Hope Talks

Katherine Wolf shares her remarkable story of surviving a life-changing stroke and later navigating a high-risk pregnancy that resulted in the miraculous birth of her second son. With honesty and grace, she reflects on the “collateral blessings” God has brought from what once felt like only loss, and the unexpected ways He has redeemed her suffering. Katherine also shares how these experiences sha...

When Bethany Murdock learned she and her husband wouldn’t be able to have children, her world felt shattered. Yet in that deep place of pain, God invited her into an even deeper relationship with Him. In this encouraging conversation, Bethany—Christian Life Coach, author, and trainer with ICCI—shares her story of hope, healing, and spiritual growth. Drawing from her book Into the Deep, she unpacks...

Happy New Year! In this episode, Haley and Dustin sit down with Cynthia Baker, life coach and author of Still Stuck. They discuss why we often get stuck accomplishing our goals — and how we can experience real, lasting change.  Cynthia opens with her hope story of overcoming an eating disorder in seminary and how changing her mindset became the turning point toward healing. She walks through four...

Merry Christmas! In this special Christmas episode, Haley and Dustin fix their eyes on Jesus – the hope of the world. They explore solid historical and biblical evidence for His deity, reflect on His titles (Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, and more), and conclude with reflection questions to stir your heart to worship the Savior this Christmas season. Subscribe to the podcast and tune in...

This week on Hope Talks, we welcome singer, songwriter, comedian, and storyteller Mark Lowry—best known for writing the beloved Christmas song “Mary, Did You Know?” and for his years with the Gaither Vocal Band.  In this warm and funny Christmas conversation, Mark shares his hope story, beginning with a devastating car accident that left him with multiple broken bones and unexpectedly launched his...

Best-selling author, speaker, and storyteller Jon Seidl joins us again—this time post-launch of his new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic. Jon shares the encouragement he’s received from the book, how he stays grounded in what truly matters, and why recovery must aim at Jesus rather than simply staying sober.  He walks us through the four key steps that shaped his journey: abiding in Chri...

In this special episode recorded at the 2025 Hope Together Conference, Haley and Dustin are joined by Air Force Lt. Col. David Tharp and Army veteran Scott Meador. Together, they share how God met them in the darkest moments—through suicidal despair, physical pain, and the lasting impact of war. Their personal stories of hope led them to create UpArmor, a Christ-centered trauma recovery training d...

In this replay episode, we’re revisiting one of our favorite conversations on gratitude. Haley kicks things off with a special Thanksgiving song, and together we reflect on what the Bible says about being thankful – even when it’s not easy. We explore some roadblocks that make gratitude difficult at times and share some practical ways to grow in gratitude and give thanks to the Lord in all things....

The holidays can bring joy – but also remind us of old family patterns that still hurt. In this episode, Dustin and Haley talk about what family dysfunction means … and what it doesn’t mean. Through stories of biblical families marked by dysfunction, we see how God still works through imperfect people and messy relationships. Together, we explore “unspoken rules” that often define family systems a...

Marcus Warner, president of Deeper Walk International, returns for a special episode recorded at our 2025 Hope Together Conference. When anxiety and ministry burnout hit, Marcus couldn’t understand why … until God revealed unhealed wounds from his past. In this honest and insightful conversation, Marcus shares how unresolved trauma had shaped his life and how Jesus led him into healing and restora...

Nona Jones knows what it’s like to live with the pain of rejection and abuse … from people who should have offered love. But she’s also learned that rejection doesn’t have to define you. It can refine you. In this conversation, Nona shares her hope story of how the love of Christ began healing the wounds of rejection and showing her that God’s acceptance is greater than any person’s approval. Draw...

What makes a great leader … and what causes even good ones to stumble? Dr. Eric Scalise, president of Hope for the Heart, joins us again on Hope Talks. Drawing on decades of leadership experience across ministry, academia, and organizational life, Dr. Scalise shares key insights into the heart of healthy and unhealthy leadership. Together, we explore three common challenges every leader faces: ins...

In this episode, Dr. Michael Guillen – former Harvard physics instructor and Emmy award–winning ABC News science editor – shares his remarkable journey from atheism to faith in Christ.  Drawing from his book Believing Is Seeing, Dr. Guillen shares his hope story of walking through infertility with his wife, encountering God in the midst of exhaustion, and being led to adoption. We also talk about...

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Earley — business lawyer, speaker, podcaster, and author of numerous books on habits and spiritual disciplines.  Justin shares his journey of walking through a season of anxiety and burnout and how God used it to reshape his view of life and faith. We dive into his new book, The Body Teaches the Soul: Ten Essential Habits to Form a Healthy and Holy Life, ex...

The world tells us to fight aging, hide it, or fear it … but God’s Word offers a better way. In this episode, Haley and Dustin talk about aging well: what the Bible says about growing older, the blessings and challenges of aging, and the markers of true maturity.  They also share some practical questions to think through as you consider your next season of life, and discuss the truth of Isaiah 46:...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin are joined by Shayne and Sheila Pitcock, a husband-and-wife Christian life coaching team and founders of Journey 2 Unity, a coaching practice specializing in individual and marital growth. Their story is one of pain, perseverance, and ultimately, God’s healing restoration. Sheila shares how she came to know the Lord after growing up in a rules-based, legalistic en...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin sit down with Pastor Ryan Walling of Bayshore Baptist Church in La Porte, Texas. Ryan shares how he came to know the Lord as a child and sensed God’s call into ministry, but much of our conversation centers around a deeply personal journey—walking through infertility, adoption, and parenting. Ryan and his wife, Jessica, wrestled with years of infertility before de...

“Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25). Worry is so familiar that we often treat it as inevitable – yet Jesus gives us a direct command not to. His words aren’t a cold prohibition but a gracious invitation to trust the Father’s love and care for us. In this episode, Haley and Dustin dive into Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 to unpack the difference between worry and healthy concern. Along the way, they share...

In this special extended episode, Haley and Dustin sit down with former Secret Service Agent Darin Kinder, who was just 100 yards away when the planes struck the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. In this powerful conversation, Darin walks us through that tragic day — what he saw, what he felt, and how God sustained him through the chaos. Along the way, we unpack how his experience s...

In this episode, we unpack the messy dynamics of codependency – what it is, how it shows up in all kinds of relationships, and how we can fall into unhealthy relationship patterns without realizing it. We look at codependent relationships from both sides: the person who struggles with being overly needy and dependent, and the one who feels the urge to step in, rescue, or be needed. We talk through...

In this replay episode, Haley and Dustin sit down with Chrystal Evans Hurst – author, speaker, coach, and encourager – to hear her story of finding hope in every season of life. From navigating single motherhood and uncertain career paths to stepping unexpectedly into writing, speaking, and ministry, Chrystal shares how God has continually stitched together the puzzle pieces of her life. She discu...

Abandoned at birth and raised in Romanian orphanages, Lucian Mastata knows the pain of rejection, neglect, and loneliness. In this heartfelt conversation, Lucian shares how a chance visit to a Christmas carol service as a teenager introduced him to the hope of Jesus and changed everything.  As he continued to return to church, he discovered that God was not a distant figure but a loving Father who...

Verbal and emotional abuse is often invisible and hard to detect, but its effects run deep. In this episode, Haley and Dustin discuss the impact and power of our words, and how abuse can shape our sense of worth, identity, and dignity. They explore what verbal and emotional abuse is — and what it isn’t — and discuss the types of verbal abuse found in Scripture as well as the subtle and not-so-subt...

Heather MacFadyen, host of the widely loved Don’t Mom Alone podcast and the author of two books (Don’t Mom Alone and Right Where You Belong) joins us for an encouraging conversation on motherhood, grief, humility, and grace. She shares her hope story of when God’s promises became precious to her when both her parents were battling cancer, her father passed away, and she was caring for her mother w...

Singleness often carries silent struggles—shame, embarrassment, loneliness, and questions about identity or purpose. In this episode, Haley opens up about her own journey of navigating singleness throughout different seasons of her life. We discuss how culture and even the church can sometimes elevate marriage as the ultimate goal in life, but God calls each of us—single or married—to something gr...