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Sheila Walsh | The Hope of Heaven
September 10, 2026 · 52 min
In this episode, Haley and Dustin welcome Sheila Walsh back to the podcast for an honest conversation about depression, disappointment, unanswered prayers, and the hope we have in Christ. Sheila shares about a recent difficult season in her own mental health journey and how Hebrews 12 led her to a fresh perspective on eternity.
Series Hope Talks Podcast Videos September 10, 2026 · 52 min · Hope Talks Podcast Videos
In this episode, Haley and Dustin welcome Sheila Walsh back to the podcast for an honest conversation about depression, disappointment, unanswered prayers, and the hope we have in Christ. Sheila shares about a recent difficult season in her own mental health journey and how Hebrews 12 led her to a fresh perspective on eternity. ...more Show the full description Show less In this episode, Haley and Dustin welcome Sheila Walsh back to the podcast for an honest conversation about depression, disappointment, unanswered prayers, and the hope we have in Christ. Sheila shares about a recent difficult season in her own mental health journey and how Hebrews 12 led her to a fresh perspective on eternity.
Series Hope Talks Podcast Videos 113K followers
Hope for the Heart is a worldwide biblical counseling, coaching, and caregiving ministry founded by June Hunt in 1986. We’re passionate about helping people
113K followers
In this video 0:00 Scars as Proof That God Heals17:11 Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus and the Eternal View35:25 What Heaven Will Actually Be Like40:57 Loving a God We Do Not Always Understand46:30 The Hope of Heaven Changes Everything
Scars as Proof That God Heals 0:00 And the thing that just blows me away is so often we hide our scars from 1 another because we think, well, that's the less attractive part of me. But Christ chose to hold on to the marks of0:12 crucifixion. He could have left them in the tomb, folded up with the cloths, but he didn't. And so to me, scars are proof that God heals. So I think if Jesus is not ashamed of his scars, why should we0:24 be ashamed of ours?0:25 Welcome to Hope Talks. We're your hosts. I'm Haley Scully along with Dustin Anderson, and we wanna give you every reason for hope for every challenge in life because hope means everything.0:40 Spoiler alert, Dustin. Yep. Apparently, there are not Ferris wheels in heaven. I'm pretty0:48 That is a good spoiler alert.0:49 On good authority. Today, we welcomed Sheila Walsh back to the podcast, and it is such a joy and such an encouragement to be encouraged by Sheila1:01 Walsh.1:01 Yeah. That's right. So this is her 2nd time on the podcast. This time, we talked about her book, The Hope of Heaven, and so it was just a super encouraging conversation on just, again, the hope that we have in1:13 Christ. And so we hope you're encouraged today by this episode.
1:17 Yeah. Leave your messages. When you listen to it, let us know what what stands out to you, what encourages you. Like and subscribe if you're following us on YouTube or wherever you're listening to podcast episodes. We
1:28 would just love for you to stay engaged. Share this with someone that you might think would be encouraged by Sheila's message today. And if it's somebody that you feel like they're really hoping that Ferris wheels are in
1:39 heaven, maybe don't share this episode. But you will take a listen, see what you think. And in the meantime, we're excited and grateful that you're listening to Hope Talks. Dustin, it
1:51 is guest day and it is honored guest day.
1:55 The best of guest days. Yeah.
1:56 It's the best of guest day. We are excited to have Sheila Walsh with us again. Hello, Sheila.
2:01 Hey.
2:03 Dustin, remind our audience about Sheila, kind of our friendship with her and who she lives.
2:08 Is. Yeah. So we are just very excited to have Sheila Walsh back with us today. She was on the podcast about a year ago or so and kinda shared her testimony and walked through that. We've just been so encouraged by that,
2:18 and I know a lot of people have as well. But many people will probably remember Sheila Walsh from co hosting the 700 Club on TBN where she, still hosts Praise and Better Together, but just a beloved Bible teacher,
2:30 conference speaker, Grammy nominee and author of so many books. To name a few, It's Okay Not to be Okay, Praying Women, which you've been talking about. And then, 1 of our newest books, The Hope of Heaven, which we might
2:42 get into a little bit today. But also, Sheila is coming back, 1 of our conferences at the Hope Together Conference That's
2:48 right.
2:49 In October. So quick plug, hope together dot com. You can learn more about that there. But just so excited for you to be back at the conference and with us today. And just 1 final thing, I gotta say, Sheila,
3:01 of all of our guests, you have probably been the most quoted since since the 1st time, me and Haley, almost, it feels like every episode, but other guests as well, they're like, I was reading this from Sheila Walsh or
3:12 Sheila Walsh on this, and it was like
3:14 There's a lot of name dropping of Sheila Walsh.
3:17 I've just been so so many people have just been so blessed by just your your your writing and speaking and encouragement. So thank you.
3:24 Yeah. Thank you so much. And, honestly, 1 of the reasons I'm so excited about the conference, obviously, apart from seeing June again, who I adore, is that Lisa Harper is gonna be there. She and
3:36 I have been buddies for, like, 35 years. Oh. She when we when I used to live in Nashville, Lisa used to be head of the women's ministry at a church there. And I would show up to all her bible studies, but you had to get
3:48 there early or you wouldn't get a seat. And we just became really, really she's like my little sister. So if people have never heard Lisa, you need to come to this conference.
3:57 Yeah. We're excited. Well, we'll be really honest. We are about to sell out of this year's conference, which we are just ecstatic about, you know, that's, that's the Lord's
4:09 doing that. We we've just, this is our 5th year of the conference, I think. But, we have the number of people that are gonna be there in person. We've already the hotels
4:21 have already sold out. We've already had to go to overflow o hotels. So it's gonna be an exciting year. Just we love how this is growing into encouraging the church. Just like you
4:33 said, go into her Bible studies and hearing the testimonies, the people that are going to be speaking and, and what people are going to be learning from, we are just, I mean, I would want to be here. If I didn't work
4:44 here, I would be registering to Come do it too because I'm just so encouraged by it.
4:48 It's
4:48 exciting. Yeah. So that's fun. We didn't know that connection. 1 of our posts that we've sent out on social media just sharing about the conference is a post that has you and Lisa on it. It's your
4:58 I know. I saw
5:00 it. That's funny.
5:01 It's 1 of
5:01 our most popular
5:02 same thing. We've just kind of paired up people. And so it was
5:05 You guys are getting clicks too.
5:06 Too. And we have some stories. Lisa and I have some stories to tell that we'll probably tell at the conference that are just, well, the stories I'm thinking, Lisa, let's not tell that. And she's like, oh,
5:18 no. Let's let's just go right ahead.
5:21 Just get in. Just get in there. Just get in there and say it. Well, we are excited. That makes me even more excited. Being a place where friends are coming together, that's I love that. That's 1 of my favorite things
5:31 about these conferences. So, again, we are just honored that you would spend your time with us here and then, and then just helping share part of your story and bringing that to life for Hope Talks
5:43 and for what we're doing here at Hope for the Heart. Last time we talked asked you about a Hope Story, and you so beautifully shared about, you know, being in Scotland. Like I said, you were 1 of our favorite Scott. I'm
5:55 Scottish prone anyways. I have a bias, but I love that. And you shared about your dad and you shared about your story of anxiety and some of the things that you've been through and it just
6:07 resonated so much. And so we were even like, what we don't want to put Sheila on the spot asking you, to tell us another hope story. You know, those times that we really go through and we learn to lean
6:19 into Christ and we understand how putting our hope in Christ, what that means and what that does for us. So that'll be our 1st question, Sheila, and then I'll kind of be quiet. I feel like I start talking too much when I
6:30 get excited, but what would a hope story be that you would share with Hope Talks again today?
6:37 And there's such spiritual mandate for that, Hailey. I mean, when Peter writes, he says, always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within you. And sometimes people know that,
6:49 years ago, I was hospitalized for depression. But sometimes people think, well, that's your story now and you've moved on. I don't think people realize that when you have a diagnosis of severe clinical depression, it's
7:01 it's an ongoing journey, an ongoing battle. I mean, I still take medication to this day. And most of the time, I've learned ways to know myself and to know what I need to do and to stay healthy.
7:13 But about a year ago, I found myself just really, kind of in a downward spiral again, in a way that kind of surprised me. Because I thought, you know, Lord, I mean,
7:24 my husband and I have been married for 31 years. He drives me nuts, but I love him. He wakes up talking, which I'm not sure is scriptural, but anyway, he does.
7:37 But, you know, and we our son is a clinical psychologist and 1 of the best people on the Earth, and I was like, Laura, I don't understand, but every time I would turn on the news, or if I was doing that, you know,
7:49 life sucking thing of re scrolling on my phone, you just hear of so many terrible things that are going on in the world. And I found myself in a place that was really hard. And so I I was
8:01 cleaning out my bathroom cabinets 1 day, and I came across this tub of face cream. And it was an expensive 1 my husband had bought me, and it looked like it was empty, but I'm Scottish. I'm making sure
8:13 I get every last little bit out of this cream. So I scraped my finger in to get all the cream, and then my hair was falling on my face. So I threw my head back just to get my hair out my face. And in that
8:25 moment, I heard something snap, and I immediately threw up, and I thought I'd broken my neck. And so I fell to the floor, and I couldn't do it. I couldn't even call for my husband. But after
8:36 about 15 minutes, Barry came looking for me, and he said, you know what's wrong? I said, I don't know, but I think I've broken my neck. And he was able to get me to the hospital, and and they were really busy. You
8:48 know, ER emergency rooms are so busy, and they're so full of people with very present needs. And the nurse said to me, listen. It's gonna be at least an 8 hour wait. It turned to be 18 hours.
9:00 But she put a subject she put a surgical collar on me and put me in a wheelchair. And then eventually, maybe about 12 hours later, I was taken back and to have a CT scan and an MRI. And as I'm lying in
9:12 this, because I'm a little bit claustrophobic. I don't really like tight enclosed spaces. I'm like, you know, Lord, I know this is a a kinda weird question, but how did you do all this? You know, like
9:24 everything whatever I'm facing right now, it's not great, but it's nothing compared to what you went through. How on earth did you do it? And so when I got home that day and I discovered all I'd done was torn
9:36 ligaments in my neck, which was, you know, fine. But I opened up the the book of Hebrews, and I happened at that point to be doing a devotion through Eugene Peterson's The Message. And I came to Hebrews 12,
9:49 and it was such an absolute and such a prayer because what it said in Hebrews 12 is, keep your eyes on Jesus who both began and finished this race we're in. Study
10:01 how he did it because he never lost sight of where he was headed, that glorious finish in and with God. And he so he was able to put up with everything along the way, the cross, the shame, whatever. And
10:13 now he is there, seated with the father. And that honestly began this quest in me because I think sometimes, you know, we we talk about heaven a little bit, but we never think about what it will actually be like.
10:25 And but the fact that Jesus never lost sight of where he was headed made me think, okay. I need a fresh perspective here. And that began a a deeper journey for me that has been really life
10:36 changing.
10:37 I gotta say I can I can kinda relate? Haley mentioned this right before we started, and I'll just say it. I've been dealing with, like, some back issues and had a similar kind of thing even years
10:49 ago where it was just like a completely ordinary moment day in the evening and my back seized up, you know, in the hospital all night kind of thing and turned out not to be a big deal. But it was
11:01 the similar kind of thing of, like, that ache you talk about, kinda like the ache for for home, for heaven in your book, and it was kinda like I had a very similar experience
11:13 of, like, what, like, what is this body? And and and just the feeling kinda like the the brokenness of things and longing for that.
11:23 I love that. I the the reminder of that is the way Jesus got through all of those things with keeping his vision, knowing what his purpose was.
11:35 And, like, you know, we have the kind of thought set like Flint on things. That's been 1 of my prayers in the last month is like, Lord, what is the vision? You know, we're a little bit out of a at a, not a crossroads,
11:47 but just some different opportunities and things we're doing. Like, give me a vision because I haven't traditionally been a vision person. I'm like the follow-up team. I'm like, you tell me what the vision is and I'm
11:57 gonna high 5 you, and then I'm gonna go tell everybody where to line up. You know? Like like, and so sometimes going through things is a little bit hard because I don't always see where we're going
12:09 or I don't really have an end goal all the time other than faithfulness. Like that's what I want to be. I want to, I want to say yes to whatever he's telling me or wherever he might be leading me. So
12:21 talk about how, how that for you in particular helps sustain you through in that time. Did that help you think I've got a vision here? I'm getting through these, this hardship. How did
12:33 that encourage you personally?
12:35 You know, it's funny, Haley. I went back to reading. I remember sometimes when Billy Graham would be offered crusades, Ruth, his darling wife, who was a spiritual mentor to me, would invite me to the house and share
12:46 books with me that had impacted her and and sent me home with homework. And 1 of the books that, she loved and I had read before. I read it when my son was in high school, but it was
12:58 CS Lewis's Mere Christianity. And there was something about that because I, I don't know if I have you guys, but I have this thing that nothing's ever quite what you think it's gonna be. You know, there's a lot of
13:10 disappointment in life. You think, oh, if I just did this and if I just did that and if this just happened, then everything would be incredible. But there's this kinda ache that remains that's and so I used to try and
13:22 numb that by making my life noisy. I would get up in the morning and put on the news or I'd get in the car and I'd turn on the radio, and I would keep my life noisy because I was so aware of this kind of longing
13:33 or ache place. And then so but going back to CS Lewis' mere Christianity, he talks about that. And he talks about the 3 ways that we can deal with it. And he says there's an external
13:45 way where you think, if I just had a new car, if I just had a new house, if I was just married, if I was able to have a child, it's almost something outside of yourself. If that could happen, then I would be great. And
13:57 then he talks about the internal way where you almost come to the place at some point in your life where you think, you know what? This is just as good as as it's gonna get. It's not terrible, it's not brilliant, and you
14:07 kind of resign yourself to sitting down and taking a bit of a back seat. But his recommendation was the 3rd way which is the eternal view where you keep your eyes so focused on the fact that you and
14:19 I have not begun to live yet. Even our most incredible moments where we think, oh my gosh, this is ridiculous, are not even a taste of what what's waiting
14:31 for us. And when you kind of keep that in focus, what I've stopped trying to do now is I've stopped trying to anesthetise the ache because I realise it's sacred space. So I hold onto
14:43 it now and I realize, no. It's like because I'm not this is not I'm not home yet. And and so I hold onto that place rather than despise it and try and cover it up.
14:55 That's hard, but that's good.
14:56 Yeah. That makes me think. So you kinda brought to mind a few scriptures to me because, like, we're like the Hebrews 12, but then I I think of, I think, Colossians 3 where we're literally commanded to think of the
15:08 things of heaven. And I'd as I'm been kinda going through your book, I keep having this, like, discrepancy I noticed where we talk a lot about how to get to heaven. And even though we have
15:20 commands to think about heaven and images of what it'll be like, I feel like we don't actually build that into our daily, weekly lives and to start devotional time. It's
15:32 like do you know what I mean? Like, it it just feels like even though it is it's like we're commanded to think about the most beautiful place in the world. Yeah. And Yeah. It just
15:44 seems like we don't spend enough time actually doing that, and I I don't quite understand why.
15:49 You think that why would you think that might be?
15:51 I've heard lots of messages on why you need to get saved. You know, I've been part of messages where this is why you need Jesus. I've heard very few messages on what's gonna happen once we actually get home. And it's
16:03 funny because when I was a teenager, I mean, I gave my life to Christ when I was 11, but when I was a teenager and I was thinking about heaven, I said to my mum 1 day, mum, I know it's not likely that I'll die 1st, but
16:14 if I die before you, will you bury me with some books? Because I just don't know what else I'm gonna do. My thought was, I cannot just sit around singing he'll be coming round the mountain when he comes once I'm there.
16:25 And I thought, I'm gonna I'm gonna be bored until I began to study and realize we have no idea. I mean, artists will paint with colors we've never seen. Musicians will write songs with notes we've
16:37 never heard before. And I think of all the people listening in who've got these little things that didn't quite come together. You know, they've got a, a, a gift and a, a desire and like my mum, she always wanted to be
16:49 a teacher. But, oh, hang on a minute. I have to give my dog a treat because she's barking. Can you, Maggie?
16:54 What's her name? Maggie?
16:55 Mag Maggie.
16:56 Maggie. That's right.
16:57 Maggie. Come here. Come here. Where are you, you daffy dog? There you go. Oh, lord have mercy. Ever.
17:07 If you need to if you need to hold them up, we won't we won't.
17:09 Nope. Nope. She's got it.Show more
Hope for the Heart
