No Heart Left Behind's Hope in the Hard of Family Life Podcast

Grief touches everyone at some point, yet so many of us struggle to know what to do with it. In Part 2 with grief specialist, Gary Roe, we get practical about what it looks like to process grief in real life and in families. Gary explains why "getting the grief out" is essential to healing, and how churches can create spaces where lament is welcomed. Gary will help us understand what it looks like...

Grief touches every family at some point, yet so many of us struggle to know what to do with it. In this two-part conversation, we sit down with grief specialist, author, and speaker Gary Roe to explore what healthy, God-honoring grief looks like. In Part 1, Gary shares how God led him into grief ministry and how his personal experiences shaped his understanding of loss. Together, we unpack the mo...

In today's culture, kids are bombarded with messages about their bodies, food, and what it supposedly takes to be "enough." As parents and caregivers, the words we use and the attitudes we model at home can either help build a foundation of truth—or unintentionally reinforce harmful cultural lies. In this powerful conversation, Christie Dondero Bettwy, Executive Director of Rock Recovery in Washin...

Eating disorders are among the most misunderstood and isolating struggles, impacting not only those who suffer but also their families. In this episode of Hope in the Hard of Family Life, we sit down with Christie Dondero Bettwy, Executive Director of Rock Recovery in Washington, D.C., to shed light on the causes, signs, and spiritual battle behind eating disorders. Christie brings both profession...

Anger is something we all feel—but few of us really understand. Is it always bad? Why does it Conflict in marriage is inevitable — but it doesn't have to be destructive. In this episode, Pastor Lance Bourgeois joins us to unpack what the Bible says about conflict and how couples can resolve it in a way that protects unity, fosters intimacy, and points back to the hope of the Gospel. From the bibli...

Anger is something we all feel but few of us really understand. Is it always bad? Why does it show up so fast? And what can we do when it starts to boil over? In this episode of Hope in the Hard of Family Life, we explore the complexities of anger its causes, expressions, and how to channel it into something that heals rather than harms. You'll learn practical tools and spiritual truths from God's...

Have you ever walked through a season where life felt unstable, unpredictable, or unresolved? As we kick of season 5 of the podcast, Abby and Alicia will explore what it means to live "unsettled," and how God calls us not to comfort, but to trust Him with all our hearts. Drawing from Proverbs 3:5-6, we'll talk about the two paths we can take: leaning on our own understanding or trusting fully in t...

Throughout scripture, Jesus never minced his words on the call to forgive. Yet forgiveness can be one of the hardest things for believers to extend especially in situations of abuse, trauma, or deep betrayal. In the season 4 finale, Abby and Alicia discuss perspectives on forgiveness rooted in Matthew 18 that enable us to let go of bitterness and resentment and step into forgiveness. This conversa...

Parenting toddlers is no easy feat, but with sound, Christ-like prinicples as your foundation, even the hardest moments can be filled with hope and purpose. In this episode, Abby and Alicia discuss the goals of parenting toddlers along with heart postures and approaches to parenting that provide a strong emotional, cognitive, and physical foundation for toddlers. Alicia and Abby also talk candidly...

Becoming a first-time parent is a life-changing journey, packed with challenges, deep growth, and lasting impact on both individuals and couples. In this episode, Alicia talks with NHLB's provisionally licensed marriage and family therapist turned first-time parent, Laura Freeman, about the joys, struggles, and spiritual growth of life with a new baby. Alicia and Laura discuss challenging topics l...

In the second part of Alicia's conversation with executive director, Mike Linstead, Mike and Alicia finish their conversation about Mike's powerful transformation and freedom from addiction as well as discuss the addiction recovery program offered by The Nehamiah Project. The Nehemiah project looks to replace hopelessness with hope and offers a biblically-based holistic approach to addiction recov...

Over the next couple of episodes, we will be exploring the nature of addiction as a stronghold and how it impacts every area of life from relationships, family, and personal well-being. This series offers powerful personal testimony of being set free from the grip of alcoholism through the truth of the gospel. In the first part of this two-part conversation, Alicia talks with Mike Linstead, the ex...

In our final episode of our foster and adoption series, Alicia talks with NHLB counselor, Cally Caillouet PLPC, about the unique issues surrounding fostered and adopted children's mental health. Cally specializes in foster/adoptive issues and talks about the attachement challenges that foster/adopted kids face. Alicia and Cally disucss how parents can love and support these children to create more...

In this episode, Alicia will continue her conversation on fostering and adoption with John and Julie Wondergem of James Samaritan. In the second half of this conversation, John and Julie talk about the importance of foster and adoptive families building a support system to help with the unique challenges facing foster and adoptive children. They also share how their experience with fostering and a...

The journey of foster care and adoption can be overwhelming. As we begin a three-part series on foster care and adoption, Alicia talks with John and Julie Wondergem of James Samaritan, a ministry that exists to connect the community and church to create healthy support systems for kids and families in the foster care system. In this two-part conversation, John and Julie share their personal journe...

As humans, we all share the same intrinsic need to feel loved, accepted, and secure. Unfortunately as we navigate a broken world, we develop deep-seeded fears of being abandoned, unlovable, and unworthy. As a result, we put on a mask to help hide insecurities, imperfections, and fears. The problem with masks is that they are not representative of who we truly are. In this episode, Abby and Alicia...

Men's mental health is an issue that doesn't receive as much attention as it should. Statistics show that millions of men struggle with mental health issues, yet they frequently go unnoticed and under-diagnosed. In this episode, Alicia talks with NHLB counselor Jessica Knibbs about her passion for helping this underserved population and ending the silent struggle of men by encouraging them to step...

In the final episode of our grace series, Abby shares her wisdom on grace-based parenting. Grace-based parenting does not mean that parents throw boundaries and consequences out the window, rather it is an approach to parenting that emphasizes parenting children in the same way that God treats us, with limitless tenderness and grace. Alicia and Abby discuss key aspects of grace-based parenting alo...

In part two of the grace series, Abby and Alicia look at what it looks like to navigate the "hard" in marriage through the lens of grace. Having over 50 years of experience in marriage, Abby believes that a couple's ability to extend grace to each other is foundational to a lasting, life-giving marriage. In this episode, Alicia and Abby discuss how to extend grace to your spouse, obstacles to livi...

Grace. It's one of those words you often hear in church and Christian circles, but a word that can take a lifetime to experience and truly understand. In this three-part series, Alicia and Abby will do a deep dive into the concept of grace and how our experience and understanding of grace translates into our lives. In this first episode, they discuss topics like defining grace and the difference b...

As we open season 4, Alicia and Abby do a deep dive into Ephesians 5:1-2 that calls believers to be imitators of Christ in all we do, which includes family life. This means we are called to live differently, and that difference is most often seen amid trials and seasons of struggle. Join the conversation as Abby and Alicia discuss heart postures and practical tools for living a life of imitation o...

In the season 3 finale, Alicia and Abby dive into John chapter 15 to talk about the importance of abbing in Christ. Throughout season three, most of the guests attributed their ability to walk through hard seasons of life to their dependance on the Lord. In this conversation, Abby and Alicia talk about the nature of abiding and practical ways to walk in complete dependance and connection with the...

In the second part of Alicia's conversation about blending families with Senior Pastor Nathan Young, they discuss heart postures and guiding priniciples for bringing two families together as one in the most positive and God-honoring way possible. Pastor Nate shares the importance of establishing priorities and setting realistic, healthy boundaries around the blended family unit. Pastor Nate also e...

According to the US Census, aproximately 30-40% of families in the church are blended families. As this family structure in the church continues to grow, so does the need to minister to the dynamics surrounding blended families. In this two-part conversation, Alicia talks with Pastor Nathan Young, senior pastor of Community Church, about the difficult process of blending families. Not only does Pa...

Overcoming shame is a journey. In the final episode of our shame series, Abby and Alicia talk about practical steps to overcome shame. They offer wisdom on how to separate conviction from condemnation and encouragement on how to embrace your true identity in Christ. They also emphasize that God's loving view of the believer, despite thier failures, along with a profound understanding of God's grac...