Do you ever struggle to pray? Most of us would say yes.

Prayer is one of the richest blessings we have, but it doesn’t always come easily. Distractions, unanswered prayers, and questions about God can make it difficult to know where to begin.

Pastor and author Matt Smallbone joins Haley and Dustin to share his own struggles with prayer and what changed when he began praying through the Lord’s Prayer. Drawing from his book, The Prayer Experiment, Matt explains how the prayer Jesus taught helps us bring our everyday needs to God, practice forgiveness, and deepen our trust in our heavenly Father.

It’s an honest and often humorous conversation with practical tips and encouragement for anyone who wants to grow in their prayer life.

Subscribe to the podcast and tune in each week as Haley and Dustin share with you what the Bible says about real-life issues with compassion, warmth, and wit.

So you have every reason for hope, for every challenge in life. Because hope means

everything.

Hope Talks is a podcast of the ministry of Hope for the Heart.

Listen in

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Resources from Matt Smallbone

Learn more about Matt Smallbone: https://www.mattsmallbone.com/

Order Matt’s book, The Prayer Experiment: https://tinyurl.com/bdfm4stz

Hope for the Heart resources

Connect with Hope Talks on social!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594309116647

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopetalkspod/

Learn more about the ministry and resources of Hope for the Heart: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/

Learn more about Hope Talks and catch up on past episodes: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/hopetalks/

Want to talk with June Hunt on Hope in the Night about a difficult life issue? Schedule a time here: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/talk-with-june-hope-in-the-night

God’s plan for you: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/gods-plan-for-you

Give to the ministry of Hope for the Heart: https://hopefortheheart.donorsupport.co/page/hope-talks

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Bible verses mentioned in this episode

Matthew 6:9–13 — The Lord's Prayer "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"

Matthew 6:5–6 — How not to pray "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others… But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen."

Matthew 6:7 — Don't pray like a pagan "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words."

Mark 6:31 — Rest and solitude "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Mark 9:24 — Faith and doubt "Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'"

Matthew 28:16–17 — Doubt among the disciples "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted."

After years of declining church engagement, something hopeful may be happening: younger generations are showing a renewed openness to Jesus and spiritual questions. But what are they really searching for—and how should the church respond?

Barna Group CEO David Kinnaman joins Haley and Dustin to discuss why young people want a faith that is real, beautiful, and lasting. They explore mental health and authentic discipleship, the influence of AI and algorithms, and why the church must offer more than another carefully produced experience. David also shares how the loss of his wife, Jill, deepened his own hope in the resurrection.

It’s a wide-ranging, honest, and often humorous conversation about the future of faith—and why David believes this may be the spiritually open moment Christians have been praying for.

Subscribe to the podcast and tune in each week as Haley and Dustin share with you what the Bible says about real-life issues with compassion, warmth, and wit.

So you have every reason for hope, for every challenge in life. Because hope means

everything.

Hope Talks is a podcast of the ministry of Hope for the Heart.

Listen in

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Resources from David Kinnaman and the Barna Group

Learn more about the Barna Group: https://www.barna.com/

Pre-order David’s new book, Jesus is Back: https://tinyurl.com/53vxwpty

Hope for the Heart resources

Connect with Hope Talks on social!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594309116647

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopetalkspod/

Learn more about the ministry and resources of Hope for the Heart: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/

Learn more about Hope Talks and catch up on past episodes: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/hopetalks/

Want to talk with June Hunt on Hope in the Night about a difficult life issue? Schedule a time here: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/talk-with-june-hope-in-the-night

God’s plan for you: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/gods-plan-for-you

Give to the ministry of Hope for the Heart: https://hopefortheheart.donorsupport.co/page/hope-talks

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Bible verses mentioned in this episode

John 10:10 — "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 8:36 — "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

John 1:1 — "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Acts 2:32 — "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it."

Mark 12:30 — "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

Isaiah 30:21 — "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"