The GoodHard Story Podcast

Katherine Wolf
  • 4.9 (437)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The good story and the hard story can be the same story. This is where we’re sharing the proof. Feeling isolated by your hurt and heartbreak? Then this place is for you. Join Katherine Wolf and her most trusted friends as they honor the hardest parts of life while making space for the hope and humor in it all. Your weekly pep talk from The GoodHard Story Podcast will load you up with fresh inspiration, practical takeaways, and the soul-deep sense that you are not alone in the story you’ve been given.

  1. 2D AGO

    Episode 113: Rich Villodas on Finding the Spacious Life

    Episode 113: Rich Villodas on Finding the Spacious Life Need a bit of soul rest today? I’m offering you an hour that feels both like a deep breath AND a challenge to live differently. Rich Villodas is one of the few people who can pull off this refreshing combination, and we are blessed to have him on The GoodHard Story Podcast this week. He’s been a source of inspiration and encouragement to me for many years now. In a world full of loud voices competing for the spotlight, Rich has remained a gentle, steady, and humble conduit of Jesus’ wisdom and grace. During our conversation, Rich shared some vitally important “how to’s” with me: how to examine your interior life, how to take your love for God out of its tidy compartment, how to be formed by Christ rather than your idea of Christ, and how to teach our kids to navigate complexity. Show Notes What we mentioned: The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls by Rich Villodas - https://a.co/d/dqVs2JW Episode 85: My New Way of Understanding Beauty with Brook Hensley - https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/episode-85-my-new-way-of-understanding-beauty-with/id1496882479?i=1000689600342&l=en-GB The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas - https://a.co/d/84WTasB Scriptures we referenced: The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5 - 7 2 Corinthians 12:9 Galatians 4:19  Romans 8:29 Where to find Rich Villodas: @richvillodas on X @richvillodas on Instagram https://www.richvillodas.com/ About Hope Heals: For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    57 min

  2. 11/25/2025

    Episode 112: Andy Crouch on Reclaiming Your Humanity

    My guest today is unlike anyone else I know. Andy Crouch is a genius writer, thinker, and speaker whose career has spanned from Harvard to Christianity Today to Praxis. Andy is inviting Christians to be creative, generative culture makers, and his words have deeply shaped my worldview and faith journey. You might want to be prepared to take notes during our conversation today, because Andy Crouch speaks more wisdom per minute than just about anyone else I know. He shared so many nuggets with me, including how he’s rejected a shallow-souled life, the surprisingly simple spiritual practice that starts his day, and the important distinction between charmed and blessed. Show Notes What we mentioned: The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch - https://a.co/d/g6hq8l8 Praxis - https://www.praxis.co/ A Redemptive Thesis for Valuing Disability - http://hopeheals.com/thesis Where to find Andy Crouch: https://andy-crouch.com/ For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    1h 4m

  3. 11/18/2025

    Episode 111: Nancy French on Getting Holy Ghosted

    Following God does not always mean understanding God.  In fact, following God can lead us away from comfort, conformity, and communities we once loved. Few people are living that story more authentically than my guest Nancy French. She is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter who has a dramatic story of her very own. Nancy has been abused and alienated by the people she trusted most, yet she’s continued to show up to her life and to the good/hard work God has for her. I adore this woman and the way she’s navigating the complex landscape of her life. In our conversation, she was so generous to share how she’s reconciling loving God more than ever even when the church confuses her, how she’s pursuing unity with people who see the world differently, and how she’s raising resilient kids. You do not want to miss this hour with my new friend Nancy French. Show Notes Make a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support. What we mentioned: Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French - https://a.co/d/cRyFY5b All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/5ignBRQ Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/7iX4U2e The Holy Post Podcast - https://pod.link/591157388 Good Faith Podcast - https://pod.link/1594454747 Beth Moore on The GoodHard Story Podcast - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NDdjMDEzNWEtMDU1NS00YWVkLWEwZDgtNGNlNWM4MzQxYWQz Where to find Nancy: Website: nancyfrench.com Twitter / X: @nancyafrench Scriptures we referenced: James 1:4 Ecclesiastes 7:2 For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    1 hr

  4. 11/11/2025

    Episode 110: Monica DiCristina on Naming Your Pain

    I deeply believe that good therapy has been the ultimate enhancement to my faith journey. It’s helped me replace false narratives with the truest story of who God is, what he’s done for me, and how much he loves me. And if you’ve listened to my podcast for any amount of time, you know I love interviewing a therapist…maybe it’s my way of getting a free session, ha! Today we have the privilege of hearing from Monica DiCristina, a counselor, speaker, and writer who struggled for years with her mental health before finding healing through therapy. I left our rich conversation with an understanding of why naming my pain is the first step toward healing, getting comfortable with other people’s pain, and tools for coping with moments of anxiety.Show Notes Make a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support. What we mentioned: Your Pain Has a Name: A Therapist’s Invitation to Understanding Your Story and Sorting Out Who You Are from What Hurts by Monica DiCristina - https://a.co/d/enk65rt Adam Young on The GoodHard Story Podcast - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NWE5Yzg2YzAtNjE4Yy00M2M1LThkMDYtZTk2YTVhNWQ0MWVj The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff Jonathan Haidt - https://a.co/d/6y9n8GJ Where to Find Monica: Website: https://monicadicristina.com Instagram: @monicadicristina Still Becoming Podcast Get More from Katherine: For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know Hope Heals: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    48 min

  5. 11/04/2025

    Episode 109: Annie F. Downs on Going Forth in Joy

    Annie F. Downs may be known as the queen of fun, but that doesn’t make her frivolous. She lives a closely examined and intentional life that beautifully balances joy and suffering. She shared an hour with me to talk about what she’s learning (and unlearning) these days—like how she’s pursuing the freshest tools for thriving in her current life, telling the truest story of her singleness, and what she would do differently in her deepest grief. This woman is as wise as she is whimsical. If you want to feel like you’ve just chatted with a dear old friend, you need to press play on this episode. Show Notes: Make a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support. What we mentioned: That Sounds Fun Podcast - https://www.anniefdowns.com/thatsoundsfun/ Lysa TerKeurst’s Therapy and Theology Podcast with Jim Cress and Joel Muddamalle - https://proverbs31.org/listen/therapy-and-theology Matt & Ginny Mooney of 99 Balloons - https://www.99balloons.org/ Abel Speaks - https://abelspeaks.org/ The Bible App - https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Father Mike - https://www.instagram.com/fathermikeschmitz/ Where to Find Annie: Website: https://www.anniefdowns.com/ Instagram: @anniefdowns That Sounds Fun Podcast Scriptures we referenced: Parable of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11–32 John 16:33 Psalm 16 Isaiah 55:12 Isaiah 45:3 For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    52 min

  6. 09/23/2025

    Episode 108: Jess Connolly on Living Fully Awake

    “Living awake” sounds great when it comes to the beautiful stuff, but it’s much harder to live fully awake when the losses and disappointments and heartbreaks won’t stop coming. If that sounds like your life, then you need to hear every minute of this conversation with my friend Jess Connolly—pastor, writer, and parent. We talked about how to begin the healing process, recovering from church hurt, parenting teenagers with trust, and finding your place in the kingdom of God. I left refreshed and you will too. Show Notes What we mentioned: Episode 85: Sex, Conflict, and Covenant with Nick Connolly - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-85-sex-conflict-and-covenant-with-nick-connolly/id1437912225?i=1000712379382 All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/5ignBRQ The GoodHard Podcast Episode 105: Beth Moore on Walking with God - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-105-beth-moore-on-walking-with-god/id1496882479?i=1000724538891 The Fully Awake Women’s Club - https://jessconnolly.substack.com/ Jess on Instagram - @jessaconnolly Jess’s website -https://www.jessconnolly.com/ Scriptures we referenced: Psalm 40 Romans 5:3 For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    51 min
  7. Sneak Peek: Episode 1 of Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker!

    09/17/2025

    Sneak Peek: Episode 1 of Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker!

    This is the very first episode of Take the Next Step and I’m sharing it here because I refuse to let you miss the launch! You might just recognize the guest... Be sure to follow Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker wherever you listen so you don’t miss any future episodes. amyjuliabecker.com/step/ __ Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of disability? Katherine Wolf, author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore how families can reimagine disability, build connection, and celebrate life.  From the dinner table to the slow work of recovery, learn how to find delight in the story you have. Discover: How to experience joy in the process, not just the outcome Daily habits to cultivate gratitude and delight How to build a supportive, connected community Why purpose and contribution matter for every family _ MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Katherine’s books, resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities: hopeheals.com.  Luke 14 _ WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/ _ ABOUT OUR GUEST: Katherine Wolf is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. After she survived a near-fatal brainstem stroke at age 26, her family’s journey through disability has become a public witness that good and hard can co-exist in the same story. Through caregiving, storytelling, and lived theology, Katherine is inviting others into a vision of hope, interdependence, and embodied resilience. She and her husband Jay live in Atlanta with their two sons. Website: www.hopeheals.com  Instagram: @hopeheals _ Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

    33 min

  8. 09/16/2025

    Episode 107: Jemar Tisby on Frolicking in Your Purpose

    When I became physically disabled in my mid-twenties, much of the world became inaccessible to me—including faith spaces. I’ve now spent nearly two decades making a seat at the world’s table for people living with disabilities, which is why I feel such deep kinship with my guest today. His life is about making space at the table, too. Jemar Tisby is a best-selling author, historian, and professor who is leading the church in the pursuit of racial justice. We’re talking all accessing your God-given purpose, creating inclusive communities, seeking the kingdom of God, and raising resilient kids. This conversation is rich with wisdom and I hope you’ll join us at the table for it. What we mentioned: The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/5nb0fpp How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/58D4cY7 The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/aXphkaP The Witness - https://thewitnessinc.com/ Footnotes by Jemar Tisby (Substack) - https://jemartisby.substack.com/ The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://a.co/d/5iS6rVG Stories of the Spirit of Justice by Jemar Tisby - https://a.co/d/58D4cY7 Jemar on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jemartisby Scriptures we referenced: Galatians 3:28 Ephesians 4:1-16 Joshua 1:1-9 Matthew 22:37 More about Katherine & Hope Heals For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me: https://hopeheals.com/ 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/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, a monthly digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content: http://eepurl.com/gGUnlf Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

    52 min
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About

The good story and the hard story can be the same story. This is where we’re sharing the proof. Feeling isolated by your hurt and heartbreak? Then this place is for you. Join Katherine Wolf and her most trusted friends as they honor the hardest parts of life while making space for the hope and humor in it all. Your weekly pep talk from The GoodHard Story Podcast will load you up with fresh inspiration, practical takeaways, and the soul-deep sense that you are not alone in the story you’ve been given.

Information

  • Creator
    Katherine Wolf
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Katherine Wolf
  • Show Website
    The GoodHard Story Podcast

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