* How Do I Stop Negative Thoughts? | Biblical Hope with Jesse Bradley

* How Do I Stop Negative Thoughts? | Biblical Hope with Jesse Bradley

Curious about how others manage their thought life when fear and doubt hit hard? This conversation between Nancy Sabato and former pro footballer Jesse Bradley centres on exactly that, mixing raw storytelling with very practical, Bible-based tools. Jesse talks about his childhood dream of being a professional athlete, the pain of his parents’ divorce, and the success that left him strangely empty inside.

He explains how, as an atheist at Dartmouth, he started reading the Bible for a class and questioning a teammate whose faith looked genuinely different. That search led him to what he calls grace, a relationship with Jesus rather than religious rule-keeping. The heart of the episode is Jesse’s idea of the “second thought”. After a life-threatening illness in Africa ended his football career and left him with terrifying symptoms, panic attacks and depression, his mind became a battleground.

He says, “Just because it’s our first thought doesn’t mean it’s a good thought,” and shares how he began replacing dark, hopeless thoughts with specific Bible verses he stuck on his wall, memorised, and repeated. You’ll hear how learning to “pour out your heart to God”, let safe people in, and soak in Scripture helped Jesse rebuild his identity away from performance and towards being loved.

He explains the difference between lies that say “you’re alone and it’s over” and the Christian belief that God still has a plan, even when health, career, or stability collapse. This episode is especially relevant if your thoughts feel out of control, your faith feels shaky, or you’re trying to break long-standing patterns like addiction or self-hatred. It offers a gentle challenge: what would change if your next thought was anchored in hope rather than fear?