The GoodHard Story Podcast

What do we do with the stuff that’s not good and hard, but just hard?

Toni Collier is no stranger to pain. She’s navigated a childhood of tragedy and two marriages marked by abuse and infidelity. According to her, the pain hasn’t been worth it…but it hasn’t been wasted either. In our conversation, Toni shared how she’s surviving those seasons of “ashes from ashes,” and why she’s not trying to do it alone.

Show Notes

Mentioned in this conversation:

• Broken Crayons Still Color by Toni Collier

• 2 Corinthians 12:9

• Don't Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide from Your Pain by Toni Collier

• Brave Enough to Be Broken: How to Embrace Your Pain and Discover Hope and Healing by Toni Collier

• Unshakable Moxie - https://www.odbm.org/en/moxie

• Still Color Podcast - How Healing Became an Idol: Why We're More Obsessed with Healing than Becoming Holy

• Love Your Life (Even When You Don’t Like It All the Time): A Realistic Guide to Unlocking Joy in Life’s Messy, Mundane, and Magnificent Moments by Rachel Awtrey

• Isaiah 45:3

More from Toni:

• Follow @tonijcollier on Instagram

• Watch on YouTube @tonijcollier

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

• Watch this conversation on YouTube
  

How are we expected to live well on this side of the sky?

Sometimes we need wisdom for the deep, hard, dark suffering. But most of the time, we just need encouragement for the normal lives we’re living on this side of heaven. Laura Wifler is a mother and poet who finds endless inspiration in the mundanity and mess of her everyday life.

In our conversation, Laura shares what’s changed in her theology of the body, why she’s relying on the grace of the present, and how a crisis of faith invited her to doubt “toward God.”

Show Notes

Mentioned in this conversation:

• This Side of the Sky: 101 Poems and Scriptures for the Hungry, Hopeful, and Homesick by Laura Wifler

• Sword Drill - https://www.sworddrilltrivia.com/waitlist

• The GoodHard Story Podcast Ep. 51 with Laura Wifler - https://hopeheals.com/podcast/not-the-mom-with-the-chickens-stewarding-the-story-you-have-with-laura-wifler/

• 1 John 4:4

• Like Me: A Story About Disability and God’s Image by Laura Wifler

• All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore

• The GoodHard Story Podcast Ep. 104 with Beth Moore - https://hopeheals.com/podcast/beth-moore-on-walking-with-god/

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

• Watch this conversation on YouTube

What is the first step of moving forward from the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?

Join me today for a solo episode as I process some recent thoughts I’ve been having about how healing actually begins with heartbreak. I share some of the painful (and downright bizarre!) early memories of “waking up” from my stroke and being in total denial about my situation.

That season taught me just how critical it is to confront the reality of our stories if we ever hope to move forward. In this episode, we’ll process through some insights about how Jesus named his pain, what true lament looks like, and a simple exercise you can borrow to confront reality for yourself.

Show Notes

Mentioned in this episode:

• Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp

• Ecclesiastes 7:2

• 2 Corinthians 4:8

• Treasures in the Dark: 90 Reflections on Finding Bright Hope Hidden in the Hurting

• Isaiah 45:3

• Mike Erre

• Hope Heals: A True Story of Overwhelming Loss and an Overcoming Love

• Habakkuk 3:17-19

  
  

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

• Watch this conversation on YouTube

Episode 126 - Martin Deacon on the “Weird and Wonderful” Gift of Disability

What if our disabilities might give us as much—or more—as they take from us?

Disability gives us the gift of dependence. That’s the mantra of Martin Deacon, the CEO of Teach Every Nation, who began to lose his vision when he was just twelve years old. In our conversation, Martin shows how his disability transformed an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Hippo Lakes - https://visit.hippolakes.com/hopeheals

• Teach Every Nation - https://teacheverynation.org/

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

• Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp

• MEND Coffee & Goods - https://www.mendcoffee.com/

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

About Hippo Lakes:

Hippo Lakes is a luxury safari resort nestled in South Africa’s malaria-free Waterberg region. Guests enjoy five nights in a private game reserve surrounded by incredible wildlife, beautiful landscapes and thoughtfully designed accommodations.

From daily game drives and curated experiences to meals, transportation and more, the Hippo Lakes team is committed to making every part of your stay seamless and unforgettable. Best of all, the Travel Concierge team handles the details so guests can arrive, slow down and experience the beauty of the African bush.

Through January 1, 2027, 15% of all booking payments made through Hope Heals' special Hippo Lakes booking link will go toward helping fund families to attend Hope Heals Camp in 2027.

If you’re interested in planning a stay at Hippo Lakes, you can use the link below to get started. The Hippo Lakes team takes care of the details, from transportation and accommodations to experiences during your stay.

You’ll work directly with one of their amazing Travel Concierges, who will help plan an experience that feels personal to you and your family.

Learn more and begin planning your stay: https://visit.hippolakes.com/hopeheals

Show Notes

What if your suffering is not a curse on your children, but instead an inheritance of breathtaking value?

In this deeply personal conversation, I sat down with my son James the day before he left for college. James opened up about the reality of growing up with a mom who has disabilities and how the experience has formed him into a person who shows up helpful and grateful. I reflected on one of the heaviest questions of my life: has my suffering been a burden to the people I love, especially my children? I also got to offer James the truths I wish someone had given me at his age—about God, about pain, and about the story he gets to write with his own life.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp

• MEND Coffee & Goods - https://www.mendcoffee.com/

• Samford University Micah Fellows Program - https://www.samford.edu/programs/undergraduate/micah-fellows/

• Micah 6:8

  
  

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

• Watch this conversation on YouTube

What good and beautiful thing can we be sure of, no matter what happens?

That’s the question guiding author, professor, and theologian Kate Bowler. Her academic research and her lived experience of suffering have confirmed for her that it’s possible to be joyful and sad at the very same time.

In our conversation, Kate shared how she’s committed to being surprised by joy and embracing uncertainty as an antidote to anxiety.

Mentioned in this conversation

• Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel by Kate Bowler

• Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler

• Everything Happens Podcast with Kate Bowler - https://katebowler.com/podcasts/

• Psalm 4:1

• The GoodHard Story Podcast Ep. 26 with Kate Bowler - https://hopeheals.com/podcast/the-joyful-rebellion-with-kate-bowler/

  
  

More from Katherine:

• Follow @hopeheals on Instagram

• Receive monthly reflections from Katherine - http://hopeheals.com/hopenote

• Watch this conversation on YouTube
  

If The GoodHard Story Podcast has encouraged you, consider joining us on Take the Next Step.

Each week, Amy Julia Becker interviews disability experts, advocates, and parents about practical next steps for families with disabilities to build connection, belonging, and delight—at home and in community.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Take the Next Step is a part of the Hope Heals Network, a collective of Christian thought leaders offering honest conversations and hopeful wisdom to help people flourish in the good and hard parts of their stories.

My guest today doesn’t get a break from physical pain. And because she’s living with pain that never ends, she stopped waiting to find joy on the other side of her suffering. 

K.J. Ramsey is a therapist and author inviting people into the lifelong process of acknowledging and recovering from trauma of all kinds. She joined me to talk about loving the bodies that feel like they’re failing us, resisting the deeply human urge to rush past our pain, and exercising agency in uncontrollable circumstances.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

The Place Between Our Pains: A Memoir of What Joy Can Survive by K.J. Ramsey

Say Yes Scott Erickson - https://youtu.be/DkOP2K1ohTQ?si=P8rNfxmrGo4Tcwha

This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers by K.J. Ramsey

Where to find K.J. online:

Website: kjramsey.com

Instagram: @kjramseywrites

For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠

Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb

Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf

Get to know us:

⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces

⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp

⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/

Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

There’s a lie circling around out there that we have to fall into a binary. Life can either be good or hard. We can choose grace or truth. Our politics can be either progressive or conservative. And if you know me, you know I don’t really buy into the “either/or” thing.

My guest today is Justin Giboney,  an ordained minister, attorney, author, and political strategist who is breaking out of the binary by inviting Christians to be faithful in the public square WITHOUT joining the culture war. For the last decade, Justin has led the AND Campaign, a non-partisan Biblical framework for civic engagement. He believes it’s possible for Christians to live with both compassion and conviction—and, my goodness, is it refreshing. 

If you feel like you don’t quite fit into a single party or you’re fighting the temptation to become politically apathetic, spend an hour with Justin and me. You’ll leave motivated, educated, and equipped to steward your public witness well.

What we mentioned:

“We All Have a Seat at the Table” - https://mendcoffee.shop/products/mend-mug

Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around: How the Black Church's Public Witness Leads Us out of the Culture War by Justin Giboney 

Ep. 74 with Sho Baraka - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NzNiOWM1ZjAtZDEyNS00NzdiLWI0YmYtMDcxODFjMzEzNDAx

Amy Julia Becker’s interview with Justin Giboney - https://amyjuliabecker.com/culture-war-faith-justin-giboney/

Church Politics Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-church-politics-podcast/id1289898626

Justin’s recommendations for spiritual and political influences:

• Gardner C. Taylor
• G.K. Chesterton
• Ross Douthat
• Damon Linker
• Esau McCaulley 
• Alan Noble
• Lisa Fields
• Charlie Dates
• Unherd (TV Show)
• Breaking Points (TV Show)

Scriptures we mentioned:

Luke 18

Where to find Justin online:

Instagram: @justinegiboney

The And Campaign - https://www.andcampaign.org/

For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠

Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb

Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf

Get to know us:

⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces

⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp

⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/

Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

Today I’m sitting down with a woman who is living out the message of this podcast: Suffering is not the end of your story. It’s the beginning of a new story.

My friend Courtney Pray Duke became a widow when she was just 29 years old. She was left to raise three small children all on her own. Courtney has experienced the deepest kind of loss, yet she never misses an opportunity to proclaim the goodness of God. 

If you’re navigating a situation that feels hopeless, let Courtney be a voice of authority in your grief and disappointment. Her life is proof that God has the power to redeem even the most broken stories.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

And She Got Up: Shattered by Loss, Restored by Jesus by Courtney Pray Duke

Louie Giglio’s message from Passion 2013 - https://passionequip.com/talks/raised-to-life-by-the-breath-of-a-living-god

Never Alone Widows - https://www.neveralonewidows.com/

Scriptures we referenced:

Ezekiel 37

Psalm 68:5

Isaiah 43:19

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Where to find more from Courtney:

@courtneyprayduke

courtneyprayduke.com

For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠

Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb

Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf

Get to know us:

⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces

⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp

⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/

Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/