The Hope Story Podcast

The host interviews Hope Books contributors Jeannie and Jackie about the collaborative book “Kindness,” beginning with personal joy and moving into what it feels like to launch the book. Jeannie describes the process as “amazing” and a dream come true, but says writing on kindness was unexpectedly difficult, requiring vulnerability, integrity, and deep reflection; her chapter, “Kindness…Just Because,” shares stories and themes showing kindness as a freely given gift woven into everyday life and faith. Jackie shares her first-time author experience and her chapter about becoming an unwed mother at a young age and how her parents responded with kindness and support despite concerns about judgment and appearances, creating a lasting ripple effect through generations. The conversation highlights how collaborative structure, feedback, and timelines helped them grow as writers and encourages listeners to share their stories and consider purchasing “Kindness” on Amazon. Buy your copy HERE.

00:00 Warm Welcome In

00:13 Grandkids Bring Joy

00:56 Launching The Book

01:36 Where Theyre From

02:45 Why Kindness Matters

03:57 Jeannie Says Yes

05:29 Jackies Kindness Story

06:41 Jeannies Chapter Themes

08:51 What Readers Remember

10:39 Writing Challenges

12:21 Collaborative Book Growth

16:26 Ripple Effect Kindness

18:19 Finding Faith Writing

20:26 Why Stories Heal

23:15 Final Thanks And Invite

Host Leilani welcomes listeners to the Hope Story podcast to celebrate the launch of My Hope Story Volume Three with contributing authors Stacey Gawthrop, Ericka Reid, Ramela Abbamontian, and Melanie Wamoff. The authors discuss what inspired them to join the collaboration, including overcoming fear of writing, gaining experience through a team process, and sharing vulnerable stories meant to encourage readers. Stacey shares a chapter rooted in trusting God when plans changed unexpectedly, framed by Ephesians 3:20 and learning the difference between hope and expectation. Melanie describes honestly documenting her daughter Lily’s metastatic cancer diagnosis and treatment and seeing God’s presence in daily details. Ramela shares a painful but freeing story of abandonment by her biological father and the hope of being chosen by God and loved by others. Ericka reflects on hope as trusting God’s process and believing He can bring others through hardships too, as the conversation highlights transformation symbolized by the book’s butterfly cover.

00:00 Welcome to Hope Story

01:09 Meet the Authors 05:58 Staci Finds Courage

07:46 Melanie Says Yes

09:41 Romella Shares Freedom

14:24 Erica on Hopeful Parenting

17:24 Staci Chapter Preview

20:29 Melanie on Vulnerable Storytelling

22:55 Hope Through Writing

25:06 Collaboration and Community

26:29 Butterfly Cover Meaning

30:18 Final Thanks and Next Steps

The episode celebrates the release of My Hope Story Volume 4 with contributors Linda, Jessica, Kimberly, and Christy, beginning with a lightning round and then exploring each woman’s chapter. Linda shares how her husband Gary’s cancer diagnosis and death reshaped her view of the fragility of the future, the non-linear nature of grief, and led her into nursing and hospice care, emphasizing that God holds people in hopeless moments. Jessica describes redefining strength from independence and suppressing pain to vulnerability, crying, asking for help, and trusting “My grace is sufficient,” including a two-year period without contact with her young daughter that required surrendering control. Christy recounts healing from abortion wounds by bringing secrecy into the light, moving from shame to testimony, and receiving forgiveness and abundant life. Kimberly explains how unforgiveness trapped her after a controlling, betraying relationship, how forgiveness is a choice distinct from reconciliation, and how freedom unlocked creativity and restored joy. Together they discuss hope as God-given trust and encourage readers to find healing and not feel alone; the book is available on major platforms.

00:00 Welcome and Guests

00:25 Lightning Round Intros

03:03 Hope Story Setup

03:36 Linda Fragile Futures

05:41 Linda Grief in Waves

07:22 Linda Hospice Calling

09:42 Jessica Redefining Strength

11:51 Jessica Grace Sufficient

13:08 Jessica Trust and Control

17:24 Christy Beyond Forgiveness

20:28 Christy Hope Returns

22:10 Life Beyond Forgiveness

23:41 Shame Into Testimony

25:13 Unforgiveness Keeps You Stuck

27:38 Choosing Forgiveness Daily

29:41 Forgive Without Reconcile

31:25 Freedom Unlocks Calling

33:47 When You're Not Ready

35:21 Redefining Hope Together

38:13 What I'd Tell Her

42:47 What We Hope You Find

44:28 Final Hope Story Sendoff

Faithfulness: Steadfast in Every Season Three women. Three stories. One fruit of the Spirit. Michelle Harder, Christene Kamberis, and Yankele Greene share the raw, unglamorous middle of what it looks like to stay faithful — not from the easy side, but from the hard. Michelle walks through the hardest year of her life and discovers God was perfectly faithful in the chaos. Christene shares the decades-long journey of raising a son with cerebral palsy and autism, being told he'd never learn to love her, and finding God at a stoplight when she'd all but walked away. And Yankele writes from inside the drift — spinning in every direction until God told her to sit, be still, and let herself be loved. Together, their stories weave a common thread: God never moved. We're the ones who drift. And faithfulness isn't about getting it right — it's about coming back.

0:00 — Introduction & guest introductions

1:43 — Michelle Harder: The hardest year of her life

5:32 — The blessings list that changed everything

8:17 — Christene Kamberis: From wanting a house full of kids to special ed

10:56 — "He'll never learn to love you" — the devastating appointment

13:19 — The stoplight: God shows up

16:55 — Yankele Greene: Singing to Aunt Emma in the rehab facility

20:32 — Writing from inside the drift & the prayer to be uncomfortable

25:20 — Faithfulness isn't perfection — it's returning

31:05 — Roundtable: What surprised you about each other's stories

36:11 — Closing & where to find the book

This episode is part 1 that celebrates the release of Gentleness: Strength in the Stillness with contributors Carrie Alexander, Monica Martinez, and Rebecca Peters, beginning with a lightning round about small joys, self-criticism, and gentleness as soft yet strong. Carrie shares how an unexpectedly difficult pregnancy and later a breast cancer journey taught her to release control, grieve, and surrender by trusting God, finding peace, and noticing how God shows up through people. Monica describes losing her sense of self, struggling with harsh inner dialogue and suicidal thoughts, and beginning healing through brutal honesty, journaling, self-compassion, and trust in a higher power, encouraging others to start with inner work and honesty. Rebecca explains shifting from “why” to “what do you want to do in me,” acknowledging emotions before forgiveness, releasing hurt through practices like prayer, somatic work, and dancing, and forgiving with boundaries by relying on Jesus. Together they say gentleness brings peace, trust, and freedom, and encourage listeners to bring emptiness and chaos to God; the book is available on major platforms.

00:00 Welcome and Book Launch

00:15 Lightning Round on Gentleness

02:54 Carrie on Letting Go

05:14 Surrender as Strength

09:17 Monica on Inner Critic

12:47 Practicing Self Compassion

17:13 Rebecca on Healing Questions

19:42 Feeling Hurt and Forgiveness

22:00 Releasing Emotions in the Body

22:48 Dancing Through Emotions

23:54 Forgiveness With Boundaries

26:36 Writing For The Wounded

28:05 Gentleness Versus Control

33:42 Lessons From Lived Stories

39:40 When Life Feels Harsh

42:33 Final Reflections And Invitation

We continue the “Gentleness: Strength in Stillness” celebration with authors Debbie, Regina, and Trinity, beginning with a lightning round about small comforts like hugs and brief moments of grounding. Debbie shares how complicated grief stripped away her identity, how unexpected people helped keep her afloat, and how receiving God’s love as Father helped her stop explaining herself, give herself permission to be “messy,” and find hope while continuing to say a loved one’s name. Regina describes realizing she was disconnected from herself through many small factors, and how stillness—like five minutes at a bathroom mirror—revealed illusions, enabled honest self-reflection, and helped her recognize “I’m still here.” Trinity reflects on learning gentleness as strength by watching her mother care for her dying father, treasuring ordinary moments, and practicing presence, grace, humility, and loving people where they are.

00:00 Welcome and Guests

00:19 Lightning Round Warmup

03:13 Vulnerability and Community

04:01 Debbie on Grief and Identity

07:50 Receiving God as Father 10:46 Regina Mirror Moment

13:06 Stillness and Self Connection

16:44 Practical Stillness Habits

18:06 Trinity Family and Gentle Strength

21:22 Loving Well When Busy

23:51 Group Reflections and Takeaways

29:35 Closing and Book Invitation

Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 2

In this episode, we celebrate the launch of Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season, a collaborative book featuring the voices and faith journeys of nine women from across the country. Host Leilani sits down with three of the contributing authors Marilynn Lester, Cathy Smith, and Lisa Recor to discuss what stirred them to write about patience, what the writing process revealed about their own relationship with God, the beauty of collaborating with other authors, and their encouragement for anyone in a season of waiting. The book is available now on major platforms, including Amazon.

Get your copy HERE

0:00 — Welcome and book introduction

1:52 — Author introductions begin

2:56 — Cathy introduces herself

3:16 — Lisa introduces herself

4:33 — What stirred each author to write about patience

5:06 — Marilynn on the fruit of the Spirit

5:34 — Cathy on everyday situations requiring patience

6:48 — Lisa on patience building trust and perseverance

7:41 — The heart behind each chapter

8:41 — Cathy on patience in daily life

10:23 — Lisa: don't settle as a daughter of God

10:48 — What writing revealed about themselves

11:24 — Marilynn on trusting God's timing

12:27 — Lisa on God working on them separately first

12:34 — The collaborative writing process 13:12 — Community through Zoom calls

14:30 — Lisa on being humbled God chose nine women

15:19 — Who the authors hope finds their chapter

16:41 — Cathy's tips: breathe before reacting

17:54 — Encouragement for those in a waiting season

18:37 — Cathy: hang in there, God's always there

20:05 — Lisa: jump in and swim, God's not finished

22:01 — Closing and where to buy the book

Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 1

Host Leilani celebrates the launch of the collaborative book *Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season* with three contributing authors — Stephanie, Kelly, and Tyann. Each shares the personal story behind her chapter: Stephanie on her family's adoption journey, Kelly on fulfilling a decades-old promise to God after returning from West African ministry, and Tyann on how a broken bone slowed her physically and opened her spiritually. Together they discuss what the writing process revealed about God's character, why patience is a divine gift rather than a human achievement, and how collaborative authorship gave each of them the courage to share.

Get your copy HERE

- 0:00 — Welcome & Book Introduction

- 2:11 — Meet Stephanie: Her Current Season

- 2:59 — Meet Kelly: Transition & Fearlessness

- 5:12 — Meet Tyann: Embracing Slow

- 6:59 — The Heart of the Project

- 7:26 — Stephanie: Stirred by the Theme

- 8:02 — Kelly: Why She Said Yes

- 10:20 — Tyann: Writing Unfolded Over Time

- 13:41 — Stephanie: Hopes for Readers

- 22:34— Stephanie: A Glimpse of Her Chapter

- 24:38 — Kelly: Her Chapter's One Message

- 28:06 — Tyann: A Message for Those Waiting

- 29:41 — The Writing Journey Begins

- 31:54 — Kelly's She-Shed Writing Space

- 34:04— Tyann: How Her Chapter Evolved

- 36:48 — Collaboration & God's Timing

- 38:33 — Kelly: Community & Accountability

- 41:22 — Tyann: Community & Encouragement

- 43:14 — Stephanie: Conversations She Hopes to Start

- 43:57 — Kelly: The Emotional Thread That Lingers

- 45:31 — Tyann: Conversations She Hopes to Start

- 46:56 — Closing Remarks & Where to Buy the Book Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season is available now on Amazon and other major platforms.

Hope for Tomorrow Launch: Authors on Faith, Resilience, and Writing Courage The podcast celebrates the launch of “Hope for Tomorrow,” a collaborative short-story fiction collection exploring hope, resilience, healing, redemption, and second chances, now available on major platforms including Amazon. The host interviews contributors LaDawn Caldwell Bridgeman, Christine Martinez, and Alex Faith about their creative processes and the themes behind their pieces, including community support, truth and trust, and trusting God. Alex describes writing Christian fiction that glorifies God and developing a kingdom-based story over about a year, while Christine shares a first-person, loosely autobiographical story spanning 44 years and shaped by vulnerability, relinquishing control, and the message that it’s never too late, including her experience with an eating disorder and a near-death moment. LaDawn discusses a faith-based rom-com tone centered on girlfriends, divorce recovery, and “be still,” and the authors encourage writers to begin, be courageous, and use accountability and community. 00:00 Welcome and Launch 01:29 Meet the Authors 01:51 Creative Warmup Questions 03:21 Inside Hope for Tomorrow 04:01 LaDawn Theme Inspiration 06:22 Alex Joins the Project 08:09 Christine Story Origins 10:19 Meaning Behind the Stories 14:36 Messages and Themes 16:55 Writing Journey Deep Dive 23:32 Collaboration and Community 26:26 Who the Stories Are For 30:15 LaDawn Visual Vibe 32:46 Advice for Aspiring Writers 38:18 Final Thanks and Call to Action

The Heart of 'Peace': Stories That Inspire

This podcast episode celebrates the launch of “Peace,” a collaborative book featuring multiple writers, and includes a behind-the-scenes conversation with contributors Lauren Ulrich and Vanessa King. Lauren, a homeschool mom in South Carolina, shares how writing about her journey with fatherlessness and God as Prince of Peace helped her heal, let go of shame and fear, and step out in courage, using images like Jeremiah 17:7–8 and the song “Turn It to Praise.” Vanessa, a former military service member and homeschool mom in Virginia, describes feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit to participate, writing with practical application about prayer, and wrestling with self-doubt and procrastination. Both discuss how editing and community reminded them they are not alone and encouraged readers to trust God’s sovereignty and begin writing even without having everything figured out. You can get your copy here.

00:00 Welcome and Book Launch
00:51 Meet the Authors
02:48 Why Peace Matters
04:43 Lauren’s Story and Theme
09:52 Writing Struggles and Growth
15:12 Lessons and Looking Back
21:13 Community and Collaboration
25:11 What Readers Will Feel
28:53 Advice for Writers
31:11 Final Thanks and Invitation