It was through a BraveLove dinner that Ashley met another birth mother for the very first time. Watch her story and discover what she's doing today and how she's encouraging birth moms so they don't have to go 15 years like she did.

Gloria placed her daughter for adoption six years ago and worked with Bethany Christian Services. She continues to stay in touch with the agency. But it wasn't until a few years ago when she reached out for help to Lizzie, her counselor. Watch this webisode to discover what followed.

"Four days that I will never forget. I’ll never forget the pain, both mentally and physically." Keep reading as Shelbi explains there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I believe birth moms have a certain resilience and we all deserve to have peace with this choice; the choice we made in love. - Kelsey, birth mom #BraveLove

I have been a birth mom for 21 years and navigating what that journey looks like ever since. For a season, I didn’t share my journey, it was mine, and honestly, it was very personal. I didn’t want to invite anyone else into it; kind of like a kid with candy! I wanted to keep all the good stuff for myself.

Of course, when I think about things for any length of time, I tend to see them in view of adoption. There is no moment in life that I can think of where joy and grief are more present (in an all-out battle, if you will) than during an adoption.

There are times I need another person in the room to just know. There is something holy about community. To have your people who know you and get you and give you a space to be and think and speak. It’s a lot of ands. There’s not just one benefit but many.

"For a long time, I had no idea there was a whole world of birth mom support."

I have found there to be three important themes related to the adoption journey - grief, shame, and openness. I have come to this conclusion because I am a birth mom and this is my story...

We love our birth mom dinners because it’s a way we, as an organization, can gather a group of women who have one very courageous thing in common - placing a child for adoption.