to-face for comfort and assurance

• The struggle of believing in a God we cannot see, and Paul’s encouragement to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:6–7)

• The example of “Doubting Thomas” and why even the apostles wrestled with belief after the resurrection

• A breakdown of C.S. Lewis’ famous apologetics argument: Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord

• Why the testimony of the disciples—who were tortured and martyred for proclaiming Jesus—matters so deeply

• The power of eyewitness accounts and how the resurrection is central to our eternal hope

• Bridget’s name meaning (“Strongest Faith”) and the significance of naming your baby

• Why our core beliefs about life, death, and eternity shape how we grieve and heal

Ashley invites listeners to reflect on their own faith journey and ask honest questions. She reminds us that faith doesn’t mean we never wrestle, but it means we keep leaning in, trusting that Jesus truly is who He said He is: the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

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