How to Trace the Goodness of God in the Middle of Suffering | Interview with Alexandra V. Hoover
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Release Date: 05/02/2022
When Your Mental Health Messes with Your Faith | Interview with Dr. Jean Lee Neely
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
So many Christians struggle with mental health, and yet we still struggle to talk about it without shame. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, depression or sadness because no one understands, this episode is for you. In this honest and deeply compassionate conversation, Barb is joined by author Jean Neely to discuss her book Christ in the Abyss: Cultivating Deep Faith amid Depression and Despair. Drawing from her own decades-long journey with mental health challenges, Jean offers a powerful reminder: God’s presence isn’t reserved for when we feel strong—it meets us right in the...
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A Biblical Path to Healing From Racial Trauma | Interview with Sheila Wise Rowe
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
In this powerful and hope-filled conversation, Barb speaks with counselor, spiritual director, and author Sheila Wise Rowe about her book Seeds of Racial Healing: Fifty-Two Devotions for Navigating Through Trauma. With over thirty years of experience counseling trauma survivors and ministering to marginalized communities, Sheila offers a deeply compassionate, trauma-informed approach to addressing both personal and systemic racism through the lens of Scripture. They talk about how racial trauma impacts the body and soul, why rest and resilience are essential for Christians of color, and how...
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God Wants You to Have a Hobby | Interview with Brianna Lambert
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Can having a hobby help you connect more to the heart of God? In this episode, Barb is joined by author Brianna Lambert to talk about her book Created to Play and how our hobbies can become meaningful expressions of worship. They explore why play is often misunderstood in Christian culture, how it forms us spiritually, and the unique roles we step into through our hobbies—from creator and curator to restorer and connector. Brianna also invites us to see play not as a distraction from purpose, but as a pathway to delight, community, and deeper connection with God. If you’ve ever felt guilty...
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Living a Life That Matters | Interview with Crickett Keeth
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Are you craving a life that actually matters—one that goes beyond just getting through the day? In this episode, Barb speaks with author Crickett Keeth about what it looks like to live with true purpose and eternal significance. Based on her Bible study, Living Out a Life that Matters, they explore how the apostle Paul modeled a life of depth, impact, and faithfulness—and how we can do the same today. If you feel stuck in the day-to-day or are longing to live with deeper purpose, this episode will encourage you to pursue a life of meaning and impact, right where you are. RESOURCES...
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You Can Stop Trying So Hard | Interview with Karolyne Roberts
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Are you tired of constantly striving, comparing, and wondering if you’ll ever be enough? In this encouraging and truth-filled conversation, Barb is joined by bestselling author and speaker Karolyne Roberts to talk about her book The Beauty of Being: Strive Less and Live More with God as Your Guide. Together, they explore how we can let go of unhealthy mindsets and rest in our identity as a beloved daughter of God. If you’re longing to feel secure in your identity, live more fully in the present, and walk confidently in God’s purpose for your life, this episode will remind you that you...
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How to See God in Your Story | Interview with Laurie Polich Short
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Have you ever looked back and questioned where was God during the hard or painful moments? Are you at the point in life where you’re looking for meaning in the things that you’ve gone through? In this episode, Barb is joined by speaker and author Laurie Polich Short to talk about her book Tracking God in Your Life: How to See God’s Work in Your Past, Experience His Presence, and Trust Him with Your Future. Together, they explore how to recognize God’s fingerprints in your everyday life — even when you question whether He sees you. Listen in as Laurie shows us how every...
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God, I’m Tired of Dieting | Interview with Brandice Lardner
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Have you ever felt stuck on the diet roller coaster, bouncing between restriction, failure, and shame? In this episode, Barb is joined by personal trainer and nutrition coach Brandice Lardner, founder of Grace Filled Plate, to talk about food freedom, faith-based wellness, and breaking free from diet culture for good. Brandice shares her personal journey through dieting and disordered eating, and how it led her to create a compassionate, grace-filled approach to health that meets women’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They discuss why traditional diets fail, how all-or-nothing...
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Holding on to Hope in a Heavy World | Episode with Shannan Martin
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Most of our days are lived in the in-between; ordinary hours filled with small griefs, flickers of joy, quiet disappointments, and unexpected beauty. In this heartfelt conversation, Barb sits down with bestselling author Shannan Martin to talk about her newest book, Counterweights, and how to stay hopeful in a world that often feels heavy. With humor and honesty, Shannan shares the life-changing practice of “counterweights” — learning to hold both the good and the hard at the same time. Together, they explore how to navigate what’s outside our control, notice the ordinary...
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Searching for God in Seasons of Silence | Interview with Dominique Young
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Sometimes it feels like God is silent, leaving us unsure of where to turn or how to keep going. In this episode, Barb speaks with Dominique Young, author of God, Where Are You? and founder of Faith Mamas, as she shares her own journey through grief, doubt, and unanswered prayers. They discuss why healing is often a slow process, how faith and therapy can work together, and why dropping the “masks” we wear is essential for real growth. This episode is full of honest reflection, practical guidance, and hope for anyone navigating seasons of silence, struggle, or uncertainty in their...
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Finding Peace in Life’s Tough Transitions | Interview with Courtney Ellis
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
What do you do when the life you planned gives way to a season you never saw coming? In today’s episode, Barb is joined by pastor, author, and podcaster Courtney Ellis for a thoughtful conversation about navigating life’s tough transitions. Together they explore why God created change, what nature can teach us about living through it, and why even good change can bring real grief. If you’re facing a transition—expected or unexpected—this episode offers wisdom, honesty, and hope for the road ahead. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Courtney on Connect with...
info_outlineWhere is God in the middle of our suffering? How can we come to grips with the goodness of God when so much in life just doesn't seem to make sense?
Join Barb on this new episode of The Better Together Podcast as she speaks with special guest Alexandra V. Hoover. From poverty to abuse to abandonment, Alexandra knows what it looks like to walk through suffering that she just couldn't come to grips with as a young Latina. It was not until she took the time to look back and trace the hand of God in her life that she was able to begin receiving the healing that she desperately needed. And now she wants to help you do the same. This is a powerful conversation that will speak to your heart and remind you of the goodness of God in your past and in your present.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Eyes Up: How to Trust God’s Heart by Tracing His Hand
Instagram: @alexandravhoover
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Alexandra V. Hoover is a wife, mother of three, daughter, sought-out speaker, and writer. She’s passionate about communicating the gospel’s beauty and hope, whether through writing or speaking, online or in person. Her words spur people on to hope, healing, and their mission. She has the privilege of serving on staff at Transformation Church and spends her days loving on her family, dancing with her kids, and living on mission right where God has her.