Hope Unyielding

Author Taryn R. Hutchison shares the exciting stories behind her book One Degree of Freedom, a riveting Young Adult Novel set in Communist Romania. 

To me, a mark of an excellent novel is that you completely forget you are reading. One Degree of Freedom was such a novel—with nuanced, engaging characters, intricately described setting, and exciting plot, I was entranced from page one. Late 1980s Communist Romania was a fascinating backdrop for the story of Adriana, a fifteen-year-old engineering student who finds a window to the world outside her oppressive regime through reading banned books, an activity which sends her headlong into an adventure filled with intrigue and family secrets. 

Taryn R. Hutchison wanted to be a writer since she was a child growing up in a small town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore--with its 75 people, three million chickens, and her two imaginary friends. She put that on hold to pursue other things she loved, living abroad and visiting a host of countries on every continent except Antarctica. When she returned to the States, she married her favorite person and moved near San Francisco, where she began to pursue that long-ago dream. She wrote her first book, We Wait You, a memoir from her years as a missionary in Eastern Europe. Now she’s come full circle—minus the imaginary friends—to live in another sleepy town, this time in western North Carolina. Taryn holds a master's degree in writing and tutors writing at a small university. She has had several short stories, essays, and articles published. She is an Amy Writing award recipient and a member of Redbud Writers Guild. Currently, she’s working on two sequels to One Degree of Freedom, along with a non-fiction book—a true story of a prisoner, unfairly condemned and recently released. Visit her at www.tarynhutchison.com.

On today's episode,  Bronwyn Lea, author of Beyond Awkward Side Hugs: Living as Christian Brothers and Sisters in a Sex-Crazed World, offers encouragement to singles in the church. If you are a single who has had awkward or disheartening experiences in the church, or if you want to know how you can better encourage the singles in your life, this episode is for you!

Drawing from her experience in ministry, Bronwyn paints a hopeful picture for singles in the church through sharing stories of believers who have thrived in singleness, stewarded their sexuality well, and found closeness and acceptance within the family of God. 

Bronwyn Lea has been active for twenty years in vocational ministry to serve, encourage, teach, and mobilize Christians of all ages. A graduate of law school and seminary, she ministers in her local church and also heads up Propel Sophia, the Christian living wisdom resource for Propel Women. Bronwyn is mom to three school-aged kids, who keep her somewhere between hilarious laughter and desperate prayer on any given day. She and her fellow South African husband live in Northern California, where they count the men and women in their church as both friends and family.

P.S. To enter the drawing for a copy of Beyond Awkward Side Hugs, email me at [email protected] before February 6, 2021. 

As a young teen with an alcoholic mother, Amanda developed many of the codependent tendencies common to those who love someone with an addiction. In college, she reached a breaking point, realizing how unhealthy she had become, and embarked on a journey of learning healthier ways to be in relationship as a Christ-follower. In just a short 30-minute interview, Amanda shares so much hard-fought wisdom, and by the end of it, I felt as though I’d gotten a free therapy session. I’m so excited to share Amanda with you all, and I pray that the wisdom she shares will be an encouragement on your own journey towards relational wholeness.  

Amanda spent eight years working in a sports ministry prior to her current roles as a kindergarten literacy teacher and ELL teacher.  She played Division 1 college basketball and has coached basketball at the high school and youth levels. Amanda is passionate about her own journey of growing and healing as a follower of Jesus Christ and using coaching, teaching, and writing to motivate, connect with and encourage others. 

Connect with Amanda on Instagram at amandajean118.

Jackie Murch shares about God's faithfulness when she became a missionary where she thought she would never go—the Siberian tundra! Jackie spent just under 2 exciting years in Russia as a grant writer for Agape, a Christian organization that sends medical teams to areas of need, including the remote parts of Siberia. Tune in to hear how God brought good out of a medical emergency,  how He led her to those whose hearts He had prepared...and how she became "The Box Lady."

Sarah Pearl McTiernan is serving as a full-time intercessory missionary with Finish the Task Frontier missions in the Atlanta International House of Prayer.  She serves as a worship leader in the 24 hour prayer room and mobilization coordinator for Finish the Task, calling young adults to pray, seek the face of Jesus, and be missionaries wherever He places them - from their neighborhoods to the unreached nations of the earth.  

She worked as an RN for 6 years prior to being in full-time ministry. She is part of a team that will be planting a new missions base in West Africa next spring or summer to establish a house of prayer and care for orphans.  They believe that God’s kingdom is always established in prayer first - living a Mary of Bethany lifestyle of intimacy with God at the feet of Jesus unto raising up disciples and seeing His kingdom established in the nations of the earth. 

At age 18, Ken Stokes stood before a judge who proclaimed him a menace to society and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. Within 2 years, Ken was 3rd in command of a notorious prison gang. 

Then...he met Jesus.

If you’ve spent years trying to prove you're worthy of love, this episode is for you.

Today I talk a little C.S. Lewis, a little neuroscience, and a bit about a 3-month dating fast I just finished. But most of all, I talk about how the love of Jesus Christ has given me the freedom to stop auditioning for love. 

Erica Renaud shares stories about God’s faithful love in the many seasons of her life. From an unexpected pregnancy at age 17 to meeting her husband, from being called to speaking  to living with her family of 7 in her parents’ home much longer than she expected, she has a story for everyone. Erica has a fiery love for the Lord and for Scripture that comes through in each story she shares. I came away from the conversation inspired, and I pray you will too!

Erica Renaud is a mom and wife to her worship leader husband. The majority of the time Erica is a stay at home mom, homeschooling 4 or her 5 kids and managing chaos. She speaks regularly throughout the Northeast for various events and is the host of At Home and Abroad, a weekly radio program on ALIVE Radio Network. 

Find out how you can book Erica to speak in the Capital Region of New York at https://www.ericarenaud.org/

One of the greatest lies that depression tells you is that you are utterly alone, that no one has ever felt the way you feel and that no one could ever hope to understand. For the Christian, this feeling of being alone is often mixed with shame.

This shame whispers thoughts like, “If I were a faithful Christian, I would have unfailing joy.” “If I were stronger in my faith, I would have overcome this.” But what if these thoughts were lies? What if there were faithful believers throughout the centuries who inhabited the same darkness as you? 

Diana Gruver reveals that there have been many such Christians throughout the ages in her new book Companions in the Darkness, and the believers who struggled with depression may surprise you. It is easy to idealize those we laud as “heroes in the faith” as being impervious to depression and as exuding joy in all circumstances. But Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and Mother Teresa—just to name a few—had intense struggles with depression. 

In Companions in the Darkness, Diana Gruver weaves church history, narrative, and memoir as she tells the story of 7 believers who walked the dark path that many of us now tread. In looking back on Christians of centuries past, she assures those struggling that they are not alone, and she paves a hopeful way forward with the valuable lessons and wise encouragement she draws from each person’s story. 

Diana Gruver holds an M.A. in Spiritual Formation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She writes about discipleship and spiritual formation in the every day. Her passion is encouraging and nurturing disciples of Jesus, giving them a vision for how He speaks to every aspect of the story of their lives. 

I’m thrilled to be able to speak with Diana about Companions in the Darkness, and I will be giving away a copy of her book on November 26, 2020. Have a listen for instructions on how to enter the drawing. 

Check out Diana's book here: https://www.ivpress.com/companions-in-the-darkness
Learn more about Diana at: https://www.dianagruver.com/

You asked, Hope answers! Hope answers your questions about Russia, miracles, depression across cultures, and creativity through telling lots of stories (including a pretty embarrassing one involving a granola bar).