Hope Still Wins with Ben Higgins

Happy 1 year anniversary Hope Still Wins fam!! In this episode Ben and producer Jenny Barber ask YOU, the listener, “the question”-- Does hope still win? If so why and if not, why not? They reflect on where the show is one year after launch and what listeners can expect next.

From the HSW team: If you’ve been alongside us over the past year, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It’s truly been an honor getting to exp...

Writer, TED Speaker, and mental health advocate Hannah Brencher challenges us to ask how we can serve others in times when we may need love, hope and healing the most. She shares her personal struggles with mental health, how it led her to creating a “battle plan” and how she ultimately found balance and hope by leaning into her faith, seeking out medical help and writing notes to strangers all over New York City.

Connect with Hann...

Why does leadership matter and what does it look like in a post pandemic, 2022 world? Pastor of Zoe Church, Chad Veach joins Ben to discuss why Jesus is the ultimate example of how to lead, what it means to be a servant leader, how to establish your voice as a leader and what we can learn from other generations about how and why we choose to lead.

Connect with Chad:

-Instagram 

-Twitter

-Check out Zoe Church 

-Zoe Leaders...

Michael D. Tubbs is the author of the memoir The Deeper the Roots, Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility, founder of End Poverty in California (E.P.I.C) and was the previous mayor of Stockton, California at the age of 26 which made him the youngest mayor of any major American city! In this episode, Ben and Michael dig into the importance of changing the poverty narrative, the ways Michael’s faith...

We’re kicking off mental health awareness month with former professional baseball player, Drew Robinson. Drew's advocacy for mental health is deeply personal. In 2020, he attempted to commit suicide. It came as a surprise to everyone on the outside because Drew looked like he had it all— playing in the major leagues, surrounded by people who loved and supported him. Drew's suicide attempt was not successful and he is no longer is p...

Kent Dobson is a spiritual leader whose work centers on deepening the conversation between the Soul, who we are in the world, the mystery of Nature, and the Divine Source. He leads Pilgrimage Tours to Israel and was the leader for Ben’s recent trip with his parents and his wife Jessica. In this conversation, Ben and Kent explore the complexities of faith, the benefits of disruption and what it means to surrender to the unknown. If ...

Ben and his wife Jessica reflect on their recent trip to Israel, part 2! They’re answering listener’s questions about how the trip deepened their understanding of the gospels, the ways their view on hope evolved throughout the experience and of course, their favorite foods!!

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to go back and listen to Ben and Jessica's reflections on their trip to Israel part 1 here! 

Connect with Ben:

-...

"I think there are a lot of us who have to make peace with the idea of several different possibilities and tracks throughout our lives. And it’s not necessarily a failure, it might actually be a gift." 

Bestselling author Shuana Niequist and Ben walk us through what it looks like to navigate endings we didn’t choose (relationships, jobs, church affiliations etc.) and make peace with expectations for how we thought our lives wo...

Ben sits down with author and pastor of Transformation Church, Dr. Derwin L. Gray to navigate what the Bible says about healing our racial divide and what action we can take to stand for reconciliation in our communities as well as our local church. 

Like what you hear and want to dig in deeper? Grab a copy of Dr. Derwin L. Gray’s new book, How to Heal Our Racial Divide: What the Bible Says, and the First Christians Knew About...

Daniel Grothe is the Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO and the author of Chasing Wisdom and most recently, The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age. In this episode, Daniel challenges our generation-- enthralled with wanderlust and chasing the next best thing-- to do the opposite and stay put. He makes an argument for why we may be rich when it comes to financial capital but how many...

Emily P. Freeman is a bestselling author, podcast host and has a masters degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership from Friends University where she serves as a Residency Lecturer. She creates soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue.

In this conversation, Ben and Emily discuss what it looks like to navigate decisions when it comes to deconstructing our faith, and E...

“Mental health should never be a solo battle.”

Shawn Johnson, Senior Pastor at Red Rocks Church and author of the new book, Attacking Anxiety: From Panicked and Depressed to Alive and Free, takes us through his personal journey battling with panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. He wants any who battles with mental illness to know that they are not alone, what you are going through is real, and it can be beat.

T...

"Indy is this beacon of hope for people."

Terah and Brian Jones share their journey through childhood cancer and the miraculous moments they experienced with their daughter, Indy Llew. Their story is scattered with the the spirit of childhood hope, the warmth of miracles, and a breathtaking example of how the faith of 1000s has the power to heal. 

In loving memory of Indy Llew Jones. You are a light for us all, little one. 🤞�...

How do we heal from sexual trauma? And what is "sex positivity"?  In this episode, Ben sits down with Licensed Psychologist, Certified Sex Therapist, and founder of Modern Intimacy Dr. Kate Balestrieri to explore what it means to fully embrace our sexuality, how to accept others who have differing sexual values, and why considering our relationship with God can be a step toward healing our relationship with sex.  

Co...

How can we utilize the enneagram to heal? In this episode, Ben sits down for an insightful conversation with Ian Cron— an enneagram master teacher, speaker, author of the bestselling book, A Road Back to You, and most recently his new book, The Story of You. They dig into the false stories each type tells themselves and how we can use the enneagram to work in our favor to expose and rewrite our broken stories.

Connect with Ian:

-In...

For Brandon and Sam Conley, receiving news that Brandon was diagnosed with Bulbar Onset ALS was a "line in the sand moment." Brandon, age 36, was originally diagnosed with Lyme Disease and had been struggling with symptoms for 16 months that "seemed" to be Lyme before specialist confirmed that in was in fact, ALS. 

In this episode, Ben sits down with two of his best friends to talk about what it's like to receive a life-alteri...

Does hope win when someone you care about takes their own life? How do you begin to process and how do you move forward?

In this episode of Hope Still Wins in the Unexpected, Ben sits down with writer and editor Laurie Woolever best known for her time as an assistant to the late TV host, author, and producer Anthony Bourdain. They discuss the complexities of Anthony’s life, how to help loved ones with an addictive personality, and ...

Artist, illustrator, author, and performing artist, Scott Erickson joins Ben to discuss the power our curiosity has in the journey to transforming our lives. They dig into the concept of living within the paradox of life and how identity can be a powerful force once we shift our perspective from working FOR identity to working FROM it. It’s an honest conversation that will leave you both empowered to connect to your curiosity and h...