Wild Hope Rising: A Podcast for Women on Faith, Healing & Purpose

Ep 43. | How to Have a Wild Hope Summer No Matter What Season You’re In

What if summer wasn't just a season on the calendar?
In this short Hope Huddle On The Go, Sunny explores the idea that our lives move through seasons much like nature does. There are winters marked by loss, springs filled with new beginnings, falls of transition and change, and summers where life feels wide open and full of possibility.
But what if it's possible to experience a little summer even in the middle of winter? What if wild hope can still grow in the wilderness?
In this episode, Sunny shares encouragement for cultivating a Wild Hope Summer no matter what season you find yourself in. Together we'll talk about:
Finding beauty in unexpected places • Choosing hope instead of cynicism • Leaning into God's presence in every season • Living with curiosity, wonder, and adventure • Why mindset matters more than circumstances sometimes do
And because this is Sunny we're talking about, there may or may not be a few spontaneous songs along the way.
Whether you're walking through a difficult season or enjoying a beautiful one, this episode is an invitation to look for the goodness of God, embrace the season you're in, and cultivate a life marked by wild hope.
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
Keywords/topics: hope in difficult seasons, finding joy in hard times, Christian encouragement, faith during difficult seasons, choosing hope, mindset and faith, God's presence in suffering, finding beauty in everyday life, personal growth, women of faith, Wild Hope Rising, joy in every season, trusting God in uncertainty

Ep. 42 | The Wilderness We Choose- God Waits to Be Gracious to You.

Sometimes we choose the Wilderness.  Not necessarily because we love camping- but because we love chasing temporary pleasure.  The problem is, it never satisfies, and in fact leaves us hungering, thirsting, and longing for the next “hit” of release.  
In this hope huddle with Sunny Cain, she speaks with authenticity, and urgency- reminding us where we can turn when “we just can’t” anymore.
In a walkthrough of Isaiah 30, and a jump over to Ezekiel 34, she highlights the beauty of the God who longs to be gracious to us, even in our denial of him, in our refusal to return to quietness and rest, in our attempts to power through in our own strength with our own solutions. And God Longs to Be Gracious. 
Let’s remember the God who waits on High to Be Gracious to Us- and we will see His goodness and mercy have followed us all of our days. 
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
Keywords/topics:  wilderness season, prayer, faith, strength, shame, loved by God, saved by grace, transformation, finding Jesus, 

Ep. 41 | Roger & The Three R’s- Learn to Take Thoughts Captive

This week is a solo episode with practical encouragement from Sunny Cain speaking to the reality that we sometimes live with a misplaced identity.  We answer to whispers from the thief who comes “only to steal, kill and destroy," rather than believing the truth of who God says we are. 
In this episode we talk about: 
The lies we have believed
How to take our thoughts captive.
How to move towards replacing lies with the truth
What it looks like to steward our identity
How to walk in integrity of being fearfully and wonderfully made. 
If you have been believing lies for years- this episode has the practical encouragement you need to move forward and walk in truth.  
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
Keywords/topics:  wilderness season, prayer, faith, strength, identity, take thoughts captive, shame, not enough, chosen, accepted, loved by God, saved by grace, transformation, renewing your mind, know God’s voice. Lies from the enemy, the good shepherd

Ep. 40 | Sending Out an SOS- God Responds & The Clouds Advance

Let’s live with more SOS and less, “I Got This!”  
This week is a solo episode with encouragement from Sunny Cain speaking to the reality that as humans we often try to shoulder life alone.  More than self-help, or pulling up our bootstraps, sometimes a misunderstanding of who God is sits at the heart of it.  
In this episode we talk about:
What keeps us from crying out to God
what we miss out on when we try to shoulder it alone.
The reality that when we cry out to God- He Hears Us. 
Strength of soul- how to access it. 
Psalm 18 
If you feel exhausted from shouldering it alone, if you realize you have been carrying a burden that is too heavy- this episode is for you.
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
Keywords/topics:  wilderness season, prayer, faith, strength, soul, crying out to God, depression, shame, forgiveness, self-help, humility, Psalm 18, hope, Jesus hears

Ep. 39| Prayer Pod- One for the Wilderness

Because sometimes you just need someone to pray for you.  
 
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Buckle up — it’s time for Wild Hope. 

Ep 38 | Why You Still Don’t Feel Good Enough: Breaking Free from Shame

This week we are talking about something most women do not want to talk about—but almost every woman has felt: shame.
It is the voice that says, “You are not enough,” “Who do you think you are?” or “You will always be a failure.” Shame does not tell us we made a mistake. It tells us we are the mistake.
In this episode we talk about: • What shame is and how it differs from guilt • How shame shows up through perfectionism, people pleasing, hiding, and playing small • Why we can react defensively or spiral into negative self-talk • The difference between condemnation and conviction • How to spot shame, name it, and begin breaking free
If you have ever felt like you are too much, not enough, or like you will never get it right, this conversation is for you.
Because there is another sound available to us besides shame: the sound of chains falling, prison doors opening, and hope rising.
Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
 
Topics: shame, shame vs guilt, feeling not good enough, negative self-talk, perfectionism, people pleasing
 
 
 

Ep.37| Laurie Dufresne- How to Help Others Feel Seen & Heard | Listening that Transforms Relationships

Topics: communication in relationships, listening skills, feeling heard, limiting beliefs, healthy relationships
We’re huddled up with Laurie Dufresne, mindset and transformation coach, to talk about how we can show up differently in our relationships by learning to truly listen.
Many of us want deeper, healthier connections, but don’t always realize how our assumptions, distractions, and limiting beliefs impact the way we hear others.
In this conversation, Laurie helps us understand how to help others feel seen, heard, and valued—and how that shift can transform our relationships.
We talk about:• Why listening is harder than we think• What gets in the way of making others feel heard• How limiting beliefs shape communication• Simple ways to become a more present, effective listener
If you want stronger, more connected relationships, this episode will give you practical ways to start.
Connect with Laurie DufresneWebsite: lauriedufresnecoaching.com
Course + Workbook: Breaking Free From Limiting Beliefs
YouTube: Laurie Dufresne Coaching
 
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
 
 
SEO Keywords: communication in relationships, how to listen better, helping others feel heard, relationship communication skills, limiting beliefs, healthy relationships, Christian podcast for women, personal growth for women, Wild Hope Rising podcast
 
 
 

Ep 36 | Why Female Friendships Feel So Hard: Natalie Runion on Comparison, Jealousy, and Sacred Sisterhood

Topics: female friendships, comparison between women, jealousy, gossip, insecurity, sacred sisterhood
We’re huddled up with Natalie Runion, speaker, pastor, author, and creator of the Raised to Stay community. Natalie is known for tackling hard conversations with honesty and courage, including church hurt, leadership struggles, and the complex dynamics women often face in relationships with each other.
In this episode we talk about her new book, I Don’t Even Like Women: And Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood.
Let’s be honest. Many women deeply long for meaningful friendships, but insecurity, comparison, jealousy, and past hurt can make those relationships feel complicated and risky. Instead of pursuing connection, we often protect ourselves.
In this conversation we peel back the layers behind that familiar phrase, “I don’t even like women,” and explore what is really underneath it.
We talk about:
Why female friendships can feel complicated
Comparison, jealousy, and insecurity between women
Practical ways to build real, supportive friendships
Natalie also shares the story behind her well known “little black boxes” on Instagram and how they became a place where many women felt seen, understood, and defended during difficult seasons.
If you’ve ever struggled with friendships with other women but still long for deep connection, this conversation will encourage you and challenge some of the narratives we’ve accepted about one another.
Because beneath the tension, comparison, and misunderstandings, there is often a deeper longing: Belonging
 
Connect with Natalie Runion
InstagramRaised to Stay CommunityBook: I Don’t Even Like Women: And Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
SEO Keywords
female friendships, why female friendships are hard, Natalie Runion interview, comparison between women, jealousy between women, Christian women friendships, sacred sisterhood, overcoming insecurity in friendships, women supporting women, Wild Hope Rising podcast, faith based encouragement for women
 

Ep 35 | Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith on Being Fully Known: Emotional Rest, Belonging, and Surrender

Topics: Emotional rest, belonging, surrender as posture, and freedom from performance
We are huddled up with Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith to talk about her book Being Fully Known The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming, and Belonging.
Dr. Saundra is a board certified physician, international speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Restorasis. She blends biblical truth, science, and personal experience to help women move beyond performance and into emotional rest.
In this conversation we explore what it means to be fully known by God and how that truth becomes an invitation into rest.
We talk about:
Why our culture conditions us to prove our worth through productivity• How surrender is a posture of trust• Why emptiness becomes an invitation to be filled• The barriers of fear, rejection, and self protection• What belonging looks like when we stop performing
Dr. Saundra also shares insight on how emotional rest impacts physical health and daily life, and she invites women to take an honest look at where they need deeper rest.
Take the Rest Quiz at restquiz.com to discover your rest needs and begin moving toward greater awareness and freedom.
Connect with Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith
Instagram
Podcast: I Choose My Best Life
Website
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.

Ep 34 | How to Overcome Fear, Self Doubt, and the Internal Voices That Hold You Back

Topics: Overcoming fear, self doubt, and the internal voices that hold you back
Have you ever started moving toward something meaningful only to feel an internal pushback that stalls your progress?
Maybe it shows up as fear. Self doubt. Comparison. Perfectionism. People pleasing. Or that quiet voice that tells you to stop before you start.
In this episode, we name resistance for what it is. Resistance is not always a stop. Sometimes it is a signal. But it does not get to drive your decisions.
We talk about the internal voices that try to hold you back and how to recognize them without letting them call the shots. Instead of freezing when fear shows up, you can learn to separate the voice from your identity and choose action anyway.
In this conversation, we explore:
Why fear and self doubt show up when you step into growth
 How to identify the voices that sabotage progress
The difference between discernment and destructive resistance
Practical ways to talk back to the thoughts that hold you back
The “Even Though” Method. (Psalm 23)
When you learn to name the voice, you regain authority over your direction.
Resistance may speak.But it does not decide.
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Buckle up. It’s time for Wild Hope.
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