Hope Cake

What does meaningful children’s ministry inclusion really look like for neurodivergent children and their families? In this episode, I sit down with children’s ministry leader and inclusion advocate Kim Botto for a conversation about what it looks like to build church spaces where every child is welcomed, understood, and given space to thrive. We explore practical and pastoral approaches to neurod...

Ever feel like you're not doing enough to help your children grow in faith? Maybe family devotions don't happen as often as you'd like. Maybe life feels too busy, too messy, or too exhausting. Maybe you're carrying a quiet sense of guilt that everyone else seems to have it figured out. In this episode, I'm joined by Lucy Rycroft from The Hope-Filled Family to talk about wh...

Burnout in kids ministry is real. Many leaders only last a few years before the weight of it all becomes too much. So how do you stay in ministry for the long haul without running on empty? In this final episode of Building Thriving Kids Ministry , Jo Hobbis sits down with Hannah Aske from TenFour Ministries to talk honestly about burnout, calling, and what it really takes to keep going in childre...

What does it take to help the next generation discover the hope of Jesus? Hope Cake is a podcast for Jesus-followers with kids in their lives — parents, children’s ministry leaders, volunteers, and anyone who cares about faith in the next generation. Hosted by Jo Hobbis, mum and volunteer kids’ ministry leader, the podcast brings you warm, honest conversations with leading voices in children’s min...

Children’s ministry can be joyful, creative, and deeply meaningful… but it can also be exhausting. In this honest conversation, Jo Hobbis sits down with Hannah Aske from TenFour Ministries to talk about the challenges many kids ministry leaders face but don’t always say out loud. Why do so many children’s pastors burn out after just a few years? Why can ministry feel harder than people expect? And...

Many churches long to see children and families come to faith — but what happens when they’re simply not walking through the doors on Sunday? In this episode, Jo Hobbis talks with Hannah Aske from TenFour Ministries about why outreach to children and families matters more than ever — and why it doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or intimidating. Hannah shares powerful stories from working...

What if the future of the Church depends on how we see children today? In this first episode of Building Thriving Kids Ministry , Jo Hobbis sits down with Hannah Aske, founder of TenFour Ministries , to talk about a challenge many churches are quietly facing: where have all the children gone—and what can we do about it? Hannah shares the story behind TenFour Ministries and the heart that led her t...

What if the biggest barrier to thriving kids ministry… is church culture? In this episode of Building Thriving Kids Ministry , Jo Hobbis continues the conversation with Hannah Aske, founder of TenFour Ministries , about why the Church may need to rethink how it sees children. Many churches say children matter. But do our priorities, structures, and attitudes actually reflect that? Hannah shares wh...

What does it look like to be a family on mission? In this inspiring conversation, Jo Hobbis gets to chat with Alan Charter from the Global Children's Forum. They unpack the idea of every family being "salt and light" in their community, the significant role children play in that, and the practicalities of working it out in real, messy, everyday life. If you're a parent who&apos...

Jo Hobbis chats with Meredith Anne Miller about her new book ' Wonder ', which serves as a guide for adults to explore the Bible with children. They discuss the unique approach of the book, the selection of stories included, and the importance of making biblical narratives accessible to kids. Meredith shares insights on teaching children about faith, the significance of wonder in convers...

Jo Hobbis introduces The Me I Was Made To Be podcast series, an accompaniment to the book The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden . Support the show Never miss an episode - follow Hope Cake on socials @hopecakepod

In this episode, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore how to have healthy, faith-filled conversations about identity with children in a digital world. You’ll gain practical insight into how to move beyond fear and guilt as a parent or leader, and instead build trust through curiosity, better questions, and relationship—following the way Jesus engaged with people. Christie unpacks why ident...

In this episode, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden open up a really honest, relatable conversation about those moments with kids that never quite go to plan — the spontaneous, unexpected questions that tend to show up in the car, in a corridor, or right in the middle of something else. Together, they explore what it looks like to respond when you don’t feel ready. Christie shares a really freei...

In this conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore what sits underneath some of the biggest and most sensitive questions in children’s ministry and discipleship: fear, identity, and how we handle conversations that feel close to the edge. It’s honest, unhurried, and deeply human—moving between personal stories, leadership tension, and the very real weight of trying to “get it right...

What does it really mean to belong in church when life, identity, and experience don’t fit neat categories? In this deeply honest conversation, Christie Penner Worden shares a personal story of loss, generosity, and painful misunderstanding from within church culture—alongside unexpected moments of grace from the people you might least expect. Together, we explore how identity is shaped, how the c...

In this conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore one of the most tender tensions in parenting and discipleship: how do we guide our children without trying to control the direction of their lives? Woven through stories, humour, and honest reflection, this episode feels like a long walk in itself—sometimes light and curious, sometimes deeply challenging. As you listen, you’ll like...

In this final conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden lean into the question that quietly sits underneath so many parenting and kids ministry fears: what happens when we miss it? Through stories of getting “lost” on a real-life walk, unexpected detours, and the tension of letting children lead, this episode gently unpacks what it means to trust God in the middle of uncertainty. You’ll f...

Jo Hobbis reflects on what she has learned about the identity conversation from Christie Penner Worden through their discussion of The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation .  Support the show Never miss an episode - follow Hope Cake on socials @hopecakepod