Navigating the Challenges of Ministry and Leadership Pathway
Leadership and ministry can be one of the most incredible gifts of your life. It can also be a source of your greatest pains and wounds. Serving, sacrificing your needs for others, and trying to lead the way is full of challenges and trials. From the opinions of those you serve to relational conflicts, burnout, and organizational scandals, there are a lot of hardships that no one prepares you for. How do you lead others well while being sure to care for your own mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health? How do you deal with the unexpected when you are leading? In this Navigating the Challenges of Ministry and Leadership Pathway, you’ll hear from ministry and business leaders on how they walked through personal struggles, ministry hardships, and leadership pains and found hope in the process. Learning to navigate the difficulties that come your way can be hard, but this pathway will remind you that you are never alone when it comes to finding a way through the challenges of ministry and leadership.
Podcast Episodes:
How do you break free from an abusive cycle when it feels like there’s nowhere else to turn? How can God take the pain of the past and transform it into purpose as you rebuild your life after trauma?
For former public official, TV show host, and speaker Carolene Mays, imagining the life and leadership she would one day have seemed impossible while trapped in an abusive marriage. Escaping that relationship wasn’t easy—but on the other side, God took her pain and transformed it into a story of resilience and influence. Today, Carolene has served in politics, built successful businesses, hosted a television show, and mentored countless women and minority leaders to thrive. Throughout it all, she shares the struggles she endured and how God used every hardship to shape her path—truly showing that He wastes nothing.
In this episode, Davey and Carolene explore how to overcome the trauma of abuse, why noticing who needs encouragement matters, and how leadership in any context is ultimately an overflow of what God is doing within us.
If you’ve ever wondered how God might be connecting your past to the work He has for you now, this conversation will inspire you as you see how God takes our pain and uses it to transform us into leaders who uplift and empower others with purpose.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
How do you find hope again when the pressure of life builds to an unbearable level? What does it look like to find confidence in God’s love instead of worldly success?
Like many leaders, Pastor Charles Metcalf found himself at a breaking point. After the challenges of 2020 left him spiraling and the relentless pressures of life in ministry caused him to question his calling—and even led him to consider ending his own life—he knew something had to change. Through the support of friends who encouraged him to get the help he needed, a reframing of his spiritual life around how God truly saw him, and the development of new, healthy rhythms, Charles began to emerge from the fog of anxiety and depression. In that healing, he encountered a life-changing truth: God chose him. That message ultimately became the foundation of his book, God Chose Me: Untouchable Confidence for the Unstoppable Christian.
In this episode, Davey and Charles discuss how many leaders find themselves at a crossroads under the pressure of ministry, why we need friends to point us back to Christ when we’re at our breaking point, and how simple shifts can lead to lasting healing.
If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed, wondering how you could possibly keep going, this conversation will remind you that you are not alone—that God sees you, and most importantly, that God chose you for whatever He has called you to do.
How do you trust God in seasons of waiting? How do you testify to His faithfulness when the outcome isn’t what you hoped for?
Pastor and author DawnCheré Wilkerson never expected her long journey through infertility to become such a significant part of her story. Yet, as she found herself in an extended season of waiting, God invited her to share honestly about both the pain and the promises she discovered along the way. Though she eventually welcomed four children, DawnCheré encountered a unique beauty available only in seasons of anticipation—and learned that even in the wait, God continually reveals who He is. She captures this experience in her book, Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait.
In this conversation, Davey sits down with DawnCheré to discuss how to remain tenderhearted as a leader, how to discern when to begin sharing your story, and how to recognize what God is forming in you during seasons of waiting.
If you’re in a chapter where your heart longs for something yet unseen, this episode will remind you that God is at work in every season—and that there is wonder woven into the wait.
What do you do when you find yourself reacting as a leader? How can the wounds of your past impact who you are becoming?
Former pastor turned leadership coach and podcaster Tony Miltenberger began noticing a powerful pattern in his conversations with leaders: the emotional reactions that were surfacing and influencing their leadership were often rooted in unresolved wounds from the past. As he dug deeper, Tony discovered something even more profound—those very wounds often pointed to the unique gifts a person was meant to offer the world.
Drawing from his own personal journey and the experiences of those he has coached, Tony came to see the redemptive potential in our pain. That insight became the foundation of his book, Wisdom in the Wound: How God Uses Your Past to Shape Who You’re Becoming.
In this episode, Davey and Tony explore the significant impact of "little 't'" traumas in our lives and leadership, why it's crucial to trace our emotional responses back to their origins, and practical steps to begin healing the wounds that shape us.
If you lead in any capacity—whether in business, ministry, your workplace, or your home—this conversation will challenge and encourage you to look beneath the surface, confront your story, and discover the wisdom God wants to draw from your wounds so you can fully step into your calling.
How do you navigate the inevitable storms of life? What does it truly look like to grieve the life you once envisioned?
Josh Turner is no stranger to life’s storms. From parenting a daughter with special needs—whose diagnosis didn’t come until she was 12 years old—to enduring a painful betrayal at the church where he served as a pastor, Josh has weathered more than his fair share of hardship. Through these experiences, he began to recognize a critical need: a pathway to help pastors and leaders endure their own storms without reaching the point of burnout or moral failure.
This realization led to the founding of the 10 Ten Project, a ministry dedicated to equipping pastors and leaders with the tools they need to lead well through adversity. Josh also shares his powerful personal journey in his latest book, Into the Storm: How to Face Down Any Crisis with Deep, Unshakable Faith.
In this episode, Davey and Josh explore how suffering can deepen our faith, the unique challenges of raising a child with special needs and how it can effect a marriage, and what leaders need to sustain their calling in the face of crisis.
If you're walking through a storm right now, this conversation is a timely reminder: no matter what you’re facing, it’s possible to enter the storm with a deep, unshakable faith.
How do you experience God’s empathy in the midst of life’s challenges and struggles? How can you encounter the compassion of Christ in your own pain and sorrow?
Drs. Bill and Kristi Gaultiere have devoted their lives to helping others navigate personal pain and discover soul care through their ministry, Soul Shepherding. Yet, it was through their own journeys—Bill’s battle with anxiety and Kristi’s experience of childhood wounds—that they came to deeply know God’s empathy, equipping them to walk with others on the path to healing.
In their latest book, Deeply Loved: Receiving and Reflecting God’s Great Empathy for You, they explore the connection between receiving divine empathy and developing healthier emotional lives and relationships.
In this episode, Davey sits down with Bill and Kristi to discuss how our personal stories shape the messages we carry, the essential role of empathy in the healing process, and how the support of others can help us experience God’s compassion more fully.
If you’ve ever found it difficult to extend compassion to yourself or others, this conversation will guide you toward discovering that God’s deep love is often experienced through a compassionate engagement with your own emotions and life experiences.
What do you do when anxiety suddenly takes hold and you find yourself spiraling? How do you begin to unravel the past wounds and circumstances that have led you to a place of chaos and uncertainty?
For author and pastor Levi Lusko, a season of anxiety emerged seemingly out of nowhere. After years of pushing hard in ministry and leadership, he found himself waking up in the middle of the night gripped by an intense panic attack. The journey to uncover the root causes of that experience took time—but it was through that very process that he discovered how God meets us not only in our triumphs but also in our most chaotic, uncertain seasons.
In one of his most vulnerable books yet, Blessed Are the Spiraling: How the Chaotic Search for Significance Can Lead to Joy Through Life’s Shifting Seasons, Levi shares the raw, personal account of navigating panic attacks, questioning his calling, confronting deep-seated fears, and unearthing childhood wounds. Through that journey, he found a healthier, more grounded rhythm of life and ministry—one anchored in God's presence through every season and joy.
In this candid conversation, Davey and Levi explore the emotional toll leadership can take, the transformative power of revisiting and healing from past childhood wounds, and the importance of discernment in choosing who walks alongside us through our healing journeys.
If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by anxiety or navigating a season that feels uncertain and out of control, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: you are not alone. In the midst of the spiral, God is present—and even in the messiness of life’s shifting seasons, it’s possible to discover deep, lasting joy.
How can leaders heal from their own wounds? Why does emotional and spiritual health matter so deeply for those who are called to lead?
Historian and theologian Dr. Nicholas Rowe and his wife, Sheila
Wise Rowe, author and counselor, have seen the ways unprocessed pain and trauma can impact leaders. While countless resources aim to help leaders grow in skill and strategy, few address the inner pain and unhealed wounds that many carry silently. In their new book, Healing Leadership Trauma: Finding Emotional Health and Helping Others Flourish, Nicholas and Sheila confront this gap head-on, offering a holistic and deeply spiritual roadmap for leaders to find healing, restoration, and renewed purpose.
In this powerful and timely episode , Davey talks with Nicholas and Sheila about how our early formation can impact our connection with God and others, the ways unresolved trauma can unconsciously influence our decisions and leadership style, and why we need to consider the weight of leadership before we even step into it.
Whether you're a pastor, teacher, nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, or parent, this conversation is an invitation to pause, reflect, and allow God to tend to your soul—so you can lead from a place of emotional health while helping others flourish.
What do we do when people fail us in our greatest time of need? How can the church do a better job at entering into people's pain and walking with them in their stories?
Dr. Michelle Keener walked through her own season of suffering and eventually found herself deep diving into Biblical research on the book of Job in the Bible through the lens of trauma. It was through her scholarly research that she was able to find principles that applied to her own pain and to the Church at large when it comes to helping trauma survivors. In her book Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors, she connects the story of Job-a man who knew incredible trauma and pain-to practical ways individuals and the church can show up in suffering.
In this insightful episode, Aubrey sits with Dr. Keener to discuss how we can connect our own personal experiences of trauma to those in scripture, why the church struggles to help those who are hurting, and how the gospel applies to pain.
If you've ever needed people to meet you in your pain and didn't find the support available or if you've ever struggled to know how to step into the pain of someone else, this conversation is a gentle reminder of how we can steward each other's stories well as we move through grief and trauma in life and how God is always there to comfort us in the ashes.
How do you move past your greatest insecurities in order to step into what God has for you? What do you do when pain creates new insecurities and doubts about who you are?
Author and pastor Oneka McClellen understands the way self-doubt and insecurity can creep in when you are trying to step into your God given calling and purpose. As a ministry leader and as a woman, she has found herself lacking the confidence in Christ she needed to do what God created her to do. In her book “Born Royal: Overcoming Insecurity to Become the Woman God Says You Are”, she dives into how to trust God with your identity and look through a lens of hope no matter what your story.
In this episode, Aubrey and Oneka talk about what we are to do with our insecurities that threaten our confidence in how we were created, what it looks like to live out what God has for us, and how to walk in who God says we are when we are hurting and in pain.
If you've struggled to find the confidence in Christ in who you are, this conversation will remind you that you are a child of the King and that makes you royal.
How can we deal with our addictions in a way that brings true healing? What does the Twelve Steps Program offer all of us when it comes to getting to the root of what keeps us bound by poor coping strategies?
Ian Morgan Cron is a well-known author and podcastor around the Enneagram, a personality typing system, but his story didn't start there. After a difficult and traumatic childhood, Ian found himself entangled in addiction. It was through the Twelve Steps Program and his own recovery that Ian realized that we all look to things outside of God when it comes to fixing our pain, trauma, and past. But a tool like the Twelve Steps can help lead us back into surrender, forgiveness, and union with God and help us learn to cope with the difficulties and challenges of life.
In his latest book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down and Out, and Everyone in Between!, Ian shares practical ways that the Twelve Steps can help anyone deal with what leads them towards the unhealthy patterns of addiction and coping and into a new perspective of looking at life, relationships, and our experiences.
In this deep conversation, Davey and Ian talk about how the Twelve Steps can be helpful no matter what you're facing, the way in which prayer can get rid of our mental garbage, and why surrender and forgiveness are so pivotal in our healing.
If you have found yourself constantly looking for a "fix" when it comes to your pain, this episode will encourage you that God is inviting you to experience healing and wholeness through Him alone that pain, addiction, and trauma try to keep you from.
How can hospitality and kindness be a conduit for life-transforming change? What can happen when we open our hearts and homes to those in need of hope?
Craig Cooper was a church planting pastor when his path crossed with a struggling Nashville musician named Walker Hayes. Walker was a self-proclaimed atheist and an alcoholic who lost a record deal and was struggling to make ends meet. Craig and his whole family welcomed Walker and his family into their lives. Loving them well, showing up when they needed a friend, and helping them as needs came up in life. It was through their friendship that God began to soften Walker's heart towards the gospel. He would eventually quit drinking and said yes to Jesus, forever changing his life. After his life changed internally, he also experienced an outward shift as he got a record deal and a hit country song called "Fancy Like." Craig and Walker chronicled their unique and pivotal friendship in their book called Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences.
In this episode, Davey and Craig discuss the importance of walking with people through the highs and lows, how Scripture can help us in the valley, and why grace through friendship is so significant in a generation facing an epidemic of loneliness.
If you've ever wondered how you can be a conduit of God's grace to those right next door, this conversation will encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and open your home and heart to those in your life who need it most.
How do we experience true rest in a culture that demands striving and encourages fatigue? What does it even look like to live from a place of rest instead of burnout and exhaustion like most people around us do?
For author, pastor, speaker, and mom of four, Jess Connolly, these were the questions she had to wrestle with in the face of all the demands coming at her from her various roles. When life hit a fever pitch and she seemed to reach a breaking point in every way, she knew that she needed more than some sort of watered down self-care answer. She needed to find a way to truly live from a place of trust in the goodness of God to provide and carry her through the noise and speed of life around her. It was through her own journey of figuring out how to deal with the soul-deep exhaustion that she decided to take others along in her latest book, Tired of Being Tired: Receive God’s Realistic Rest for Your Soul-Deep Exhaustion.
In this episode, Aubrey and Jess talk about how difficult it is to find rest in our modern culture, the different ways fatigue can show up, and how to lead in our pain and grief.
If you are tired of being tired--mentally, physically and spiritually--this conversation will show you that you don't need the world's false versions of rest, but you need an encounter with the one who offers you true rest in the depths of your being.
How do we lean into the tensions of life--the now and not yet? What does it look like to press into the different seasons as they come instead of constantly wanting something different?
Author and artist Ruth Chou Simons knows what it is like to live in the hidden places as a mom to six boys. For years, her life centered around changing diapers, preparing meals and bandaging scraped knees. But it was in that time that God taught her the importance of stewarding what she had been given. It was in that mundane, quiet season that God cultivated in her a reliance upon Him. Now, she is a well-known author and artist for her company, Gracelaced, but she will be the first to tell you that her work is simply an overflow of those quiet, hidden, faithful years of doing the work God had called her to in her family. Her latest book, Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You’re Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More, looks at how to handle those times where your soul is waiting or feeling restless and how to trust God when life isn't what you thought it would be.
In this episode, Davey and Ruth have a meaningful discussion about the importance of recognizing your season in life, what restlessness could really be a symptom of, and how so often, we become what we behold.
If you have felt yourself in a time of waiting or feeling restless, this conversation will remind you that even in the hidden, unseen moments of your life, God is inviting you to trust and know Him more.
How do you step into what God is calling you towards when others seem to discourage you? What does it look like to use your gifts for the kingdom in the face of challenges?
For author and Bible Teacher Kat Armstrong, it was her study of scripture that led her to rethink her own beliefs on her role in the kingdom as a woman. Having experienced pushback from others who seemed to not value her voice and giftings as a scholar and woman in ministry, Kat began to see how her own misinterpretations led to her not stepping fully into the call God had on her life. As she examined some of the strange ways in which people had taught about women in the Bible and their role in the kingdom of God, she began to grow in God-given confidence that she was made to teach and lead.
In this episode, Aubrey sits with Kat to discuss how women are used by God throughout scripture, what it looks like to step into your calling, and how our storylines intersect with God's greater one.
If you've ever found yourself shrinking back from what you've been called to do, this conversation will encourage you that if God has called you towards something, nothing can stop you.
What does true friendship look like in the midst of the darkest moments in our lives? How do we show up for our friends who are hurting after a tragedy?
The Bible says, "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17) It can be hard to find the kind of friend that will stick with you in difficulties, but for Davey, Kenneth Wagner was the epitome of that type of friend. Davey and Kenneth's friendship began in college and grew through each season of life: marriage, starting their families, and pastoring. It also grew through the most devastating time when Davey lost his wife Amanda and their unborn child in a home invasion. Kenneth did what any true friend would do in the unimaginable: he showed up. And he kept showing up in each and every way he could as Davey tried to rebuild his life and find healing after heartache.
In this heartfelt episode, Davey sits down with his best friend, Kenneth, to hear his unique perspective as he watched the tragedy and subsequent redemption unfold in Davey's life. They discuss what it looks like to be a good friend, how powerful the ministry of presence can be, and the importance of seeing God's kindness in our lives.
If you're walking beside a friend who is hurting, this conversation will encourage you to step into the space of their pain where no words are necessary but where all that is needed is your presence that reminds them that they are not alone.
What does God invite us into in our pain? How do we learn to bring our honest emotions and thoughts to God?
Pastor and author Rich Villodas has learned and taught others the importance of choosing honesty through lament when it comes to engaging with feelings of grief, anxiety and every other emotion that is a part of the human condition. As he has pastored in one of the most diverse parts of the country, he has walked with many individuals through their own stories of pain from their families of origin, loss, and disappointment and has led them towards the invitation from God to confess and name what they are feeling while leaning into the practice of lament.
In his latest book, The Narrow Way: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls, Rich teaches how the Sermon on the Mount is an invitation to a countercultural way of living that will lead to peace, love, and fulfillment in a generation where anxiety, depression, and polarizing politics seem to lead the way.
In this episode, Aubrey and Rich talk about why vulnerability and inner work are so important for both leaders and lay people alike, how we can begin to address our pain, and the difference between good and bad self-awareness.
If you have found yourself running from the reality of your pain, this conversation will encourage you to take the brave step of facing what you're feeling and allow God to meet you in the truth of where you are.
How do we live a more connected life with Jesus when this world offers so many distractions? What would it look like for individuals to experience personal revival in their own faith that could spark revival in other's lives as well?
For author, podcaster and Bible teacher Lisa Whittle, it was her own journey towards seeking more of God that led her to write about it. As a woman in ministry, Lisa has seen and faced many challenges, but through it all, she was able to find God more and more. By asking God for her own personal revival, Lisa began to see all the ways the enemy of her soul attempts to keep her from it. From people pleasing and anxiety to social media and the celebrity culture that has infiltrated the Christian spaces she has been in, Lisa knows that there are many things that can derail her from living out of a whole hearted devotion to God. It is why she decided to update and re-release her book, I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul. As God continued to draw her own heart into personal revival, she realized the message she wrote years ago had even more relevance for our current culture.
In this episode, Aubrey and Lisa talk about the challenges many women face in ministry and how to overcome them, what personal revival looks like in both seasons of normalcy and seasons of pain, and how the fear of man can keep us from the freedom God so longs to give us.
If you've ever desired to experience more of God in your own heart and life but don't know how, this conversation will teach you the simplicity of loving Him and reviving your soul in the process.
What do we do with our frailties? How can we begin to see God's gift in our weakness?
For author, pastor, and Nothing is Wasted guest host, Eric Schumacher, reframing his perspective on the areas where he was weak took some time. Struggling with his own imperfections and insecurities, God began to reveal to him that the very things that made him feel weak were exactly what God wanted to work through and reveal His strength. As Eric began to deep dive into the theological implications of weakness and where it can be found throughout human history in Scripture, he was able to see the incredible gift our weaknesses can be. It was through that study and his own personal journey that Eric wrote his latest book, The Good Gift of Weakness: God’s Strength Made Perfect in the Story of Redemption.
In this episode, Davey and Eric talk about why God works through our weakness, how to find our value and worth in Jesus instead of our accomplishments, and the various types of weakness we face.
If you've ever felt defeated by your own weakness, this conversation will encourage you that in whatever weakness you feel, God is at work in incredible ways to show you His strength.
What do we do when we are a leader and our life as we know it unravels? How do we continue to lead in the depths of our pain?
For ministry leader, author, speaker and podcaster Toni Collier, she thought she was finally living her redemption story in her second marriage, only to watch her relationship crumble very quickly when she learned of continued betrayal within it. Immediately after getting some of the most devastating news of her life, she saw God's kindness in that she was just doors down from some of her best friends. It was this group of women, some of the members of her confessional community and the constant reminders of God's with-ness, what she calls "God Winks," that sustained her through a very public divorce and all that followed. As she walked through the heartache of losing the marriage that she thought was an answer to her past pain, she learned how to lead in the midst of her greatest hurts. By sharing vulnerably her story and what she was dealing with in real time, she offered others the freedom to speak out and share their own suffering. She continues to offer women the opportunity to find healing through her ministry, Broken Crayons Still Color, and her podcast, Still Coloring.
In this honest and raw conversation with Davey, Toni shares what it looks like to lead through our pain, why we need to pay attention to God's goodness in our hurt, and how a confessional community can help us heal.
If you're a leader walking through the unexpected and wondering how you can keep going in the middle of it, this episode will serve as a reminder that even in our brokenness, God can use our lives to color a beautiful picture of His grace and redemption in life for others.
How do you begin to experience freedom from the sin that grips you? What does it look like to walk in purpose while still struggling with that which holds you back?
For author, pastor and podcaster, Tim Ross, finding his way towards healing after childhood sexual abuse led to his own patterns of pornography addiction, took some time. Through Jesus and therapy, Tim was able to learn how to get to the root of the bad fruit in his life. It was because of his own journey that he wanted to take others to a place of authenticity and vulnerability in the parts of their lives they often kept hidden. Through his podcast, The Basement, and latest book, Welcome to the Basement: An Upside Down Guide to Greatness, Tim explores how being real with our struggles can help us discover our true identity and experience the greatness God has for us.
In this conversation, Davey chats with Tim about how to mentor people in the way of Jesus, the ways in which our journeys toward freedom may differ, and how God will build purpose into our lives from our pain and struggles.
If you've ever wondered where you can lead with the truth of what you're walking through, this episode will remind you that true greatness can be found when we are willing to go low and be honest about our struggles and hurt.
How do we live in hope in light of our suffering? How can live as people who aren't overcome by our pain, but who are overcomers in our pain?
For pastor and author, Matt Chandler, his own journey in learning what it means to allow pain to push us towards hope began after a cancer diagnosis in 2009. Through his cancer journey and the surgeries and treatment that followed, he found himself growing in understanding as a pastor in leading others through their own suffering. In his most recent book, The Overcomers: God's Vision for You to Thrive in an Age of Anxiety and Outrage, Matt explores how the book of Revelation shows believers that they were made for this time and are called to be overcomers in whatever challenges they face.
In this episode, Davey and Matt talk about how we can be encouraged by those who have gone before us in obedience in challenges and difficulties, why our theology on suffering matters so much, and the importance of looking to the cross in light of our pain.
If you've ever struggled with feeling like a victim to the circumstances of your life, this conversation will inspire you to become an overcomer in an age of anxiety and outrage.
How can you believe that God's good work will be done in a story that begins with so much loss and tragedy? Where can you find miracles in pain and life's difficulties?
For author, Bible teacher, and ministry leader Joyce Dalrymple, opening her eyes to the way the Lord was moving in her own life and through her daughter's adoption required intentional attention. By starting to notice the way God was bringing redemption into their stories, she began to experience a deeper understanding of how God is always at work. Seeing her daughter practice empathy birthed out of her pain was a reminder that even our greatest wounds can become a well of goodness if we allow the transformation to come from the power of the Holy Spirit's work within us.
In this insightful conversation, Aubrey sits down with Joyce to discuss how adoption involves so much loss and grief, the importance of learning to rest in your belovedness as a parent, and how to practically help foster and adoptive families. In addition, they touch on how to navigate church hurt with a wider perspective that can help you see the good in what the global church is doing and how that can keep you connected to a community of faith.
If you or someone you know is an adoptive or foster family or if you've ever struggled to see the good in your pain, this episode will encourage you that miracles are always beyond the surface of our hurt if we can learn to see them.
How often have you found yourself ready to give up? What do we do when it feels too hard to keep going?
Pastor and author Nick Connolly knows what it is like to be ready to quit. As a pastor, he has faced challenges that have made him second guess his calling. Even in the midst of writing and launching his book, Don't Give Up Just Yet: Choosing Persistence in a World of Overwhelming Resistance, he found himself experiencing panic attacks and unrelenting anxiety for the first time in his life. It was through his own personal struggles that he began to consider the importance of persistence when faced with resistance to what God has asked of us.
In this conversation, Davey and Nick talk about what it looks like to not give up, the way spiritual attacks can impact us, and how to be authentic with all while choosing wisely with whom we are most vulnerable.
If you've ever been ready to throw in the towel on the path God has put you on, this episode will help you find the strength to keep going in the face of whatever challenges may come your way.
How do you know when your way isn't working? What are the signs that tell you that perhaps you aren't abiding in God and instead relying on your own efforts to get through life?
For pastor and author Kyle Idleman, it took a friend suggesting he see an executive coach before he realized that the indicator light of his life was on and that he needed to make some adjustments. There were so many signs that were suggesting that he was trying to force his way in life and leadership instead of living out of a deep abidance in Christ. It was through his own personal struggle that he wrote, When Your Way Isn’t Working: Finding Purpose and Contentment through Deep Connection with Jesus. In it, he helps others recognize when their way isn't working and how remaining connected to Jesus is the key to a fruitful life.
In this insightful conversation, Davey talks with Kyle about how to follow Jesus' example in beginning our days, what some of the indicators may be that our way isn't working, and how to course correct before reaching a breaking point.
If you find yourself trying to force your way through life and feel anxious, exhausted and disconnected, this episode will help you reconnect with Jesus so that you can live from a place of abiding instead of striving.
What do we do with the hard questions that arise from the pain we are feeling? How do we acknowledge our fears and our doubts while holding onto our faith?
For author Kristen LaValley, the process of moving from a formulaic faith that believed God wouldn't allow pain if she did all the right things into a genuine, messy belief and understanding of God came through several seasons of suffering. From losing her and her husband's ministry position and faith community to witnessing a murder, the loss of a baby and a very traumatic birth experience with her twins, Kristen had to untangle her belief in a God that neatly healed and fixed every pain into the true nature of who God was and how so often it is His presence that He offers us in our heartbreaks. Now, Kristen and her husband help others walking through questions in their faith and spiritual wounds by giving them the same space to ask and process that they received from others in their journey.
In this insightful conversation, Davey talks with Kristen about how what we believe about God shapes how we experience suffering, the way in which suffering shapes who we believe God to be and why wrestling is so important in moving from a transactional relationship with the Lord into a true and authentic one.
If you've ever struggled with questions about God's goodness in the seasons of your difficulties, this episode will help normalize the grappling and undoing we all have to do about our beliefs about God in order to learn who He truly is.
What do we do when the things we are seeing in church or with Christian leaders is leading to disillusionment? How do we deal with the disappointment in the ways Christians behave in the public square, online and in the pews?
Author and Editor in Chief Dr. Russell Moore has experienced the pain of denominational turmoil and sharp political disagreements that have led to hurtful slander and unkind discourse. He has found himself at the center of conflicts that he never intended to be a part of. It was through his own personal experiences and the experiences of others that he began to consider the ways in which the American Church was drifting from the heart and purposes of Jesus. In his book, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, Moore explores how the American Church has lost its way and offers an invitation to repentance as a new start forward.
In this conversation, Dr. Moore sits down with guest co-host, Eric Schumacher and discusses how to navigate the current cultural unrest as believers, what to do with our disillusionment in the Church, and how to help our friends who are struggling to trust in God based on the behaviors of those claiming to follow Him.
If you've struggled with the headlines of fallen leaders and the vitriol of those proclaiming Christ in the midst of current affairs and have been left feeling like the American Church doesn't align with the way of Christ, this episode will give you hope that nothing we are experiencing in this generation is a surprise to Jesus and He is not done yet with His bride.
What if the perpetrator of your pain isn't something on the outside, but your own sinful choices that have led to your suffering? How do we navigate the self-inflicted hurt caused by our own destructive decisions?
Author and Pastor Max Lucado knows the feelings that can come from sinful decisions. In his own life as a young man, he began to see the dangerous trajectory of his choices if he didn't surrender to God's leading. Later as a well-known pastor and author, he would experience a similar reckoning when the weight of leadership became overwhelming and he turned to alcohol to ease the pain. It was through those experiences that Max's heart grew for those who have felt like Jacob in the Bible, wrestling with God and wondering if God had given up on them. In his latest book, God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob's Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God's Relentless Love, Max explores Jacob's story and how it relates to each of ours.
In this honest conversation, Davey talks with Max about how we can truly believe that God doesn't give up on us, how to approach our self-induced pain, and the importance of authenticity in leadership.
If you've ever wondered if God has given up on you after the mess you've made in your life, this episode will serve to remind you that no matter how far you've gone or how long you've wrestled, God's grace, mercy, and love never runs out.
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide and suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers.
Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Have you ever taken the time to deep dive into the stories and scripts that keep you moving in the same cycles you wish you could break free from?
Author and therapist Kobe Campbell began her journey towards understanding how trauma was impacting her and how God wanted to invite her into healing after she attempted suicide in college. God revealed Himself in a very direct way in the midst of her attempt through a friend and since that moment, she has been on a journey towards her own continued healing and in turn, helping others heal. As a therapist, Kobe has seen the power in getting curious in a person's story and learning to pay attention to our pain and how it affects our current behaviors. In her new book, Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal From Trauma, and Restore Your Faith, Kobe helps readers see how our past shapes our present and how to get at the roots of dysfunctional patterns.
In this profound conversation, Davey sits down with Kobe as she shares her insight and wisdom on the importance of leading with curiosity when it comes to our stories, what to do when triggers happen, and the ways in which trauma can skew our perspectives and identity.
This episode is for anyone who has ever wanted to break free from cycles of unhealthy behavior or to better understand why they do what they do and who desire to experience the depths of healing that God wants to offer us in our pain.
Masterclasses:
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Some of our greatest pain can come from those we expected to care for and shepherd our souls through suffering. It can be hard to separate who God is from the hurt His people have caused.
How do you move through the pain or abuse that you suffered at the hands of those within your church?
Natalie Runion knows what it is like to feel deeply wounded and disappointed by those who profess Christ. She knows the fallout that can happen when a community turns its back on you and your pain. And yet, as she allowed God to heal her pain, she created a space for others disillusioned and hurt from church or ministry leaders, to hold on to hope and to stay. Her Raised to Stay Community on Instagram includes almost 200,000 followers that walk with her as she contends for healthy and whole churches and ministries.
In this masterclass, Natalie shares what to do When People Fail: Healing from Church Hurt and will help you:
Find ways to heal from church hurt you’ve experienced
Identify the counterfeit connections that can lead to wounding
Begin to work through the process of forgiveness
If you are struggling to reconcile the pain caused by God’s people to who God is in your pain, this masterclass will help you sort it out and find a way forward in healing when people fail you.
Resources
Website: https://natalierunion.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/raisedtostay
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/Raisedtostay
Book: The House That Jesus Built: Leading Our Churches Back to God’s Original Blueprint
Book: Raised to Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk Away
Nothing is Wasted Episode 287 - Raised To Stay After Church Hurt With Natalie Runion https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-287
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Pain to Purpose Coaching
Need someone to walk with you through your valley? Our Nothing is Wasted Certified Coaches are ready to help you find your way from pain into purpose. Hire yours today by scheduling a free connection call and we’ll help you started with one-on-one help.
Have you found this Pathway helpful? Be sure to check out our other Pathways for more inspiring stories of hope in the face of tragedy, trauma and pain.
Let these Pathways be a roadmap for you on your healing journey.
Warning: This episode discusses pornography addiction and may not be suitable for all listeners.
How do we break the stronghold of addiction when it becomes deeply attached to our lives? What do we do when the pain of our past resurfaces through patterns of addiction?
Drew Boa didn’t fully realize how much pain he was carrying beneath the surface until his struggle with pornography began to threaten the relationships he valued most. As he started to uncover and process that pain, he recognized how often he had looked for healing and identity in places other than God.
It was through surrendering both his pain and identity to God that the grip of pornography on his life began to loosen. Over time, he experienced genuine freedom. His book, Outgrow Porn: Find Lasting Freedom Without Fighting an Exhausting Battle—A Man’s Guide to Healing, offers men a pathway toward that same kind of lasting transformation.
In this episode, Davey and Drew explore the deeper roots of sexual addiction, the vital role of compassion and self-awareness in the healing process, and why authentic community is so powerful in breaking cycles of addiction.
If you or someone you love has struggled to find freedom from pornography, this conversation offers hope—reminding us that lasting freedom begins by understanding our identity in Jesus.