What does it really look like to care for others well – and how do you do it without becoming overwhelmed?

In this episode, Haley and Dustin unpack the biblical foundations of effective care and counsel – and why every believer is called to help in some capacity. They address common barriers that hold people back – fear, self-doubt, and feeling unqualified – and share 10 biblical principles for helping others well.

This conversation is packed with practical insight for anyone who wants to walk alongside others with confidence, reflect God’s heart, and trust Him with the outcome.

Be sure to listen through to the end because they share a special 30% discount on Hope for the Heart’s Foundations of Care course, The Care and Counsel Handbook, and their summer Called to Care training event (details in the show notes).

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 to learn more

1. [0:05:00] God Is the Ultimate Counselor and Caregiver
2. [0:10:00] God’s Correction Flows From Care, Not Condemnation
3. [0:13:09] Common Barriers: Feeling Unequipped, Pride, and Over‑Identification
4. [0:18:20] Know Your Role: Help People, Don’t Try to Fix Them

Hope for the Heart resources

Use code HOPETALKS30 to save 30% on the following resources:

Foundations of Care video course: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/store/foundations-of-care

The Care and Counsel Handbook: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/care-and-counsel-handbook

Called to Care training event on Saturday, June 13, 2026: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/called-to-care

Other Hope for the Heart Resources

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopefortheheart

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

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://raisedonors.com/hopefortheheart/givehope?sc=HTPDON

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Bible verses mentioned in this episode

Isaiah 46:4 (NLT) – “I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.”

When you care for someone, you reflect the heart of God who “cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).

When you help someone, you reflect the heart of Go,d who is called “my helper” (Psalm 54:4 NLT).

When you help someone who has fallen, you reflect the heart of God who “upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14).

When you offer a gentle touch or supportive hand, you reflect the heart of God who “takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).

When you listen to someone tell their story or share a memory, you reflect the heart of God who “turns his ear to me” (Psalm 116:2 NIV), “bends down to listen” (NLT).

When you provide wise counsel to someone, you reflect the heart of God who “counsel[s] you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).

When you sympathize with someone grieving or crying in pain, you reflect the heart of God who promises to “wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4).

When you simply sit with someone and keep them company, you reflect the heart of God who says, “I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).

Trauma. It seems like we hear about it everywhere these days. But what does the Bible say about it?

In this episode, Haley and Dustin provide a biblical and lay-level understanding of the basics of trauma – what it is, what it is not, and how it’s different from everyday stress and pain. They also explore how trauma can impact us in different ways and also highlight biblical characters and stories where trauma played a significant role—reminding us that pain and suffering are not foreign to the story of God’s people. They offer a helpful framework from Dr. Marcus Warner* on how to bring God into your pain.

Whether you’re walking through trauma yourself or seeking to better understand and support others, this episode offers a biblical perspective on making sense of our pain with encouragement to find healing through God’s Word.

*See episode 78 with Dr. Marcus Warner, “Understanding the Wounded Heart" for more helpful discussion on trauma.

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 to learn more

[0:00:00] Identity Is Not Your Trauma

[0:01:28] Trauma: A Big Cultural & Church Conversation

[0:03:45] God’s Presence in Global and Personal Crises

[0:17:28] Big T vs Little t: Defining Trauma Clearly

[0:54:57] REAL Prayer: A Simple Framework for Healing

Hope for the Heart resources

Book – Crisis & Trauma: Healing the Wounded Heart – https://www.hopefortheheart.org/store/product/crisis-truama

Order our newest resource, The Care and Counsel Handbook, providing biblical guidance 100 real-life issues: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/care-and-counsel-handbook

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopefortheheart

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

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://raisedonors.com/hopefortheheart/givehope?sc=HTPDON

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Bible verses mentioned in this episode

Psalm 31:9-16 – “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.”

Bible characters who had traumatic experiences:

Adam & Eve – loss of fellowship with God; Cain kill Abel (their sons)

Noah – saw the whole world destroyed

Hagar -- Abused, exploited, abandoned while pregnant, fled to the wilderness

Joseph – Betrayed by family, abandoned, enslaved, falsely accused

Job – Lost everything, faced immense suffering

Naomi – Lost husband and sons, displaced

David – hunted by Saul, betrayal, and loss of family and friends, lament in the Psalms

Mary, mother of Jesus – Witnessed her son’s crucifixion

Paul – Beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked

Jesus – Rejected, abandoned, tortured, crucified

Rebekah Lyons shares her powerful hope story of navigating a difficult childbirth and learning that her firstborn son had Down syndrome. In that tender, uncertain season, she discovered what it truly meant to surrender control and trust God with her whole heart.

Together, we explore how adversity can strengthen our faith, why risk is an essential part of spiritual growth, and how resilience helps us face both courageously. Rebekah also shares five practical principles from her book Building a Resilient Life, offering encouragement and wisdom for anyone learning to walk boldly with God through life’s hardest moments.

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 to learn more

• [0:00] Let Go of Life’s Blueprint—Embrace the Journey You Didn’t Plan
• [0:27] Hope Isn’t Optional—It’s Everything
• [5:00] When Life is Interrupted—Discovering Purpose in the Unexpected
• [9:33] Grieving Dreams, Gaining Joy—The Unexpected Gifts of Special Needs Parenting
• [10:00] Risk as Rescue—How Taking Leaps Builds Unshakeable Resilience

Rebekah Lyons Resources

Learn more about Rebekah Lyons, her books, and her ministry – https://www.rebekahlyons.com/

Hope for the Heart resources

Order our newest resource, The Care and Counsel Handbook, providing biblical guidance 100 real-life issues: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/care-and-counsel-handbook

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopefortheheart

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

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://raisedonors.com/hopefortheheart/givehope?sc=HTPDON