The GoodHard Story Podcast - Katherine Wolf

Latest Episodes:

Episode 120: Sissy Goff on the Antidote to Anxiety Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

My guest today is Sissy Goff, a licensed professional counselor for kids whose wisdom goes far beyond the boundaries of children and parenting. Her insights into anxiety, resilience, mental health, and spiritual wellbeing have served me as a mom and also as a person with worries and hurts of my own. She’s become a dear friend of mine and one of my most trusted voices as I navigate raising my two sons.

I asked Sissy for all the tips on raising kids that can do hard things…and how we can be adults who do hard things, too. We covered the anxiety epidemic, the capability crisis, the Enneagram in parenting. Whether you’re a parent or simply a person navigating a “John 16:33” world, there’s something for you in this conversation.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

Daystar Counseling Ministries - https://www.daystarcounseling.com/

Are My Kids on Track?: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach - https://a.co/d/03N6Oesv

Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World - https://a.co/d/0aCcqVSn

The Just Life Podcast with Benjamin Watson - Ruth Malhotra: The Woman Who Told The Truth About Ravi Zacharias - https://pod.link/1836971545/episode/MjQ3MTBkNDQtZmFkNi0xMWYwLWE0OWMtZTMzNGVmMGI2OTVi

Scriptures we referenced:

John 16:33

Where to find Sissy Goff:

Raising Girls and Boys - https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/

Instagram - @raisingboysandgirls and @sissygoff

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/

Episode 119: Kim Stuart on Finding the Story of Grace Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

My friend Kim is a writer, speaker, and podcaster who has the gift of finding the arc of a story, even in the messiest moments. Lately she’s been searching for the storyline of grace throughout her life and what she found has changed everything.

Kim is witty, winsome, and oh-so-wise. In our hour together, she was as generous with her tears as she was with her laughter as we discussed the places where God’s grace meets our grief.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

Treasures in the Dark: 90 Reflections on Finding Bright Hope Hidden in the Hurting - https://a.co/d/0bTx1bcW

Star for Jesus (And Other Jobs I Quit): Rediscovering the Grace that Sets Us Free by Kimberly Stewart - https://a.co/d/0eW6qxG4

The GoodHard Story Podcast Ep. 114 with Adam Young - https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/ZWZlMTg1NjUtNzhkZC00Mjg3LTg5YmEtZDRhMDQxMTQxYzA4

Scriptures we referenced:

Ecclesiastes 7:2

Psalm 4:1

Where to find Kim:

Website: https://www.kimberlystuart.com/

Instagram: @kimberly.stuart.writes

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

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/

Episode 118: Will Acuff on Building a Life that Can Handle Hard Things Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Today I’m introducing you to a friend who has decided to make his life into a “joy lab.” His circumstances are anything but easy - tune in to see why - but he’s learned how to thrive within them.

Will Acuff is a disability dad, husband, author, and founder of a non-profit that helps underestimated entrepreneurs launch their own businesses. He has become an expert at building a life that can handle the hard stuff and today he’s sharing his hard-won method with us. It starts with self-awareness and it ends with joy.

What we mentioned:

Corner to Corner - https://cornertocorner.org/

No Elevator to Everest: Shift from Survive to Thrive through Spirit-Led Self-Awareness - https://a.co/d/04Tq0wFF

Henry Nouwen - author and theologian

“You’ve never met a mere mortal.” - C.S. Lewis

Amy Julia Becker’s Take the Next Step Podcast - https://amyjuliabecker.com/take-the-next-step-podcast/

Praxis - https://www.praxis.co/Goldman Sachs (female business training program)

Scriptures we referenced:

John 14
Ephesians 3:20
John 10:10
Luke 15

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

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/

Episode 117: Jo Saxton on Finding Your Place of Leadership Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

I stumbled into a place of leadership, almost by accident, after surviving an out-of-the-blue stroke and becoming a beacon of hope for a lot of people. I wanted to rise to the occasion of encouraging those people and pointing them to Jesus, but I quickly learned that leadership isn’t automatic. It’s a skill to develop. I wish I’d had a guide like Jo Saxton…which is exactly why I’m sharing her genius with you!

Jo is a speaker, author, podcast, and leadership coach who has given her life to helping women find their God-given places of leadership so they can thrive in their families, communities, and workplaces. Whether you’re a woman or not…whether you see yourself as a leader or not…this conversation has something for you.

What we mentioned:

Ezer Collective

The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For by Jo Saxton

Scriptures we referenced:

Genesis 1:27
Genesis 2:18
Psalm 121:1–2
Psalm 46:1
Judges 4–5
2 Kings 22:14–20
1 Chronicles 4:9–10
Acts 16:14–15
Romans 16
Psalm 139:1–6, 13–14
Joel 2:25
Matthew 5:13–16
Jeremiah 29:7

Where to find more on Jo Saxton:

www.josaxton.com

Instagram: @josaxton

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

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/

Episode 116: Benjamin Wills on Collaborating with God Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Benjamin Wills is a man who has given every part of his life to the good/hard work of seeing people and communities restored to their God-given fullness. He’s worked and lived in marginalized communities, welcomed children into his family through adoption, shepherded a congregation in the Anglican church, and pastored my own Hope Heals Camp community for over five years!

Benjamin is gentle and humble of heart, while being an absolute force for God’s goodness in the city of Atlanta. I cannot wait for you to get to know this one-of-a-kind friend and soak up his wisdom on raising kids who know they’re beloved by God, the gift of spiritual direction, and the unexpected spiritual rhythms that have formed his soul most deeply.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

Adam Young - https://adamyoungcounseling.com/

Curt Thompson - https://curtthompsonmd.com/

Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp

The Daily Examen - https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/

Scriptures we referenced:

Romans 12:2

John 6:68

Where to find more from Benjamin Wills:

www.sozojustice.com

Sozo Instagram: @sozojusticecollective

Personal Instagram: @mrwills23

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

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/

Episode 115: Melanie Shankle on Becoming What You Didn’t Have Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

Parenting dynamics are complicated, to say the very least. Every mother and father will leave wounds on their children, no matter how carefully (or carelessly) they parent. Today I’m sitting down with Melanie Shankle, who was generous enough to share about the wounds left by her mother as well as the healing she’s found in raising a daughter of her own.

Through her bestselling books and hilarious podcast, Melanie has shared her life with us for nearly two decades—from the frivolous and fun stuff to the hard and the heavy stuff. Her most recent book, Here Be Dragons, was one of the best books I’ve read in the last year. In true Melanie fashion, this conversation about aging well, relating to young adult kids, and breaking generational cycles is as heavy as it is light. I think you’ll enjoy every minute.

Show Notes:

What we mentioned:

Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma by Melanie Shankle - https://a.co/d/0giagu3

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn by Melanie Shankle - https://a.co/d/0TMFnLl

Songs for the Anxious Heart - https://open.spotify.com/album/6mA22vsD5MvgUPCEPKgjBg?si=vHtRb743RuGHJQKLvAkK0w

Scriptures we referenced:

James 1:4

Isaiah 61:3

2 Corinthians 1:4

Where to find Melanie Shankle:

The Big Boo Cast - https://pod.link/262921699

@melanieshankle on Instagram

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

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/

Episode 114: Adam Young on the Best Case Scenario for Our Trauma Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

One of my all-time favorite guests returns today with the most heartening, hopeful possibilities for the outcomes of our deepest trauma. Adam Young is a therapist who specializes in story work, a therapeutic approach that has helped me understand my own good/hard story in order to become who I want to be. It has changed my life and I think it can do the same for you.

Our conversation covers the common traits of people who become better instead of bitter after heartbreak, making sense of God’s place in our hard stories, and the spiritual practice of praying your feelings. There is healing for you in this hour—I guarantee it.

Show Notes

What we mentioned:

Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything by Adam Young - https://a.co/d/3ompr6b

Adam Young on Episode 71 of The GoodHard Story Podcast: https://pod.link/1496882479/episode/NWE5Yzg2YzAtNjE4Yy00M2M1LThkMDYtZTk2YTVhNWQ0MWVj

Amy Julia Becker - https://amyjuliabecker.com/

All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore - https://a.co/d/j778gry

Scriptures we referenced:

Psalm 4:1

Romans 12:15

Joel 2:25

Genesis 50:20

Where to find Adam Young:

https://adamyoungcounseling.com/

The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast - https://adamyoungcounseling.com/podcast/

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

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/

Episode 113: Rich Villodas on Finding the Spacious Life Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

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

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/

Episode 112: Andy Crouch on Reclaiming Your Humanity Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

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

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/

Episode 111: Nancy French on Getting Holy Ghosted Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

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