104:Finding Strength in the Hardest Times: Hope, Faith and the Courage to Keep Going

Some conversations stay with you long after the recording ends. This is one of them.

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by life, weighed down by responsibility, or unsure how to keep going through hardship, today’s episode will meet you exactly where you are. Author and chaplain Sam Wegner returns for Part 2 of a powerful conversation that opens the heart and strengthens the spirit.

Sam speaks with honesty and humility about caregiving, fear, the raw edges of faith, and the quiet strength found in community. He shares how he supported his wife Crystal through years of intense pain and uncertainty, and how trust, hope and connection carried him through moments most of us can hardly imagine.

John guides the conversation with compassion, curiosity and presence. His ability to truly listen brings out the depth of Sam’s wisdom and gives space for the kind of truth people rarely speak aloud. This is why listeners trust John and keep returning. Every episode reveals a little more of what greatness looks like in real life.

Sam’s stories will lift you, steady you, and remind you that even in the hardest seasons, you are not alone.

🎧 This is a conversation you feel. Let it speak to you.

✨ In This Episode

• The hidden emotional weight carried by caregivers and why it is so often overlooked • Why we reach breaking point and what it means to hand the burden over instead of carrying it alone • How resentment eats away at us and why letting go feels like lifting a thousand kilos off the soul • The healing power of genuine community when you feel isolated • Crystal’s extraordinary resilience and the quiet influence of her faith around the world • What real contentment looks like during hardship • Why hope is far more than a feeling and how it becomes a steadying force • How to keep going when everything feels beyond your control • A reminder that strength grows when we stop gripping so tightly and allow ourselves to be supported

This episode is filled with real stories, real courage and real hope.

🎧 Tune In Now to Be Inspired Whether you are on a walk, driving, or simply needing a lift, this conversation is for you. Hit play and rise into your greatness today.

🌐 Connect with Sam Wegner

Website: https://www.samwegner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samwegnerjr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575799584385 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samwegner/

📘 Buy the book: The Weight of the Wait 💛 Donate to support Sam and Crystal: www.johnmerkus.com 🔗 Follow us and share your favourite moments. We love hearing how you use these ideas in your life.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@riseandthrivejohn Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/jmerkus Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288565440476587/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnmerkus Website: https://www.johnmerkus.com Merko Motivation Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zOOEieBv2g1cZxIe7uFRV?si=7618a9b7596341cd

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