Hope Talks

Are you stressed out and wondering how to find peace in your daily life?   Stress has become the background noise of modern life. Between endless responsibilities, constant notifications, information overload, and busy schedules, many of us feel overwhelmed and don't know how to slow down.   In this episode, Haley and Dustin explore what stress really is, the difference between healthy and unhealt...

As America marks its 250th anniversary, there's no better time to ask: what has kept this nation standing? Elizabeth Carlyle's answer is simple — prayer.   Elizabeth learned that at age eleven, when her father suffered a heart attack and was rushed away in an ambulance. She rode her bike to the end of the street, watched it go by, and prayed. He survived. And fifty years later, she still prays eve...

What would your life look like if you stopped striving to earn approval? If you didn't wrestle with guilt or shame? If you truly understood God's grace?   For most of us, that feels more like a dream than a reality—because grace is one of the most common words in Christianity and also one of the most misunderstood. We know we're saved by grace, yet we still live with performance, shame, striving,...

Have you ever felt like your relationship with God isn't quite what it's "supposed" to look like?   In this conversation, Haley and Dustin sit down with Hosanna Wong — international speaker, spoken word artist, and best-selling author — to talk about what it looks like to stop overcomplicating your faith and actually enjoy God for real.   Hosanna shares her remarkable story: growing up in outdoor...

What do you do when life starts to feel like it's spiraling out of control and you can't figure out why?   In this conversation, Haley and Dustin sit down with Levi Lusko, pastor, best-selling author, and founder of Fresh Life Church to talk honestly about grief, loss, and the unexpected season of crisis that led to his newest book, Blessed Are the Spiraling.   Levi shares the devastating loss of...

In this special episode, Haley and Dustin discuss God’s heart for the nations and Hope for the Heart’s international ministry. From biblical foundations for missions to powerful stories of transformation from around the world, this conversation explores how God is bringing hope to people across cultures, languages, and circumstances.    Haley shares how she was called into international ministry,...

What if the Christian life isn’t about achieving – but receiving?    In this episode, Dr. Libin Abraham, lead pastor of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, shares how discovering grace transformed his faith from burnout to freedom. Instead of striving to earn identity, he learned to rest in what God had already done.    Together, we explore the difference between a “rowboat” life powered by effort and a “...

Dr. Lee Warren is a neurosurgeon and author of The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery, but his story goes far beyond medicine. After losing his son tragically and unexpectedly, he found himself navigating unimaginable grief. Yet on the very same day as his son’s funeral, the birth of his granddaughter gave him a glimpse of hope in the darkness.   In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Warren...

Nobody likes the feeling when your thoughts are spiraling – when your emotions feel out of control.   So what can you do in those moments?   In this episode, Haley and Dustin talk about how to care for your mental health in a practical, biblical way. They unpack key principles about your thoughts and emotions, address common misconceptions that keep us stuck, and walk through Philippians 4:8, show...

Haley and Dustin are joined by Dr. Rich Kannwischer, pastor of Peachtree Church in Atlanta, Georgia and author of Cultivate: How God Grows the Fruit of the Spirit within Us.   Richard shares his powerful hope story from early in his ministry about a tragic moment that left him questioning himself, his calling, and whether he had failed. In that season, God began to reshape how he saw his identity...

At 18 years old, Lauren Daugherty received a cancer diagnosis that would change her life. In this episode, she shares her honest and powerful story of navigating fear, treatment, and the unknown—and how God met her in the middle of it all.    Lauren opens up about the role of family, community, and faith during her hardest moments, as well as what led her to share her journey publicly to encourage...

In this replay episode, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations with guest Jamie Winship and explore what it means to truly live fearless.    Drawing from his own journey—from a fear-driven identity to one rooted in Christ—Jamie shares how understanding who you are changes everything.   Together, we discuss how fear shapes our decisions, how to recognize God’s voice in everyday moments,...

In this special 100th episode of Hope Talks, we pause to celebrate and reflect on the journey so far. We share why we started the podcast, the heart behind the ministry, and what we’ve learned along the way.    Dustin and Haley both share their hope stories about navigating grief, trials, and disappointments – and how God was faithful in every season. Together, we talk about why hope matters, what...

In this episode, we’re joined by bestselling author and researcher Shaunti Feldhahn to talk about her book, When Hurting People Come to Church. Shaunti shares her hope story of how her faith was refined during her time at Harvard and the role of a supportive Christian community in that season. We also discuss her unexpected journey from Wall Street to ministry – and what happens when you simply sa...

As Good Friday and Easter approach, we step back to talk about the most important message in the Bible – the gospel. What exactly is the “good news” of Jesus Christ, and why does it matter for every one of us?    In this episode, we explore the heart of the Christian faith: that Jesus, the Son of God, lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again so that we could be forgiven, declared ri...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin are joined by counselor and author Darby Strickland to talk about trauma – what it is, how it affects us, and how the church can care well for those who are hurting.    Darby shares her hope story about a season of deep uncertainty after her young son received a serious diagnosis, and how that experience shaped her understanding of trusting God in the unknown. Dra...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin sit down with author and speaker Megan Fate Marshman for a deeply honest conversation about hope, grace, and spiritual formation.   Megan shares powerful personal stories about finding our identity in Christ, the temptation to hide in shame, and the freedom that comes when we bring our pain, sin, and struggles into the light. Together, we explore why we often want...

Author and theologian Dr. Joel Muddamalle joins us to talk about spiritual warfare, trusting God in uncertainty, and the deeper story Scripture tells about the unseen battle.    Joel shares two powerful “hope stories” from his own life—walking through fear when his missionary grandfather was kidnapped overseas and when his young son suffered from seizures—moments that taught him to trust the Lord...

Do you believe that God is at work in the small, ordinary moments of life? On this episode, we’re joined by author, podcaster, and speaker Cynthia Yanof, whose life and ministry are rooted in seeing God in the daily, often messy moments of life. From practicing law to stepping into ministry, from foster care and adoption to gas-station confessions revelations, Cynthia shares how God continually me...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin are joined by Dr. Steve Midgley, author of Understanding Trauma and Executive Director of Biblical Counselling UK.   Steve shares two powerful stories of hope—from coming to faith in Christ after years of skepticism in medical school and learning vulnerability during a difficult season of caring for his special needs daughter. We explore how God meets us in our we...

We all want to change, be healed, and experience freedom … but how does that actually happen? No matter what struggle you're facing, the process of transformation often follows a similar path.   In this episode, we share six biblical concepts that go deeper than behavior and reach the heart. We begin with the foundation—the gospel of Jesus Christ—then explore seeing yourself through God’s eyes (id...

Are you overly critical of yourself? Perhaps of others? And how do you respond to negative, critical people?   In this episode, we discuss how to deal with a critical spirit – whether you are critical of yourself or others, or you have to deal with judgmental people. We discuss the misconceptions around Jesus' command "do not judge" and how a critical spirit can show up in our lives and relationsh...

What does it really look like to care for others well – and how do you do it without becoming overwhelmed? In this episode, Haley and Dustin unpack the biblical foundations of effective care and counsel – and why every believer is called to help in some capacity. They address common barriers that hold people back – fear, self-doubt, and feeling unqualified – and share 10 biblical principles for he...

Trauma. It seems like we hear about it everywhere these days. But what does the Bible say about it? In this episode, Haley and Dustin provide a biblical and lay-level understanding of the basics of trauma – what it is, what it is not, and how it’s different from everyday stress and pain. They also explore how trauma can impact us in different ways and also highlight biblical characters and stories...

Rebekah Lyons shares her powerful hope story of navigating a difficult childbirth and learning that her firstborn son had Down syndrome. In that tender, uncertain season, she discovered what it truly meant to surrender control and trust God with her whole heart.  Together, we explore how adversity can strengthen our faith, why risk is an essential part of spiritual growth, and how resilience helps...