The GoodHard Story Podcast

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/5ignBRQEsther: It’s Tough Being a Woman Bible Study by Beth Moore - https://store.lproof.org/products/esther-member-bookLetter to My Brothers - https://blog.lproof.org/2018/05/a-letter-to-my-brothers.htmlWalking with God: A Five Week Journey In Step with the Savior by Beth Moore - https://www.tyndale.com/p/walking-with-god/9798400510175Scriptures we referenced:Hebrews 12:1-21 Corinthians 11:1Hebrews 13:7-8Hebrews 6:10Psalm 62:8Acts 14:22John 15:82 Corinthians 6:82 Corinthians 4:8-10More 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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend 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/88d861cf62c5b4da4d75c7785fc488bcSoul Care: Find Life-Giving Rhythms, Live Restored, Avoid Burnout, Discover Unspeakable Joy by Debra Fileta - https://a.co/d/8SV3xKCEp. 71 with Adam Young - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/127f135d0f8f4b67fd2d4b5de256ad7cEp. 76 - 5 Reasons You Are Worthy of Receiving Care - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/cd2cbb41bb24b4579194d998830fb778Ep. 78 with Ken and Joni Tada - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/137f31e9a3346ad15652b286b65cc0ccEp. 81 with Dan Allender - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/52f3e1bcc8767db0cb460dc734ba528bStory Work Conference - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/Ep. 82 with Lysa TerKeurst - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/e37e33f2946bef380ca85f60b7b0f792Ep. 85 with Brook Hensley - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/73c154ab9a616c9219a36816624e92f1Ep. 93 with Mary Austin Hall - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/9ef2f04fc5f02e71b20fa5b7aa2a6014Ep. 94 with Dr. John Swinton - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/565eb21c7e2a0b580d942c64560f312fEp. 98 with Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/47InSUWLearn 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/hangoutsScriptures referenced in this episode:Genesis 50:20Galatians 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/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/

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:Discovering your suffering in the context of communityAllowing Jesus to access our entire selvesSuffering can be redefined even when it isn’t resolvedTransforming your anger into something usefulBecoming the empathetic listener that other people needIf 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/127f135d0f8f4b67fd2d4b5de256ad7cMake Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything - https://a.co/d/6XHzUiJScriptures referenced in this episode:John 16:33Mark 5:25-342 Corinthians 4:16Deuteronomy 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/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/

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:A refreshing redefinition of “the good life”One thing you can do when life takes a totally unexpected turnProof that the life you didn’t expect can still be a life you loveTons of practical resources and recommendations for taking your next stepIf 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/565eb21c7e2a0b580d942c64560f312fA Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny by Amy Julia Becker - https://a.co/d/hHW7XfsHope 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/hpkQxOOThe GoodHard Story Ep. 98 with Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/7ff1ca2eb98b273f3d5479dc5504d9f3Re-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/70JXPiSAmy 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/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/

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:The surprising blessing of being needyWhy we’ve got to be honest with God about our anger and anxietyBuilding your dream team of friendsWhat “good” actually means, by God’s definitionThe role of spiritual rhythms in our soul formationIf 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=sharedMegan 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/4m4JNv2Scriptures referenced in this episode:Matthew 5Revelation 21Psalm 139Romans 8:28Psalm 84:11There'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/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/

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:How to make home a place of peace and productivityConnecting with God in our daily home routinesA beautiful new definition of hospitalityCreating a healing space when you don’t have a typical home lifeIf 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/4WZyrQhPhylicia’s website: phyliciamasonheimer.comPhylicia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phyliciamasonheimerScriptures referenced in this episode:Psalm 16:6Psalm 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/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/

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…The thing that helped make my post-stroke life feel not only normal, but hopefulWhat advice I’d give to my pre-stroke selfWhat I miss most about my old lifeThe childhood dream that has been the most difficult to releaseI 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/51XN3fqWhat'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/4EUeIXuThe GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 96: Losing Memory and Keeping Hope with Alzheimer's Expert Megan Carnarius - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/60ed5c2e5e34383a7079f18c20333809Scriptures 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/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/

“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:Why pain is not the enemyThe most helpful definition of health I’ve heard yetWe can receive God’s comfort, even when we don’t understand HimStewarding the suffering we never wantedThe best thing we can be for God to use usIf 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/6xf3QxVThe 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/f5H3bxkWhere the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/47InSUWScriptures referenced in this episode:2 Corinthians 1:4Romans 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/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/

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:How to normalize doubt, rather than glamorize or villainize itWhy faith has become synonymous with certaintyHow to parent kids when we don’t have all the answers about faithWhat do to when the Bible stops making senseIf 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/eqjrhLnMeredith Ann Miller - https://www.instagram.com/meredithannemillerCounterpoint series from Zondervan - https://zondervanacademic.com/products/category/counter-pointsGood Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand by Jeff Chu -https://a.co/d/1tXrmDUThe Faith Adjacent Podcast - https://faithadjacent.com/Erin on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erinhmoonErin 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/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/

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:Making every stage of aging as good as it can beNavigating the “hand-off” of independenceLearning how to help the soul of our loved ones shine throughFinding “fall out” blessings in life with memory lossReframing our older years as an “Inner adventure”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/dI1lbRsScriptures 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/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/

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 wheelchairsFind creativity within your unique constraintsDe-personalize and get curious about your invisible wheelchairsShow up as the person you are today, not the one you thought you’d beIf 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/beOpiYdOpen Spaces Podcast with Jeff and Jourdan Johnson - https://www.theopenspacescollective.com/podcast⁠⁠Mend Coffee and Goods⁠ - https://www.mendcoffee.org/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠ - https://hopeheals.com/campThe 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/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/

“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...How do you live well when your mind is atypicalWhy hope and joy are a possibility, no matter whatDealing with the fear of losing your memory or cognitionFinding flexibility and humility in the Christian faithWhat we have wrong about our relationship to timeIf 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/fHyOjJWScriptures 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/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/

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:How we can prevent unprocessed griefWhat felt most comforting after her lossFinding the right proportions of mourning and distractionWhat to do when the platitudes don’t feel satisfyingIf 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/7JrkmFvDark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop: https://a.co/d/bC8aXBNEmpty Arms: Hope and Support for Those Who Have Suffered a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Tubal Pregnancy by Pam Vredevelt: https://a.co/d/enkfvtbRisen Motherhood Podcast Grief mini-series: https://www.risenmotherhood.com/griefScriptures 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/

You’ll reckon with depression at some point in your life, if you haven’t already. Whether it’s seasonal, circumstantial, or a lifelong reality, it’s possible to “partner with God” as we navigate depression. I had the privilege of taking notes from the winsome and wise Hannah Brencher about the disciplines she’s putting into place to live faithfully with depression. Whether you’re dealing with darkness today or simply looking to optimize your mental wellness, this conversation is packed with practical tips and refreshing takes on caring for our minds and souls.This is what’s waiting for you on this episode of The GoodHard Story Podcast:Building a battle plan for depressionReframing wrestling with God as intimacy with GodDeveloping a soft heart and thick skinQuitting our addiction to distraction and numbing outIf you’re looking for trustworthy straight talk about being a person of faith living with depression, this episode is for you.Show Notes:Hannah Brencher on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hannahbrencherScriptures referenced in this episode:John 9***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/hopehealsSubscribe 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

Chronic pain is an (often) invisible form of suffering that can swallow someone whole—body, mind, and soul. Persistent pain is a daily reality for so many of us. It’s vitally important that we learn to cope and hope in healthy ways.Today I'm speaking with Olivia Feller-Gerber. She’s an  author, entrepreneur, and advocate who has lived with the “invisible wheelchair” of chronic pain since she was a teenager. For those of us dealing with the felt-but-not-seen reality of chronic pain,  I want you to lock into this conversation. I’m praying it feels like a pep talk from God himself about holding onto hope when the pain just won’t stop.Here’s what this conversation holds for you:Letting go of the story you thought you should haveLiving like a victor rather than a victimRejecting our entitlement to health, comfort, and easeFacing a lifetime of pain with a “manna mindset”Supporting friends living with chronic painIf life with chronic pain feels lonely and overwhelming, this episode is for you.Show Notes:Olivia Feller Gerber on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/letterstoholdhope/Olivia’s website - https://www.letterstoholdhope.com/Hold Hope: Encouragement for Christians with Chronic Pain by Olivia Feller - https://www.letterstoholdhope.com/holdhopebookEp. 85 - My New Way of Understanding Beauty with Brook Hensley - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-85-my-new-way-of-understanding-beauty-with/id1496882479?i=1000689600342Olivia’s conversation starters Instagram Reel - https://www.instagram.com/p/DFJJOXPpdHf/Scriptures referenced in this episode:2 Chronicles 20:21Romans 8:28Exodus 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 in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopehealsSubscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9...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/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

I’m not gonna lie to you. Yes, my stroke set me free from cultural beauty standards in so many ways. But I do NOT have it all figured out. Strongholds and struggles remain. (Like the fact I obsessively highlight my hair every 8 weeks...) So I was a little intimated by this “Ask Me Anything” episode about beauty and body image. I feel like a fraud sometimes!You showed up with honest questions, so I tried to show up with honest answers in return. And my teammate Leah joined in to add some of her signature, straight-talk wisdom—and it's SO refreshing!You need to tune in to The GoodHard Story Podcast this week if you've asked yourself any of these questions:How do I learn to love a body that contributes to my suffering?What does God think of Botox? (My answer might surprise you!)How do I reckon with the reality of “pretty privilege?”Why do I let numbers on a scale determine my value?How can I rewire my brain from thinking habitual negative  thoughts?If you’re looking for an honest, outside-the-box conversation on approaching beauty and body image with hopeful realism, this episode is for you!

Most of us have been told a lot of lies about beauty. We’ve been given the wrong story about what beauty is, why it matters, and who it belongs to.Today I want to replace at least a few of those lies with five truths I uncovered when my outer appearance changed completely. These truths aren’t popular and they might even make you uncomfortable. (In fact, I kinda hope they do!) Facing these realities took me decades and a lot of heartache, but the pain has been worth the freedom I now feel from our culture’s ludicrous definition of beauty.During our time together, I’ll share…Why beauty won’t get you what you actually wantWhat happens when our priorities get out of orderHow sacrifice can lead to the truest beauty What our fixation on beauty is actually trying to tell usIf you feel compelled to refresh and realign your beliefs around beauty, 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/hR7Yj4lThere'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/

The first time I looked in a mirror after my stroke, I didn’t know who was staring back at me. My face was unrecognizable, and my body might as well have been a stranger’s. It took me years to accept the reality of my new appearance. Feeling anything close to "positivity" was not in the realm of possibility.We’re living in the era of body positivity and I am HERE for it! But as a woman living with disabilities, I can’t always muster up positive feelings about a body that doesn’t function well much of the time. This reality could set me up for some major body negativity, but I’ve found another option.Today we’re talking all about body neutrality—what it means, how I got here, and why I’m convinced it’s the healthiest relationship I can have to my body. In this unguarded episode, my teammate Leah and I get vulnerable about our physical insecurities, the cultural beauty standards we have (and haven’t) internalized, our experiences with weight loss, and the weirdness of postpartum body changes.If body positivity feels out of your reach, you need to hit play on this episode in your favorite podcast app.Show Notes:Suffer Strong - https://a.co/d/8DKyzM7Jess Connolly - https://www.instagram.com/jessaconnolly/Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly - https://a.co/d/fAj7sL8Episode 85: My New Way of Understand Beauty with Brook HensleyMy Body Neutrality writing that appeared on Live Original: https://liveoriginal.com/author/katherine-wolf/Scriptures referenced in this episode:2 Corinthians 4:162 Chronicles 20:12 (Katherine did not make it up!)***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/

“I am the embodiment of the worst case scenario. I am what every athlete fears and what pregnant parents dread. I am the catalyst for losing faith and questioning God.”Those stunning words were written by today’s guest Dr. Amy Kenny, a brilliant author and scholar who lives with disabilities. That phrase— “worst case scenario”—resonates so deeply with me since I was born with a congenital brain defect that, essentially, exploded out of the clear blue when I was in my twenties.Today I have the privilege of hearing from Dr. Amy Kenny. This brilliant woman’s work has helped me see that the “worst case scenario” might actually be the best case scenario for my life. She’s guided me in learning that my body—disabilities and all—is not an impediment to being an image bearer of God; it’s actually a channel through which I can bear God's image most fully. On this episode, we will… Unpack the controversial concept of a disabled God Investigate our standards of bodily perfection Parse out the critical difference between being cured and being healed Celebrate disability as a creative force Identify the traces of divinity to be found in our bodiesIf you need permission to believe your body bears God’s image—whether you have disabilities or not!—this episode is for you.Show Notes:My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church - https://a.co/d/3DZTIt1Dr. Amy Kenny at Calvin University - https://youtu.be/URPc3nMll5s?feature=sharedScriptures referenced in this episode:Luke 14 - The Parable of the BanquetJohn 9***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/

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite chapters of a book I’ve ever written. Several years ago, my husband Jay and I released a book calledSuffer Strong. It’s all about how we were able to survive anything because we were willing to redefine everything—from failure to trauma to commitment. Even beauty. That’s the chapter you’re about to hear.Before my stroke, I had never put too much focus on the way I looked. But once my face became paralyzed and my body lost a lot of its typical function, I had no choice but to confront the deep-down story of beauty that I had been told…and believed. After years of grappling with that story, I came to understand that it’s actually a story about fear, control, and shame. The truest beauty, it turns out, comes from putting down the shame and embracing our belovedness.If you’re ready to trade in your old definitions of beauty and start living in freedom, I pray hearing these words invite you to take the first step in walking away from shame.Suffer Strong - https://a.co/d/8DKyzM7There's so much more to the story.For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visithttps://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/