Lament of Hope

It was a gift for me to talk with Francine about her journey to a relationship with Christ, her days alongside her beloved husband suffering from Parkinson's disease, and her thoughts on Redeeming Love, both the novel and the film.

Brian Reisinger recently published a book entitled Land Rich, Cash Poor in which he shares his own experience as a farmer's son and the struggles of farming communities across rural America. I learned so much from Brian about the current crisis in rural America, and I highly encourage my viewers to watch this interview to learn more about the silent cries of the farming community.

I was introduced to Erica Wessels' acting through the Netflix film I Am All Girls in which she portrays a government agent seeking to rescue children from sex trafficking. Erica and I talked about her desire to portray vulnerable and human characters, the entertainment industry in South Africa, and her journey with infertility.

Michael Learned sat down with me several weeks ago to talk about her life story. We talked about her upbringing, the Waltons, her marriages, and how she needs to write a memoir. This was one of my favorite interviews by far. Michael Learned and Karen Grassle are my top TV moms. 

Kaitlan and Janson Gossage were married in September of 2023. Janson began experiencing knee pain upon returning from their honeymoon. In less than five months, Janson was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Kaitlan sat down with me to talk about their heart-wrenching journey thus far, and the incredible strength God has given both her and Janson to persevere in the face of pain and dark days.

Olympic diver, Alison Gibson, sat down with me last week to talk about the day she became big news for failing the women's springboard 3-meter competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Alison's feet hit the diving board, breaking her form, and she fell hands and feet first into the pool. Alison shares her thoughts and feelings that day in a vulnerable and transparent interview.

I love Meg Shaffer's novel, The Wishing Game, and it was such fun to connect with her and hear more about her new book, The Lost Story, which was just released a month ago. Meg talked with me about her writing experiences with each of the novels, her writing journey in general, and the pros and cons of the freelance writing lifestyle.

Dr. Matthew S. Stanford, CEO of the Hope and Healing Center & Institute in Houston, Texas, received his PhD in behavioral neuroscience at Baylor University. Dr. Stanford has a heart for believers who struggle with mental health and wants to equip the church to be an informed advocate for Christians struggling with mental illness. This interview was such a gift to me as someone who struggles with generalized anxiety disorder, and I highly recommend giving this interview a watch/listen to learn how Christianity and mental health challenges can have a powerful and healing relationship.

It was such a gift to get to speak with Kim for almost an hour about her life story. Kim is famously known as the Napalm Girl from the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken by Nick Ut of her as a child running from a napalm attack during the Vietnam War. Kim shared with me the trauma and pain of that experience, how it has impacted her life, and how she has found hope.

Olivia Atwater sat down with me to talk about the first of her novels in the Regency Faerie Tales series. Olivia shared how she began her writing journey, how she crafted the protagonist in "Half a Soul," Theodora Ettings, and her love of historical fantasy.