I deeply believe that good therapy has been the ultimate enhancement to my faith journey. It’s helped me replace false narratives with the truest story of who God is, what he’s done for me, and how much he loves me. And if you’ve listened to my podcast for any amount of time, you know I love interviewing a therapist…maybe it’s my way of getting a free session, ha!
Today we have the privilege of hearing from Monica DiCristina, a counselor, speaker, and writer who struggled for years with her mental health before finding healing through therapy. I left our rich conversation with an understanding of why naming my pain is the first step toward healing, getting comfortable with other people’s pain, and tools for coping with moments of anxiety.
Show Notes
Make a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support.
What we mentioned:
Your Pain Has a Name: A Therapist’s Invitation to Understanding Your Story and Sorting Out Who You Are from What Hurts by Monica DiCristina - https://a.co/d/enk65rt
Adam Young on The GoodHard Story Podcast - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NWE5Yzg2YzAtNjE4Yy00M2M1LThkMDYtZTk2YTVhNWQ0MWVj
The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff Jonathan Haidt - https://a.co/d/6y9n8GJ
Where to Find Monica:
Website: https://monicadicristina.com
Instagram: @monicadicristina
Still Becoming Podcast
Get More from Katherine:
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know Hope Heals:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Annie F. Downs may be known as the queen of fun, but that doesn’t make her frivolous. She lives a closely examined and intentional life that beautifully balances joy and suffering. She shared an hour with me to talk about what she’s learning (and unlearning) these days—like how she’s pursuing the freshest tools for thriving in her current life, telling the truest story of her singleness, and what she would do differently in her deepest grief.
This woman is as wise as she is whimsical. If you want to feel like you’ve just chatted with a dear old friend, you need to press play on this episode.
Show Notes:
Make a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support.
What we mentioned:
That Sounds Fun Podcast - https://www.anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun/
Lysa TerKeurst’s Therapy and Theology Podcast with Jim Cress and Joel Muddamalle - https://proverbs31.org/listen/therapy-and-theology
Matt & Ginny Mooney of 99 Balloons - https://www.99balloons.org/
Abel Speaks - https://abelspeaks.org/
The Bible App - https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
Father Mike - https://www.instagram.com/fathermikeschmitz/
Where to Find Annie:
Website: https://www.anniefdowns.com/
Instagram: @anniefdowns
That Sounds Fun Podcast
Scriptures we referenced:
Parable of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11–32
John 16:33
Psalm 16
Isaiah 55:12
Isaiah 45:3
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
“Living awake” sounds great when it comes to the beautiful stuff, but it’s much harder to live fully awake when the losses and disappointments and heartbreaks won’t stop coming. If that sounds like your life, then you need to hear every minute of this conversation with my friend Jess Connolly—pastor, writer, and parent. We talked about how to begin the healing process, recovering from church hurt, parenting teenagers with trust, and finding your place in the kingdom of God. I left refreshed and you will too.
Show Notes
What we mentioned:
Episode 85: Sex, Conflict, and Covenant with Nick Connolly - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-85-sex-conflict-and-covenant-with-nick-connolly/id1437912225?i=1000712379382
All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/5ignBRQ
The GoodHard Podcast Episode 105: Beth Moore on Walking with God - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-105-beth-moore-on-walking-with-god/id1496882479?i=1000724538891
The Fully Awake Women’s Club - https://jessconnolly.substack.com/
Jess on Instagram - @jessaconnolly
Jess’s website -https://www.jessconnolly.com/
Scriptures we referenced:
Psalm 40
Romans 5:3
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
This is the very first episode of Take the Next Step and I’m sharing it here because I refuse to let you miss the launch! You might just recognize the guest...
Be sure to follow Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker wherever you listen so you don’t miss any future episodes. amyjuliabecker.com/step/
__
Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of disability? Katherine Wolf, author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore how families can reimagine disability, build connection, and celebrate life.
From the dinner table to the slow work of recovery, learn how to find delight in the story you have. Discover:
How to experience joy in the process, not just the outcome
Daily habits to cultivate gratitude and delight
How to build a supportive, connected community
Why purpose and contribution matter for every family
_
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Katherine’s books, resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities: hopeheals.com.
_
WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube
SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com
JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker
LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/
_
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Katherine Wolf is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. After she survived a near-fatal brainstem stroke at age 26, her family’s journey through disability has become a public witness that good and hard can co-exist in the same story. Through caregiving, storytelling, and lived theology, Katherine is inviting others into a vision of hope, interdependence, and embodied resilience. She and her husband Jay live in Atlanta with their two sons.
Website: www.hopeheals.com
Instagram: @hopeheals
_
Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.
When I became physically disabled in my mid-twenties, much of the world became inaccessible to me—including faith spaces. I’ve now spent nearly two decades making a seat at the world’s table for people living with disabilities, which is why I feel such deep kinship with my guest today. His life is about making space at the table, too.
Jemar Tisby is a best-selling author, historian, and professor who is leading the church in the pursuit of racial justice. We’re talking all accessing your God-given purpose, creating inclusive communities, seeking the kingdom of God, and raising resilient kids. This conversation is rich with wisdom and I hope you’ll join us at the table for it.
What we mentioned:
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/5nb0fpp
How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/58D4cY7
The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/aXphkaP
The Witness - https://thewitnessinc.com/
Footnotes by Jemar Tisby (Substack) - https://jemartisby.substack.com/
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://a.co/d/5iS6rVG
Stories of the Spirit of Justice by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/58D4cY7
Jemar on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jemartisby
Scriptures we referenced:
Galatians 3:28
Ephesians 4:1-16
Joshua 1:1-9
Matthew 22:37
More about Katherine & Hope Heals
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
I’m so excited to share the trailer for something new with you—Take the Next Step! Hope Heals is partnering with Amy Julia Becker on a podcast especially for families experiencing disability. This new show is filled with real talk, real tools, and real hope. Tune in over at Take the Next Step each week for conversations with parents, therapists, and advocates about how we can cultivate belonging and build a flourishing future for the entire family. (And spoiler, I'm her guest on the first episode, airing September 17th!)
You can find the new podcast by searching "Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker" on your podcast app, or find all the links at amyjuliabecker.com/step
Look out for new episodes every week starting September 17.
WATCH the conversations every week on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube
SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com
JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker
LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/step/
Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.
There will be moments in our lives that change us forever—terrible moments, epic moments, and maybe even ordinary moments. My second-chance story and my life’s calling spun out of the worst moment of my life. And, somehow, God made it into something really, really good.
My guest today is Zach Meerkreebs. He was at the center of the Asbury outpouring, an historical spiritual movement that changed lives around the world. That moment marked Zach, but it’s not the only moment that has drawn him into deeper wonder, surrender, and humility. During our time together, he shared about how the loss of his daughter and being let go from his first job in ministry have been as important as any revival to his spiritual formation and friendship with Jesus.
What we mentioned:
Lower: Igniting Spiritual Awakening Through Radical Humility by Zach Meerkreebs - https://a.co/d/fBFvr7I
About Staughn Coleman - https://www.commonerscommunion.com/about
The Daily Examen - https://www.jesuits.org/spirituality/the-ignatian-examen/
Barnabas Collective - https://www.barnabascollective.org/
Zach on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zachmeerkreebs/
Scriptures we referenced:
Philippians 2:6
Matthew 7:6
John 15:15-16
Esther 9:1
Ecclesiastes 7:2
Psalm 139:1-24
About Katherine & Hope Heals
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals
In our debut episode of an all-new season, I sat down with my spiritual hero and dear friend Beth Moore to talk about all the creative ways we can walk—or roll!—with God. Beth and I dug into how she’s kept a tender heart when life got tough, loving her husband through the valleys of mental illness, and navigating closed doors when pursuing her calling. I will remember this conversation forever. I’m praying our time with Beth encourages you, comforts you, and challenges you to run (or roll) your race well to the very end.
What we mentioned:
All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/5ignBRQ
Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman Bible Study by Beth Moore - https://store.lproof.org/products/esther-member-book
Letter to My Brothers - https://blog.lproof.org/2018/05/a-letter-to-my-brothers.html
Walking with God: A Five Week Journey In Step with the Savior by Beth Moore - https://www.tyndale.com/p/walking-with-god/9798400510175
Scriptures we referenced:
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 11:1
Hebrews 13:7-8
Hebrews 6:10
Psalm 62:8
Acts 14:22
John 15:8
2 Corinthians 6:8
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
More information:
For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/spaces
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
This season of The GoodHard Story Podcast has been rich beyond belief. Every episode was inspired by a question or suggestion YOU sent to me, so thank you! Because of your thoughtful contributions and vulnerability, we’ve had dozens of life-giving and heart-changing conversations with people who are living their good/hard lives with clarity, intention, courage, faith, and (of course) transcendent hope.
I am so grateful that you shared so many hours of the past year with me, friends.
So many of these episodes have been a balm to my own soul, and I don’t want to forget all the goodness I’ve found here. So to celebrate the final episode of this season, I’m rounding up my ten favorite takeaways. (And they were SO hard to choose!) I plan to preach these truths to myself when I need them most and I hope you can do the same!
The GoodHard Story Podcast team will be taking a much needed summer break, but we’re already planning the most glorious lineup for Season 5. We’ll be back with all-new conversations in September! Remember, our catalog of over 100 episodes is always available in your favorite podcast app for you to savor (or binge!) in the meantime.
Show Notes:
Ep. 68 with Debra Fileta - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/88d861cf62c5b4da4d75c7785fc488bc
Soul Care: Find Life-Giving Rhythms, Live Restored, Avoid Burnout, Discover Unspeakable Joy by Debra Fileta - https://a.co/d/8SV3xKC
Ep. 71 with Adam Young - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/127f135d0f8f4b67fd2d4b5de256ad7c
Ep. 76 - 5 Reasons You Are Worthy of Receiving Care - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/cd2cbb41bb24b4579194d998830fb778
Ep. 78 with Ken and Joni Tada - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/137f31e9a3346ad15652b286b65cc0cc
Ep. 81 with Dan Allender - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/52f3e1bcc8767db0cb460dc734ba528b
Story Work Conference - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/
Ep. 82 with Lysa TerKeurst - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/e37e33f2946bef380ca85f60b7b0f792
Ep. 85 with Brook Hensley - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/73c154ab9a616c9219a36816624e92f1
Ep. 93 with Mary Austin Hall - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/9ef2f04fc5f02e71b20fa5b7aa2a6014
Ep. 94 with Dr. John Swinton - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/565eb21c7e2a0b580d942c64560f312f
Ep. 98 with Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3
Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/47InSUW
Learn more about Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Learn more about MEND Coffee and Goods: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Make a donation: https://hopeheals-bloom.kindful.com/
Hope Heals Hangouts: https://hopeheals.com/hangouts
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Genesis 50:20
Galatians 6:5
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
What story do you believe you’re living in? Friend, your answer to that question could not be more important.
Learning to tell the truest version of my story to empathetic listeners has healed my heart after so much breaking. A decade and a half of this work has helped me integrate the hurt with the hope, and God’s goodness with his mystery. Today I’m sitting down with the person who taught me how to start telling that story years and years ago—Dr. Curt Thompson.
Dr. Thompson is a renowned psychiatrist, author, and speaker who brings together the wisdom of neuroscience and spiritual formation to help people (like me!) understand and re-narrate their lives. In this episode we’ll cover:
If you want to be transformed by your suffering but need some support in making that happen, this conversation is for you.
Show Notes:
The GoodHard Podcast Episode 71 with Dan Allender - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/127f135d0f8f4b67fd2d4b5de256ad7c
Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything - https://a.co/d/6XHzUiJ
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
John 16:33
Mark 5:25-34
2 Corinthians 4:16
Deuteronomy 8
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Seasons of suffering can take so much from us—our health, a loved one, our sense of security. There’s a more expansive loss that runs through all those other kinds of loss: we lose our ability to imagine a good future. We only remember pain and hurt, which means we anticipate a future filled with more pain and hurt.
I don’t think it has to be this way. Even when the worst things happen, it’s possible to dream new dreams. And it’s possible to imagine a good future for ourselves and for the people we love.
Today we’re talking to a woman on the leading edge of imagining—and creating—good futures. Amy Julia Becker is an author, speaker, and one of my very favorite thought leaders in the faith and disability space. Hours after giving birth to her first daughter, Princeton grad Amy Julia received the unexpected news that her little girl had an intellectual disability. Amy Julia’s lived experience paired with her brilliant mind and love of Jesus make her an invaluable guide as you and I take the next step toward a future filled with hope.
Here’s what you’ll take away from this conversation:
If you need inspiration to begin imagining a good future, this episode is for you.
Show Notes:
The GoodHard Story Ep. 94 with Dr. John Swinton - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/565eb21c7e2a0b580d942c64560f312f
A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny by Amy Julia Becker - https://a.co/d/hHW7Xfs
Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp/
The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch - https://a.co/d/hpkQxOO
The GoodHard Story Ep. 98 with Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3
Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3
Re-Imagining Family Life with Disabilities Workshop - https://amyjuliabecker.com/workshop/
The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children by Alison Gopnick - https://a.co/d/70JXPiS
Amy Julia’s Substack - https://amyjuliabecker.substack.com/
Amy Julia’s podcast - https://amyjuliabecker.com/podcast/
Amy Julia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amyjuliabecker/
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Blessed are those who mourn. Most of us have heard it over and over…but I know I’m not the only one wondering how this could be true in God’s kingdom.
Megan Fate Marshman will give you imagination for how the mourning and meek and poor in spirit might be called blessed…and might actually believe they’re blessed. This friend of mine has navigated the deepest kind of loss after her husband’s death in 2021. Since then, Megan has become a survival guide for grieving and healing with hope. She is navigating her “new normal” with incomparable grace, gratitude, and a steady trust in God’s good plan. Today she’s sharing how she’s managing to do that, and how you can too.
Here’s just a bit of the riches waiting for you if you listen:
If you need a fresh vision for flourishing in the most difficult seasons, this episode is for you.
“The good things of God are chiefly peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost in this life; fruition of God’s presence, and vision of his blessed face in the next, and these good things God never bestows upon the wicked, never withholds from the godly.” - Sir Richard Baker
“Settled Into Place” by Oh Sparrow - https://youtu.be/oa7zaK_lP-k?feature=shared
Megan Fate Marshman on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meganfate/
Relaxed: Walking with the One Who Is Not Worried about a Thing by Megan Fate Marshman - https://a.co/d/4m4JNv2
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
From the early days of my stroke recovery, home—and all the rituals of home—have been a major part of my healing. Home has looked a lot of ways over the years, but my family and I have always tried to make it a place of comfort, rest, and connection. If you’re on a journey to finding a “new normal,” I cannot overstate the importance of making your home into a place of healing.
So how do we do that exactly? Today I’m joined by Phylicia Masonheimer, who believes in the power our homes have in forming us and ministering to others. We’re talking through the big and small ways that any home can be a place of soul-deep rest and renewal.
Phylicia is a mom and wife, bestselling author, Bible teacher, and the founder of Every Woman a Theologian. Her work is all about helping Christian women understand, live out, and communicate their faith with clarity and grace. I took away so much from our conversation. Here’s a preview:
If you’re looking for the first step toward your new normal, this conversation is the place to start!
Show Notes:
Mend Coffee and Goods - https://mendcoffee.com/
Every Home a Foundation: Experiencing God through Your Everyday Routines by Phylicia Masonheimer - https://a.co/d/4WZyrQh
Phylicia’s website: phyliciamasonheimer.com
Phylicia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phyliciamasonheimer
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Psalm 16:6
Psalm 84:11
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
At some point, you’ve probably felt like you were living in some strange alternate version of your life. Maybe it was after a tragedy as dramatic as a stroke. Perhaps it was something as mundane as realizing you’re middle aged. We desperately want to find our way back to the way life used to be, but it turns out that version of life is beyond our reach.
So what are our options here? We can keep longing for what was—unsatisfied, absent, and stuck. Or we can learn to love the “new normal” in front of us. Yeah, I like that option.
Today I’m joined by my wise and wonderful friend Susan Robinson to uncover how we can learn to love the lives we never imagined living.
I loved this conversation so much. Here’s a preview of what we got into…
I hope you enjoy this important conversation, friend, and, even more than that, I hope you can learn to truly enjoy your one precious life.
Show Notes:
Treasures in the Dark: 90 Reflections on Finding Bright Hope Hidden in the Hurting - https://a.co/d/51XN3fq
What's Here Now?: How to Stop Rehashing the Past and Rehearsing the Future--and Start Receiving the Present by Jeannie Stevens - https://a.co/d/4EUeIXu
The GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 96: Losing Memory and Keeping Hope with Alzheimer's Expert Megan Carnarius - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/60ed5c2e5e34383a7079f18c20333809
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
“Hope is believing in advance what can only be understood in reverse.”
These words have been the rally cry of my soul for over a decade now, but I didn’t come up with them myself. Philip Yancey did. This gentle, thoughtful writer has spent his career exploring the topic of suffering which, as you can imagine, has meant so much to me. Today I have the honor of sitting down with Philip to talk about some things that we can’t understand today, but trust we’ll understand some day. (Like his recent Parkinson’s diagnosis.)
This hour with Philip filled my soul, and I think it’ll do the same for you. Here’s what you can expect if you join us in the conversation:
If you need a compassionate, encouraging voice speaking into your suffering—whatever it may be—then this episode is for you!
Show Notes:
Where Is God When It Hurts by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/6xf3QxV
The Gift of Pain: Why We Hurt and What We Can Do About It by Philip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand - https://a.co/d/3GapVr9
“Parkinson’s—The Gift I Didn’t Want” by Philip Yancey for Christianity Today - https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/02/philip-yancey-ct-parkinsons-diagnosis-gift-i-didnt-want/
How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture by Francis A. Schaeffer - https://a.co/d/f5H3bxk
Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/47InSUW
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
2 Corinthians 1:4
Romans 8
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Some of you will want to turn this episode off about three minutes in because we’re talking about deconstruction. I say this with love: skipping this episode would be a mistake! Whether you’ve never doubted your faith for a moment or you’re ready to burn it all down, today’s conversation has something so good for you. I guarantee it.
Having an out-of-the-blue stroke as a healthy 26 year-old and losing the life I loved so dearly pretty much cured me of pretending I had all the answers. Grief, heartbreak, and unmet expectations have a way of undoing the framework we have for reality—and that includes the way we understand God, the Bible, and our faith communities.
Friends, on the other side of all my certainty I found something so much better. I learned mystery and doubt aren’t something to fear or feel ashamed about.
My guest is the remarkable Erin Hicks Moon. She’s an hysterically funny and incredibly poignant writer and podcaster who has become a beloved spokeswoman for those of us who are tired of pretending to have all the answers.
Here’s a preview of what we’ll get into:
If you need to feel less alone and ashamed as you wrestle with your doubt, this episode is for you.
Show Notes:
I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out With God by Erin Moon - https://a.co/d/eqjrhLn
Meredith Ann Miller - https://www.instagram.com/meredithannemiller
Counterpoint series from Zondervan - https://zondervanacademic.com/products/category/counter-points
Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand by Jeff Chu -https://a.co/d/1tXrmDU
The Faith Adjacent Podcast - https://faithadjacent.com/
Erin on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erinhmoon
Erin on Substack - https://erinhmoon.substack.com/
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Genesis 32:22-32
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Aging is a privilege and we should treat it like the gift it is. But the gift of aging comes with complex challenges and unavoidable sadnesses, like memory loss. If you’re caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia—or if you’re facing a memory loss diagnosis yourself—I want to offer some encouragement and practical wisdom for you to navigate this tender experience as well as you can.
This week’s podcast guest is Alzheimer’s specialist Megan Carnarius, who is doing the hard and holy work of dignifying the experiences of people living with memory loss. I pray today’s conversation with Megan gives you fresh hope for your future and the futures of the ones you love.
Here’s just a preview of what Meg and I covered:
If you need expert advice for navigating the realities of memory loss, this episode is for you.
Show Notes:
A Deeper Perspective on Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias: Practical Tools with Spiritual Insights by Megan Carnarius - https://a.co/d/dI1lbRs
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
2 Corinthians 4:16
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
I’ve processed and shared countless insights from my second-chance life, but no idea has resonated more deeply and widely with you all than the idea of “invisible wheelchairs.” You know what I’m talking about—those unseen parts of our stories that feel like they’re holding us back from the most abundant versions of our lives.
Maybe your invisible wheelchair is shame, doubt, worry, loneliness, or insecurity. As a physically disabled person, I’m dealing with “invisible wheelchairs” that have absolutely nothing to do with my stroke. There’s plenty of dysfunction to go around (HA!) and I’m letting you into what feels most disabling to me these days.
On this episode, my teammate Caroline and I are working through the invisible wheelchairs in our own lives and the opportunities they offer us, if we have eyes to see them.
Tune into this episode to hear how you can…
Identify your invisible wheelchairs
Find creativity within your unique constraints
De-personalize and get curious about your invisible wheelchairs
Show up as the person you are today, not the one you thought you’d be
If you’ve needed language for the inside stuff that’s holding you back, this episode is for you!
Show Notes:
Suffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything by Katherine and Jay Wolf - https://a.co/d/beOpiYd
Open Spaces Podcast with Jeff and Jourdan Johnson - https://www.theopenspacescollective.com/podcast
Mend Coffee and Goods - https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp
The Story Work Conference - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/
Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything by Adam Young - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Romans 12:!2
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
“It's not so much our story that makes us who we are. It’s God’s story who makes us who we are.”
Identity, for so many of us, is the sum of our memories, our personality, and the ability to tell the story of who we are. So what’s left when we lose all the things that make us who we are?
John Swinton is a disability theologian who is helping people find God in the experiences of mental illness, memory loss, and intellectual disability. This gentle genius (with a glorious Scottish accent, I might add!) hangs out in the places where memory, identity, and disability meet. Turns out, there’s much to be learned about how to live and how to love from people experiencing mental challenges.
Dr. Swinton shared more profound thoughts in our hour together than most of us will have in a decade. You don’t want to miss his insights on...
If you want to believe there’s more of us beyond our memories and our minds—or if you want to hear my attempt at a Scottish accent!—then this episode is for you.
Show Notes:
Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship by Dr. John Swinton - https://a.co/d/fHyOjJW
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Colossians 3:3
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb
Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote
Get to know us:
Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/
Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp
Mend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
Today I’m offering you a masterclass in grieving well. One day—maybe even today—you will look at your story and see the very thing you prayed you'd never see. You could numb out and absolutely no one would blame you. But you have another option. It's harder, but so much better.
Today, in my most tender conversation ever on The GoodHard Story Podcast, my strong-yet-soft sister-in-law Mary Austin Wolf Hall shares the treasures she's found in the deep darkness of a late term miscarriage. She’s faced her grief head-on as an act of faith and I’ve been changed by witnessing it.
Here’s a preview of what we’ll unpack:
If you want to face your grief head-on when the time comes, this episode is for you.
Friends, my conversation with Mary Austin will focus on late term miscarriage and infant loss. I pray God will use our words to encourage those of you who are ready to hear them. If this discussion doesn’t feel supportive to you today, please feel free to skip today’s episode.
Show Notes:
MEND Coffee and Goods: https://www.mendcoffee.com/
Treasures in the Dark: https://a.co/d/7JrkmFv
Dark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop: https://a.co/d/bC8aXBN
Empty Arms: Hope and Support for Those Who Have Suffered a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Tubal Pregnancy by Pam Vredevelt: https://a.co/d/enkfvtb
Risen Motherhood Podcast Grief mini-series: https://www.risenmotherhood.com/grief
Scriptures referenced in this episode:
Job 42:10-13
***
There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/