Hope For Restless Hearts

Have you ever experienced a wilderness? Not just a visit to a physical desert or forest, but any barren period of your life? In this episode, host John Newton talks about wildernesses we all face in our lives and how you can find hope in God during your experience.

In this episode, hosts John and Shannon Newton talk about how authentic community has shaped their lives, especially during their recent move. Whether you are single or married, community can play an important role in your life, though it often takes courage to get past the awkwardness that comes with being known.

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, host John Newton talks about the Church season of Lent. You know, our society loves speed and noise, and we often fill our free time with distractions. But how can we turn off the noise in order to focus on the presence of the Lord in our […]

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, host John Newton talks about his love of the springtime. From beautiful flowers to longer days, the season reminds us that winter is not forever and that God has not forgotten His creation.

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, hosts John and Shannon Newton talk about how the recent movie, “Mary Poppins Returns,” reflects both the fun of imagination AND our continuing need to believe in the impossible. How can imagination help us navigate a life of faith and bring us hope?

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, hosts John and Shannon Newton talk about how change has affected their own lives and offer tips on how to better navigate life’s transitions. Do you like change? Does it give you energy? Or does it make you turn into a ball of anxiety and insecurity?

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, hosts John and Shannon Newton talk about the importance of keeping physical reminders of times when God has helped you. Often called “Ebenezers,” stones, notes, cards and other items can be very helpful during times of restlessness.

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, hosts John and Shannon Newton talk about how our society hates — and yet loves — mysteries. But while the world’s great enigmas often inspire great imagination, they can also cause a lot of restlessness in our hearts, especially when the mysteries relate to things of God.

In this episode of Hope for Restless Hearts, host John Newton talks about rediscovering his newspaper cartoon collection and the lesson that one cartoon taught him about the dangers of dwelling on the “what ifs” that come into our minds. How do we avoid the dangers of dwelling on possible future scenarios and getting worried […]

Our Western culture uses the myth of Santa Claus to fill the God-shaped hole that exists inside every person. But who was the real Santa Claus? And what does our current legend of Santa reveal about what we want God to be like?

Family, money, grief... many things seem to take our joy away this time of year. Focusing on Jesus becomes difficult, despite it being His birthday season! What can we do to keep Jesus at the forefront of our hearts and minds this Christmas?

Who are you? What do you do? If you were to summarize your identity in one sentence, what would you write or say? Can you even do it? It seems that we are in constant search for an identity that satisfies us — or satisfies those around us. But how can we better approach this search with God's perspective in mind?

We all deeply long for a world without death — a world without mourning and sadness, without funerals and graveyards. Are you dealing with the fallout from death right now? How can a restless heart find hope in the midst of so much sadness?

We all have "monsters" in our lives — from bullies to unemployment to budget deficits — and facing these scary life situations brings a lot of fear. With Halloween ahead this week, host John Newton discusses how to deal with fear in your life and explores an example from the life of Moses and the Israelites. Do you have any "monsters" in your life? How do you battle them? Can you trust God when you are afraid?

Inside the heart is a really deep longing for things in this world to be right. Have you felt it? I believe that every human is in search of what is ideal. Nobody likes to be taken advantage of, to be wounded, to suffer personal loss. We all long internally for things to be right, and this longing leads people to search for answers to the wicked mess they see and experience around them.

On today's inaugural episode of Hope For Restless Hearts we talk about what makes one a "restless heart" and why they need a rest that is deeper and longer-lasting than a vacation.