In my last column, I wrote about hope as a skill. Hope isn’t passive, and it isn’t something we either have or we don’t. Like any skill, it has to be built through small choices, steady practice, supportive relationships and repeated evidence that change is possible. Once hope is developed in a person, it can…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-12.49.48-PM-e1784566789879.png5041142Christopher Cooperhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngChristopher Cooper2026-07-26 11:30:002026-07-20 13:08:33Hope Comes Full Circle
At a recent conference, I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Chan Hellman speak about the science of hope. Hellman is a professor at the University of Oklahoma and the founding director of its Hope Research Center. His research examines hope as a psychological strength that can help children and adults experiencing trauma and adversity.…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/cosmos_815362774-e1783960758200.jpeg6401080Lauren Hallhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2026-07-19 12:30:002026-07-13 13:27:38Hope is a Skill, Not a Wish
A dear friend of mine, who is a marriage and family therapist, recently sent me a piece of research because, as she put it, it reminded her of my family. This is both a compliment and a small accusation. I’ve often felt I know more family history than the average person should. Not just the…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/pexels-rdne-7782973-scaled-e1783348958921.jpg9562048Lauren Hallhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2026-07-12 11:30:002026-07-06 10:50:32The Stories That Make Us Strong
Hope Comes Full Circle
In my last column, I wrote about hope as a skill. Hope isn’t passive, and it isn’t something we either have or we don’t. Like any skill, it has to be built through small choices, steady practice, supportive relationships and repeated evidence that change is possible. Once hope is developed in a person, it can…
Hope is a Skill, Not a Wish
At a recent conference, I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Chan Hellman speak about the science of hope. Hellman is a professor at the University of Oklahoma and the founding director of its Hope Research Center. His research examines hope as a psychological strength that can help children and adults experiencing trauma and adversity.…
The Stories That Make Us Strong
A dear friend of mine, who is a marriage and family therapist, recently sent me a piece of research because, as she put it, it reminded her of my family. This is both a compliment and a small accusation. I’ve often felt I know more family history than the average person should. Not just the…