Help and Hope — MARKINC.org - Help and Hope by Faith

Everything is (Not) Fine

Everything is (Not) Fine

Imagine you must hand over your little baby to strangers for uncomfortable and scary tests. And imagine you know the outcome may not be what you are hoping. Katie Schnack’s son, Shepherd was born with multiple medical issues along with a rare disease. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Katie shares when she realized that saying everything is not fine was not a sign of weak faith but could actually be a sure sign of dependence on the Lord. With humor and transparency, Katie shares her story of learning what it means to trust the Lord when life isn’t fine and how her relationship with Him grew deeper because read more…

Emotions, FaithMARKINC MinistriesNovember 22, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Can You Just Sit With Me?

Can You Just Sit With Me?

Days, months, and years after the loss of her sister, Natasha Smith tried to hide the grief she carried. But the pandemic took away her ability to hide her sorrow and her five-year-old’s response to her unexpected tears gave her permission to grieve – not in a room by herself but with her https://markinc.org/help-and-hope/can-you-just-sit-with-me-with-natasha-smithread more…

Emotions, Warrior Woman, GriefMARKINC MinistriesNovember 16, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Now I Lay Me Down to Fight - Breast Cancer

Now I Lay Me Down to Fight - Breast Cancer

When Clarissa Moll’s young husband, Rob, died unexpectedly, she soon realized she was at a crossroads. Would she walk toward hope or slide into hopelessness? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Clarissa answers such questions as:

Is there any way to prepare for such a tragedy? Are there stages for grief? What kind of work can grief do in our hearts that grows the fruit of the spirit? How is it helpful to “welcome” an emotion like fear – how does dissecting an emotion help us keep those emotions in check – or should we even try to keep them in check? What about regrets? Either for our own behavior or read more…

Warrior Woman, IllnessMARKINC MinistriesNovember 13, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Hidden Wounds and Scars of Chronic Illness – Is There Hope?

Hidden Wounds and Scars of Chronic Illness – Is There Hope?

Roasann has experienced disappointment, pain, and loss – but her scars and wounds are not obvious – very much like many of you. Today Rosann lives with the kinds of chronic illness that many of you contend with – often alone in your struggles because they are not visible wounds or scars. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Rosann offers encouragement to fellow travelers, that though the pathway is often hard and you feel hopeless and helpless, there is a light in the darkness and purpose in the pain.

Illness, Warrior WomanMARKINC MinistriesOctober 24, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Human Trafficking - A Path to Freedom

Human Trafficking - A Path to Freedom

Chuck interviews Ana Stevenson, the founder of Path2Freedom where Chuck and his wife Melanie are currently serving as House Parents at the Magnolia House. Ana felt a calling to start a ministry for girls rescued from human trafficking in 2015. Ana shares that "millions of children are being exploited annually in the global commercial sex trade. That number became real for me when I met the "one". No longer a number, she had a beautiful face, she had a name, but most importantly she has a hope and a promised future." Tune in to hear Ana's story, the miraculous way the Magnolia House came into being and how God has blessed her obedience to his calling on her life.

Addressing Sins, TeensMARKINC MinistriesOctober 17, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Breast Cancer - Faith Wears Pink

Breast Cancer - Faith Wears Pink

Christine Runge Weiss, Founder of Faith Wears Pink, an online support platform for women battling breast cancer, shares how she learned she had breast cancer at the age of forty-four. Her diagnosis followed wave after wave of personal crises. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, herself a breast cancer survivor, Christine offers hope and practical help to breast cancer warriors. One evening she realized she was helping over twenty women with their questions, fears, and the unknowns of their journeys. She decided they all needed a way to talk to each other so she started a “Breast Friends” Facebook page. She eventually changed the name to Faith Wears Pink and as of today over 1000 women have connected through this platform. Faith Wears Pink not only connects breast cancer warriors but also gives gifts to women read more…

Faith, Illness, Warrior WomanMARKINC MinistriesOctober 9, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Anxiety - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Anxiety - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

It doesn’t take much research to realize anxiety is a primary emotion experienced not just by teens but also by adults. Our guest, Liz Edrington, is no stranger to anxiety. As a teenager, she felt overwhelmed read more…

Emotions, TeensMARKINC MinistriesSeptember 11, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture

Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture

There are many blessings that come with age: retirement, grandchildren, travel, and life experience. Today’s culture, however, marginalizes old age, often portraying it as burdensome and hopeless. Many older women read more…

Later Years of Life, Warrior WomanMARKINC MinistriesAugust 30, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

When Your Son Commits Suicide - Grieving Moms Finding Hope

When Your Son Commits Suicide - Grieving Moms Finding Hope

Jacke Rose, founder of Grieving Moms Finding Hope, joins Sharon Betters to talk about her journey to find hope and purpose after the death by suicide of her son, Randy. The loss of a child cannot be fathomed but Jacke’s son also unsuccessfully attempted read more…

Emotions, Grief, ParentingMARKINC MinistriesAugust 23, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Trauma Can Not Rob You of Your Intended Identity

Trauma Can Not Rob You of Your Intended Identity

Fawn Volkert's journey from sexual abuse as an infant to trying anything and everything to survive to a place of joyful thriving will stay with you for a long time. Just when you think her story could not get any worse or even more compelling, Fawn takes us deeper into her journey to a place of healing and strength. In this conversation with Chuck L. Betters, Fawn shares how her story of trauma has formed her into the person read more…

Emotions, Addiction, Addressing SinsMARKINC MinistriesAugust 8, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Caring for Aging Parents Part 2

Caring for Aging Parents Part 2

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 read more…

Later Years of Life, CaregivingMARKINC MinistriesAugust 1, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

The Legacy of Story Telling Part 1

The Legacy of Story Telling Part 1

Kathy Chapell 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 read more…

Later Years of Life, EmotionsMARKINC MinistriesJuly 24, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

A Grieving Mother Shares Her Heart

A Grieving Mother Shares Her Heart

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 read more…

GriefMARKINC MinistriesJuly 14, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

In good times and bad, come to Jesus

In good times and bad, come to Jesus

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 read more…

Emotions, FaithMARKINC MinistriesJuly 5, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Caregiver: Who Cares for You?

Caregiver: Who Cares for You?

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 read more…

Later Years of Life, Emotions, CaregivingMARKINC MinistriesJune 13, 20232020, 7th 30Comment

Loneliness

Loneliness

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 read more…

Faith, EmotionsMARKINC MinistriesJune 7, 20236th 30, 2020Comment

The Unexpected Treasures of Down Syndrome

The Unexpected Treasures of Down Syndrome

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 read more…

Parenting, IllnessMARKINC MinistriesMay 12, 20236th 30, 2020Comment

The Power of a Praying Grandmother

The Power of a Praying Grandmother

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 read more…

ParentingMARKINC MinistriesApril 10, 20236th 30, 2020 Comments

Sudden Loss of a Daughter and a Dad's Grief

Sudden Loss of a Daughter and a Dad's Grief

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 read more…

Faith, GriefMARKINC MinistriesMarch 25, 20236th 30, 2020Comment

Organizing Your Life and Legacy

Organizing Your Life and Legacy

“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 read more…

Later Years of LifeMARKINC MinistriesMarch 12, 20236th 30, 2020Comment