A Tender Update from The Morning

Dear friend, 

 

This is one of the most tender emails I’ve ever written.

 

I started The Morning with a deep desire to walk alongside women grieving the loss of a baby—to remind you that you are not alone. I wanted to offer gentle wisdom when it was needed, or simply be a listening ear. I longed to create a space where you could ask the hard questions and find hope in the midst of the deepest heartbreak.

 

This July will mark ten years of showing up for grieving mothers. Ten years of offering support, resources, and community. In that time, we’ve witnessed thousands of women find joy in their mourning. We’ve walked alongside you, learned your baby’s names, listened to your stories, grieved with you, prayed over you, and watched healing take root in the most unexpected and sacred ways.

 

I am so deeply grateful for you, for entrusting us with your heart, your story, your baby(ies), your grief. And for sharing The Morning with others who were hurting too. Thank you.

 

It’s because we care so deeply – and want to continue showing up with the same intention and integrity – that we’ve come to this next step with both heaviness and hope. In order to continue this work well, we need space to pray, listen, and reimagine what the future of The Morning could look like.

 

With that, we wanted to share honestly with you, our beloved community, that after ten years of showing up week after week, we’ll be stepping away for a 3–4 month sabbatical to rest, reflect, and seek clarity. We also want to share why we’re taking this break, and what it means for you.

 

This decision has not come easily. You know better than anyone – grief is hard and heavy work. It is good and worthy work, but heavy nonetheless. And layered on top of that is the very real challenge of sustaining any kind of organization. The truth is, while our mission has always been to offer free and affordable resources to grieving moms, the cost of doing so has come at significant personal expense.

 

For years, The Morning has been run entirely by myself and Meg Walker, who has faithfully carried the day-to-day work without ever receiving a paycheck. In fact, neither of us ever has. We’ve poured our hearts—and often our own money—into making sure grieving women had a place to land, even when that meant going into personal debt to keep the lights on.

 

The reality is: it costs money to run something like this. We chose to operate as a for-profit so we could focus on creating resources and ministering to grieving women—not fundraising. But it’s become clear that we can’t continue sustainably without honest conversations about what it truly takes to keep this work going.

 

And still – despite the weight, the unknowns, and the challenges – there has been so much good. This past year especially has been full of beautiful growth, meaningful impact, and deep encouragement. It feels important to pause and celebrate what’s been possible, even in the midst of strain:

Here’s what this upcoming sabbatical means for you—and how you can stay connected with The Morning while we step away for a short season of rest and discernment:

 

We’ll be back in your inbox in a few months. Until then, we covet your prayers for wisdom, rest, and clarity. It’s my heart’s desire that The Morning would continue serving grieving women for years to come—reminding them that they are not alone and that joy can be found even here.
 

With deep gratitude and hope,

Ashlee