Help & Hope

Kathy Chapell and Elizabeth Turnage join Sharon Betters to talk about how to care for aging parents. We’re going to talk about the challenges of caring for elderly parents. Kathy and Elizabeth share lessons learned as frailty and illness required their parents to make major changes in their living arrangements. They admit they wish they had done some things differently and their transparency will help listeners reflect on their own relationships to their elderly parents. They encourage us to see life through the eyes and hearts of our parents as they lose control over much of their lives. Kathy and Elizabeth talk about how to respectfully connect with an aging parent as their worlds grow smaller and they sometimes display what seems like eccentric behavior. You might be moved to tears by a few of their descriptions of how an aging parent might be feeling as they experience one loss after another. But for sure, you will be challenged to look at your own heart and identify areas that might need to be addressed

Kathy Chapel and Elizabeth Turnage join Sharon Betters to talk about how sharing our stories are a means of passing on a legacy of faith, even if our story is filled with disappointments and potholes. They start with Kathy sharing from her book, The Great Iowa Road Trip – Journey to Memories where Kathy has recorded not only precious family memories but teaching moments along the way. Four days spent with her mother, often alone for many hours as they drove, gave Kathy insights into her mom and herself as well. Elizabeth, whose passion is to help people preserve their legacy joins the conversation with her thoughts on how precious it is to record our stories as means of leaving a record of our perspective on life as well as God’s faithfulness in our journey. This conversation between three friends is sure to encourage you to pursue your own storytelling adventure.  And the good news is that there is Part 2 of this conversation where Kathy and Elizabeth will share some of their insights on caring well for our

In this poignant conversation a son, Dr. Chuck L. Betters, talks to his mother, Sharon Betters, about her grief journey after the loss of her sixteen-year-old son, Mark. They use Sharon’s book, Treasures in Darkness as a jumping off place and dive right into some of the hardest places of grief with the goal of offering help and hope to other grieving parents. Sharon’s journal is the center piece of Treasures in Darkness and her transparency inviting others into the most intimate parts of her journey gave son Chuck permission to dig deeper as they talked about the night of Mark’s death, the gift of wrestling, the importance of biblical lament, how to respect different ways of grieving and so much more. Even if you have not lost a child, this conversation will give you insights into the dark pit of grief and how to come alongside a broken friend, no matter the cause of their sorrow.Support the show

What is your first response when mundane moments turn into irritations and set backs? Or your life suddenly takes a downward spiral? What about when life runs smoothly - are you counting your blessings with great joy every single day? Christa Threfel, author of Come to Jesus, joins us to talk about how a “first response” to the mundane moments will help prepare us for those hard, stomach churning seasons and that those hard places can become a place of blessing and peace. Christa offers examples from her own life along with practical ways to make “coming to Jesus” our auto response, not matter what life brings.Along with being an author, Christa is a pastor’s wife, mother of four, blogs at brownsugartoast.comSupport the show

Marissa Bondurant joins Sharon Betters to share how her caregiving journey started when her family received a devastating diagnosis for her four-year-old daughter. Not only does she have comfort to offer caregivers, but her story through the land of childhood cancer will also encourage us. Marissa takes listeners deep into her journey of caring for not just one child but two children diagnosed with cancer. Her passion for helping other caregivers care for themselves shows up in her book, Who Cares for You? Whether you are a caregiver, love someone who is, or perhaps have a child battling cancer, this conversation is for you. Take Marissa with you on a walk, on your way to work, or running your carpool. Listen and share.

Lou Priolo says we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. In this conversation with Sharon Betters and Chuck L. Betters, Lou defines loneliness and encourages us to realize loneliness is painful but it can also bring blessings. He shares stories about people in the Bible who experience deep loneliness and points out that many of the Psalmists expressed their own loneliness. Knowing others have walked the path of loneliness before us helps us realize we are not alone and there is help. The loneliness that is not addressed can lead to other emotions taking up residence in our hearts, such as disappointment in our friends, anger, fear, and paranoia. Unless we deal with the root cause of loneliness, we are destined to view all relationships through the grid of those emotions. Listen and share!

When unexpected moments change life’s trajectory, we’re left with a choice: Do we overcome the unexpected, as the world recommends, or undergo it? In this conversation with Sharon Betters and Chuck L. Betters, Author Jillian Benfield says experiencing an unexpected season begins a transformation that deconstructs our old self and reconstructs us into who God intends us to become. Jillian shares the story of how her son Anderson’s Down Syndrome and congenital heart defect diagnoses faced her with hard questions about her definition of success, her value, her son’s value, and her view of God. She encourages listeners not to gloss over the hard parts of the human condition. Instead, she says, undergoing the unexpected gives us the opportunity to let go of our old selves, tearing down false beliefs about our identities, humanity, and God. In a culture where the prosperity gospel (control) and the American dream (achievement) are glorified, Jillian says God uses the unexpected to disorient us from the ideals of W

What is a grandmother’s role in the lives of her grandchildren? How can she pass on a legacy of faith? What if she is estranged from her grandchildren, or they don’t seem to be interested in having a relationship with her? What are some practical ways a grandmother can intentionally pursue a friendship with her grands and what if they don’t respond to her efforts? What about those envious feelings when a grandmother sees all the beautiful social media posts of the perfect grandmother interacting with her grandchildren? How about guilt over not investing in her grandchildren? Is there a way to influence our grands without any interaction with them? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Kathy March, and Pam Ferriss respond to these questions and much more. Do you love your grandchildren? This conversation will help equip you to pray intentionally. What a gift for your grandchildren to say, “My Grandmother is Praying for Me.”Support the show

You start your day thinking it will be like any other. And then a text with four words, “Eva not breathing. Pray.” Within hours, the unexpected death of your daughter propels you and your family down into the deepest sorrow you have ever experienced. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Mel Lawrenz introduces us to his beloved daughter Eva and how her unexpected death led his family into the Land of Grief. In this conversation, Mel talks about giving freedom to people to grieve their way, how lament is a gift, and how his theology gave him the freedom to grieve honestly as he clung to the Lord. Mel and Sharon belong to that club no one wants to join – where admission requires the loss of a child. There are treasures in the conversation for anyone in grief and for those who love them.Support the show

“A silver wave is coming,” says author and speaker Elizabeth Turnage. Baby boomers are facing the hardest challenge of their lives – how to die well. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Elizabeth challenges listeners to take steps now to make it easier for loved ones after you die. Elizabeth shares how her dad died without any intentional preparation of affairs or instructions for his children. She compares his response to death, to her mother’s and how she prepared a folder of important papers and instructions with a list of 5 steps to immediately take upon her death. Elizabeth describes how her mother’s intentional preparation was such a gift to her as she grieved her mother’s sudden death. Elizabeth acknowledges the grief we experience as we begin this process. She encourages us to imagine the relief of our children, who, in the middle of their own grief, know how to honor us in our death. She admits there is grief when we are preparing others for when we are not here, practical ideas for sorting thr

Lauren Whitman, the author of A Painful Past – Healing and Moving Forward, answers this question and much more. For instance, why would anyone want to dig up their past? Isn’t it better to “let sleeping dogs lie”? Can we forgive and forget? How does our view of God influence our journey toward healing? How do you know when to ask a counselor for help? And how does having a counselor make the journey a little clearer? If you or someone you know is struggling with a painful past, please listen and then share the good news – there is hope and a way to move forward.Support the show

Darci and Mark Steiner’s lives turned inside out and upside down when Darci nearly lost her life after a debilitating fall down the stairs in her home. She was later diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and spent six years bedridden with such horrific pain she could not tolerate even a sheet touching her body. Her husband, Mark, immediately took on the role of caregiver for Darci and all the extra responsibilities of raising their two little girls.In this conversation with Sharons Better, Darci, and Mark freely answer questions about their struggle to find a “new normal” when Darci was incapable of caring for their girls or their home. Mark brings the unique perspective of a full-time caregiver and how Mark sometimes struggles with meeting all the needs of their children and his wife. They both share the spiritual challenges of understanding the sovereignty of God over what seem like set backs and unfair loss and how the Lord has met them in their most broken moments. They share their story in Darci’

How are you feeling today? Stressed, overwhelmed, drowning in too much to do, anxiety, the rubble of broken relationships – just life? Are these feelings seasonal or do you struggle with persistent gnawing anxiety? Sometimes, something happens that feels like the straw that breaks the camel’s back and we cry out, “I didn’t sign up for this!” Ann Swindell, author of The Path to Peace, Comfort When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed gets it! After repeated disappointments and hurts, one day Ann declared, “I didn’t sign up for this!” But that moment of hitting bottom was the beginning of seeking unshakable peace. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Ann will be sharing some of what she learned about genuine peace, not only through her own journey but the lives of men and women in scripture. You will be mentored and encouraged in your own search for the pathway to peace.Support the show

No matter your season of life, wherever God has placed you is your platform for glorifying Him. But sometimes, it’s really, really hard to see the rutted, muddy pathways of life as an opportunity to reflect Jesus, isn’t it? If you are in such a place, this special edition of the Help & Hope podcast is for you. Over the summer we held Beyond the Book, Ask the Author as a free virtual live event where guests could submit questions to our guest author. Vaneetha Risner, one of our guest authors, spent an hour with us, answering questions about her book, Walking Through Fire, A Memoir of Loss and Redemption.I know few people who have suffered as much as Vaneetha has. the loss of her son due to a doctor's error, childhood polio and years of bullying, multiple hospitalizations, her husband's unfaithfulness and an unwanted divorce, losing 4 babies through miscarriage - AND YET - Vaneetha's life and message offers us a purpose and peace, even when all seems lost. Vaneetha is a seasoned life warrior

“I forgive you.” Simple words, and liberating ones – but hard, too. You may think the betrayal you have experienced is in the realm of the unforgivable. Wendy Alsup understands. She experienced severe church conflict while serving in the women’s ministry at Mars Hill Church, followed by an unwanted divorce. The losses of betrayal eventually forced her to move from her home in Seattle, leaving behind deep friendships and everything familiar to her two sons. Her understanding of forgiveness did not come easily for her so she does not sugarcoat the struggles she experienced. In this special Help & Hope Podcast, Wendy joins us for our summer Beyond the Book – Ask the Author series. Invited guests submitted questions for Wendy and her answers reveal deep wisdom and understanding for those struggling with the concept of forgiveness. Some of the questions Wendy answers:•How do you get past the astonishment, hurt, and dislike for a person you cared for, had a relationship with, and enjoyed when they have repeated

Some stats state that 50% of married couples in churches have experienced sexual betrayal in their marriage. When a wife learns about her husband’s sexual betrayal, in the blink of an eye, a bomb detonates and blows up her marriage. The very foundations on which she built her home shatter, and she can barely breathe, let alone find her way out from under the rubble. Ellen Dykas has walked with hundreds, maybe even thousands of women as they have struggled with sexual betrayal and offers hope from years of helping these hurting women. In this conversation with co-hosts, Sharon Betters and Jane Anne Wilson, Ellen’s tender heart and passion flow freely for offering hope to women whose husbands have betrayed the. She encourages listeners to know they are not responsible for their husband’s sin, and that they do not need to carry shame. She is particularly concerned that they understand the need for self-care. This topic is too deep for a half-hour conversation so we hope, whether you are fresh in facing sexual b

There is so much we do not know about mental illness, including deep depression that results in the inability to even get out of bed, let alone function in daily life. Many more people than we realize struggle every day to do the next thing with their will because of sadness, a lack of joy, and purpose reigning in their hearts. They have tried everything to get better but nothing helps. Add to this equation the spouse who watches her husband slide into a pit of despair with no explanation. Sadly, Christians often identify a lack of faith or discipline as the root problem. Even the patient suffers from shame and guilt when the root cause is actually a physical and chemical disconnect in the body. In this frank conversation, Jenni Holder describes how her faith-filled husband suddenly experienced repeated panic attacks that were the first signs he had a mental illness that could not be healed with more faith. Jenni and her husband have agreed that they need to share their story as they are experiencing it so th

Rachel, founder of the Brave Mamas online community, validates bereaved parents in their pain, encourages them as they adjust to their new normal, and provides advice for sharing your loss with family, caring for your spouse, and recovering a postpartum body. She is a mother who lost 5 children, yet is filled with hope.Support the show

We seldom hear this question let alone even think about the need if we have never experienced a miscarriage. Eric Schumacher, author of Ours: Biblical Comfort for Men Grieving Miscarriage talks to Sharon Betters about the grief a dad feels when his wife has a miscarriage. He addresses questions like, how does a dad help his wife, what about feeling the miscarriage is because of personal sin, and how to confront the fear of the possibility of another miscarriage. Eric and his wife experienced five miscarriages so he brings a depth of understanding and empathy for men who are surprised by their own sorrow. This conversation will offer biblical comfort and practical support to men processing a miscarriage.Support the show

Dr. Mikala Albertson aimed to be exemplary in all she did – marriage, motherhood, her career – but her seemingly picture-perfect life began crumbling when she realized her doctor husband was addicted to drugs and nothing was perfect after all. Listen in as Mikala shares her story of striving and suffering in the hunt for perfection and found that embracing her gritty, messy, complicated, tough ordinary life led her on a journey of healing, redemption, and renewal. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Mikala encourages listeners that disappointments and broken places are opportunities to find beauty in the rubble.Support the show