What Hope Sounds Like

Have you ever looked at where you are in life and wondered if you're really where God wants you to be? Maybe things haven't gone as planned, or you're waiting for Him to show you what's next.

Sisters Rachel and Riley of Christian music duo RENÉE know what it's like to navigate unexpected changes, discouragement, and big decisions while learning to trust Jesus along the way.

They join Tricia on What Hope Sounds Like to share how God took them from singing in nursing homes and small churches to signing with TobyMac's Goatee Records.

Through the story behind their song "Stepping Stones," Rachael and Riley share why it's important to remember what God has already brought you through, how to surround yourself with people who point you back to Jesus, and why success isn't measured by what you accomplish.

Whether you're chasing a dream, facing a big decision, or wondering what God is doing in your life right now, you'll be encouraged to recognize His faithfulness in your story and trust Him with your next step.

Have you ever felt like God was asking you to do something, but fear was holding you back? Or wondered if He could use the difficult season you're walking through right now?

On this episode of What Hope Sounds Like, Tom from The Light FM sits down with Sam Wesley, son of MercyMe's Bart Millard, and Mary-Clair, daughter of MercyMe manager Scott Brickell, to talk about stepping out in faith, finding your own path, and trusting Jesus when life doesn't go as planned.

Sam shares how one uncomfortable moment onstage changed the direction of his life, and what a recent prison ministry experience taught him about finding Jesus in unexpected places. Mary-Clair opens up about walking through family struggles and how God has used music to help her process the hard stuff and share hope with others.

If you've been afraid to take that next step, you're walking through something difficult, or you're wondering what God might be doing in your life right now, there's encouragement here for you. You don't have to have everything figured out to take the next step with Jesus.

Before Warren Peay ever stepped onto the American Idol stage, God was already shaping his story in a small South Carolina church.

Warren joins Carol from The Light FM to talk about growing up around church, spending several years away, and eventually feeling the pull to come back. There wasn’t a dramatic falling out - he says he simply got used to not going. But an invitation from friends led him to a church that felt like home, and it was there that Warren began serving on the worship team and discovering how God could use his gift.

Years later, American Idol would give Warren a national platform, but he says the local church is really where his ministry began. Long before television, he was singing at churches, revivals and anywhere his worship team was invited. 

Warren and Carol also talk about why we need Christian community, finding a place to use the gifts God has given us, and what can happen when we slowly become comfortable doing life on our own.

Today, Warren says his goal is pretty simple: he doesn't need people to remember his name, he just wants them to remember Jesus.

“The beautiful thing is God’s going to meet us right where we are.” - Brewer Hicklen

Brewer Hicklen has been chasing the dream of professional baseball since he was four years old, and along the way, God has given that dream an even bigger purpose.

In this episode of What Hope Sounds Like, Ryan sits down with Atlanta Braves outfielder Brewer Hicklen to talk baseball, faith and what it looks like to follow Jesus wherever God places you. Brewer shares how his faith became personal during his college years and how he’s learned to see every clubhouse, teammate and season as an opportunity to make a difference. 

For Brewer, baseball is something he loves, but it's not his identity. Whether he’s experiencing a career high or navigating an unexpected turn, he wants his life to point people back to Jesus.

What happens when people from different churches stop focusing on what makes them different and simply worship Jesus together?

This week on What Hope Sounds Like, Jonathan sits down with Jason and Vince from Worship Nights Knoxville, a movement that started in a living room and has grown into a gathering of believers from churches all across East Tennessee.

From teenagers leading worship to seasoned musicians passing on songs that shaped their faith, they share why worship is about so much more than music. It's about hiding God's Word in your heart, building unity across denominations, and reminding the next generation that Jesus is worthy of every generation's song.

Whether your favorite worship song came from the '90s or was released last week, this conversation is a reminder that when God's people come together, hope grows louder.

Find out more here: https://www.worshipnightsknoxville.com/ 

The FIFA World Cup has the world's attention, but the best stories aren't happening on the field.

This week on What Hope Sounds Like, Ryan talks with Jason Romano from Sports Spectrum about the incredible ways God is working through athletes on the world's biggest stage. Jason talks about why he walked away from his dream job at ESPN to follow God's call, and how doing that changed everything.

From post-game prayer circles to the viral "King's Return" celebration, you'll hear how players are using some of the biggest moments of their careers to point people to Jesus.

The spotlight may be on the World Cup, but these athletes are making sure it points somewhere even greater.

What if one phone call changed everything?

On this episode of What Hope Sounds Like, Beth Bacall sits down with Carly Ann Taylor to hear how God rescued her from a childhood marked by abuse and instability. Growing up on the Big Island of Hawaii, Carly Ann went through years of abuse while living in a shack before finding her family who showed her that love can truly be unconditional.

At 15 years old, an invitation from her older brother took her to California for what was supposed to be a summer visit. Instead, it became the beginning of a brand-new life. There she encountered the Gospel for the very first time, found a family who chose her and discovered what unconditional love really looks like.

Later in the conversation, Carly's adoptive mom, Tassia, shares the family's perspective on saying "yes" to God's call to welcome a hurting teenager into their home and how that decision is one they have never regretted for a moment.

This summer, The Light FM is shining a light on foster care and how families can say 'yes' to God's call to open their hearts and homes to kids who need unconditional love. To find out how you can help a child in need, visit: www.thelightfm.org/aos-foster 

"I want my daughters to see me and see a reflection of the Father's heart."

Being a good dad can feel like a lot of pressure. You want to get it right, protect your kids, be their friend, have their respect and lead them to Jesus…and that is a lot.

In this episode, Brian from The Light FM talks to Jeremy Camp for a conversation about fatherhood, raising daughters, and learning to trust God through every season. From bedtime prayers and family memories to praying for future spouses and dealing with dad guilt, Jeremy shares what he's learned from walking through more than two decades of being a girl dad.

Jeremy reminds us that our kids don't need perfect parents. They need parents who are willing to be honest, ask for forgiveness when they miss the mark, and keep pointing them to Jesus.

If you're a dad, a parent, or someone who needs a reminder that God has a plan for you and your child, this episode is a great reminder.

Because no matter what yesterday looked like, Jesus is still in the business of redemption.

REMEMBER...

Your kids don't need the perfect parent, but they do need you.

Some of the moments that matter most happen in the ordinary, everyday rhythms of life.

It's never too late for God to redeem what's been broken.

Over the last two episodes, we've heard how Garrett and Jacq from CLINE followed God through unexpected twists, uncertainty, and seasons that stretched their faith.

But what was God building through all of it?

In this final part of their story, Garrett and Jacq share about family, legacy, songwriting, grief, and the moments that shaped who they are today. From the story of Garrett's dad surrendering his life to Christ on the side of the road, to writing songs that give people words for their pain, this conversation is a reminder that God is working in ways we often can't see until we look back.

At the end of the day, it all comes back to Jesus.

What do you do when life suddenly changes and the future feels really uncertain?

In this episode of What Hope Sounds Like, Garrett and Jacq from CLINE share how God met them in one of the hardest and most uncertain seasons of their lives.

From the shutdown of the music industry during COVID, to stepping away from the life they had built in country music, they found themselves learning what it really means to trust God one day at a time.

And through it all, God continued to provide, redirect, and remind them that He was still working behind the scenes.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the waiting or unsure what God is doing next… this episode is for you.