Friends, We had an amazing podcast interview with Jay Lowder, where he shared his personal story of how God saved him from suicide in an unexpected way. Jay's roommate was the instrument that God used to prevent his suicide due to severe depression, and this event greatly marked his life, leading him to form Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries. During their conversation, Jay talked about his journey through depression and how difficult it was for him to share it with others. He also spoke about the stigma experienced by Christians and society as a whole towards mental health problems, and the need f ..read more

In this podcast, Pastor Brad interviews Alastair Sterne about his book "Rhythms of Life and Spiritual Practices for what God made you to be." The book emphasizes the importance of taking time to discover our identity, gifts, and purpose at a gracious speed, much like how Jesus walked on Earth. The formation that happens in that gracious walking with Christ can help us in our journey of personal growth and spiritual development. The second half of the book explores various spiritual practices that can aid in this journey. Towards the end of the podcast, Alastair shares his personal experience l ..read more

  Loneliness is part of the human experience, but it has increased even more since the pandemic. Men may find it more difficult to connect with others because of prejudice or fear. In this episode Pastor Brad has Rob Jackson, counselor at Focus on the Family, as a guest to discuss this topic. Together they explore statistics and practical tools to reach the level of connection God intends for everyone. They also offer advice for women who want to help their loved one who is suffering from loneliness and isolation. “   Rob Jackson is a licensed counselor with Focus on the Family’s Cou ..read more

Mike Jacquart is married and lives in a small town in Wisconsin. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and has worked as a reporter, writer, editor, and author. He edited a newsletter and magazine for employee assistance professionals, many of whom work in behavioral health. A lot of books on mental health discuss the characteristics of various disorders but lack the perspective of someone who has experienced mental illness. In his new book, Climbing out of Darkness: A Personal Journey into Mental Wellness (with Marina London LCSW), Mike fills a gap in revealing the impact that mental healt ..read more

Steve Kramer is a walking miracle. He was born two-and-a half months premature with Cerebral Palsy. The doctors did not have much hope for him…but God had other plans. Steve has seen God’s faithfulness as he has been a radio disc jockey, TV news anchor/reporter, pastor, missionary and motivational speaker.   We encourage you to share this podcast with your friends via your social media connections. After listening to this podcast, we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question we will share on our next podcast.   If you are listening to th ..read more

Kay Warren, co-founder of Saddleback Church will be one of the 35 speakers at Fresh Hope's upcoming Voices of Hope Conference.  In this episode, Kay talks about her topic for the conference.  She also talks with Pastor Brad about Rick, her recent retirement from Saddleback, and what she is doing now through her retreat ministry called Breath.    In this interview, you can hear Kay's heart and passion for those who love a child with a mental illness, as she knows this all too well.  She gives some honest and helpful insights to parents who love a child with mental healt ..read more

CelebrateCalm.com Founder and Calm Parenting Podcast host Kirk Martin has shown almost 1,000,000 parents how to stop the yelling, defiance, and power struggles with the most strong-willed children. Kirk is known for very practical strategies and scripts delivered with humor and compassion. Learn how to get your kids to listen the first time while building a close, trusting relationship. We encourage you to share this podcast with your friends via your social media connections. After listening to this podcast, we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or questio ..read more

 Lindsay Hausch answers the question, "what if our anxious thoughts can be the place, we draw closer to God?" Her book, "Take Heart: God's Comfort for Anxious Thoughts" explores this question. Lindsay is a mom of three, a pastor's wife, an author, speaker, and also struggles with OCD and social anxiety. www.lindsayhausch.com She was a contributor writer for Pastor Brad's blog: bloghttps://pastorbrad.blog/tag/lindsay-hausch/     We encourage you to share this podcast with your friends via your social media connections. After listening to this podcast, we encourage you t ..read more

David Culkin, Ph.D., is a professional adult educator currently serving as a qualitative methodologist in graduate degree programs for the U.S. Army University in Kansas serving primarily mid-career military officers. He earned his doctorate in Adult Education from Kansas State University, and his autoethnographic dissertation addressed his identity development as a person living with OCD. He has been married to the love of his life for over 27 years. His research interests include narrative learning, identity development, and poetic inquiry. Michaela Culkin, PhD, is a professional educator wh ..read more

Key Ministry was founded to help churches welcome families of children with hidden disabilities. Since 2002, we’ve provided knowledge, innovation, and experience to the worldwide church as it ministers to and with individuals and families of kids with hidden, developmental, and physical disabilities. In addition to being a disability inclusion ministry resource, we find ourselves uniquely called and positioned to serve churches seeking to become more intentional and effective in ministry with children, teens, and adults impacted by mental illness and trauma. www.keyministry.org   We encou ..read more