Help & Hope

Is it possible to break free from drugs after a lifetime of addiction? Shelley Tribbitt says yes. After using drugs for over thirty years, Shelley broke free from them, but then had to face the obstacle of the collateral damage that she had done to her family and friends. In this poignant interview, Shelley describes the devastation drug use brought on her family, including the loss of the custody of her children. Her daughter, Bay, joins the conversation, and describes how she reconciled with her mother, and why she never gave in to the temptation of drug use, even though they were readily available.Drug use in our culture is an epidemic. It isn’t just teenagers who fall prey to this dangerous life choice. Shelley’s story reminds us that drugs know no age limits. We are also able to see that reconciliation with estranged family members is possible, though the pathway to reconciliation will be painful and often long.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Ho

No matter how “innocent” the television program or movie, it seems that the entertainment industry is determined to normalize same-sex attraction, starting with the youngest of children. How does a parent help a child navigate sexuality when so many forces come against a biblical worldview? In this interview, Cooper Pinson of Harvest USA offers practical help so that parents can respond with confidence and wisdom as they help their children understand sexual integrity in a sexually broken world.For more resources and practical help in raising your child to understand their sexuality in this very difficult culture, visit The Student Outreach, which is a branch of Harvest USA, a ministry that seeks to help those struggling with sexual sin.Cooper shares more about helping teens with same-sex attraction in this blog post: First Steps: Student and Same-Sex Attraction.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visit

Do you have questions about same-sex attraction? Is it wrong? Is it ok? Are you struggling with same-sex attraction personally? Is your child?Chuck and Sharon had the privilege of asking these questions and many more of Dr. Rosaria Butterfield, nationally known speaker and author of Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. Dr. Butterfield's down-to-earth, compassionate, common-sensical, and biblical approach to same-sex attraction resulted in a conversation that they wish everyone could hear. We live in a culture that challenges us to reexamine long held convictions and decide if what we believe is really scriptural or culturally based. None of us wants to be on the wrong side of the issue of same-sex attraction. People we love and respect are making choices that beg for acceptance and compassion. What must our response be? Chuck and Sharon had the unique privilege of asking this and much more of Rosaria. We hope many will listen with an open heart and mind, hungry for truth, and conclude there are solid

There are six key scriptures that specifically address homosexuality. Dr. Chuck F. Betters interviews three pastors about their understanding of how to interpret each one of these Scriptures, not as stand-alone words, but as part of the whole Bible. Listeners will be struck not only by the clear presentation of hard words, but by the Shepherd’s hearts of each of these pastors, Rev. Dan Betters, Rev. Jim Weaver and Dr. Chuck L. Betters. This conversation will equip Christians to better understand and communicate with kindness and compassion a scriptural position on homosexuality. The Scriptures are: Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:10.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting markinc.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministries/app, or by searching Help and Hope in

What’s the Christian Church to do? Western Culture not only accepts but also celebrates same-sex attraction as an appropriate and normal lifestyle. Are people who do not accept homosexuality as right and appropriate hateful and small-minded? In this frank conversation, Dr. Chuck F. Betters leads a conversation with three pastors about how the historical response of the local church to homosexuality and those in a gay relationship has contributed to an environment that is not conducive to demonstrating the Gospel. These pastors offer their own observations and understanding of the real application of the Gospel, not just to those in a homosexual relationship, but to every person struggling with sin.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting markinc.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministries/app, or by searching Help and Ho

What happens when a four-year-old gets an unwanted education in the darker side of humanity and experiences sexual abuse at the hand of her father? In this powerful, sometimes difficult-to-hear interview, Dr. Terry Eccles takes the listener into the abyss of the sexual abuse she experienced beginning at the age of four. This interview gives hope to the abused but also gives a window into the soul of the abused in a way that will better equip the listener to walk alongside the victim of abuse.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting markinc.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministries/app, or by searching Help and Hope in your mobile app store. For MARKINC to continue to offer these helpful FREE resources, we need your help!! Please donate to MARKINC Ministries and invest in offering these helpful resources to those in nee

Edie’s father died when she was four years old, so when her mother brought a new man into her home, she welcomed him as her father. When she was nine years old, this man began regularly raping her in her home. By the time she was twelve, he was taking her to hotel rooms where he trafficked her to men and women for the purpose of sex until she was seventeen. How does a child recover from such monstrous treatment? Edie’s story offers help and hope to anyone who has been sexually abused and shines a light on the spreading horror of sex trafficking in the United States. She offers people who work with children suggestions on how to spot a child who is being abused and how to help them. This compelling story uncovers a devastating, dark side of humanity but also is a message of help and hope for hurting people. You can contact Edie at: http://healingrootministry.com/.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visit

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 and the miraculous way the Magnolia House came into being and how God has blessed her obedience to His calling on her life. The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting helpandhopenow.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministri..., or by searching Help and Hope

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 she is today. Chuck and Fawn have a candid conversation, not only about her personal story but also about trauma responses, triggers, and how Jesus provides help and hope for all victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking. Fawn and Chuck discuss the lies that Satan tells us about who we were meant to be and how trauma distances us even further from the truth. They discuss how God desires to restore that which Satan has stolen and for those victimized to step back into their intended design. Fawn Volkert is the Program Director at Path2Freedom, a ministry designed to reach teenage

Have you ever been away from home and all you wanted was to go home, to your familiar surroundings, you family – your bed? You feel homesick. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Elyse Fitzpatrick describes how a difficult time in her life resulted in her longing for something more. She concluded she was homesick for heaven. Elyse helps us better understand how a biblical view of heaven can be a source of great comfort when life turns upside down. She encourages us to learn more about our eternal destination, just as we would if we were planning a visit to another country. Rather than eating grapes and being fanned by angels during an eternal worship service, Elyse paints a picture of a perfected earth, a real, physical place that we will explore and enjoy with real bodies in a world where there is no more sickness, death or tears.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting helpandhopenow.org. You

Did you know that every year about 100,000 men are widowed? Though a widow’s grief is just as deep as a widower, men often respond differently to the loss of their wives. In this moving conversation Dr. Chuck Betters talks with Dr. Jim Meyer, who lost his first wife. Jim shares the story of his family’s sorrow and cautions listeners that though someone who is broken might look whole on the outside, grief and depression might be ever present companions. Jim describes the depression he experienced and how his journey produced in him a passion for offering help to others who are grieving. Jim also shares how the Lord is redeeming his pain through his marriage to Kathy.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting helpandhopenow.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministri..., or by searching Help and Hope in your mobile app store.F

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.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting helpandhopenow.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and

Is it ever ok to question God’s love or wisdom, especially when you love and serve Him but experience tremendous loss? Dr. Frank A. James, President and Professor of Historical Theology at Missio Seminary in Pennsylvania joins Dr. Chuck F. Betters to talk about this very question. Frank’s story of loss started when his younger brother, Kelly, was trapped in a snow cave on Mt. Hood and an unyielding blizzard prevented rescue. News outlets from all over the world covered the fear and anguish of Frank’s family as they waited for news about Kelly. Frank describes the emotional roller coaster of hope, fear, confusion, despair and lament as they waited and then as they realized Kelly would not survive. As a professor, author, seminary president, how is it possible Frank struggled with hard theological questions about suffering and lament? Frank’s transparency will encourage you to better understand how God welcomes your questions and holds you tightly in His grip when you struggle to understand His purposes.The Hel

“Christmas. What will we do about Christmas?” This was one of the first grief-stricken questions Sharon asked her husband, Chuck, hours after learning of the death of their sixteen-year-old son, Mark. In this poignant interview, Chuck and Sharon Betters speak candidly about how they approached their first Christmas without their youngest child. If you are struggling with grief in this season that is considered the happiest of all, listen, and be encouraged that there are treasures in the darkness designed to help turn your heart toward Jesus.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by visiting helpandhopenow.org. You can also download the FREE mobile app, Help and Hope, by using this link - https://subsplash.com/markincministri..., or by searching Help and Hope in your mobile app store.For MARKINC to continue to offer these helpful FREE resources, we need your help!! Please donate to MARKINC Ministries and inve

Having a long-term or chronic illness can disrupt your life in many ways. Managing your illness can be overwhelming as you try to understand what's happening in your body and how you can best use the energy you have each day. Chronic illnesses can be frightening, because you may not understand why this is happening to you. In this transparent interview, Sharon Betters leads the conversation with three women who share some of their daily challenges as they live with the impact of Multiple Sclerosis, recurring cancer and Heart Disease, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, and multiple auto-immune diseases. You will be encouraged in your own life journey as Carol Marker, Sherry Bitler, and Debbie Kahler open up their hearts and share practical ways to make the most of each day, to live life with purpose, and to see God's gracious love in the pathways He has chosen for them.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find more Help & Hope episodes and all that MARKINC has to offer, by

Twenty-nine-year-old Erin Kauffman was enjoying the fruit of years of education and working. She loved her newly purchased home and bought a new car that she could load up with equipment when traveling to school sponsored music events. Erin filled her time with work, music, friends and ministry. Then the unthinkable happened. A driver fell asleep at the wheel and at sixty miles per hour slammed headfirst into Erin’s car. In this moving conversation with Sharon Betters, Erin describes the devastation of realizing the bottom half of her body was crushed, the long rehab, and how this accident changed the direction of her life. Though Erin continues to struggle with long term pain and acknowledges that her medical care is like a part-time job, she offers hope to anyone in similar circumstances. Erin’s story also will inspire listeners to trust that when everything feels impossible, that’s when we can see the Lord’s grace and strength in ways we never imagined possible.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MA

The title of Nate Brooks’ book, Disrupted Journey: Walking with Your Loved One Through Chronic Pain and Illness, describes the transparent conversation he had with hosts Sharon Betters and Heidi Nequist. Caregivers are one of the most forgotten communities. They often find themselves in this position quite suddenly and must navigate a whole new way of life, often alone, as they quietly persevere in giving their lives for the good of another. Nate knows what this is like and brings wisdom and hope while at the same time admitting this pathway is hard, so hard.The day he brought his wife home from the hospital, he was suddenly responsible for a whole new layer of living that included caring not only for his wife’s needs but taking care of three young children and all that means – piled on top of his already very busy life. Among other things, he talks about how he learned to take care of himself so he could function and keep all these balls of everyday life in the air. Nate talks about how hard it is to be godl

Preparation for retirement requires more than just financial planning. For most people, and especially for Christians, it comes with a host of other considerations—when to retire, where to live, and how to spend one’s time. Many find themselves asking, "Is there a right way to retire?" And what about the cultural perspective, “I’ve worked hard all my life, this time it’s all about me!” Is it ok to pursue pleasure that was unattainable before retirement? And what if unexpected changes in our health make it impossible to do what we want. How do we deal with disappointment and discontentment? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Dr. John Dunlop addresses these questions and shares practical strategies for Christians as they approach their retirement years. John encourages listeners to start thinking about retirement while they are young and shares suggestions for determining how to intentionally live with purpose in this last season of life.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Minist

In the book co-authored by Susan Hunt and Sharon Betters, Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture, each chapter ends with a storyteller who is at least seventy years old. Each woman gives the readers a glimpse into what aging with grace looks like for her. One of those storytellers is Carol Arnold. Carol was eighty-three years old at the time of the interview. She travels the world continuing the work of the organization her husband started, Equipping Pastors. Surely Carol is a model of flourishing in old age as she regularly gets on a plane in order to spend hours teaching about marriage in less than optimum circumstances. But is traveling the world at eighty-three years of age the only way to flourish? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Carol answers this question and encourages us to understand flourishing in any age is not about doing but rather about “being”. No matter your age, you will be encouraged and guided by her insights.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Mini

Elyse Fitzpatrick, author of over twenty books, a frequent conference speaker, and counselor, joins hosts Sharon Betters and Heidi Nequist to discuss aging and the second half of life. Rather than a question-and-answer format, listeners will feel like they are sitting around a table with three friends who are sharing their thoughts, concerns, and questions about what it means to age in this culture. For example, why is aging so hard? How does a sound theology help us age with grace in an anti-aging culture? Why is midlife difficult for women? How does aging affect marriages, and why do so many marriages break up about five years after children leave home? How can we prepare for this vacuum? What about children moving back home? What do we do with regrets? And so much more.Grab your favorite drink, sit in your favorite chair, and be encouraged and challenged as you join Elyse, Sharon, and Heidi for a fun and deep conversation on aging.The Help & Hope podcast is produced by MARKINC Ministries. You can find