Hope Comes to Visit

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Seven years ago, I made one of the hardest—and ultimately most life-changing—decisions of my life.

I asked for help.

At the time, I believed alcohol was my problem. Looking back now, I know 

Seven years ago, I made one of the hardest—and ultimately most life-changing—decisions of my life.

I asked for help.

At the time, I believed alcohol was my problem. Looking back now, I know alcohol was only part of the story.

In this personal opening episode of the special Limited Series There Is Always a Way, I share my own recovery journey—from the first quiet questions I ignored, to the blackouts, shame, and fear that nearly consumed me... to the hope, healing, freedom, and self-trust I found on the other side.

But this isn't simply a story about sobriety. It's a story about learning that changing your relationship with alcohol isn't just about drinking less—it's about living more. It's my goal to normalize the conversation around living alcohol-free - to remove the shame and judgement.

Together we'll explore:

• The warning signs I missed
 • Why I hid my drinking
 • The Google search that changed everything
 • Why alcohol is never truly self-care
 • What finally led me to treatment
 • Why I believe there isn't one right way to redefine your relationship with alcohol
 • And why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app

Whether you're sober, sober-curious, questioning your relationship with alcohol, supporting someone you love, or simply wondering if life could feel different...This conversation is for you.

Because...I promise -  there isn't one right way. But there is always a way.

If any part of this conversation felt familiar... if you found yourself quietly thinking, "I've never said that out loud, but I've felt it," I want you to know something: I see you. You're not alone, and you don't have to figure this out by yourself. That's exactly why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app. It's the support I wish I'd had—a compassionate, personalized space filled with daily guidance, reflections, coaching, meditations, and practical tools to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol and, more importantly, a life that feels like yours again. Learn more at ReDefiningSober.com or download the app at studio.com/danielle.

00:00 Welcome to There Is Always a Way

02:30 Why I'm sharing my story

04:00 My relationship with alcohol begins to change

07:15 Hiding, blackouts, and the Google search I ignored

11:00 The questions I wish I'd asked sooner

13:00 Drinking through trauma

16:20 The intervention that changed everything

17:30 The text message from my children

18:30 Looking in the mirror

20:30 What sobriety has really taught me

23:20 Finding my "thing"

24:45 Why I created ReDefining Sober™

27:00 A message for anyone quietly questioning

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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What if one unexpected "yes" completely changed the course of your life?

This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I'm delighted to sit down with board-certified emergency physician, author, entrepreneur, and world traveler Dr. Calvin Sun, whose journey to every country in the world began with... a lost bet.

What started as a reluctant trip to Egypt eventually became a life dedicated to curiosity, adventure, and saying yes to experiences that most people only dream about. Along the way, Calvin earned his medical degree, practiced emergency medicine, founded Monsoon Diaries, and discovered that the greatest journeys aren't always measured in miles—they're measured by how much they change us.

Together, we explore:

• Why the biggest risk is often doing nothing at all
 • How travel teaches us to trust ourselves
 • The surprising relationship between fear and hope
 • Why uncertainty can be one of life's greatest gifts
 • How saying "yes" opened doors Calvin never imagined

Whether you love to travel or simply need a reminder that life often rewards courage over certainty, this conversation will leave you looking at possibility in a whole new way.

Connect with Calvin on his website the Monsoon Diaries.
And find his book by the same name, The Monsoon Diaries here.

00:00 – Welcome to Hope Comes to Visit
 01:55 – Meet Dr. Calvin Sun
 03:00 – The lost bet that changed everything
 05:45 – Egypt, fear, and discovering the joy of travel
 08:20 – Choosing medicine after losing his father
 13:20 – Why taking the next step mattered more than certainty
 17:30 – Traveling through medical school
 22:45 – Building Monsoon Diaries
 29:30 – Creating a global travel community
 35:10 – Lessons learned from visiting every country
 41:00 – Traveling with intention and ethics
 46:15 – Visiting countries most people avoid
 50:05 – How Dr. Calvin Sun defines hope
 53:00 – Final reflections

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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For the past several weeks, I've been exhausted.

Not normal tired. Not "I need a nap" tired. The kind of tired that makes you question yourself, your motivation, your energy, and whether something deeper might be going on.

This week, I wanted to share a personal story about finally listening to my body after weeks of brain fog, joint pain, fatigue, and feeling unlike myself—and the unexpected diagnosis that followed.

But this episode isn't JUST about the diagnosis.

It's about the ways we dismiss ourselves.

The ways we explain away exhaustion, grief, burnout, loneliness, resentment, or that quiet feeling that something isn't quite right. It's about learning to listen before life starts shouting.

Together, we'll explore what happens when we stop asking, "What's wrong with me?" and start asking, "What's trying to get my attention?"

If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, exhausted, or simply unlike yourself lately, this conversation is for you. Because sometimes hope doesn't arrive as a solution, but rather, as an invitation....An invitation to slow down, pay attention, and come home to yourself.

00:00 Introduction: Life Often Whispers Before It Shouts
 01:10 Feeling Exhausted and Unlike Myself
 02:30 Ignoring the Signs
 03:40 A Trip to Minneapolis and an Unexpected Rash
 04:30 The Shingles Diagnosis
 05:15 What My Body Was Trying to Tell Me
 06:00 Why We Dismiss Ourselves
 07:00 What Are You Trying Not to Hear?
 08:00 The Questions We Already Know the Answers To
 09:00 Lessons from Hope Comes to Visit Guests
 10:00 Living Intentionally Instead of Perfectly
 11:00 What's Trying to Get Your Attention?
 12:00 Hope as an Invitation

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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Some conversations leave a mark on your heart.

This week's episode of Hope Comes to Visit is one of them.

My guest is Sabrina Foster—a mother, advocate, community leader, and founder of the Foster Family Foundation.

In 2021, Sabrina's son, Glenn Foster Jr., died while in police custody in Alabama. Since that day, she has devoted herself to seeking accountability, honoring her son's legacy, and supporting others through advocacy and community work.

What moved me most about this conversation wasn't simply the tragedy of what happened.

It was listening to a mother tell the story of her son.

Before Glenn was a headline, he was a little boy she adored. He was a student, an athlete, an entrepreneur, a father, and someone who believed deeply in helping others succeed.

Throughout our conversation, Sabrina shares stories of raising Glenn, watching him achieve his dreams, building businesses, becoming a father, and creating a life filled with purpose.

We also talk about grief, resilience, faith, activism, healing, and the reality of continuing to live after unimaginable loss.

Sabrina's love for her son is evident in every word she speaks. And perhaps that's what stayed with me most.

This isn't simply a conversation about loss. It's a conversation about love.

Connect with Sabrina through The Foster Family Foundation.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget Apple now has video!

00:00 Introduction
 02:39 How Danielle and Sabrina Connected
 04:43 Tell Us About Glenn Jr.
 07:54 Raising a Son of Excellence
 12:17 Football, College and the NFL Dream
 13:18 Watching Your Child Live Their Dream
 15:25 Life After Football
 18:54 Building Businesses and Creating Legacy
 22:05 The Trip Through Alabama
 22:53 The Arrest
 24:19 When Things Stopped Making Sense
 26:08 A Mother's Instinct
 28:18 The Phone Call No Parent Should Receive
 31:02 What Officials Said Happened
 32:23 The Independent Autopsy
 35:23 The Pursuit of Justice
 36:31 Grief, Survival and Finding Purpose
 39:33 The Foster Family Foundation
 42:17 What Legacy Means to Sabrina
 43:42 How Sabrina Defines Hope
 45:01 How to Support the Foundation
 46:19 Accountability and Systemic Change
 47:42 Final Reflections

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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What does it look like to grieve openly, honestly, and without hiding the hardest parts?

This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by Brittany Wiederin—a wife, mother, advocate, and founder of the Handle Hard Better Foundation.

After losing her husband, Cory, to a rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer, Brittany finds herself navigating the unimaginable: raising two young boys, carrying profound grief, and learning how to move forward while still honoring the love that changed her life.

What struck me most about this conversation is Brittany’s willingness to live—and grieve—unmasked.

Together, we talk about love, loss, parenting through heartbreak, caregiving, resilience, faith, and the reality that grief isn’t something we move on from. It’s something we learn to carry.

We also talk about the intentional choices Brittany and Cory made after his diagnosis, including playing catch with their boys every single day, creating legacy videos, and finding ways to build beautiful memories in the midst of a devastating reality.

This conversation is heartbreaking and hopeful all at once.

One of Brittany’s most powerful reminders:

“For as hard as it is, it’s worth it. Being vulnerable takes courage. But if we aren’t vulnerable, someone may never feel seen.”

If you have experienced loss—or love someone who has—I hope this conversation reminds you that you are not alone.

💙 If you get a chance - take the time to watch the video version of this episode and stay through the end. Brittany graciously shared personal family footage of Cory, their boys, and the beautiful life they built together. We share some throughout the episode, but there are extra special moments as our conversation closes. It is a moving tribute to a husband, father, coach, and man who continues to impact the lives of those who love him.

Connect with Brittany on Instagram and keep an eye out for the Handle Hard Better Foundation.

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who may need it. You never know when a story of hope might arrive at exactly the right moment.

00:00 Introduction
 01:35 Meet Brittany Wiederin
 03:42 Who Was Cory?
 05:35 How Brittany and Cory Met
 06:45 Cory as a Coach and Father
 08:43 The Cancer Diagnosis
 11:19 Playing Catch Every Day
 13:09 Creating Intentional Memories
 14:51 Facing an Uncertain Future
 17:04 Living With Grief
 18:47 Parenting Through Loss
 23:06 Caring for Yourself While Grieving
 25:10 Grieving Unmasked
 29:42 How the Boys Are Doing
 31:22 Preserving Cory’s Legacy
 36:04 What Cory Wanted His Boys to Remember
 37:49 The Gift of Legacy Videos
 40:07 The Handle Hard Better Foundation
 43:33 How Brittany Defines Hope
 46:20 Connecting with Brittany
 47:27 A Message for Caregivers and Widows
 49:06 Final Reflections

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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For decades, Dr. Durga Larkin's identity was deeply connected to her work as a cataract surgeon.

Then one unexpected fall changed everything.

After fracturing her dominant arm and facing the possibility that she might never return to surgery, Dr. Durga found herself confronting a question many of us eventually face:

Who are we when the role we've built our life around begins to change?

In this thoughtful and deeply human conversation, we talk about aging, identity, purpose, perfectionism, burnout, rest, and what it means to create a vision for the future—even when life doesn't unfold according to plan.

Dr. Durga shares the inspiration behind her book, Timeless Vision, the lessons she learned from patients who continued to live vibrant, meaningful lives well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond, and how her own unexpected injury became an invitation to reimagine what came next.

We also explore:
• Why so many women struggle with aging and identity
• The labels we carry throughout our lives
• How purpose impacts our health and well-being
• Why rest is often harder than we realize
• The connection between meaning, longevity, and fulfillment
• Learning to release perfectionism
• Creating a vision for your next chapter

One of my favorite moments came when Dr. Durga shared that her injury ultimately gave her permission to do what she had been feeling deep inside all along.

If you've ever found yourself standing at a crossroads, navigating change, or wondering what comes next, I think you'll find a lot of wisdom in this conversation.

Connect with Dr. Durga on her website - durgalarkinmd.com

And find her book - Timeless Vision

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I'd be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who might need it.

Your story matters. And so does theirs.

Chapter Markers

00:00 Introduction
 01:32 Meet Dr. Durga Larkin
 01:54 Why She Wrote Timeless Vision
05:46 Why We Fear Aging
09:43 The Power of Having a Vision for Your Life
12:10 Blind Spots, Labels & Identity
14:29 The Injury That Changed Everything
18:04 When Life Makes You Walk the Talk
19:17 Purpose, Meaning & Longevity
20:46 Why Rest Matters More Than We Think
24:44 Learning to Sit Still
26:15 Reinvention After a Career Change
29:18 Craving Peace
30:00 Perfectionism & High Achievement
31:25 Advice for Anyone Facing Change
33:54 Meditation, Reflection & Self-Awareness
36:21 Dr. Durga's Timeless Vision
38:12 How Dr. Durga Defines Hope
39:17 Where to Find Dr. Durga & Her Book
40:16 Final Thoughts

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by Michelle Valiukenas — founder of the The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation and mother to Sweet Pea, Colette, and Elliott.

Michelle’s story begins with what she believed would be a typical pregnancy. Instead, at just 21 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and hospitalized immediately. Three weeks later, her daughter Colette was born at 24 weeks and 5 days and spent nine days in the NICU before Michelle and her husband lost her.

What Michelle created in the aftermath of that loss is extraordinary.

On Colette’s due date, Michelle launched a nonprofit dedicated to helping families facing high-risk pregnancies, NICU stays, and pregnancy and infant loss — particularly the financial realities that exist outside the walls of the hospital. Since then, the organization has provided more than $2 million in direct assistance to thousands of families nationwide.

But this conversation is about more than grief.

It’s about what happens when women finally begin sharing the stories they were taught to whisper about.

It’s about how common pregnancy complications and loss truly are — and how isolating silence can become.

It’s about motherhood, advocacy, survival, healthcare, and the powerful reminder that telling the truth about our experiences helps other people feel less alone.

Michelle’s honesty, compassion, and strength moved me deeply, and I’m so grateful she trusted me with this conversation.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation

00:00 Introduction
 02:08 Michelle’s nonprofit background
 03:20 A normal pregnancy until everything changed
 06:26 Severe preeclampsia diagnosis at 21 weeks
 08:50 The financial realities families face
 13:31 Delivering Colette at 24 weeks
 15:18 Hearing Colette cry for the first time
 16:08 Losing Colette after 9 days in the NICU
 17:25 Turning grief into purpose
 21:23 “Director of Hugs” and family healing
 25:47 Why sharing our stories matters
 27:12 How the foundation helps families
 32:30 Financial crisis and medical trauma
 35:59 Pregnancy loss statistics and isolation
 37:37 Reproductive healthcare and Roe v. Wade
 46:41 How Michelle defines hope
 47:52 Where to find the foundation
 48:45 The power of storytelling

I couldn’t agree more.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by Rachel Urton — founder of Balanced Home Apothecary, mom of four, and someone deeply passionate about helping women and families find natural support that actually fits into real life.

What started as Rachel making roller balls for friends who felt overwhelmed by the world of DIY wellness eventually became a business rooted in simplicity, care, and hope.

In this conversation, we talk about:
• the pressure moms carry every day
• why so many women put themselves last
• chronic pain, nervous system overwhelm, hormones, and exhaustion
• creating wellness support that feels accessible instead of intimidating
• how small intentional choices can create meaningful change over time

We also talk about magnesium, inflammation, fibromyalgia, motherhood, and the emotional reality of trying to care for everyone else while quietly neglecting yourself.

More than anything, this episode is a reminder that support does not have to be complicated to matter.

Sometimes hope looks like finally finding something that helps.

Connect with Rachel:
BalancedHomeApothecary.com
Instagram: @balancedhomeapothecary

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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Content note: This episode includes conversation about childhood trauma, sex trafficking, suicidal ideation, abuse, and recovery.

In this powerful episode of Hope Comes to Visit, I'm privileged to sit down with Tiffany Carter — money attachment expert, business mentor, host of the ProjectME with Tiffany Carter podcast, and a multi-millionaire entrepreneur whose story is rooted in survival, healing, and radical self-rescue.

Tiffany shares how childhood trauma, people-pleasing, false identity, and self-abandonment shaped her relationship with herself, success, money, and visibility. Together, we talk about what it means to rebuild from the inside out, why self-worth affects what we allow ourselves to receive, and how money can become a mirror for deeper healing.

This conversation is about so much more than wealth. It’s about identity, safety, visibility, recovery, resilience, and the brave work of choosing yourself.

Tiffany’s words are raw, direct, and deeply hopeful: “There’s always a way. And if you don’t know the way, we can invent the way.”

{FREE} Walk into Wealth: Guided Walking Meditation
Instagram: ProjectMe with Tiffany
TikTok: ProjectMe with Tiffany
ProjectME with Tiffany Carter the Podcast

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

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There’s something about the love of a dog that feels both simple and profound. It grounds us, meets us where we are, and reminds us—often in the quietest ways—what connection really looks like.

In this episode of Hope Comes to Visit, Danielle sits down with author and speaker Jean Alfieri, whose life and work are rooted in a deep love for dogs—especially those who need it most. From rescue stories to the heartbreak of loss, Jean shares what it means to open your heart again and again, even knowing how the story will end.

Together, they explore the grief of losing a beloved pet, the traditions that help us hold onto their memory, and the unexpected ways hope shows up in the middle of heartbreak.

This conversation is a gentle reminder that love doesn’t disappear—it shifts, it softens, and it stays with us in ways we can still feel.

✨ In this episode:

• Why the bond with a pet can feel so deeply profound 
•  The reality of grief—and why it deserves to be honored 
•  Simple, meaningful ways to remember and celebrate a pet 
•  What dogs teach us about love, presence, and connection 
•  Jean’s beautiful definition of hope 

Whether you’ve loved and lost a pet, or simply understand the comfort of unconditional love, this episode will meet you with warmth, honesty, and a little light.

Connect with Jean on her Website - DogAuthor.

Find her most popular book - Does God Have a Dog - here.
As well as 21 Ways to Weather the Loss of a Pet: An Idea Guide to Grieving and Healing
Start looking at her other favorites here.

I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today.

If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know.

Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters.

New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope.

For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit