No Heart Left Behind's Hope in the Hard of Family Life Podcast

Anger is often the emotion we see on the surface, but what is happening underneath it?

In this episode, Alicia Stickles sits down with Lance Bourgeois, No Heart Left Behind's Pursuit Men's Ministry Director and pastoral counselor, to explore a deeper, biblical understanding of anger and what it reveals about the heart.

Together, they unpack how good desires for things like love, respect, security, or understanding can quietly become demands, and how unmet expectations can lead to anger, resentment, control, or withdrawal.

Lance offers a practical framework for recognizing the demands beneath our anger and moving toward a different path: trust and surrender.

Through biblical truth, practical examples, and a personal story from Lance's own family, this conversation points us toward the freedom that comes when we stop looking to other people to give us what only God can ultimately provide—and learn to love others from the security and hope we already have in Christ.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Lance Bourgeois (Pursuit Men's Director) [email protected]

Emotional affairs rarely begin with a single decision. Often, they develop slowly through unmet needs, emotional disconnection, hidden shame, and boundaries that gradually begin to blur.

In this episode, Alicia sits down with Ashley Steinhauer for a candid conversation about the slow drift that led to emotional infidelity in their marriages. Ashley shares her story from the unique perspective of having experienced both sides of betrayal as the betrayed spouse and as the betrayer.

Together, they talk honestly about how secrecy took root, what happens when emotional needs go unmet, and the damage that disconnection can cause within a marriage. They also explore the difficult road toward healing, including repentance, counseling, humility, rebuilding trust, and intentionally pursuing intimacy again. This is a conversation about how emotional affairs begin, why they can be difficult to recognize, and what it can look like to find hope and restoration when trust has been broken.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

What does it take to stay connected through 54 years of marriage? In this episode of Hope in the Hard of Family Life, Alicia sits down with her mother, Abby Shields, to reflect on more than five decades of marriage, including the difficult seasons that challenged their relationship and the spiritual transformation that helped restore it. Together, they talk honestly about how marriage changes over time, why covenant matters more than contract, and how faith can reshape the way spouses see one another, communicate, forgive, and serve. This conversation offers both honest perspective and practical wisdom for couples who want to build a marriage that can withstand conflict, change, disappointment, and the pressures of everyday life. After 54 years, Abby shares what she's learned about the love, faith, and intimacy that help sustain a marriage through every season.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Ever had a season where your marriage feels more like a team meeting? In this episode of Hope in the Hard of Family Life, Alicia is joined by her husband, Cary, for an honest conversation about a full, prolonged season of work, ministry, coaching, kids, and nonstop logistics. They talk about the exhaustion and disconnection that can come when you're both running on fumes—and how easy it is to become more like roommates or teammates than spouses. Alicia and Cary share the small, intentional ways they worked to stay connected, from communication and everyday acts of love to learning that your spouse is a gift, not your source. They also reflect on how God used this season to deepen their dependence on Him and strengthen their marriage. If you're in a season where you're surviving more than thriving, this conversation is for you.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

After an unexpected break, Hope in the Hard of Family Life is back for Season 6! In this reboot episode, Founder Abby Shields talks with Executive Director Alicia Stickles about what God taught her during a season marked by ministry, work, coaching, graduate school, and family responsibilities. As life became overwhelming, she discovered the freedom of embracing limits, trusting God's grace, and finding identity in Christ rather than in productivity.

If you've been feeling stretched thin or overwhelmed by life's demands, this conversation will encourage you to slow down, rest in God's sufficiency, and remember where your true worth is found. In this episode, you'll learn: Why we took a break from the podcast What God taught us through a season of overwhelm How to stop finding your worth in productivity Practical encouragement for trusting God in busy seasons Welcome back to Hope in the Hard of Family Life—we're so glad you're here.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Grief touches everyone at some point, yet so many of us struggle to know what to do with it.

In Part 2 with grief specialist, Gary Roe, we get practical about what it looks like to process grief in real life and in families. Gary explains why "getting the grief out" is essential to healing, and how churches can create spaces where lament is welcomed.

Gary will help us understand what it looks like to actually process grief in healthy, biblical way and offer encouragement for those who feel "stuck" or unsure how to move forward. Learn more about Gary Rowe's work and resources on grief at https://www.garyroe.com/

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Gary Roe: https://www.garyroe.com

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Grief touches every family at some point, yet so many of us struggle to know what to do with it. In this two-part conversation, we sit down with grief specialist, author, and speaker Gary Roe to explore what healthy, God-honoring grief looks like. In Part 1, Gary shares how God led him into grief ministry and how his personal experiences shaped his understanding of loss.

Together, we unpack the most common myths about grief, especially those that often surface in Christian communities, and explore what the Bible really says about grief and lament. Learn more about Gary Rowe's work and resources on grief at https://www.garyroe.com/

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Gary Roe: https://www.garyroe.com

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

In today's culture, kids are bombarded with messages about their bodies, food, and what it supposedly takes to be "enough." As parents and caregivers, the words we use and the attitudes we model at home can either help build a foundation of truth—or unintentionally reinforce harmful cultural lies.

In this powerful conversation, Christie Dondero Bettwy, Executive Director of Rock Recovery in Washington, D.C., returns to the podcast to unpack how the way we talk about food and body image shapes our children's identity, confidence, and relationship with themselves. You will walk away with practical tools to reshape the conversation about food and body image in your home—rooted not in cultural pressure, but in God's truth and love.

If you are interested in connecting with Rock Recovery through their virtual support groups, including their upcoming Lasting Freedom holiday support group . Be sure to check out the links provided in the show notes.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

https://www.rockrecoveryed.org/

https://www.facebook.com/rockrecoveryed

(Lasting Freedom Support Group Sign up: https://www.rockrecoveryed.org/faith-based-support-groups https://instagram.com/rockrecovery

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Christie Dondero Bettwy (Executive Director Rock Recovery)

Email: [email protected]

Eating disorders are among the most misunderstood and isolating struggles, impacting not only those who suffer but also their families. In this episode of Hope in the Hard of Family Life, we sit down with Christie Dondero Bettwy, Executive Director of Rock Recovery in Washington, D.C., to shed light on the causes, signs, and spiritual battle behind eating disorders. Christie brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the conversation. Having walked through her own journey of recovery, she shares how God used this trial to deepen her faith and how He continues to bring redemption out of brokenness. Rock Recovery is a nonprofit organization that exists to make life-saving eating disorder treatment and support available to all. They offer individual and group therapy services in-person in Arlington, VA and virtually across Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia. They also offer faith-based support groups and educational programs nationwide. Learn more at www.rockrecoveryed.org. Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

https://www.rockrecoveryed.org/

https://www.facebook.com/rockrecoveryed

https://instagram.com/rockrecovery

Contacts: Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]

Christie Dondero Bettwy (Executive Director Rock Recovery): [email protected]

Anger is something we all feel—but few of us really understand. Is it always bad? Why does it Conflict in marriage is inevitable — but it doesn't have to be destructive. In this episode, Pastor Lance Bourgeois joins us to unpack what the Bible says about conflict and how couples can resolve it in a way that protects unity, fosters intimacy, and points back to the hope of the Gospel. From the biblical mandate of oneness to practical tools like time-outs and weekly couple meetings, this conversation is packed with wisdom and practical steps to help you navigate conflict God's way.

If you've ever felt stuck in patterns of miscommunication, unmet expectations, or bitterness, this episode will remind you that God offers both tools and grace for moving forward together.

Links: www.noheartleftbehind.com

Pursuit Men's Community/Bible Study: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/pursit

Counseling: www.noheartleftbehind.com/counseling

To donate to No Heart Left Behind visit: https://www.noheartleftbehind.com/donate

Contacts: Dr. Lance Bourgeois (Pursuit Men's Director) [email protected]

Abby Shields (Founder & Lead Belief Therapist NHLB) [email protected]

Alicia Stickles (Executive Director NHLB) [email protected]