Courageously Expecting: 30 Days of Encouragement for Pregnancy After Loss.

by Jenny Albers

Using Scripture and personal narrative, Courageously Expecting empathizes with and empowers women to face a pregnancy after loss with faith and courage, despite inevitable feelings of grief and fear that accompany life after losing a baby. Pregnancy is widely regarded as the most joyful time in a woman's life, but for the mother who has experienced pregnancy loss, a subsequent pregnancy can feel like she's holding her breath and hoping for what she can't control. In Courageously Expecting , Jenny Albers meets women in this difficult season as someone who has also experienced the worst and cautiously hoped for the best. Through the telling of her own story, Scripture, and heartfelt prayer, she encourages readers to cling to faith in the face of fear and guides them to Regardless of where readers are on their pregnancy after loss journey, Courageously Expecting is a companion to help them through the days when fear overshadows hope.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 11, 2022

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this book in December of last year when the anxiety of previous loss was impacting my emotional health and wellbeing. When I lost that pregnancy, I set the book aside until I needed it again. 6 months later, I was pregnant, feeling the anxiety, and restarted this book.

I really appreciated this book. It was helpful to read someone else's experience while still injecting some hope and comfort. Too often online forums for loss mamas are depressing and scary places. This book helped me come to terms with the fact that my baby was alive that day and try to live in the moment. It gave me something to look forward to each day. And 30 days was enough to get me from my positive test to my first ultrasound.

My thing I liked about this book was that it didn't shy away from hard topics. Albers acknowledges that not every rainbow pregnancy brings about a rainbow baby. As a mama of 3 losses (and 2 living babies) I'm far too aware of the fragility of my current pregnancy. I was thankful not to get empty platitudes.

But my very favorite thing was when Albers talked about how to come to terms to your body betraying you. I found out after 3 miscarriages that my blood was killing my babies. In everything that I've ready about miscarriages, everyone talks about how it isn't your fault. Yet for me, it very much felt like my fault. My body was killing my children, how is that not my fault? But Albers grapples with that head on, and I really appreciated her candor. I thought that she made it through that fine line of yes, your body failed, but it isn't your fault. In that moment, it was what I needed, and I'm thankful for it.

[Madison Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book appeared before my gaze in the book store like an answered prayer that I hadn’t even prayed yet. Thank you Lord for this grand encouragement in a season that is so terrible.

“Pregnancies that end in loss have a way of exposing us. there are holes in an otherwise beautiful experience. how precious is it to carry life with our bodies? To have a womb for our babies, becoming a vessel of life? And yet, death can still sneak in. even our bodies are not an indestructible shelter for these cherished lives we carry. so how do we proceed when we can’t escape the knowledge that there’s no truly safe place for our bodies or our babies? When we are exposed, with no shelter of absolute or guarantees in which we rest? When this earth cannot provide the hiding place we seek? We gather our courage to trust in God and take refuge in the shelter of his faithfulness.”

[Vanessa Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any mama pregnant or considering trying again after loss. The author addresses the truth of the challenges and struggles we may face, especially mentally, in facing a new pregnancy after losing a precious baby but it is not hopeless. The reader is reminded constantly of how the Lord is so much bigger than our fears and cares so deeply about us and our child(ren). Written to be read a chapter a day, I couldn’t put it down and read it in just a few days. There are encouraging scriptures, prayers, and journal prompts at the end of each chapter. Highly recommend!

[Lydia Bolte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an encouraging read, and helpful to hear from another perspective with multiple losses. What I appreciated was seeing one potential road map for navigating life after loss. What was unhelpful for me was getting ideas of new "worst case scenarios." Overall though, it was good at illustrating the very complex headspace of PAL and would be a good book for helping friends/family understand what it can be like.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I will say up front it is written from a Christian worldview perspective, so I imagine it may not be as helpful for people who don't ascribe to that. As someone who identifies as a Christian and is currently experiencing pregnancy after loss, I found an immense amount of healing and comfort in this book. Albers is compassionate while also pushing you to find joy in the present moment and continue to hope. With her own history of loss and subsequent pregnancy, she is able to do this in a way that feels genuine. I hope others who have never experienced pregnancy after loss will choose to read this book as well. It so accurately depicts that many emotions and hardships that I have trouble articulating to others.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sensitive, compassionate book includes thirty daily readings and reflection prompts for Christian women who are pregnant again after miscarriage or stillbirth. Throughout the book, Jenny Albers shares her personal story, emphasizing the constant sense of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear that she felt throughout every stage of her pregnancy after she had already lost two babies. She shares about her previous loss experiences, about challenges during her later pregnancy, and about what she wishes she had done differently. For example, she encourages other women to actively bond with their babies in utero, talk about them with others, and take pregnancy photos instead of feeling afraid to emotionally commit and hope for a good future.

Courageously Expecting is full of honest, heartfelt thoughts about pregnancy, grief, and the Christian life. Albers shares Scriptural encouragement through the book, helping her readers consider ways that they can rein in their anxieties, find comfort in God, and honor the life of their child for however long that child lives. She never offers platitudes or falsely promises a happy ending, but she is an experienced, gentle, and compassionate guide for other women going through circumstances like her own. Her wisdom can also encourage women who haven't lost a child, but who are dealing with the stress and anxiety of a high-risk pregnancy.

This book is incredibly powerful, and I admire the author's willingness to share vulnerable personal details. Even though people expect pregnancy to be a special, joyous time, Albers does not sugarcoat her experience to uphold anyone's assumptions, and she is honest about her complicated feelings about motherhood and pregnancy. Her deep honesty is reassuring in and of itself, and I would highly recommend this to women who are dealing with pregnancy after loss or preparing to conceive again. This is also a wonderful read for friends, family members, pastors, and counselors who want to better support women in their lives.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Liz Mannegren · Rating 5 out of 5]

So often, I get asked for book recommendations for women who are pregnant after a loss. And this is the book I wish I had all along to give them! It is thirty days of honest truth and raw, faith-based encouragement. Like a comforting embrace from a friend, Jenny's reflections remind readers that we're not alone in this complicated journey -- God meets us here too. Gently exposing the intricate aches and fears of pregnancy after loss, Jenny invites readers to step into this new season of life with expectant hearts and open hands.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just what I needed as I went through my first trimester after loss! Each day had something I was able to connect with, and it put things into a new perspective for me. Loss is something that’s rarely talked about, and it’s easy to feel alone as you’re going through the emotions of pregnancy after loss. This book made me feel understood and part of a community, and I know I will continue to reference passages over the upcoming months of our pregnancy journey. I can’t say enough good things about this book - highly recommend!

[Kaleigh Gibbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a blessing of a book. Almost very single day, the author would voice a thought or desire or fear that I have had or currently have. But even more than that, she always pointed back to the goodness of the Lord.

"He doesn’t take your life or the life within you lightly. He is trustworthy even when you haven’t rounded the curve that allows you to see what the end of this road holds. His specialty is restoration despite awful and seemingly impossible circumstances."

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really valued the insight in this book on pregnancy after loss, and was able to relate so much to everything she said on this subject, but at the end of the day it was just too Jesus-y for me.

Also why is it fair to believe that god gives you a baby but isn't the one taking baby away? Like he can only do good? Let's not drag satan into this

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a review copy from a fellow writer. I want to add the spoiler that the author’s rainbow baby DOES arrive safely. I feel like that’s important for readers to know. While I have not experienced the kind of loss the author has, I appreciate the bravery and beauty shown in sharing this story and offering solace and support for those experiencing pregnancy after loss.

[Ellie Hunja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courageously Expecting gives voice to the pains and joys of experiencing pregnancy after loss, which many women go through without sufficient support. This book is guidance for the journey. A skillful blend of devotional and memoir, each chapter weaves the author’s own experiences during pregnancy into gospel-saturated reflections that speak straight to the heart of each reader.

I read this book to help me understand an experience I’ve never had myself. From that lens, I was initially uncomfortable with the author’s emphasis on trusting God’s goodness regardless of how the reader’s current pregnancy turns out. The repeated acknowledgement that pregnancy after loss could end in another loss counters our culture’s valuing of comfort over struggle and its desire for neat, tidy, “happy endings”.

As I reflected on my initial discomfort due to these internalized values, I remembered how important it is to give voice to fears that seem too dark to speak aloud, yet go through the minds of grieving people daily. In this way, Jenny Albers has given a powerful gift to those who may be suffering in relative silence, feeling as though they have to paint a smile on throughout their pregnancy despite their own trauma, grief, and struggles with faith. She’s given them a sense of solidarity, the priceless reminder that “I am not alone”.

It’s the mark of a mature believer to hold all of God’s gifts with open hands, knowing that absolutely everything we experience has been filtered through His perfect love and that His plans for us are always good. This is the kind of faith that Jenny Albers encourages her readers toward, as she shares the ups and downs of her own walk in that direction.

I love the daily prompts for personal reflection and letters to the reader’s unborn child. They feel like gentle nudges from a friend who understands, helping the reader along the day-to-day journey of holding onto God in the midst of uncertainty.

Everything about this book, from the writing and structure to the vulnerability and sincerity, make it a perfect guide for all those experiencing pregnancy after loss - and those who hope to support them.

[Katie Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having never endured a miscarriage or infant loss myself, and not being currently pregnant, I am not the intended audience for this book, but in it I found wisdom and encouragement that will be meaningful for anyone who is lucky enough to read it. Each day’s narrative is emotional and powerful, and the accompanying exercises are beautifully crafted to help the reader connect both to God and to the baby she is carrying. Occasionally, some inconsistencies in Jenny’s theology raised an eyebrow for me, but she’s not a theologian. She’s a mom who has survived unimaginable pain, and is now reaching back in compassion to help guide others through that pain.

As an advance reader (I was sent a digital copy to review before the book was released), I cannot speak to the pacing of the book in the daily chunks it's intended to be read in, but it seems like each day would take probably half an hour to read and complete the exercises. I think that's probably a nice amount of emotional probing and introspection to be effective but not so much so as to keep a reader emotional all day. It would be a lovely way to start the day in quiet time with God and Jenny.

Even if you have never experienced the pain of a miscarriage, I recommend this book to any Christian expectant mother who is fearful for her child. I work with IVF patients, and I’m an IVF mom myself, and I think that there are many parallels between our experiences – not trusting our bodies to successfully grow our babies because those bodies have proven fallible in the past. While some of Jenny’s story may not resonate, many parts still will, and the exercises will still benefit these worried expectant mothers. I also recommend this book to others like me who have never lost a baby but want to be able to connect with and understand our friends who have.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who has had 6 pregnancies and no babies, I tend to read a lot of books like this. But this is hand down my favorite. Jenny does an amazing job of pointing out those specific fears and insecurities that only come with pregnancies after loss. I have never felt like someone understood my struggles with pregnancy more.

The best part is that all of this complete honesty also comes from a Biblical perspective. She doesn’t sugar coat her failings in not always trusting that God had her pregnancy, but also gives seamless encouragement to do exactly that. I never felt like she was better than me but that she struggled and struggles just like I do. She’s trying to trust God and often fails just like I do.

This book is meant to be read while you are currently going through a pregnancy after loss. I was not pregnant while reading it but still found it immensely useful and plan to reread it should I ever be blessed by another pregnancy. My only critic would be that it would be nice to have a chapter at the end specifically for those who are reading the book and things don’t go well… again. If I lost a child again, while reading this book, I would most likely stop reading it since it is written as if you are currently pregnant. I would want to turn to a chapter for this specific circumstance for a little comfort and wisdom.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I desperately needed but didn't have in my PAL (pregnancy after loss). The conflicting emotions of hope and anxiety after the trauma of losing a baby are hard to understand for those who have not been through it. In reading this, I feel I could have written the words myself. She poignantly captures the joy and grief of pregnancy after loss, and points women to hope in Christ. While no one can promise the outcome of a living baby, she reminds us to celebrate each day/week/hour we are pregnant with our precious babies.
I would highly recommend this book to any woman trying to get pregnant after loss, any woman who is currently pregnant after loss, and also to anyone who wants to understand the complexity of what your loved one is going through. Thank you Jenny for writing this book and giving voice to countless women!

[Kara Nicki N Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny’s book is a precious gem. She brings in her experiences and uses them perfectly to guide readers through their paths. When I was reading each page, I felt like Jenny came alongside me just like a best friend would, and helped bring a calm strength into every question and fear I have thought about. I’m not yet pregnant but I have suffered through pregnancy loss. This book would be a great gift of hope to a woman who is trying to get pregnant and definitely a must-have for anyone pregnant after losing a child. Jenny beautifully weaves the truths of God throughout the pages and includes moments of reflection at the end of each chapter.

Go get her book, grab a cup of tea or coffee and walk the path of hope and promises today!

Thank you Jenny for writing a much-needed book. It has been a gift to me as I contend for a baby.

[Jodi Rosser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I walked through a miscarriage in 2006 and it was heartbreaking. I was full of emotions when I found out I was pregnant again after my loss. I was excited because there is a hope that you will have another baby, but full of worry fear because it might happen all over again that I lose another baby. This is why Jenny’s book is so needed. She gives voice to this difficult subject and encourages us along the way to journal our thoughts and emotions about our pregnancy. I so wish I had this book right after my loss when I was expecting again.

If you want to hear more about this book, you can check out my conversation with Jenny on episode 152 on the Depth Podcast. https://jodirosser.com/depth-podcast-...

[April Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that you need to read if you are pregnant after loss or have even ever had a pregnancy that ended in loss. Even if you've never experienced a pregnancy loss yourself, I am sure you know someone who has and this book is the first of it's kind to take a glimpse into the mind of someone who has. I personally have 2 earth side babies and 2 babies in heaven. I wish this book would have been around during my last pregnancy. I don't know how Jenny can portray my every thought I had during my own pregnancy but she has hit the nail on the head with this book. I encourage you to read this book and share it with your loved ones!
#Courageouslyexpectingbook

[Anna Kettle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, 30 day devotional written for any mums navigating pregnancy after loss.

As anyone who has been through this will know, it can be such an anxiety-inducing experience, always wondering ‘is the day it will all go wrong again?’

But this book speaks right into the heart of those heart-wrenching days and weeks, with daily reminders that it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s possible to have hope and know God’s peace in pregnancy again.

This book is the one I wish I’d had in my hands a couple of years ago, when I was still navigating this difficult season. What a wonderful gift it is to the world!

[Linsey Driskill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is so refreshing when an author doesn't come across as having everything together and like she has the solution to everything. In this book, Jenny is so raw and real with her emotions and hurts - instead of teaching at you, she is walking with you. She doesn't sugarcoat the way she was feeling during the difficult season - she is very vulnerable with how difficult it has been. But each chapter, offers hope - a reason to cling to God in the midst of despair and to choose to hope. I think one of the greatest things about the book is that you will not feel like you are walking this road alone, but that she is walking with you and giving you hope along the way.

[Brianne Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is balm for an anxiously and courageously expecting heart!

Jenny Albers masterfully touches the anxieties moms who are expecting a baby after a loss, and then gently walks and prays with the reader helping them acknowledge those fears and then showing them how to lean into the peace, the hope, and the joy of a pregnancy (even when the outcome of the pregnancy will always remain uncertain).

I have already recommended this book to multiple people who are sharing the anxieties of a pregnancy after loss. This book is a beautiful gift to acknowledge how hard a pregnancy after loss can be.

[Natasha Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courageously Expecting is such an encouraging read. Having suffered multiple pregnancy losses, navigating pregnancy after loss was very difficult for me, including a high risk pregnancy. I connected with the stories shared by Jenny and was encouraged by her words of Faith and God. This is such a needed resource and to me, one of a kind as I am not aware of any other resource of this kind that touches on pregnancy After loss. I know that it will help so many others as it has helped me, even after years of experiencing my loss.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

It’s a good book. There were a lot of days where her negativity ate at me, and while I could relate with many of the complicated feelings, and I appreciate that she’s normalizing for women the painful things we navigate after loss, I guess I had been looking for a devotional that each day would drawn me closer into hope and joy in the Lord, and I think some days were a miss. Just my subjective experience, she couldn’t have written a book that would fit every loss mom perfectly, so still worth reading.

I enjoyed the journal prompts.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of honest, truthful, and prayerful encouragement for women facing pregnancy after a loss. Jenny offers these things without skimming over the reality of grief and fear. She offers personal stories, thoughtful perspective, helpful journaling prompts, and beautiful prayers. I’m sending a copy to someone I love and would highly recommend this book for anyone who is pregnant (or hopes to be) after a losing a baby.

[Kelsey Scism · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are experiencing pregnancy after loss, hope to become pregnant after loss, or have a sister or friend in this situation, consider buying this book. Jenny shares her own story authentically and honestly, and as she does, she helps her reader feel seen and loved. She uses God's Word as a foundation for her encouragement, revealing His love, peace, and comfort. She not only gives you permission to hope again, but she shares in that hope with you.

[Sherry White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courageously Expecting by Jenny Albers is a must read for anyone who has experienced pregnancy loss. She is the friend that runs up beside us and hugs our hearts as she guides us through devastating loss with wisdom and encouragement. As she shares her own personal journey, she is able to beautifully articulate the many emotions and fears that accompany such a loss. Jenny champions women to move forward with faith and courage as she points them back to a God who cares for our broken hearts.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3rd pregnancy was a roller coaster of emotions. My 2nd pregnancy had ended in a miscarriage, and the anxiety and fear that I felt during my 3rd pregnancy (especially during the first trimester) was something I wasn't prepared for. I wish during that time, that I had found a book like this one. So many women go through this, and we don't talk about it enough. This book is perfect for any mama experiencing a rainbow pregnancy.

[Ana Lombardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book to any mama pregnant after loss. I so often found myself nodding along and feeling like what I was feeling was normal. There were some parts that felt more intense than what I was experiencing but even those parts equipped me to empathize in the future with any loss mamas feeling that way. I loved that everything was biblically back and supported by faith in God. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this book ❤️

[Dr. Patti Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for every mom who has been, is, or hopes to become pregnant after loss. Actually, this is also a must-read for anyone who loves someone who is courageously expecting.
Albers weaves her heart-wrenching journey into a beautiful testimony of hope. Upon completion of this 30-day reflective experience, the reader will have a beautiful memoire of letters for her baby.

[Lacy Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book as of yet. It was advertised as a a book for women who have conceived or are trying to conceive after a loss. This book is clearly for those who have conceived. I got to day 6 and I couldn’t go any further bc I am not pregnant. I definitely wish it had been more clear. I did however enjoy getting to process my emotions of what I have been through.