In this episode, we sat down with Dale Angstadt, longtime Ben Lippen teacher, husband, and honest disciple of the Word, to trace the true meaning of biblical hope. Mr. Angstadt names hope as a chosen trust in God’s character, not a thin optimism, and walks us through the tangible ways God meets us in the waiting: Abraham’s dust and stars, Mary’s sign in Elizabeth, and the cross anchored in history. These are the handholds that keep faith steady when feelings wobble.
Across the conversation, Scripture frames reality without denial. Romans 8 points to present suffering and future glory, clarifying that the “good” at work is our transformation into the likeness of Christ. Mr. Angstadt shares a raw year marked by illness, surgeries, and helplessness, and yet a paradox emerges: greater hardship creates deeper joy. That shift comes from a crucial question: do we define God by our circumstances, or interpret our circumstances by who God is? From Zechariah’s hesitation to Mary’s trust, perspective becomes discipleship in real time.
We also unpack the practices that grow durable hope: reading the Bible until it shapes our inner speech, abiding in Jesus with a daily conversation, and letting tried faith mature into quiet wisdom. Then comes the outward turn. Jesus calls us salt and light; we cannot share what we do not live. When a life is flavored with hope, people notice. They ask. And we answer with gentleness about the hope within us. This Advent, come learn how to anchor your heart in a God who does not move, even as the world keeps spinning.
If this conversation encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review with one practice that helps you keep hope.
