152: How God Uses Pain to Prepare You for Purpose: Trusting God Through NICU Trauma and Surrender (Pt. 1)
There are seasons in life that do not unfold the way we expected. What once felt certain can suddenly become fragile, and the future we imagined can be interrupted by grief, fear, and questions we never thought we would have to ask. In Part 1 of this conversation, Megan sits down with Ashley Hopkins for an honest and faith-filled discussion about crisis, surrender, and the deep inner work that often begins when life feels the most uncertain.
Ashley shares the story of how her journey did not begin in the NICU, but in a much earlier wrestling match with God. Growing up in the church, she thought she knew what faith looked like, until life forced her to confront questions about suffering, God’s sovereignty, and whether she could truly trust Him when things no longer made sense. That crisis of faith laid a foundation she did not yet understand, preparing her for the painful road ahead.
As the conversation unfolds, Ashley opens up about becoming a mother, the joy of welcoming her daughter, and the unexpected challenges that came with an early delivery and NICU stay. But even that difficult experience became a kind of preparation for what would come next. When her son was born extremely premature and later diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Ashley and her husband were suddenly thrust into a world of uncertainty, devastating medical information, overwhelming decisions, and the raw possibility that their son might not survive.
With tenderness and honesty, Ashley describes the emotional toll of those early days, the grief of unmet expectations, and the agony of facing a future she never would have chosen. She also shares how God met her in that place, not first with explanations, but with His presence. Together, Megan and Ashley reflect on what it means to stop striving for answers and begin learning how to dwell with God in the middle of pain. They explore the difference between intellectual faith and embodied trust, the role of lament, and how suffering can reveal where we are still trying to control what only God can hold.
This episode is for the listener who is walking through disappointment, wrestling with unanswered prayers, or trying to make sense of a story that feels much harder than expected. It is a reminder that even when life feels like it is falling apart, God may be doing deeper work than we can yet see. Sometimes the very places that undo us become the places where our faith is strengthened, our capacity is expanded, and our relationship with God becomes more real than ever before.
As you listen, may you feel less alone in your own questions and more open to the possibility that God is still present in the middle of the hard. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs encouragement, and join us for Part 2 as Ashley shares how this journey shaped her calling, her work, and the dreams God is now unfolding through her story.
About Ashley:
Ashley Hopkins is a board certified nurse wellness coach and the host of The Fallow Ground Wellness Podcast. Her podcast is a place to receive encouragement and learn practical ways to do the hard things in life the way we were designed to. From internal foundational mindset work to deep dives into the basic but powerful principles of wellness, Ashley walks with listeners as a fellow sojourner, helping them build endurance through wellness and Biblical wisdom.
Connect with Ashley:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashley.hopkins.927
Fallow Ground Wellness Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fallow-ground-wellness-podcast/id1851523538
About the Host:
Megan Babcock is the founder of It’s Your Story to Tell. She is an award-winning coach, bestselling author, speaker, and podcast host whose work sits at the intersection of faith and neuroscience. She equips leaders to regulate their nervous systems, heal from trauma, and rise with purpose.
After more than twenty years in healthcare and her own journey through trauma, surrender, and spiritual renewal, Megan launched It’s Your Story to Tell in 2023. What once felt disqualifying became the foundation of her calling. She now helps others transform pain into legacy and live aligned, resilient, Spirit-led lives.
Connect with Megan:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganbakerbabcock
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itscoachmeganbabcock
Website: https://bit.ly/ItsYourStorytoTell
Resources:
Sacred Presence and Sacred Pathways: https://www.itsyourstorytotell.com/Sacred-presence-&-pathways
Unstuck Book: https://a.co/d/7CrzzZA
Free Transformation Resource Center: https://www.itsyourstorytotell.com/freeresourcecenter
