The GoodHard Story Podcast

My son was just six-months and five days old when I nearly died. Virtually 100% of my parenting career has been informed by the deepest kind of pain. I often find myself wondering, if I could, would I give my sons a different story? One that didn’t include my stroke and all the suffering it caused? I didn’t have much help wrestling with that question as a new (and newly disabled) mom. So I want to encourage and equip you—the mom or dad struggling to shield their kids from the suffering—with practical advice for parenting through your pain. Our kids are gonna survive the suffering. And, spoiler alert, I believe they might even be better because of it. Join me and my unbelievably wise friend Susan to find out how to… Intentionally narrate your family story to your kids Empathetically encourage resilience Reframe overwhelm as abundance in your home Guide your family through non-linear grief Prevent raising kids who are afraid of the world Discern what slack to cut in your home during hard seasons Find rest for yourself so your can parent well If you need a parenting pep talk from someone who’s processing her own pain, this episode is for you. Show Notes: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom Raising Girls and Boys Podcast with David Thomas and Sissy Goff “True hospitality is when someone leaves your home feeling better about themselves, not better about you”. - Shauna Niequist Scriptures referenced in this episode: James 1:4 Romans 5:3   Romans 8:28 Ephesians 4:1 *** There's so much more to the story: Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.

If you’re like me, you often hear from people reflecting back on how they made it through a hard time. We need those stories, and I value them deeply. But I really, really want to hear from the people who are in the thick of their pain, without a neat resolution or final closure in sight. My dear friends Brent and Ashley were kind enough to share their experience of present-tense pain, specifically in the form of a life-altering medical diagnosis.As you and I know all too well, hurt refuses to be contained. It reverberates through families and communities. Brent and Ashley are no exception. Their suffering has had a profound effect on their marriage, their kids, and their friendships. But so has their hope.Live from the center of the storm, Brent and Ashley are giving you and me a look into how they manage to make it through each day. And I am so eager for you to benefit from their generous, hard-won wisdom.If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: Proof that investing in your community today matters for tomorrow Why Christians should be the first to acknowledge the sting of death Practical insight for having hard conversations with young kids about how your family is hurting Encouragement that your suffering can be an invaluable gift to the people in your life Why you shouldn’t wait for easy times to start making memories with the people you loveIf you need some honest but hopeful company in your misery, this episode is for you.Show Notes:Ashley Monogue PhotographyIntegrusHope Heals CampScriptures referenced in this episode:Ecclesiastes 7:2Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple PodcastsSpotifyWant a little hope in your inbox?⁠⁠Sign up here for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content,Get to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠Instagram⁠

I’ve been healed in so many ways by learning to tell my story. But there’s some work that needs to happen before we can tell our stories. That work starts with our emotions. The stories of your life and mine are hidden beneath our emotions. When we understand the emotions, we understand the story. And, as I said, understanding our own stories is totally crucial to healing and wholeness. (Why do you think I tell my story for a living?!) This conversation with Adam Young is a bucket list item for me. Adam is a brilliant trauma therapist who specializes in supporting people in understanding the story of their lives. The harm, the heartache, and the miraculous joy to be found in the midst of all the hurt. His work has been transformative for me. Friend, you cannot miss this conversation because God might just use Adam’s wisdom to transform you too. If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: Why the past might still feel present to you How we know negative emotions belong in the “Christian plot” Why your biggest trauma isn’t the only story that matters in your life How to stop minimizing your experience of hurt so you can move toward healing How to gather a community that can bear witness to your hurt and healing  If you’re searching for an empathetic guide to emotional health, this episode is for you. Show Notes: The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast Bessel van der Kolk - https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ Ep. 16 Why Lament (Surprisingly) Leads to Life and Freedom Dan Allender Curt Thompson GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 68 with Debra Fileta Confessional communities Treasures in the Dark Scriptures referenced in this episode: Job 9 and 10 John 11:35 Jeremiah 6 and 8 Habakkuk 3:17-18 Genesis 50:20 Psalm 119:32 Romans 12:15 *** There's so much more to the story: Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.

God is giving you and me permission to feel our feelings. But are we giving permission to ourselves? I’m on a quest to engage my emotions with health and wholeheartedness, and Jennie Allen joined me on a leg of the journey. Jennie is a friend of mine who happens to have written the book on understanding and expressing our feelings as God intended us to. My conversation with Jennie is as heartfelt as it is practically applicable to your life. Her generous wisdom will leave you equipped to understand what you’re feeling, put those emotions in their proper place, and then use those feelings as positive points of connection with God and other people. If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: Step-by-step instructions for engaging your emotions in healthy ways Reconciling the reality of your fallen-ness with the validity of your feelings Encouragement to stop fixing and start feeling for your hurting friends A prayer from Jennie FOR you If your emotions leave you feeling like too much or too little—or, somehow, BOTH—this episode is for you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at hopeheals.com/podcast. Show Notes: @jennieallen on Instagram Jennie's website IF:Gathering Gather25 Untangle Your Emotions Hope Heals Camp Confessional Communities Get Out of Your Head Dan Allender Adam Young GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 68 with Debra Fileta Scriptures referenced in this episode: Ecclesiastes 3:4 Hebrews 4:15 Ecclesiastes 7:2 John 16:33 John 11:35 Ephesians 4:26-27 Jeremiah 17:9 *** There's so much more to the story:⁠ ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. ⁠Subscribe here.⁠

“I’m a Christian because of the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept.” Something I didn’t wake up to until after my stroke is the fact that joy and sadness can co-exist. In fact, they can do it pretty beautifully if we allow them to. My friend Scott knows how to be sad. That may sound like a backhanded compliment, but hear me out. I think learning to fully engage our sorrow is one of the healthiest rhythms we can find, especially as followers of Jesus. He was, after all, called the “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” So how do we befriend our sadness in the way of Christ? That’s what I’m covering on this week’s episode of The GoodHard Story Podcast, with the help of Scott Erickson. An artist, writer, and one of the most intriguing thinkers I’ve ever known, Scott has found deep camaraderie with Jesus through his sadness. And he’s inviting you and me to do the same. If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: Releasing yourself from being a constant sales pitch for Jesus Making the shift from getting God’s attention to awakening to where God is at work What we mean when we talk about hope A peek into Katherine’s new SOS group Scott’s hack for facing his fears Want to invite God into your sadness, but don’t know where to start? This episode is for you. Show Notes: @scottthepainter on Instagram Scott’s Substack Image Pilgrimage Scott’s story of meeting Sadness at Disneyland Inside Out Hope Heals Camp Justin McRoberts Honest Advent Art Against Despair The GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 76 with Andy Squyres Backwards Kingdom Treasures in the Dark Entry 65: A Library of Living Survival Guides Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner Dan Allender Curt Thompson Say Yes Future Dead Artist mug Scriptures referenced in this episode: John 11:35 Isaiah 53:3 Romans 5:3 1 Peter 5:10 Psalm 139:7-10 *** There's so much more to the story: ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.

Did you know that scholars have identified 39 distinct emotions that Jesus felt recorded in the Bible? Is anyone else as encouraged by this as I am?! Our emotions can be a pathway to wholeness and healing if we know what to do with them.  This is just one of MANY gems of wisdom waiting for you on The GoodHard Story Podcast. While guest Debra Fileta is not *technically* my therapist, this episode was so cathartic it might as well have been a paid session! Debra is an author and licensed professional counselor who is using her life to study the emotional health of Jesus and sharing how we can access that health for ourselves. I left our conversation with a deeper understanding of my own feelings and some simple practices for taking ownership of my emotions. If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: A simple formula for intentional healing Identifying the belief systems underneath our feelings Why we project our pain onto God Differentiating between the voice of God and anxiety How to prevent emotional explosions Taking control of our thought patterns The difference between self care and soul care Desperate to experience emotions in the way God intended? This episode is for you Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at hopeheals.com/podcast. Show Notes All things Debra Fileta! Debra's website Instagram Talk to Me Podcast Soul Care by Debra Fileta Reset by Debra Fileta Treasures in the Dark by Katherine Wolf Katherine on Debra’s Podcast What’s Here Now? by Jeanne Stevens I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequest Scriptures referenced in this episode: Romans 12:2 John 10:10 John 2:1 Matthew 13:1 *** There's so much more to the story: Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.

“Our theories about God and the way he works get confronted with the reality of our lives.” This is the most refreshing conversation I’ve had in a long time, friends, because I got to talk about some kind of taboo topics without an ounce of the baggage. Joining me this week is Andy Squyres, a brilliantly one-of-a-kind songwriter who never, ever shies away from graciously grappling with the tough stuff. I’ve received so much from his songs and essays, and I received even more from speaking with him about all my favorite things—you know, like suffering, sorrow, and doubt. Normal! If you join me on this episode of the GoodHard Story Podcast, here’s what you’ll take away: Comfort for the days that God feels absent Hope for a new kind of faith after deconstructing Where to fit doubt into your friendship with Jesus What to do when God doesn’t come through for you An alternative response to political anxiety Looking for a safe place to work through some doubts about who God is and whether he’s good? Then this episode is for you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at hopeheals.com/podcast. Show Notes Andy Squyres on Instagram: @andysquyres “Casimir Pulaski Day” by Sufjan Stevens The Life We’re Looking For by Andy Crouch “Backwards Kingdom” by Sam McCabe ft. Andy Squyres “Why It Matters” by Sara Groves The Cellist of Sarajevo *** There's so much more to the story: ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me! Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ Want a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.

Before the GoodHard Story Podcast takes a short summer break, Katherine is recapping her favorite moments from Season 3. She’s distilling over 30 hours of conversations and reflections into a potent 20-minute dose of hope! What you’ll take away from this conversation… Start a community from scratch Reframing our emotions as a strength instead of a weakness Becoming better—instead of bitter—because of our losses As we prepare for the next season of the podcast, we need to hear what YOU want to hear! Let us know what hurt you’re holding today so that we can start some helpful, healing conversations between Katherine and her most trusted teachers. If you want to help us create future episodes, email us at resources@hopeheals.com or DM us on Instagram (@hopeheals) with questions you’d like answered or topics you want covered. Show Notes: Donate to Hope Heals: hopeheals.com/give Favorite Season 3 Moments: Episode 37: Ask Amy Julia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-37-ask-amy-julia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ueGdkR3BPASl10PY319Gx?si=e1356478bdc240f7 “Experiencing disability or being in proximity to disability is a way to embrace our own humanity. It can also call us into love, care, and mutual receiving.” ——— Episode 39: Putting It Into Practice with Caroline Young Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-39-putting-it-into-practice-with-caroline-young Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/39AXj8Bk71LjcUbHAHQpnH?si=0625bc43b2a74d63 “Find the people without the people and make them your people.” ——— Episode 46: “Strong Like Water”: Designed for Emotional Agility with Aundi Kolber Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-46-strong-like-water-designed-for-emotional Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0EN8lXrxbRjGXNY7WyFWqg?si=d3474bb03cf94a3c “When Jesus promised to give us ‘life to the full,’ he was giving us permission to embrace the full spectrum of human emotion. We are being invited into experiencing deep feeling and emotional flexibility as a strength, not a liability.” ——— Episode 55: Hard-Fought Contentment: Integrating Our Losses into Wholeness with Jerry Sittser Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/epiode-55-hard-fought-contentment-integrating-our-losses Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6fzhl7BoYlQ0S2K4IKvEEe?si=1bcf5b1d507c4a12 “Grief does not have to diminish us. Grief can become integrated into healthier, more whole versions of ourselves.” “Our responses to loss can define us, rather than the loss itself defining us.” “God, spare me from a perfect life.” ——— Episode 60: My Prayer for YOU: Borrow This Benediction for the Good/Hard Life Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-60-my-prayer-for-you-borrow-this-benediction Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vJvuFKDPa2a765SojnlQS?si=77c38e6cd34c4320 “I’m not responsible for what has happened to me, but I am responsible for what I do with it.” ——— Episode 63: Wonderful/Terrible: Cultivating a Gritty Faith Instead of a Pretty Faith with Kay Warren Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-63-wonderful-terrible-cultivating-a-gritty Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Iq8Y3prH2QQMfIoezsRIX?si=62242adb5e3b4a0d “We are never more like Christ than when we are sitting with people in their suffering.” Scriptures referenced in this episode: Romans 8:32 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Romans 15:13 *** 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/

Have you ever spent a thousand hours studying something? Other than the back of your own eyelids, that is. Today, Katherine is joined by her friend Dr. Joel Muddamalle, who recently spent one thousand hours studying everything the Bible has to say about humility. He’s sharing everything he learned with us! What he has to say might surprise you, and it’s certain to convict you. If you sense you might be harboring hidden pride and finally feel ready to recover your God-designed humility, this episode is for you. What you’ll take away from this conversation… Why humility is the key to developing resilience against humiliation How to invite God to re-order your ambitions Making the switch from resenting your limitations to resting in them instead All things Joel Muddamalle: https://linktr.ee/muddamalle The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength, and Confidence Through Humility by Joel Muddamalle: https://a.co/d/bYj1ypQ Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/camp Proverbs 31 Ministries: https://proverbs31.org/ “These Are The Days” by Cory Asbury: https://g.co/kgs/fRaQBGz Scriptures referenced in this episode: Genesis 1, 2, and 3 Matthew 11:28-29 Philippians 2:8-9 *** 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/

Katherine spent her first Mother’s Day unconscious in an intensive care unit, a fact that has brought a flavor of bittersweetness to every Mother’s Day since. Today she’s reflecting on the experiences of parenthood that were eventually restored to her, as well as the ones she will simply never get back.  If your life is feeling more like a famine than a feast and you’re hungry to hear from someone who has found her way back to a full life, this episode is for you. Today’s episode is an excerpt from the Treasures in the Dark audiobook! If you’re listening on Spotify Premium, you can stream Treasures in the Dark for free as a part of your subscription. Grab your own copy of the book today in print, ebook, or audiobook formats at treasuresinthedark.com or wherever books are sold. Show Notes: Treasures in the Dark: 90 Reflections on Finding Bright Hope Hidden in the Hurting by Katherine Wolf: https://hopeheals.com/treasures Scriptures referenced in this episode: Joel 1:16 Joel 2:25-27 *** 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/