Held: 31 Biblical Reflections on God's Comfort and Care in the Sorrow of Miscarriage (Meditations on Psalm 139 help women suffering the heartbreak of pregnancy loss and still birth) Hardcover – September 1, 2020

What an amazing resource. I was on the launch team for this book through The Good Book Company.Some background info (TL;DR at the bottom) :I am a happily married 27 year old woman with two daughters and a son. My husband is a lay pastor and also a businessman. He and I both serve as community group leaders at our local church. I served as the Deacon of Women's Ministry for a season, as well as serving the ladies in our church through our pregnancy/postpartum ministry currently.We were blessed with two daughters pretty quickly into marriage with no problems getting pregnant. It was beautiful and wonderful. After my 2nd daughter was born, we struggled through infertility for almost 2 years. Then we got pregnant! It was such a sweet time -- we waited to tell family until I was 11 weeks along. Two days later, there was no heartbeat.Miscarriage is awful all around. The most painful time of our life. Throw that in the mix of infertility and things were just plain HARD.I wished so badly to have a resource to read (even if I could not admit it at the time) to comfort me with truth; to remind me of the promises of Jesus and who He is, and who He is in the darkness of heartache.I followed Abbey Wedgeworth for a while from her Gentle Leading page, and she was my favorite writer (even if I was only reading her writing on Instagram). Her words are well-thought out and beautifully written. She is incredibly intentional with her words.So this book is GOOD. She (and other contributors) walk through Psalm 139 and share their stories and the truth of the Gospel and Jesus in less than 1,000 words per chapter/day (quick for those who don't have a lot of time, or are simply struggling through miscarriage and can't handle much more), but also includes scripture to read, as well as reflection and response sections before another section dedicated for journaling (for those who want to dig deeper and dive into prayer). Praise God for this. It's HUGE -- the reflections helped me work through three-year-old wounds/heartache that I didn't even know were there -- things I couldn't put into words were suddenly brought to light and understood. Not perfectly, but boy, am I thankful for the assistance in processing all that happened (even 3 years later) and recognizing my own issues with my miscarriage, and bringing it all to the Lord.She also has a section written from the perspective of a husband and how he struggled through the loss of his child. This was very helpful. My husband struggled hard, as well, and honestly it's such a good reminder that miscarriage isn't only painful to the women that experience them -- men also feel that emotional pain and struggle during and afterwards. This man's perspective is greatly appreciated. And if you are a man wondering about reading this book, you can (and I would argue that you should) read it. It may help you better understand what your wife is experiencing, and it may help you wrestle through your own feelings of suffering.Please know that if you have NOT experienced miscarriage, this is STILL a great resource that you should read! Prior to my own miscarriage I had no idea what all happened during a miscarriage or how to respond to someone who experienced one. I did not love others well before I experienced it on my own. Had I read this, I would've responded so much better to friends of mine that went through this, and simply would've had a better understanding and would've served them well. Growing in our understanding of the hardships others go through helps us to be more empathetic and learn how to serve them well. ALSO, having this book on hand to give to a friend who is experiencing a miscarriage can also be incredibly loving.Another sweet thing about this book is the included list of recommended books at the end. What a gift.I'm incredibly thankful for the Lord putting it on Abbey's heart to write this book. No matter how long ago you miscarried (whether it's right now, a year ago, or 20 years ago), please know how much of a helpful resource this is to draw you nearer to Christ through the suffering you've endured. I definitely recommend this. Spend time with your Savior today -- bring to Him your heart and all the struggles you're wrestling through, and know that I am praying for you. Miscarriage is painful, but our Father is Good.TL;DR :-- my husband is a lay pastor and businessman; we are community group leaders and disciplers. I also serve with our local church through our pregnancy/postpartum ministry-- experienced my own miscarriage in 2017 after having two daughters and struggling through infertility for almost 2 years-- this book helped me recognize my own issues with miscarriage -- helpful reflection.-- it covers: blaming my body, feeling like a failure-- there is perspective of husband, and men should read this, too!-- helpful no matter how long ago your miscarriage happened, or if you are walking through miscarriage right now-- words per day/chapter less than 1,000-- walking through Psalm 139-- reflection, response, and journaling sections after devotion - so very helpful even years later-- helpful even if you haven't miscarried. Helps build your understanding and empathy, and helpful to have on hand for friends in need.-- list of recommended books at the end-- I am grateful for the Lord putting it on Abbey's heart to write this book-- I included one day/chapter from Held for y'allAlso, go follow Abbey Wedgeworth on Instagram. She's a gift.

The magnitude of grief and just plain weakness that can accompany the loss of life in the womb can make it hard to really want to pick up a devotional or book of any kind. I just want to say that this was different. So thankful for the way this has ministered to my heart in the midst of repeated losses and made an EASY way to rest in God's word and His love in a time of sorrow (or just when my head's been fuzzy from blood loss). Abbey's entries are wonderful, but it didn't begin and end with just her. She brought in a number of voices and each small chapter, in plain English, invites the gospel into another area of grief or difficulty. God was in this. No doubt. Grateful.

I can't tell you how many books/devos I've been given over the journey of infertility/recurrent loss. Not all resources are helpful and they can be really difficult to receive. This one, was helpful, practical and simple. I think in the midst of loss, simple can be best. I appreciated that each reflection was to the point, straightforward, true, and appropriate for loss, infant loss and miscarriage. I gave this to a friend of mine after a loss and she said "This was the only thing that helped me."

After our miscarriage, I found many resources to help grieving moms; some were more helpful than others. This book cannot be described besides a gift. Abbey’s wisdom, insight, and compassion give gentle encouragement from one who has walked the difficult road of losing a baby more than once. I was so grateful for her words after we lost our baby and have lost track of how many times I have gifted it to other loss mamas.

This book is full of words and wisdom that I didn’t even know I needed. My heart hurts and feels broken, but reading this has brought a hopeful perspective. We are not alone in these losses and God truly sees us and loves us. I recommend this for anyone suffering from miscarriage. The Lord definitely led me to this book.

This book is so comforting for any Mama going through child loss! Carried by Love Foundation gifts these to all of our loss Mamas! Thank you, Abbey, for writing such a wonderful resource! I recommend this book even if you haven’t experienced miscarriage personally. It’s that good!

I bought this book to have on hand, in case a friend needed it… but it ended up being me that needed it. Even thought I thought I knew everything I needed to know, spiritually and emotionally and physically, I made my self read this daily for the 30 days after my miscarriage… it helped me process SO many thing I didn’t know I needed to process and normalized so many thoughts and fears… and turned them into faithful prayers and future hope. So so thankful for the words written here. Wholeheartedly recommend.

I suffered an ectopic loss last year and have found this devotional incredibly helpful and comforting. I would recommend to anyone that has had a pregnancy loss. I will also buy this for anyone who has experienced a loss as a gift. It has made me cry, but has been therapeutic.

In the loneliness of loss, the weight of walking through miscarriage as a Christian, and the exhaustion of grief, these bite sized readings were a valued companion in the wake of our loss. Thank you Abbey and Jesus

Knowing a friend had found Abbeys Instagram helpful after one miscarriage, I bought this devotional for her when she suffered a second. She said she found it super helpful dealing with miscarriage in a Christian framework. I also bought it for a friend who has interest in "Christian things", definitely prays etc who had a miscarriage at a similar time and I hoped it would help her understanding of God and his care for her and her baby.

I was given the gracious gift of an advanced digital copy of “Held” when I was experiencing my miscarriage in June. It was exactly the book that I needed to read during that extremely difficult season. After finishing the last devotional in “Held” I sent Abbey this message: “I finished reading Held today and I don’t even know if I have the words to explain how amazing and perfect it is! I can’t imagine a book (other than the Bible, of course) that could speak more to me and fill me with more hope, comfort and love during this trial than your book. God has truly worked in a mighty way through you, your story, and your words! That last devotional was just so amazing, the perfect ending to a book packed full of God’s truth! Thank you, Abbey, thank you so much!”“Held” is packed full of truth about God’s promises and character traits and how they provide an abundance of comfort and hope during and after pregnancy loss. I believe this book will help any woman process and grieve with hope through the awful experience of miscarriage. I also think it’s a book that is so valuable for anyone to read in order to gain a little bit of an understanding of miscarriage and the many different emotions and experiences a woman who loses a child goes through. This is the first book I will recommend to any one I know who has to walk the path of miscarriage.

This lovely book is a wonderful resource for anyone who has suffered a miscarriage or wants to support those who have. I loved the focus on biblical truth while remaining loving and genital. I’m so thankful this book has been written.

While miscarriages are very common, they are rarely fully processed or discussed. Praise the Lord for Abbey and for this book, which will help so many women know the hope of Christ in the midst of their grief, pain, and loneliness. Abbey writes with humility and compassion, coming alongside a mother experiencing miscarriage and holding space for grief, reminding her of God's grace, care, and comfort, and being a friend in a time of need. The devotionals are just enough at a time, small bites of truth to process, providing opportunity for honest reflection and asking questions that don't just gloss over the loss but really encourage a person to process their feelings and lean into the Lord. I'm also so thankful for the stories from other women (and men!) in the book that helped provide perspective and a reminder that women experiencing miscarriage are not alone. Over and over, I was pointed to the truth of the gospel and to the God who loves our babies and loves us.Don't hesitate to buy this for yourself or for a loved one... It'll be such a help. Well done, Abbey. This is a beautiful, much-needed resource.