Episode 99: How to Live A Life That Doesn't Feel Like Mine with Susan Robinson
At some point, you’ve probably felt like you were living in some strange alternate version of your life. Maybe it was after a tragedy as dramatic as a stroke. Perhaps it was something as mundane as realizing you’re middle aged. We desperately want to find our way back to the way life used to be, but it turns out that version of life is beyond our reach. So what are our options here? We can keep longing for what was—unsatisfied, absent, and stuck. Or we can learn to love the “new normal” in front of us. Yeah, I like that option.Today I’m joined by my wise and wonderful friend Susan Robinson to uncover how we can learn to love the lives we never imagined living.I loved this conversation so much. Here’s a preview of what we got into…The thing that helped make my post-stroke life feel not only normal, but hopefulWhat advice I’d give to my pre-stroke selfWhat I miss most about my old lifeThe childhood dream that has been the most difficult to releaseI hope you enjoy this important conversation, friend, and, even more than that, I hope you can learn to truly enjoy your one precious life.Show Notes:Treasures in the Dark: 90 Reflections on Finding Bright Hope Hidden in the Hurting - https://a.co/d/51XN3fqWhat's Here Now?: How to Stop Rehashing the Past and Rehearsing the Future--and Start Receiving the Present by Jeannie Stevens - https://a.co/d/4EUeIXuThe GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 96: Losing Memory and Keeping Hope with Alzheimer's Expert Megan Carnarius - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/60ed5c2e5e34383a7079f18c20333809Scriptures referenced in this episode:***There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
--------
34:51
Episode 98: Receiving the Gift You Didn't Want with Philip Yancey
“Hope is believing in advance what can only be understood in reverse.”These words have been the rally cry of my soul for over a decade now, but I didn’t come up with them myself. Philip Yancey did. This gentle, thoughtful writer has spent his career exploring the topic of suffering which, as you can imagine, has meant so much to me. Today I have the honor of sitting down with Philip to talk about some things that we can’t understand today, but trust we’ll understand some day. (Like his recent Parkinson’s diagnosis.)This hour with Philip filled my soul, and I think it’ll do the same for you. Here’s what you can expect if you join us in the conversation:Why pain is not the enemyThe most helpful definition of health I’ve heard yetWe can receive God’s comfort, even when we don’t understand HimStewarding the suffering we never wantedThe best thing we can be for God to use usIf you need a compassionate, encouraging voice speaking into your suffering—whatever it may be—then this episode is for you!Show Notes:Where Is God When It Hurts by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/6xf3QxVThe Gift of Pain: Why We Hurt and What We Can Do About It by Philip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand - https://a.co/d/3GapVr9“Parkinson’s—The Gift I Didn’t Want” by Philip Yancey for Christianity Today - https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/02/philip-yancey-ct-parkinsons-diagnosis-gift-i-didnt-want/How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture by Francis A. Schaeffer - https://a.co/d/f5H3bxkWhere the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/47InSUWScriptures referenced in this episode:2 Corinthians 1:4Romans 8***There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
--------
1:00:43
Episode 97: Having It Out with God with Erin Moon
Some of you will want to turn this episode off about three minutes in because we’re talking about deconstruction. I say this with love: skipping this episode would be a mistake! Whether you’ve never doubted your faith for a moment or you’re ready to burn it all down, today’s conversation has something so good for you. I guarantee it.Having an out-of-the-blue stroke as a healthy 26 year-old and losing the life I loved so dearly pretty much cured me of pretending I had all the answers. Grief, heartbreak, and unmet expectations have a way of undoing the framework we have for reality—and that includes the way we understand God, the Bible, and our faith communities. Friends, on the other side of all my certainty I found something so much better. I learned mystery and doubt aren’t something to fear or feel ashamed about.My guest is the remarkable Erin Hicks Moon. She’s an hysterically funny and incredibly poignant writer and podcaster who has become a beloved spokeswoman for those of us who are tired of pretending to have all the answers.Here’s a preview of what we’ll get into:How to normalize doubt, rather than glamorize or villainize itWhy faith has become synonymous with certaintyHow to parent kids when we don’t have all the answers about faithWhat do to when the Bible stops making senseIf you need to feel less alone and ashamed as you wrestle with your doubt, this episode is for you.Show Notes:I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out With God by Erin Moon - https://a.co/d/eqjrhLnMeredith Ann Miller - https://www.instagram.com/meredithannemillerCounterpoint series from Zondervan - https://zondervanacademic.com/products/category/counter-pointsGood Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand by Jeff Chu -https://a.co/d/1tXrmDUThe Faith Adjacent Podcast - https://faithadjacent.com/Erin on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erinhmoonErin on Substack - https://erinhmoon.substack.com/Scriptures referenced in this episode:Genesis 32:22-32***There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
--------
1:00:53
Episode 96: Losing Memory and Keeping Hope with Alzheimer's Expert Megan Carnarius
Aging is a privilege and we should treat it like the gift it is. But the gift of aging comes with complex challenges and unavoidable sadnesses, like memory loss. If you’re caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia—or if you’re facing a memory loss diagnosis yourself—I want to offer some encouragement and practical wisdom for you to navigate this tender experience as well as you can.This week’s podcast guest is Alzheimer’s specialist Megan Carnarius, who is doing the hard and holy work of dignifying the experiences of people living with memory loss. I pray today’s conversation with Megan gives you fresh hope for your future and the futures of the ones you love. Here’s just a preview of what Meg and I covered:Making every stage of aging as good as it can beNavigating the “hand-off” of independenceLearning how to help the soul of our loved ones shine throughFinding “fall out” blessings in life with memory lossReframing our older years as an “Inner adventure”If you need expert advice for navigating the realities of memory loss, this episode is for you.Show Notes:A Deeper Perspective on Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias: Practical Tools with Spiritual Insights by Megan Carnarius - https://a.co/d/dI1lbRsScriptures referenced in this episode:2 Corinthians 4:16***There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
--------
57:28
Episode 95: Invisible Wheelchairs with Caroline Young
I’ve processed and shared countless insights from my second-chance life, but no idea has resonated more deeply and widely with you all than the idea of “invisible wheelchairs.” You know what I’m talking about—those unseen parts of our stories that feel like they’re holding us back from the most abundant versions of our lives.Maybe your invisible wheelchair is shame, doubt, worry, loneliness, or insecurity. As a physically disabled person, I’m dealing with “invisible wheelchairs” that have absolutely nothing to do with my stroke. There’s plenty of dysfunction to go around (HA!) and I’m letting you into what feels most disabling to me these days.On this episode, my teammate Caroline and I are working through the invisible wheelchairs in our own lives and the opportunities they offer us, if we have eyes to see them.Tune into this episode to hear how you can…Identify your invisible wheelchairsFind creativity within your unique constraintsDe-personalize and get curious about your invisible wheelchairsShow up as the person you are today, not the one you thought you’d beIf you’ve needed language for the inside stuff that’s holding you back, this episode is for you!Show Notes:Suffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything by Katherine and Jay Wolf - https://a.co/d/beOpiYdOpen Spaces Podcast with Jeff and Jourdan Johnson - https://www.theopenspacescollective.com/podcastMend Coffee and Goods - https://www.mendcoffee.org/Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/campThe Story Work Conference - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything by Adam Young - https://theallendercenter.org/event/storyworkconference/Scriptures referenced in this episode:Romans 12:!2***There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? Sign up for the Hope Note, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:Hope Heals: https://hopeheals.com/Hope Heals Camp: https://hopeheals.com/campMend Coffee: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/
On The GoodHard Story Podcast, we believe the good story and the hard story can be the same story. Host Katherine Wolf—stroke survivor, speaker, author, and disability advocate—is inviting you to join her in discovering the treasures hidden in our hurting. Sit in on candid conversations with Katherine, the Hope Heals team, and some beloved guests as they work out what it means to wholeheartedly live a good/hard life. Katherine is a defining voice of our time, so you don’t want to miss her hard-won insights on the places where pain and joy can co-exist. We are so excited to welcome you to The GoodHard Story Podcast!
South Africa