We all have the potential to have our hope challenged by life events, or we know someone whose hope is currently being challenged. I invite you to explore this critical topic with us and please, share this with others. Our goal is to strengthen our own hope while helping others discover, sustain, or regain hope. Remember, no one walks alone. The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host. Guests are encouraged to express their opinions an ...
…
continue reading
Send us a text I once heard someone say that the only constant in the universe is change. That's a great way to look at change. It happens whether we want it to or not. Nothing stays the same. There are times when we want change and times when we don't. Regardless, change happens. There are many reasons why we don't want change. Sometimes we do wan…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 108 - A Conversation With Ana Murby of Honest Christian Conversations
27:08
27:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:08Send us a text All of us face challenges to our hope. Sometimes these challenges come from directions we least suspect. Sometimes we might not even realize our hope is being challenged. We know we want something but don't quite know where to look. Sometimes we also attempt to fool ourselves into believing things are going great while in reality, ou…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 107 - A Conversation With Lisa Espinoza About Recovering After the Tragic Loss of a Child
38:17
38:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:17Send us a text Unfortunately, all of us face tragedy in life to some degree. My guest in this podcast experienced the heartbreaking loss of a son. Chandler was a young man full of life with a bright future. He was the kind of young man all parents wished for. He was healthy, full of life, loved his family deeply, and was loved and appreciated by ma…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 106 - A Conversation With Dennis Doughty of the Magnolia Messenger
26:21
26:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:21Send us a text There are many ways to help bring hope to others. Perhaps we have a close relationship and can encourage. Perhaps we know someone that can help when a person’s hope is challenged. There are so many ways to plant seeds for our Lord. In this episode I am speaking with Dennis Doughty. Dennis is the editor for the Magnolia Messenger. It …
…
continue reading

1
Episode 105 - A Conversation With Kim Stilp - Maintaining Faith and Love for a Gay Child
41:45
41:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:45Send us a text Challenges to hope come in many different forms and from directions we might not expect. And sometimes those challenges to hope can become encouragements and enhancement to hope. In this episode I chat with a new friend, Kim Stilp. Kim has a compelling story to tell about her son informing them that he was gay. The family went throug…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 104 - A Conversation With Craig Dehut of Appian Media
35:36
35:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:36Send us a text Most of us are visual learners. When we read something, our imagination takes over to form an image. This helps us learn. Such is among the many benefits of Appian Media. This outstanding documentary company produces superior video presentations of biblical lands and events. And it’s not just me saying so. Recently they won a very pr…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 103 - A Conversation With Debbie McNinch About Transgender Children
36:05
36:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:05Send us a text There are so many questions, concerns, or just life issues that we face as parents. And just when we think we’re home free, looking to the great times, issues are behind us that we get hit with something devastating. We have no idea where it comes from. There’s usually a feeling of what have I done wrong. Perhaps nothing. In this epi…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 102 - A Conversation With Drew Kizer - Hope Through Chronic Ilness
32:29
32:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:29Send us a text It is easy to feel our hope is challenged when we receive a devestating diagnosis of a chronic or deadly disease. Some even give up hope. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can find hope, perhaps especially during these times if we are looking in the right direction. In this episode I am speaking with Drew Kizer. Drew is relative…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 101 - A Conversation With Rene Whitt ~ Mother of a Down Syndrome Daughter
41:35
41:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:35Send us a text There are many different situations in life that some might consider a challenge to hope. And perhaps they are in some ways. But sometimes what others think of as a challenge to hope turns out to be a wonderful enhancement to their life. In this episode I have a conversation with my niece Rene Whitt. Rene and her husband Eric adopted…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 100 - A Conversation With Shara Goswick of Life Stories
31:57
31:57
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:57Send us a text Friends, this is my 100th podcast episode published. Thank you for listening. The support and encouragement from so many is deeply appreciated. One of the joys I experience with my podcast is meeting new friends. I've discovered there are many wonderful people with amazing talents and stories to tell. One such person is my new friend…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Of all the gifts God gives us, and the one that is the most important, is God's grace. In this episode I talk about that gift and how we find eternal hope because of it and through it. Please join me as I look at this incredible gift. I published a book about various teachings of Paul. This information about God's grace was part of t…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 98 - A Conversation With Julie Harris-Fain, Fellow Cancer Survivor and Volunteer
22:28
22:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:28Send us a text It is common to see volunteers serving at hospitals, clinics, cancer centers, and other such medical providers. These volunteers often share the commonality of having received themselves excellent care. It serves to create in them a sense of wanting to help others who are going through similar treatment. They share a strong sense of …
…
continue reading
Send us a text Have you ever wondered why most images of Calvary show three crosses when truly only one cross is important? I thought about that recently and came to understand the symbolism of not only our Lord's cross, but also the relevancy to remember the other two. In this episode I share with you my thoughts on why it is important to remember…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 96 - A Conversation With Enhabit Hospice
32:38
32:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:38Send us a text When we hear that hospice has been called in to assist someone, we often think the person is at the end of their life, that there remains no more hope for living. This is not always true. Hospice does so much more for a person and his or her family. In this episode I speak two new friends and representatives of Enhabit Home Health & …
…
continue reading

1
Episode 95 - A Conversation With Dr. Steve Wages of the Cloverdale Center for Youth and Family
35:17
35:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:17Send us a text It is exciting to find someone living their passion in life. My guest on this episode is Dr. Steve Wages, Director of the Cloverdale Center for Youth and Family. You can hear the passion in his voice for his work with families as he has made it the focus of his life. I challenge you to listen for it as well. Steve uses the word legac…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 94 - A Conversation With Kyle Johnson on True and Lasting Hope
38:29
38:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:29Send us a text In this episode I have the honor of discussing true and lasting hope with Kyle Johnson, minister at the Lafayette Church of Christ in Ballwin, Missouri. We have a detailed discussion about the concept of hope and how we bring it to those with whom we come into contact. I encourage you to listen to the calm confidence and conviction h…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 93 - A Conversation With Eddie and Madolyn Lewis of the Student Christian Center, Moorhead, Mississippi
41:47
41:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:47Send us a text In today’s episode I have the joy of interviewing my dear friend Madolyn Lewis and my new friend Eddie. They are associated with the Christian Student Center in Moorhead, Mississippi. Their efforts are significant in introducing students and the community to lasting hope found in our Lord and helping them remain faithful. The student…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 92 - A Conversation With Phil Rizzo About Truth, Justice, and Hope
37:03
37:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
37:03Send us a text Among the things I enjoy as a podcaster is meeting fascinating individuals and making friends. Such is the case in this podcast as I am chatting with someone who is also a fellow podcaster, a fascinating guest, and a new friend. I hope you’ll listen as Phil Rizzo and I discuss his podcast, his thoughts on hope, and how he helps other…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 91 - Blessing of Hope ~ A Poem By Jan Richardson
5:01
5:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
5:01Send us a text In my continued searching for deeper understanding about hope I come across many excellent thoughts from a wide variety of sources. Recently I read a poem by Jan Richardson from the book, "The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief." I hope you'll join me as I read this poem and speak to some of the perspectives she …
…
continue reading
Send us a text Please forgive this as a rebroadcast of a previous episode from 2023. I felt it would be a good idea to reach back and revisit foundational information on the concept of hope. In this episode I offer an explanation of what hope is and the various stages we journey through as we go from hope sparked to hope sensed, and finally hope se…
…
continue reading
Send us a text A question that often comes up is whether something is according to God's will. It is certainly a good idea to seek God's will in everything. However, sometimes we might feel that it is difficult to determine exactly what God's will is. And sometimes a person might hesitate in making a decision for fear of going against God's will. I…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 88 - A Conversation With Bradley McGlothlin - Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover
21:27
21:27
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:27Send us a text As the title states, it is easy to draw conclusions based on how something or someone looks. An initial look at my guest Bradley McGlothlin may cause some to outright reject him as a hopeless case and certainly someone who we would not be able to help in their journey to hope. But thankfully someone came into Bradley's life at the mo…
…
continue reading

1
Episodee 87 - A Conversation With Bill Allen - The Power and Joy of Hope
48:15
48:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:15Send us a text One of the wonderful things about being a fellow believer in our Lord is the life-time relationships we enjoy. Such is the case with my guest in this episode. I have a conversation with Dr. Bill Allen. Bill and I have known each other since 1980 when I was a young NCO in the Air Force stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. Bill was ou…
…
continue reading
Send us a text All of us have faced challenges to our hope, perhaps even to our life. And as we've overcome those challenges we now are in a position where we can help others. It is one of the best ways to strengthen our own hope. In this episode I give some insights into how we can help others when their hope is challenged. We may not have all the…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 85 - Satan's Tactics - Other Tactics Satan Uses Against Us
12:40
12:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
12:40Send us a text In this series of discussions we've looked at Satan's overal strategies of trying to prevent us from being a child of God, or to weaken or destroy our faith and influence. In doing so, he seeks to seperate us from God therefor hurting God. We also stated that he uses a variety of tactics to achieve these strategies. We've looked at t…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 84 - Satan's Tactics - Causing Us to Doubt
20:49
20:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:49Send us a text Satan employs three foundational tactics to cause us to sin and seperate us from God. We've looked at two of these, pride and deception. In this episode I look at how Satan uses doubt as the third element of the triad of tactics. We'll look at what doubt is and how Satan knows that if he can cause us to doubt then we are well on our …
…
continue reading

1
Episode 83 - Satan's Tactics - Satan the Great Deceiver
15:41
15:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
15:41Send us a text Someone once said that a half-truth is a whole lie. We hear a lot of lies and half-truths, especially when it comes to spiritual things. In this episode I continue to look at how Satan attacks us with various tactics. When he does, he is robbing us of true and lasting hope. I'm looking at how Satan uses deception to get us to believe…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 82 - A Conversation With Mike Wilson About True and Lasting Hope
30:33
30:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:33Send us a text One of my favorite hymns is, “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less.” This hymn was written by Edward Mote in 1834. It is a joyful hymn expressing how our true and lasting hope is found in our Lord, Jesus the Christ. In this episode I’m speaking with Mike Wison, Dean of Online Studies for the Sunset International Bible Institute. Mike and…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 81- A Conversation With Steve Gamlin About Vision and Hope
28:39
28:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:39Send us a text Does your life seem to be up and down, inside and out? Well, you are not experiencing something all by yourself. All of us have experienced life, as my guest describes it, as living on a pogo stick. It goes up and down and doesn’t seem to be moving forward very much. And sometimes it feels like we loose balance and fall off. All of u…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 80 - A Conversation With Dr. Rubel Shelly on Bringing Hope to Families Dealing With the Transgender Issue
52:16
52:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:16Send us a text One of the most difficult issues facing many families, not only in our culture, but in other’s as well is the issue of transgenderism. It has the potential and has all too often ripped apart the fabric of families. As a minimum it adds stress to the development of a person and their continued relationships. It also has the effect of …
…
continue reading

1
Episode 79 - Satan's Tactics - Overcoming the Danger of Pride
20:47
20:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:47Send us a text All of us express pride in some way. Sometimes this is not a harmful or bad thing. But pride can also be harmful. In this episode I continue talking about how Satan uses various tactics to seperate us from God by causing us to sin. A common way he does this is through our pride. We must be careful to not let our focus on self come be…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 78 - Defeating Satan's Strategies
14:47
14:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
14:47Send us a text Sometimes challenges to our hope discourage us from continuing to try. Sometimes they even interfere with our desire to find and do God's will. As we face these challenges to our hope, we must remember that the source of our challenges is not our Lord, rather it is Satan. In this episode I want to speak about three strategies Satan u…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 77 - A Conversation With Bill and Kathy Hardy of Gospel Sharing Ministries
47:48
47:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:48Send us a text It is a wonderful thing when we discover the passion for our life. So many times folks will flounder around looking for purpose and meaning in their life. This is not so with Bill and Kathy Hardy. They not only discovered their purpose and meaning in their life, they are living it every day. Bill and Kathy are part of a ministry call…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 76 - A Conversation With Chuck Basaldua, Friend and Fellow Sojourner
33:56
33:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:56Send us a text We've stated many times in the episodes of this podcast that all of us face challenges to our hope. Some folks may perhaps be facing a significant challenge for the first time in their life. Others have faced various challenges and have learned to deal with them as life moves on. As we do face challenges and learn from them, we usual…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 75 - A Conversation With Eric Lyons of Aplogetics Press
31:16
31:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:16Send us a text The English language, and perhaps other languages as well has many words that have different meanings. One such word is the word apologetics. To many folks, the word suggests the idea of apologizing for something we’ve done wrong. But this word has a much deeper meaning, especially in relation to looking to discover, sustain, or rega…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 74 - A Conversation With Clayton Johnson of the Carbon Valley Church of Christ
38:52
38:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:52Send us a text Whenever I’m speaking with someone who is facing challenges to their hope, that they are not alone. We are together in our journey to hope. Quite frequently there are those whose environment, situations in life, and their singular efforts can lead to challenges in their hope. In this episode I’m speaking with Clayton Johnson, a gospe…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 73 - A Conversation With Timothy Henry, Sayre, Pennsylvania
45:49
45:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:49Send us a text In this episode I am speaking with a young man who was facing a lot in his life that could lead to hopelessness. It may not have been conscious on his part, but this young man was a seeker. One thing I know for certain is that the Holy Spirit will always bring the seeker and teacher together. We may not realize it in the moment. And …
…
continue reading

1
Episode 72 - A Conversation With Arthur Barry, Evangelist in Sayre, Pennsylvania
34:46
34:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:46Send us a text One of the blessings all of us share is to have wonderful friends who encourage and support us in our life. Arthur and Sandy Barry have been friends with us since 2016 when we came to know them through an evangelistic effort we shared in Pennsylvania. In this episode I am speaking with Arthur about his work in Sayre, Pennsylvania to …
…
continue reading
Send us a text As we continue in our journey to hope, it becomes obvious that faith plays a major role in the direction and success in which we travel. Faith and hope are intertwined and supportive of one another. As our faith grows, so to does our hope. And as our hope grows, so to does our faith. In this episode, I look at faith as a matter of ch…
…
continue reading
Send us a text It's not unusual to feel alone and overwhelmed when life throws challenges at us. We also may feel in these moments that these challenges pile on seeming to crush us by their number and weight. It is in these moments that it is very important to remember that we are not alone. I recently came across a poem by Amar Amarvani called, "T…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 69 - A Conversation With Don Moore - Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes
47:17
47:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:17Send us a text We all have knowledge, skills, and experiences that we can use to help others discover, sustain, or regain hope. We might not recognize these in ourselves, but they are there. In this episode I have a conversation with Don Moore, Assistant Executive Director for the Lads to Leaders organization. We discuss what Lads to Leaders is and…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 68 - The Three C's of Christianity
15:11
15:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
15:11Send us a text A lot of us learn or think in some sort of pattern. We find comfort in patterns to help us understand and live our life. We can learn outside of a pattern, but it helps to have one. In this episode, I want to look at a pattern that will help us understand a bit about Christianity. There are a lot of thoughts out there about what Chri…
…
continue reading
Send us a text You've heard it expressed in some form or another that everything has a cost or that nothing is truly free. This is applicable to true and lasting hope. True and lasting hope is found only in our Lord Jesus Christ. The hope most people have is a vague form of wanting something to happen or not to happen. There is nothing inherently w…
…
continue reading
Send us a text In this episode I want to look at a character known to many who traveled from hopeless to hopeful through his interaction with Jesus. This man was willing to sacrifice his dignity to get a chance to see Jesus. Of course, I'm talking about what is a favorite Bible story for many. I'm talking about Zacchaeus. Perhaps you are facing rej…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 65 - A Conversation With Aaron Anderson of the Home of Recovery and Restoration
46:26
46:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:26Send us a text Everyone of us have a past that has elements we are ashamed of, or regret. Some have extreme situations from which they are seeking to grow out of. Another point to note is that when something has become a part of who we are, it is not easy to change it. It usually takes what is known as a significant emotional event. In this episode…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 64 - A Conversation About Humor in Scripture With Phillip Treat
33:37
33:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:37Send us a text Scripture, God's word is serious. It communicates to us how God created us, how sin came into the world, and how He made the way back to Him possible through Jesus Christ. Yet God also created us in His image with all the emotions we experience. Among those is the ability to see humor in things. And although scripture is serious, som…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 63 - A Conversation With Judith Henry About Caregiving
37:48
37:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
37:48Send us a text One of the best ways to discover, sustain, or regain hope is to be there for others. There are no individuals of greater importance than our caregivers who help take care of us as we face challenges in life. Many caregivers don't expect to be in that role and find themselves with limited knowledge and resources. My friend Judith Henr…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 62 - Faith, Hope, and Love - A Triad of Gifts
24:10
24:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:10Send us a text In this presentation I want to discuss briefly three gifts, wonderful gifts, powerful gifts, that fully equip us to serve our Lord and to help each other. These three gifts form a holy triad: Faith, Hope, and Love. I want to briefly explain a bit about them but mostly, I want to focus on how they work together to strengthen and equip…
…
continue reading

1
Episode 61- Being Fearless in a Fearful World
13:15
13:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:15Send us a text It is easy to feel fear when we are bombarded daily with such negative input. We hear it from our news sources. We hear is from our friends, co-workers, and even family. It is not wonder then that fear can have such a presence in our life. But we can break away from fear. We can embrace fearlessness. In this episode I share some thin…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Sometimes, even with our best intentions, what we offer someone isn't what they need. What they need is to just "walk with me." I came across this poem sometime back as I journeyed through cancer treatments. I'm so very thankful for the many who did walk with me with abundant love. The transcript for this poem is included. One last t…
…
continue reading