There’s something really beautiful about hearing someone talk to God. This week on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast, we’re celebrating episode {100} with a compilation episode of guests praying. Find the Podcast Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and your favorite podcasting app. Or read the transcript. Leave a Review It would mean a lot to me if you took a moment to leave a review of Have Hope; Will...

Every parent’s nightmare became Ashley’s reality when her three-month-old son passed away at daycare. In this Have Hope; Will Travel podcast episode she vulnerability shares that experience, what grief looked like for her, and how she keeps her son’s memory alive. * What did grief look like for you? * How do you feel you handled the different aspects of grief? * How did the loss of your son impact your faith? * What do you wish others knew about child...

No one expects addiction to happen to them. In this episode of Have Hope; Will Travel, Katie Lain shares her story of how she developed an alcohol addiction and the challenges she ran into attempting to overcome it. Ultimately she found a treatment plan that has been incredibly successful for her and many others but is often undiscussed. Topics Addressed * What did alcohol addiction look like for you? * Once you realized there was a problem, what did you try...

I like to think most people—at least most Christians—don’t enter into a marriage expecting it to end in divorce. Yet it’s the reality for a lot of people. In this episode of Have Hope; Will Travel, guest Sara Slaybaugh walks us through how to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships, divorce in the church, and how to be supportive when someone you know is going through divorce. Topics Addressed: * How do we identify if a relationship is healthy or...

In attempt to give their children a better life than the Italian circus they were raised in, Amanda’s parents found themselves in a cult. In this episode of Have Hope; Will Travel Amanda shares about that experience, compiled with her experience being sex and labor trafficked, and how writing has always been an escape for her. Now she’s a creative strategist, writer, and executive helping others live beyond their wildest dreams. Questions Addressed * How did you...

It can be hard to be a Christian in a secular workplace. Some fields make that even harder than others. Grace Tran has some experience here as a female Christian in technology in Silicon Valley. She’s got a powerful story of being the daughter of immigrants, growing up in Silicon Valley, and leaving a high-paying job for a ministry role. This is an episode you’re not going to want to miss. Questions Addressed * Tell us what it was like to be the daughter of Taiwanese...

This week we’re journeying where no Have Hope; Will Travel podcast episode has ever gone before: we’re going to talk about abortion. Jenny Lee vulnerably trusts us with her story of having an abortion in a country where they’re illegal. She talks about what led to that place, how she felt and feels about her decisions, and what the experience was like. Questions Addressed: * What was it like growing up in Indonesia? * How did you break out of the...

Brittany Simmons spent 24 years in the United States Army. She’s a graduate of and has taught at West Point Military Academy and she’s been deployed to Iraq twice. The first time she was a platoon leader in charge of 32 Military Police Soldiers who experienced a lot of up-close and personal combat. Her soldiers were the first responders to the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, TX. She now works as a leadership coach using the lessons she learned as a military leader to help strengthen other...

We all love to travel, don’t we? It’s why we’re here: listening to different stories and different perspectives from all around the globe. This week we’re learning from someone who’s taken multi-culturalism to the next level. Janet Sandberg is a Canadian married to an American who’s lived in Canada, the United States, Germany, Indonesia, and China. She’s given birth in two different countries (Indonesia and Germany). Topics Addressed: * What’s taken you all over the...

There is a gap between what churches provide and what single adults need. MaryB. Safrit fills that gap with resources, guides, coaching, and so much more. This week on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast she’s helping us understand why singles matter, she’s educating us on how we can love singles in our lives well, and she’s offering support to singles everywhere. Topics Addressed: * Why do singles matter? * How can we support the singles in our lives? * What...

I love bringing real-life friends onto the show to share their story and their perspective. This week guest has a powerful story of becoming involved in drugs, his life with a drug addiction, his near experiences, the journey to recovery, and the joy he now shares in Jesus. It’s a gift to get to work with Florence Mayez on this side of recovery. If he hadn’t told me about his experiences, I wouldn’t have known. And now he’s willing to share them with you too. Topics...

You hear it all the time: people differentiating Catholic and Christian. Are the two really all that different? This week we’re traveling to New Mexico to learn from a Catholic friend what it means to be Catholic, some differences, and some similarities. Topics Addressed: * What makes New Mexico different from most other states? * How did growing up in New Mexico shape your worldview? * What are some common misconceptions people have about...

Stephanie Freethy was a police officer in Houston, TX, for 13 years. In this week’s episode she’s willing to “go there” with us—to share her perspective as a white female cop, to talk about police brutality, and to offer an insider’s look at policing. Topics Addressed: * What made you decide to become a police officer? * Why did you leave the force after 13 years? * What does discrimination look like? * What do you wish the average public knew...

Kellina Powell lost her hearing at age 4 when her daycare didn’t follow instructions to treat her ear infection. Ever since then, she’s lived in two different worlds—deaf and hearing. Join us on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast as we learn about her experience, hear her perspective, and explore what’s supportive and what’s not actually supportive. She is a Deaf Queen Boss. You are going to love this episode! Topics Addressed: * Kellina’s story of becoming...

At Have Hope; Will Travel we’re not afraid to take on hard topics. In this episode Sequana Murray has agreed to go deep with us as we talk about: poverty, single-motherhood, depression, suicide, creativity, music, recreation, and so much more. Topics Addressed: * How did you get into music? * What does it mean to be Christian-adjacent? * What do you wish everyone knew about single mom life? * What do you mean when you say you befriended your...

Lori Ann Wood was in pristine health when she was diagnosed with heart failure. She walked herself into the ICU with six percent of her heart functioning. Against all medical odds, she survived and she’s joining us this week on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast to share her story and how it changed her faith. Topics Addressed * How did you know you were experiencing heart failure? * What have you deemed to be three questions every life must answer? * What...

Is suffering redeemable? That’s the big question we’re tackling this week with guest Karis Meier. In this episode of Have Hope; Will Travel Karis shares her own experience with chronic illness, how it has affected her relationship with God, and her perspective on suffering—as someone with some first-hand experience. Topics Addressed: * Help us understand what life is like with chronic illness. * How do you separate yourself from your illness? * What’s...

Emily is an unlikely worthiness coach who specializes in helping people stop feeling like they aren’t enough so that they can confidently be themselves. She joins us this week on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast to share about her experience growing up in a cult church, leaving said church and community, and restoring her relationship with God after spiritual trauma. Topics Addressed: * Identifying and leaving a cult church* Starting over with a new community* How did...

We say it every week: your story matters. How you tell your story matters. What you believe about your story matters. This week’s guest is a storytelling consultant who shares about how she overcame sexual abuse and survived a childhood cult. She offers us some advice on how to alter our stories from trauma and hurt to healing and redemption. Topics Addressed * How did you recognize you were involved in a cult?* What did the process of leaving look like?* How was having...

This week’s guest and I have spent a lot of hours together—studying, traveling, and theologizing. We went to college together, served in ministry together, and studied abroad together. This week on Have Hope; Will Travel podcast we’re inviting you into the conversation as we talk about God and LGBTQ+. Rev. Dr. Keith A. Menhinick is a pastor, theologian, scholar, a professor at Emory University, and a friend. He’s a lot of fun, and I think you’re going to really enjoy...

Evening Snow is the oldest of 13 children. When she was adopted from Ethiopia, she joined the Snow family to become the oldest of 8. In this episode Evening shares about her transition from Ethiopia to the United States, learning English as her third language, and how her legal and biological ages are different. We also unpack complex topics including adoption and suicide. Key Topics Addressed * Being adopted as an older child* Life as the oldest of 13 children* Advice...

This week we welcome back Marla Taviano for the second part of the conversation we had in episode {76}. This time we’re talking about race–two women sharing their journeys to becoming antiracists. Topics Addressed: * What is White Girl Learning?* Why becoming an antiracist matters* What we can do to make the world a more inclusive place (yes, the answer involves listening to Have Hope; Will Travel so high five, you’re already doing it)* Books to start reading Find...

Ana Maria Tromp is an overcomer who’s lived in three different countries and speaks four languages. She’s a recovering perfectionist willing to share what she’s learned from burning out and now becoming a women’s empowerment coach. Topics Addressed: * Growing up in a dysfunctional household* Living in Venezuela, the Netherlands, and Aruba* Learning to speak four languages and her preferred language at this point* How to identify burn-out* Tips for overcoming...

Kelsey Pfleiderer was in her twenties when she was (eventually) diagnosed with a spinal tumor. Now she uses authentic storytelling to talk about chronic illness, grief, and motherhood in hopes that others find their own story in hers. Topics Addressed: * Kelsey’s story of being diagnosed with a spinal tumor in her twenties* How to find joy in dark times* Coping with a new diagnosis when it seems everyone else has moved on* Carrying the impact of how your diagnosis...