When it comes to being heartbroken, Anne Cockrell and Kendra White understand the pain all too well. In their American Family Radio-produced radio show and podcast, Hannah’s Heart, the two discuss their individual experiences with infertility and miscarriage as well as the period of waiting that accompanied both. Inspired by the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel, Cockrell and White – along with special guests – offer practical advice and encouragement from a Christian perspective to couples who are longing to be parents.
Added to the AFR line-up in late 2021, the half-hour program encourages couples walking through infertility and miscarriage. Hannah’s Heart, hosted by Cockrell and White, is all about clinging to Christ – the ultimate hope – and finding peace and joy through the journey of childlessness.
The pain
“How can our faith ever truly be put into practice if we never experience any struggles in life?” White asked. “God doesn’t waste pain.”
But White admits that one of her initial responses to the loss of their unborn child was to “wonder what sin [she and her husband] were being punished for,” even though she knew that was not God’s heart.
Over the course of four years, Cockrell and her husband suffered four miscarriages and had thoughts like White’s during their journey. It was then that they faced some of the loneliest moments of their marriage … and in their Christian walk.
“There were times where I felt like I couldn’t come to the Lord with my request anymore,” Cockrell said. “I felt as though He was just choosing to not give us a baby.”
Their faith was tested, but both women and their husbands began to lean on the promises of God’s Word and allow Him to take control of their stories.
“It changed everything when we started looking at our devastating news as an opportunity for God to be glorified in our lives,” White added.
“I knew the Lord was leading me to do something with our ‘wait,’” Cockrell explained.
The purpose
Cockrell and White, along with their husbands, began to develop a God-given passion for helping couples struggling to cope with the loneliness, disappointment, and heartache that comes with infertility.
Their passion, combined with empathy from AFA Vice President Wesley Wildmon, is what birthed Hannah’s Heart. Wesley and his wife Chelsea lost a child to miscarriage in 2020, and that loss made Wesley realize that ministering to couples struggling with infertility and miscarriage is very much a part of valuing the sanctity of human life – a core issue of AFA.
His promise
Over three years later, Hannah’s Heart is more than just a radio show; it’s a ministry, which now includes Hannah’s Heart Hangouts – a local and online support group for couples. This arm of the ministry includes in-person meetings throughout the year for those in the Tupelo, Mississippi, area as well as a private Facebook group where couples from across the country can share prayer requests related to their infertility, miscarriage, IVF, adoption, and/or foster care journeys.
In addition, the ministry held its first butterfly release in October 2024 as part of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The release is intended to become an annual event as is its Bibles for Babies campaign, which was held in July 2024 as a fundraising effort for a local pregnancy resource center.
“Through the ministry of Hannah’s Heart, I just want to remind hopeful moms that God is not done writing your story,” White explained. “This is just one chapter. His idea of what is ‘good’ for us is not always our idea – it’s better.”
(Digital editor's note: This article was co-authored by Hannah Meador and was published first in the January/February 2025 special pro-life issue of The Stand. Click HERE for a free six-month subscription.)
