Born from one family's ache — and an impossible hope.
Sarah's Laughter began where so many stories of faith begin: in a place of waiting, longing, and tears that no one else could see. For more than twenty years we have walked beside couples through infertility and the loss of a baby — not with easy answers, but with presence, prayer, and the stubborn hope that laughter can return.
The heart behind the name
Every name tells a story. Ours reaches back thousands of years — to a woman who was told her deepest longing was impossible, and who lived to laugh at how wrong that word turned out to be.
Sarah waited a lifetime for a child. She was old, her body long past hope, and when God promised her a son she laughed — the tired, disbelieving laugh of someone who has grieved a dream too many times to trust it again.
And then the impossible happened. The promise came true. A boy named Isaac was born, and Sarah's bitter laughter became something else entirely — the overflowing, tearful laughter of joy she never thought she would feel. She named that joy out loud for everyone to hear.
That is the ache we know, and the hope we hold onto. For every couple sitting in a doctor's office hearing hard news, for every parent leaving a hospital with empty arms, the story of Sarah says something quiet and defiant: your longing is seen, your grief is not the end of the sentence, and laughter — real laughter — can find its way back to you.
The butterfly became our companion in that hope. Fragile, transformed, carried on the wind — it is the image we return to again and again, and every memorial service we hold ends with a live butterfly released into the sky.
We took our name from that verse because it holds both halves of what we live every day: the honesty of tears, and the promise of joy. We do not rush anyone past their grief. We simply refuse to let them believe hope has left the room.
Founded 2004 by Beth Forbus. What began as one woman's response to her own journey through infertility has grown into a national ministry of support groups, memorials, resources, and a global prayer team — all carrying the same name, and the same hope.
Faith at our center — arms open to all
We are a Christian ministry that welcomes and offers support to people of all faiths as well as no faith. We are neither affiliated with nor underwritten by any church or denomination. We do, however, try to represent Jesus Christ in all we do, and treat people as He would.
You do not have to believe what we believe to be welcome here. Grief does not check your theology at the door, and neither do we. Whether you come carrying a strong faith, a shaken one, or none at all, you will be met with the same gentleness. Sarah's Laughter offers faith-based Christian support to couples struggling with infertility or the death of a baby — because these life-changing burdens are simply too heavy to carry alone.
Many hands, one embrace
Over two decades, the ministry has grown into a whole ecosystem of care — every part of it built to make sure no one walks this road by themselves.
Support Groups
Free, faith-centered groups — in person and online — where couples grieving infertility and loss can speak honestly, be understood, and find companions for the journey.
Find a group near youPAIL Support
Dedicated care for Pregnancy and Infant Loss — meeting families in the tender, disorienting days after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a newborn.
Learn about PAILMemorial Services & Butterfly Release
Sacred gatherings to honor babies gone too soon — every service ending with a live butterfly released to the sky, a picture of transformation and enduring hope.
About our memorialsButterfly Bags
Tangible comfort placed in the hands of grieving parents — thoughtful care packages that say, when words fail, you are not forgotten and you are not alone.
See what's insidePodcast
Honest conversations, encouragement, and Scripture for the long wait — voices in your ear reminding you that others have walked this and lived to hope again.
Listen nowPrayer Team
A global team that lifts your name, your longing, and your fears before God. Share a request in confidence and know that faithful people are praying with you.
Submit a prayer requestBible Reading Plan
A 49-day journey of encouragement on Bible.com, written for hearts in the middle of infertility — a daily anchor of Scripture and hope you can hold onto.
Start the planBooks & Devotions
Written resources like Daily Double Portions: Devotions for Infertility — words to keep by your bedside for the mornings when your own run dry.
Find the booksTwo decades of walking beside.
What we believe, and how we'll treat you
We care about your heart. We care about your hurt. We're honored to join you on your journey.
Those are not slogans on a wall — they are the whole reason this ministry exists. We believe that grief is not a problem to be fixed but a road to be traveled with company. We believe that faith and doubt can share the same breath, and that God is near to the brokenhearted even when He feels far away.
So here is our promise. We will never tell you to "just relax," or hand you a platitude in place of presence. We will not measure your pain or hurry your healing. We will listen more than we speak, pray more than we advise, and hold space for both your tears and — one day, in time — your laughter. Whatever this season holds, you will not carry it alone.
Come be known — or help someone else be.
You can reach out for support today, or you can help make sure the next hurting family finds this same welcome. Either way, you become part of the story Sarah started laughing about long ago.