When life doesn’t go as planned, where do you anchor your soul? In this conversation, Marian Jordan Ellis sits down with writer and speaker Vaneetha Risner—a self-described “sufferer who writes”—to talk about finding a living hope in Jesus through polio and post-polio syndrome, multiple miscarriages, the death of her infant son, betrayal and divorce, and unexpected restoration. Drawing from John 6 (“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life”), John 9, and 1 Peter 1 & 4, Vaneetha shares how God meets us in the fire, refines our faith like gold, and teaches us to place our hope in a Person, not an outcome.

What you’ll hear:

-- Vaneetha’s story: polio as an infant, long hospital stays, grief and losses, and the paradox of joy (2 Cor. 4:17).

--Why living hope (1 Peter) is sturdier than “if-this-then-I’ll-be-okay” outcomes—and how that shift changes everything.

--The refining fire: what gets burned away, what remains, and how Christ’s presence becomes tangible in suffering (Dan. 3; 1 Pet. 1:6–7).

--Church as the hands and feet of Jesus: practical ways to love people in pain.

--Discipleship in hard seasons: daily Scripture, honest prayer, real community—and obedience that blesses enemies.

--How suffering kills entitlement and awakens gratitude and wonder.

Resources mentioned:

Marian’s new Bible study: Anchored: The Life & Letters of the Apostle Peter — 7 video teachings + 6 weeks of study.

Vaneetha’s memoir: Walking Through Fire.

If this episode encourages you, share it with a friend, leave a comment with your takeaway, and consider partnering with This Redeemed Life to help us reach more women with the hope of Jesus.

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