We Have This Hope

Today I’m sharing my conversation with Lael Crabtree. She is an incredible storyteller and, unless you already have friends who live in the bush of Papua New Guinea (I mean, do you? that’d be a crazy coincidence), then you’ve never heard a story quite so unique and powerful. This is part one of a series on the work Lael and her family are doing because we talked for almost 3 hours during her interview and there was almost nothing to cut. Do I leave out the part about her developing an entire alphabet from a tribal language or the people responding to the gospel message for the first time or the incredible Wantakian women delivering babies on their own in the jungle?

See what I mean…

Part 1 includes the story of how she and her family decided to do tribal missions, their training and preparation for almost 4 years, and their eventual move into the jungle where they built their home, created an alphabet, taught literacy, and continued to raise their family.

As I’ve been editing and re-listening to Lael’s beautiful story, I’ve felt compelled to remind all of us that the point of story-telling, or at least this kind of gospel story-telling, is not to sensationalize an experience, garner a wider audience, or even leave those of us at home in the states wondering if we’re doing enough.

It is simply to let this incredible work of God, remembered and told by a real woman, settle in our hearts and minds. When we do this, the stories leave us changed, never in one airbud and out the other. They do work in us, by the power of the Spirit, that increases our faith and compels us to keep living in the deep hope that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again.

This is my prayer for you as you hear her story.

Emily

Lael & Jack work for Ethnos360 - follow along via their IG account as well

Want to see what it actually looks like in their village? reachWantakia on youtube has some drone footage as well as glimpses of the church gathered for literacy and Bible training.

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I found Whitney K. Pipkin on Instagram and just really liked what she had to say. That’s how it started even though we’ve since discovered that we were both at the University of Oklahoma at the exact same time. The way she wrote about her experience of walking alongside her mother as she battled cancer for more than 20 years really got my attention.

Good news for me when I discovered that she had a book releasing this year. So I did the thing I’ve developed the muscle for in the last year and a half: I cold-emailed her and asked if she would tell her story on the podcast. One of my favorite things in this process has been how approachable some people have turned out to be. Whitney is one of them. It takes some inner fortitude to agree to have a recorded conversation with a stranger about your creative work, your personal story, and your deep hopes—but thank God some people say yes.

In today’s conversation Whitney shares the story of her life growing up alongside her mother’s cancer battle and ultimately how her mother’s death in 2020 forced her to ask questions of her own theology like: how do I make sure I’m changed in the right ways by this, in the ways that take me somewhere and not just leave me yelling at God?

Whitney has a deep faith and you’ll hear that echo throughout her story—”death teaches us how to live”, she says. And even more, she shares how developing a theology of suffering prepares us and equips us to cling to hope in Christ’s finished work when the stability of our life is shaken.

I hope you’ll check out her book We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death With Loved Ones Transform Us or share it with a friend who may need this resource. Even more, pass along this episode today. I have found that stories are often the way God teaches us to trust Him more—Whitney’s may be the one your person needs to hear. We also chat about her latest obsession: birding. I promised I’d link the Merlin app so open your windows today and start your life list. (If you have no clue what this means, two seconds of googling should bring you up to speed.)

Find Whitney on Instagram and Substack here.

Thanks for tuning in!

Emily

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I’m delightfully calling this episode a crossover event. It is equal parts learning about the beautiful work of an organization in the child welfare sphere and equal parts the story of God’s good work in the life of one person.

The organization is 111 Project (also CarePortal) and the person is Chris Campbell.

Chris is a Tulsa native who recently traveled the world for a year with his family of 7. (You might know his wife, Ashley) He currently serves as the executive director of the 111 Project, an organization that connects local churches to the child welfare system in Oklahoma. There are currently over 6,000 children in the Oklahoma foster care system and over 6,200 churches here as well. Chris shares the origin story of 111 Project and their vision for the future. You also get a glimpse into Chris’s personal journey from playing guitar at FCA to good old-fashioned church work to running statewide initiatives. You’ll hear how he came to faith and how his resume reflects a career and life of following God on adventure.

After chatting with Chris (and then re-listening while I edited), I spent the remainder of the day feeling energized. For lack of a less cheesy expression, I felt like I could really make a difference, like I could take action and that action would matter on a scale bigger than myself. His unique gift of mobilizing people is woven throughout the entire episode and you’re about to be one of them.

If you are someone who is interested in learning more about practical ways to engage with the child welfare crisis, this is a great starting place for you. Also, if you are a person who needs to be reminded of the power of community and the work of God in our world, let Chris encourage you and maybe get you taking steps to join the movement.

Step one, listen. Step two, share this with a friend. Step three, does your church know about 111 Project?

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Today I am so happy to share with you the story of Jamie O’Donoghue. Jamie is someone who I am grateful to know. He's also someone who I asked to join me on the show without knowing much of their story. In fact, I think I totally surprised him when I asked if he’d be willing to do an episode, but I am so grateful he said yes. Jamie is intentional with his words and thoughtful about his faith. You’ll hear him share about his life as a young boy in Ireland on his grandparents dairy farm, how loss and upheaval in his family as an adolescent left him wandering and wondering, and how the truth of the Gospel has impacted his life.. He’ll tell us not just what God has done, but what He’s continuing to do over years of healing. 

Jamie and his wife Grace live in Tulsa, OK with their son Killian. And don’t worry, I definitely asked him how a young boy from Ireland ended up married to a lovely Tulsa girl. It’s a great story all on its own.

As you listen, would you think about someone else who might be encouraged by Jamie’s story? Would you send them a link to the episode? I get the best feedback from listeners who heard one interview that somehow resonated with them at just the right time. These stories matter and God is using them in beautiful and surprising ways.

Tune in next week for a few favorites from the archives & an update about the rest of the We Have This Hope season!

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wehavethishope.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is such a gift.  I’m sharing my conversation with author Kristen LaValley—you may know her from some of her beautiful writing over the years on her blog, from Instagram, or even right here on Substack.

In this episode we talk about her upcoming book Even If He Doesn’t - What We Believe About God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense. Kristen shares about doubt and belief, hope and suffering, beauty and heartache all through the lens of her story. You’ll hear her mention some heavy topics—shame-based church culture, traumatic pregnancy, to name a few—with authenticity and resiliency, the kind that reminds us that God is with us right now and in all things.

Kristen lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Zach, and their five children. You can find her HERE with some high quality reels that are a mix of deep reflections and Taylor Swift references. Who doesn’t love that? Or make your way HERE to preorder her book that comes out February 20th. I’ve already read it and I couldn’t put it down. Truly, I wandered the house carrying it in my hand while I did my regular chores.

This story is for everyone, but maybe you have someone in your life that you think would really resonate with this episode? If so, would you take a minute to share with them now?

And before you go, today is Ash Wednesday and the start of the season of Lent. Have you checked out any of the excellent resources available to us during this season? A great place to start is the book Sacred Seasons by Danielle Hitchen of Catechesis Books. If you’re new (or old) to the rhythms of the historic church calendar, this book offers simple and insightful explanations. It’s really the perfect blend of scriptural and historical context—with recipes and a pretty cover so basically you need it in your life.

I hope you’ll enjoy this week’s episode and live eyes-wide-open as you look for ways to remember & tell the work of God in your own life!

Emily

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For this episode I'm looking at the gospel of Luke to answer the question "What does scripture say about women in relationship to each other and to the church?"

This episode is adapted from a live talk given at Cornerstone Church in Tulsa, OK and available for you as a paid subscriber.

I love creating content that helps stir your thinking and increase your hope and it means the world to me that you would support this work. Would you consider sharing your favorite episode with a friend right now? Or simply use the Share button below to text a friend about what’s happening here? The best way to remember/tell the work of God is to actually do it. These stories are for all of us!

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Today’s episode is with my friend Andrea Bubert. Even after saying yes to joining me on the podcast, Andrea gave me the opportunity to change my mind. “If you’re sure…” she said when I told her I was certain.

If you’ve ever wondered if your story was ordinary, this episode is for you. If telling your story looks more like reviewing years of faithfulness and less like “I once was blind and now I see” this episode is also for you. Andrea shares about her life with God over 4 decades in seasons of abundance and in seasons of unmet expectations. She talks about what it’s like to faithfully live the life you have and challenges us to ask really beautiful questions like “what does it look like to honor God in the season that I’m in?” Her story is not ordinary, it’s lovely and full of the hard-earned wisdom that comes from a life of obedience to God. I’m certain you’ll be encouraged!  

We Have This Hope is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wehavethishope.substack.com/subscribe

You know when you see someone all the time, bump into them often and think you'd like to be friends, but you don't really know their story? That is today's conversation for me.

Today I'm sharing my conversation with my new friend Kasey Rutherford, a fellow mom of 3 who lives down the street and sits near me at church. But most importantly, she's a woman whose life has been profoundly changed by Jesus.

Kasey shares about hearing the Gospel in college for the first time and God's good work in her that followed. Her story is about healing from patterns of family dysfunction and God rebuilding her life in seasons of singleness, marriage, and motherhood. Kasey is full of wisdom, the hard-earned really good kind, and I know you'll be encouraged as you listen!

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I can't believe it's been over a year of We Have This Hope. Just typing those words (or saying them in a microphone) is stirring up memories of Emily circa 2021 day-dreaming and scheming, eventually planning and preparing. If you’ve been with me from the beginning, THANK YOU!

Today’s episode is simple. I’m sharing the vision for WHTH in 2024 and some exciting updates that I’ll be rolling out later this month. The bonus content is some small background clips of my kids yelling “Daaaaaaaad!” and my dog barking. Maybe treat it like a game of Where’s Waldo but in podcast form? You’re welcome for the professionalism.

If you’re reading this right now and want the updates right away, here’s the scoop:

* We Have This Hope now lives on Substack - an awesome platform where you can subscribe for free to get the podcast as well as new written content from me. 

* I’ll be posting content every week this year. The first interview of the year is launching on Wednesday, January 17th and my first monthly newsletter So I Won’t Forget comes out the following week.

* You can also now support We Have This Hope by upgrading to a paid subscription on Substack. You’ll support the ongoing collection of stories and get access to Bible Studies and other content. 

* Either way, be sure to subscribe on Substack to get each new episode or newsletter.

We have an incredible line-up of people remembering the work of God in their lives and I can’t wait to share their stories with you this year! 

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We're wrapping up 2023 and Season 2 of We Have This Hope with a really sweet episode for you! I don't take this lightly when I say today's guest is by far the cutest one we've ever had. My 5 year old son Avett has been asking to be on the show for months and he's the perfect bookend to an incredible year of interviewing wise and lovely people. I'm also sharing a Prayer for Remembering the Past Year and I hope it will bless you. Thanks for tuning and we'll be back next year with more episodes and interviews!

#wehavethishope #aprayerforremembering #podcasting #podcastinterview #podcastyear #remember

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