271: Hope Johnson and Waiting for God to Answer Prayer

Hope Johnson is a writer and podcaster based in Upstate New York. She is the host of Hope Unyielding, a podcast where people share stories of God's faithfulness in the dark and difficult times of their lives. Today, Hope shares the story of how she learned Russian, struggled during a year teaching English, and how she wrestles with God because her “five year plan” didn’t come to fruition. Hope is a deep thinker whose story will remind you to honor and love the Lord even when you feel like he’s abandoned you.

Listen to Hope’s story now!

Stories Hope shared:

• Feeling called to be a writer
• Growing up in Maine with a dad who was a professional magician
• The example of faith in action that her parents set for her
• The encouragement to pray whether she should go to Russia
• Learning to separate God from his people in her mind
• Going to Gordon College to major in linguistics
• Teaching college courses in Russia
• Struggling with mental health
• The Muslim friend who had a dream about and helped her
• Teaching international students English
• Struggling with singleness
• What it’s like to be a single person in the church
• Surrendering her marital status to the Lord after a break up
• Learning to be comfortable with being unsatisfied
• Learning her identity is in Christ not her relationship status
• What churches can do to better serve singles

Great quotes from Hope:

I wish everyone in the church who’s married would realize that there’s something they can learn from us.

I want to offer real stories where real hope shines through.

Faith and feelings are not synonyms.

I’ve learned to sit with not feeling satisfied and not feel guilty about it.

Resources we mentioned:

• • Hope’s website
  • The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Related episodes:

• Tiffany Jo Baker and Giving Life to Dreams
• Chuck DeGroat and the Invitation to Obscurity
• Alicia Michelle and the Renewing of Your Mind

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