Desperate for Hope:
Conversations on Divorce with Vaneetha

If you’re a Christian walking through divorce—especially an unwanted divorce—and wondering how to keep trusting God in a reality you never planned, this podcast will meet you where you are. Join me and my guests as we talk honestly about loss, unanswered prayer, faith, and how to rebuild when life doesn’t unfold as you hoped.

This season is nine episodes with guests including Paul David Tripp, Sissy Goff, Brighton Butler and Barnabas Piper among others.

We’ll talk about a range of topics, including lament and grieving, honest struggles, single parenting, letting go of bitterness, finding community, navigating divorce within the church, rebuilding life after loss, and dating and remarriage—all grounded in practical wisdom and gospel hope. We’ll also offer practical help for those walking alongside friends through divorce.

This podcast is being released in conjunction with my new book, This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God through the Heartache of Divorce.

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Episode 6 - Grief, Depression & Single Parenting
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Episode 6 - Grief, Depression & Single Parenting

Shannon McCoy, a counselor and author who has walked through divorce herself, will offer both professional insight and personal honesty about grief you can’t schedule. She will share how depression and ambiguous loss can distort identity, push people toward unhealthy patterns, and leave single parents exhausted—and how God meets them in those places with hope and truth. Listeners will gain clarity on the difference between grief and depression, practical ways to access care when resources are limited, and small spiritual habits that restore peace in the middle of daily survival.

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Episode 5 - When Marriage Breaks from Betrayal or Abuse
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Episode 5 - When Marriage Breaks from Betrayal or Abuse

Brad Hambrick, pastor of counseling at The Summit Church and author of books on infidelity and the church’s care for the abused, will bring clear, pastoral wisdom for one of the hardest realities: when marriages end through betrayal or abuse. He will help divorced believers navigate the complicated dynamics of church—how to face judgment or misunderstanding, what true repentance looks like, and why reconciliation isn’t always possible. Brad will also speak directly to pastors and ministry leaders, offering practical guidance on creating safe environments, supporting the vulnerable, and leading churches to respond with both truth and compassion.

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Episode 4 - Living Forward While Still Healing
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Episode 4 - Living Forward While Still Healing

Brighton Butler, who has walked through divorce in a very public space, will bring raw honesty about navigating faith, single parenting, and identity under watchful eyes. She will share how to live forward with courage while still healing—setting boundaries online and off, deciding what to share and what to hold, and helping kids process a public narrative. Listeners will hear practical wisdom for rebuilding daily rhythms of peace, staying grounded in faith under scrutiny, and telling their own stories with integrity and hope.

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Episode 3 - Helping Kids Feel Safe Again
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Episode 3 - Helping Kids Feel Safe Again

Sissy Goff, a counselor who specializes in helping children and teens navigate anxiety and big emotions, will bring wisdom to the unique challenges kids face in divorce. She can share age-specific tools that lower anxiety, simple rituals that make transitions between homes smoother, and language that helps kids feel secure. With compassion for depleted parents, she will offer practical ways to repair after blowups, protect kids from being caught in the middle, and build small connection habits that restore safety.

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Episode 2 - God’s Presence in the Midst of Divorce
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Episode 2 - God’s Presence in the Midst of Divorce

Paul David Tripp, pastor, counselor, and author, will remind listeners that when divorce shatters their world, God’s presence is more foundational than answers, His promises more steady than circumstances, and that what we are telling ourselves matters. He will talk about what it means to trust God when life feels hopeless, how suffering can deepen discipleship, and how the church can embody Christ’s presence for those walking through divorce.

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Episode 1 - The Undoing and the God Who Stays
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Episode 1 - The Undoing and the God Who Stays

In this opening episode, my sister Shalini and I will share a raw and honest account of walking through the wreckage of divorce—what it felt like up close, the losses named, and the lament that gave way to God’s presence. Together we’ll reflect on grief, unanswered prayers, and what it felt like to walk with someone and help carry that burden. This conversation will frame the heart behind the podcast: an invitation to be honest about pain, to discover hope in unexpected places, and to journey forward with the God who never leaves.

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Trailer - Why This Podcast and Book
Vaneetha Risner Vaneetha Risner

Trailer - Why This Podcast and Book

In this series, I sit down with people who understand divorce from every angle — those who have lived through it, pastors and counselors who have walked alongside it, and trusted voices like Paul Tripp, Sissy Goff, Brighton Butler, and Barnabas Piper. Together, we talk honestly about grief and loss, parenting and co-parenting, rebuilding, forgiveness, dating, remarriage, and learning to trust God again.

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