Sometimes, All You Need to Say Is, “This is Hard.”Today, a wonderful Hope Talk with my friend Dr. Jon Swanson. We talk about how we can be helpful when we’re coming alongside someone who is going through their own trauma, tragedy, or other massive thing. Check out Jon’s helpful writing at his Substack, This Is Hard.Jon Swanson helps people and organizations find sense at urgent and important times. Whether sitting at deathbeds with families or sitting over coffee with people needing counsel, Jon's experience allows him to find the words and silence that help meaning come to the surface.Once upon a time, Jon thought he would use his PhD in Rhetorical Theory and Criticism to teach college students how to analyze speeches. Instead, he has been helping people read the Bible for more than thirty years. In small groups and conversations, he tries to listen to the text, listen to people and connect the two in ways that are practical and often unexpected.Jon has been a communication prof, college administrator, and an associate pastor. Currently, he's a hospital chaplain and a consultant.He and Nancy have been married since 1983 and have two married children and a daughter in heaven. Jon and Nancy walk at least two miles a day, conversing the whole time.Jon has been blogging since 2005. In 2008, he started 300wordsaday.com, where he writes in simple language about following Jesus, 300 words at a time.Keep coming back every day for more doses of hope!My new book is coming out on July 18, and this is the next Daily Dose of Hope I’m going to give you to get ready!You can now pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things! Coming July 18 everywhere books are sold. There are major bonuses you can get by pre-ordering, including a great playlist of hopeful songs, three chapters of the book, lock screens for your phone, and more!Hey- you can get up to six months of free access to all my paid-subscriber-only content on Substack by referring friends to sign up for my free weekly Self-Brain Surgery letter! Click the button below for more information.Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe