The Hope Story Podcast

hope*writers

Every writer has a story worth telling—and every story holds the power to bring hope. Whether you’re just starting your writing journey or you’re ready to take your craft and publishing knowledge to the next level, The Hope Story Podcast is here to guide you. Brought to you by hopewriters and hopebooks, this podcast is the most encouraging place for writers who want to grow in their words, share their message of hope, and make real progress. Each episode offers inspiring conversations, practical writing advice and honest encouragement to help you balance the art of writing with everyday life—without losing heart along the way. Your words matter. Your story of hope matters. Let’s take the next step together and get your words into the world.

  1. Sep 22

    My Hope Story Volume 4: Finding Hope Through Grief, Weakness, Forgiveness, and Healing

    The episode celebrates the release of My Hope Story Volume 4 with contributors Linda, Jessica, Kimberly, and Christy, beginning with a lightning round and then exploring each woman’s chapter. Linda shares how her husband Gary’s cancer diagnosis and death reshaped her view of the fragility of the future, the non-linear nature of grief, and led her into nursing and hospice care, emphasizing that God holds people in hopeless moments. Jessica describes redefining strength from independence and suppressing pain to vulnerability, crying, asking for help, and trusting “My grace is sufficient,” including a two-year period without contact with her young daughter that required surrendering control. Christy recounts healing from abortion wounds by bringing secrecy into the light, moving from shame to testimony, and receiving forgiveness and abundant life. Kimberly explains how unforgiveness trapped her after a controlling, betraying relationship, how forgiveness is a choice distinct from reconciliation, and how freedom unlocked creativity and restored joy. Together they discuss hope as God-given trust and encourage readers to find healing and not feel alone; the book is available on major platforms. 00:00 Welcome and Guests 00:25 Lightning Round Intros 03:03 Hope Story Setup 03:36 Linda Fragile Futures 05:41 Linda Grief in Waves 07:22 Linda Hospice Calling 09:42 Jessica Redefining Strength 11:51 Jessica Grace Sufficient 13:08 Jessica Trust and Control 17:24 Christy Beyond Forgiveness 20:28 Christy Hope Returns 22:10 Life Beyond Forgiveness 23:41 Shame Into Testimony 25:13 Unforgiveness Keeps You Stuck 27:38 Choosing Forgiveness Daily 29:41 Forgive Without Reconcile 31:25 Freedom Unlocks Calling 33:47 When You're Not Ready 35:21 Redefining Hope Together 38:13 What I'd Tell Her 42:47 What We Hope You Find 44:28 Final Hope Story Sendoff

  2. Sep 21

    Faithfulness: Steadfast in Every Season

    Faithfulness: Steadfast in Every Season Three women. Three stories. One fruit of the Spirit. Michelle Harder, Christene Kamberis, and Yankele Greene share the raw, unglamorous middle of what it looks like to stay faithful — not from the easy side, but from the hard. Michelle walks through the hardest year of her life and discovers God was perfectly faithful in the chaos. Christene shares the decades-long journey of raising a son with cerebral palsy and autism, being told he'd never learn to love her, and finding God at a stoplight when she'd all but walked away. And Yankele writes from inside the drift — spinning in every direction until God told her to sit, be still, and let herself be loved. Together, their stories weave a common thread: God never moved. We're the ones who drift. And faithfulness isn't about getting it right — it's about coming back. 0:00 — Introduction & guest introductions 1:43 — Michelle Harder: The hardest year of her life 5:32 — The blessings list that changed everything 8:17 — Christene Kamberis: From wanting a house full of kids to special ed 10:56 — "He'll never learn to love you" — the devastating appointment 13:19 — The stoplight: God shows up 16:55 — Yankele Greene: Singing to Aunt Emma in the rehab facility 20:32 — Writing from inside the drift & the prayer to be uncomfortable 25:20 — Faithfulness isn't perfection — it's returning 31:05 — Roundtable: What surprised you about each other's stories 36:11 — Closing & where to find the book

    Faithfulness: Steadfast in Every Season
  3. Sep 21

    Gentleness: Strength in the Stillness Part 1

    This episode is part 1 that celebrates the release of Gentleness: Strength in the Stillness with contributors Carrie Alexander, Monica Martinez, and Rebecca Peters, beginning with a lightning round about small joys, self-criticism, and gentleness as soft yet strong. Carrie shares how an unexpectedly difficult pregnancy and later a breast cancer journey taught her to release control, grieve, and surrender by trusting God, finding peace, and noticing how God shows up through people. Monica describes losing her sense of self, struggling with harsh inner dialogue and suicidal thoughts, and beginning healing through brutal honesty, journaling, self-compassion, and trust in a higher power, encouraging others to start with inner work and honesty. Rebecca explains shifting from “why” to “what do you want to do in me,” acknowledging emotions before forgiveness, releasing hurt through practices like prayer, somatic work, and dancing, and forgiving with boundaries by relying on Jesus. Together they say gentleness brings peace, trust, and freedom, and encourage listeners to bring emptiness and chaos to God; the book is available on major platforms. 00:00 Welcome and Book Launch 00:15 Lightning Round on Gentleness 02:54 Carrie on Letting Go 05:14 Surrender as Strength 09:17 Monica on Inner Critic 12:47 Practicing Self Compassion 17:13 Rebecca on Healing Questions 19:42 Feeling Hurt and Forgiveness 22:00 Releasing Emotions in the Body 22:48 Dancing Through Emotions 23:54 Forgiveness With Boundaries 26:36 Writing For The Wounded 28:05 Gentleness Versus Control 33:42 Lessons From Lived Stories 39:40 When Life Feels Harsh 42:33 Final Reflections And Invitation

  4. Sep 20

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 1

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 1 Host Leilani celebrates the launch of the collaborative book *Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season* with three contributing authors — Stephanie, Kelly, and Tyann. Each shares the personal story behind her chapter: Stephanie on her family's adoption journey, Kelly on fulfilling a decades-old promise to God after returning from West African ministry, and Tyann on how a broken bone slowed her physically and opened her spiritually. Together they discuss what the writing process revealed about God's character, why patience is a divine gift rather than a human achievement, and how collaborative authorship gave each of them the courage to share. Get your copy HERE - 0:00 — Welcome & Book Introduction - 2:11 — Meet Stephanie: Her Current Season - 2:59 — Meet Kelly: Transition & Fearlessness - 5:12 — Meet Tyann: Embracing Slow - 6:59 — The Heart of the Project - 7:26 — Stephanie: Stirred by the Theme - 8:02 — Kelly: Why She Said Yes - 10:20 — Tyann: Writing Unfolded Over Time - 13:41 — Stephanie: Hopes for Readers - 22:34— Stephanie: A Glimpse of Her Chapter - 24:38 — Kelly: Her Chapter's One Message - 28:06 — Tyann: A Message for Those Waiting - 29:41 — The Writing Journey Begins - 31:54 — Kelly's She-Shed Writing Space - 34:04— Tyann: How Her Chapter Evolved - 36:48 — Collaboration & God's Timing - 38:33 — Kelly: Community & Accountability - 41:22 — Tyann: Community & Encouragement - 43:14 — Stephanie: Conversations She Hopes to Start - 43:57 — Kelly: The Emotional Thread That Lingers - 45:31 — Tyann: Conversations She Hopes to Start - 46:56 — Closing Remarks & Where to Buy the Book Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season is available now on Amazon and other major platforms.

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 1
  5. Sep 20

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 2

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 2 In this episode, we celebrate the launch of Patience: Trusting God's Timing in Every Season, a collaborative book featuring the voices and faith journeys of nine women from across the country. Host Leilani sits down with three of the contributing authors Marilynn Lester, Cathy Smith, and Lisa Recor to discuss what stirred them to write about patience, what the writing process revealed about their own relationship with God, the beauty of collaborating with other authors, and their encouragement for anyone in a season of waiting. The book is available now on major platforms, including Amazon. Get your copy HERE 0:00 — Welcome and book introduction 1:52 — Author introductions begin 2:56 — Cathy introduces herself 3:16 — Lisa introduces herself 4:33 — What stirred each author to write about patience 5:06 — Marilynn on the fruit of the Spirit 5:34 — Cathy on everyday situations requiring patience 6:48 — Lisa on patience building trust and perseverance 7:41 — The heart behind each chapter 8:41 — Cathy on patience in daily life 10:23 — Lisa: don't settle as a daughter of God 10:48 — What writing revealed about themselves 11:24 — Marilynn on trusting God's timing 12:27 — Lisa on God working on them separately first 12:34 — The collaborative writing process 13:12 — Community through Zoom calls 14:30 — Lisa on being humbled God chose nine women 15:19 — Who the authors hope finds their chapter 16:41 — Cathy's tips: breathe before reacting 17:54 — Encouragement for those in a waiting season 18:37 — Cathy: hang in there, God's always there 20:05 — Lisa: jump in and swim, God's not finished 22:01 — Closing and where to buy the book

    Patience: Trusting God's Timing Part 2
4.8
out of 5
155 Ratings

About

Every writer has a story worth telling—and every story holds the power to bring hope. Whether you’re just starting your writing journey or you’re ready to take your craft and publishing knowledge to the next level, The Hope Story Podcast is here to guide you. Brought to you by hopewriters and hopebooks, this podcast is the most encouraging place for writers who want to grow in their words, share their message of hope, and make real progress. Each episode offers inspiring conversations, practical writing advice and honest encouragement to help you balance the art of writing with everyday life—without losing heart along the way. Your words matter. Your story of hope matters. Let’s take the next step together and get your words into the world.

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