We’ve got something really special for you in this episode. Instead of just hearing from Jonathan and David, we’re handing the mic to one of our favorite voices in the Unbound community: Victoria Schurter.

If you’ve ever been part of our high school program, Equip, you already know how gifted Victoria is at crafting content that connects. She’s a phenomenal writer, a brilliant communicator, and (though she’d never tell you herself) one of the sharpest minds we know.

In this talk, recorded live at an Ascend event, Victoria dives into one of her greatest passions: story. Why do stories matter so much to us? Why do some stay with us while others fall flat? And what does all of this have to do with hope?

Along the way, you’ll hear her explore:

• Why stories connect deeper than facts
• How truth gives stories weight and resonance
• The choices we make inside our own stories
• Why hope is more than a fleeting feeling—it’s bedrock

This is one of those sessions that feels both poetic and deeply practical. We walked away thinking differently about the stories we tell, the choices we make, and the hope we hold onto. We think you will too.

03:35 The Stories That Stay

04:33 The Frustration of Whiffle Balls

05:41 The Importance of Hope and Story

07:09 Defining a Story

10:35 Life as a Grand Story

14:00 The Necessity of Truth in Stories

21:05 Choices in Stories and Life

22:40 The Impact of Small Choices

24:07 The Power of Hope in Stories

27:05 Personal Reflections on Hope

28:59 The Reality of Hope Amidst Pain

30:35 The Significance of Our Stories

33:39 The Bedrock of Hope

38:25 Generational Stories of Hope

Learn more about Unbound: https://beunbound.us/

Hosts: Jonathan Brush, David Rethemeyer

Producer: Kyle Hill