The GoodHard Story Podcast

Episode 113: Rich Villodas on Finding the Spacious LifeNeed 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 NotesWhat we mentioned:The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls by Rich Villodas - https://a.co/d/dqVs2JWEpisode 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-GBThe Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas - https://a.co/d/84WTasBScriptures we referenced:The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5 - 72 Corinthians 12:9Galatians 4:19 Romans 8:29Where to find Rich Villodas:@richvillodas on X@richvillodas on Instagramhttps://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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

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 NotesWhat we mentioned:The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch - https://a.co/d/g6hq8l8Praxis - https://www.praxis.co/A Redemptive Thesis for Valuing Disability - http://hopeheals.com/thesisWhere 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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

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 NotesMake a donation to Hope Heals at hopeheals.com/support.What we mentioned:Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French - https://a.co/d/cRyFY5bAll My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/5ignBRQWhere the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey - https://a.co/d/7iX4U2eThe Holy Post Podcast - https://pod.link/591157388Good Faith Podcast - https://pod.link/1594454747Beth Moore on The GoodHard Story Podcast - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NDdjMDEzNWEtMDU1NS00YWVkLWEwZDgtNGNlNWM4MzQxYWQzWhere to find Nancy:Website: nancyfrench.comTwitter / X: @nancyafrenchScriptures we referenced:James 1:4Ecclesiastes 7:2For 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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

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 NotesMake 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/enk65rtAdam Young on The GoodHard Story Podcast - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NWE5Yzg2YzAtNjE4Yy00M2M1LThkMDYtZTk2YTVhNWQ0MWVjThe 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/6y9n8GJWhere to Find Monica:Website: https://monicadicristina.comInstagram: @monicadicristinaStill Becoming PodcastGet 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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know Hope Heals:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

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-theologyMatt & 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: @anniefdownsThat Sounds Fun PodcastScriptures we referenced:Parable of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11–32John 16:33Psalm 16Isaiah 55:12Isaiah 45:3For 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/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant 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/gGUnlfGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/spaces⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.com/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/