Ada, Mich. (August 1, 2025)—Ashley Opliger, founder of the national nonprofit Bridget’s Cradles, landed on the USA Today Bestseller list with the release of her debut book, Cradled in Hope: Trusting Jesus to Heal Your Heart as He Holds Your Baby in Heaven—A Biblical Guide for Grieving Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss (available now via Bethany House).
The book solidifies Opliger as a bestselling author just one week after the July 22 release of Cradled in Hope. Opliger also joined previous bestsellers including Mel Robbins, Kristin Hannah, James Patterson, and more across all genres, but hers was the only Christian Living title to make the cut for the sales week ending Sunday, July 27.
Knowing well the overwhelming pain and hopelessness of losing a child after her daughter Bridget was born into heaven at 24 weeks, Ashley walked through a dark valley of grief while questioning God’s goodness. Sharing her story, she provides a safe space for grieving moms to cry, ask why, and bring their sadness, anger, bitterness, loneliness, and shame to One who can hold it all—Jesus. Cradled in Hope offers a tender yet profound guide for navigating pregnancy and infant loss through the lens of faith, showing readers how God cradles grieving moms in hope even as He cradles their babies in Heaven.
“Ashley writes with tenderness, authenticity, and unwavering faith. She poured her heart and experience into Cradled in Hope, and the result is nothing short of extraordinary,” says Jennifer Dukes Lee, Senior Acquisitions Editor for Bethany House. “From the beginning, Ashley wanted this book to be the gold standard for guiding women through the deep, personal grief of infant loss. And it is, indeed, the gold standard. Her vision was always to create a resource that would meet grieving mothers exactly where they are, and now seeing her book reach the USA Today bestseller list is a powerful affirmation that it’s doing just that. So many need this book, and we are honored to walk with Ashley on this publishing journey.”
See full list of the week’s bestsellers at https://www.usatoday.com/booklist.
Cradled in Hope: Trusting Jesus to Heal Your Heart as He Holds Your Baby in Heaven—A Biblical Guide for Grieving Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss by Ashley Opliger
(Bethany House; ISBN 9780764244346; ebook ISBN 9781493450862; $19.99)
Ashley Opliger is the founder and executive director of Bridget’s Cradles, a national nonprofit that provides hope and healing to over 30,000 bereaved families each year. Host of the award-winning podcast Cradled in Hope, she’s been a media guest and contributor to outlets such as Focus on the Family, Live Action, and American Family Association Journal. Ashley is also the leader of Hope Gatherings and Wave of Light, an annual event held on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. She is a sought-after speaker and podcaster. She lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband and two sons. Learn more at BridgetsCradles.com.
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, seeks to uplift readers’ families, faith, and free time with our library of industry-leading fiction and bestselling, Christ-centered nonfiction.
Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.
Contact: Anne Van Solkema, (616) 676-9185 x152, avansolkema@bakerpublishinggroup.com
