Podcasts about busyness

Many mature Christians experience seasons when Jesus feels distant—not through dramatic sin or faith crisis, but a slow, subtle drift into spiritual dryness. Today, Stephanie explores how to recognize, understand, and rekindle true delight in God when faith feels flat.As she has with every episode in our “Awaken Delight” series, Stephanie has invented a fictional character – who might feel eerily familiar! In today's episode, we're introduced to “Claire”—a faithful, seasoned believer admired by others, with a life marked by steady commitment to Christ, church, and family. Yet, despite external faithfulness, she privately mourns the loss of intimacy and vividness in her spiritual life. Claire's story demonstrates how even longstanding believers can slide into a functional, uninspired relationship with Jesus—doing all the “right things,” but missing the joy and depth once present.Our FREE gift to you today! An exclusive, in-depth 30-day FREE recovery plan to rekindle your delight in God when you are going through seasons of flavorless faith: go to https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelightthepodcast and find the form for Episode 458. Give us your email, and you will receive the full plan in your inbox immediately!Key Symptoms of a “flavorless faith”:Bible reading and prayer become duty-bound, not joy-filled.Worship songs and sermons feel routine, not stirring.Service continues, but the heart feels unengaged and tired.Delight is more than an emotion—it's the warm, relational savoring of God Himself, not just His gifts or outcomes.Distinctions:Happiness: Circumstantial, fleetingContentment: Sufficient, sometimes passiveDelight: Active, relational enjoyment—the “flavor” and “fragrance” of life with GodDelight in God is like savoring real vanilla versus imitation—the fake might have the form, but lacks the richness and depth. When we lose delight, all becomes bland.Distance from Jesus is often gradual. Common causes include:Over-familiarity: The truths of gospel become like a painting you stop noticing.Busyness & Burnout: Life's cares crowd out time to “linger” with Jesus.Duty Replacing Delight: We obey and serve, but lose relational warmth.When delight cools, our spiritual life becomes transactional, our joy fades, and other things gain center stage in our hearts.Psalm 34:8 invites us to “taste and see that the Lord is good”—not just agree intellectually, but experience Him proportionally.Delight in God requires attention; it calls for slowing down, “beholding,” and returning to the gospel as if it's fresh.It's not manufactured by willpower, but reawakened by honesty and pursuit.Prayerfully confess where delight has dimmed and ask Jesus for renewed appetite.Ultimately, delight is about communion—living in God's presence, savoring Him as the ultimate gift.Our delight fuels resilience, combats burnout, and makes our faith not merely correct, but alive and fragrant to those around us.Practical Steps to Awaken DelightSlow Down & Linger: Don't skim Scripture or prayer; bring your full heart, even your boredom and disappointment.See God as Beautiful: Move beyond doctrine; gaze at Jesus' beauty, not just His utility.Cultivate Stillness: Create time to notice God's presence and gifts; fight cultural hurriedness.Receive, Don't Achieve: Delight is a relationship to receive by the Spirit, often through the ordinary or through suffering.Honest Prayer: Admit to God when delight feels absent; let Him rekindle it.If you, like Claire, feel distant from Jesus, don't despair. He hasn't moved; beauty can be rediscovered. Ask God to awaken your delight, to move you beyond belief into joy in His presence. Let your soul savor Him again.“Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” – Psalm 51:12MORE ABOUT THE BOOK “AWAKEN DELIGHT” BY STEPHANIE ROUSSELLE"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."―Psalm 37:4What if you've lost your delight in God? Or you've never really experienced it in the first place? What if a season of suffering has snuffed out your joy, leaving you spiritually discouraged and emotionally numb?Delighting in God changes everything: how you experience your faith, relationships, and circumstances―and even how you see yourself.You can experience Psalm 37:4 as your daily reality. In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle connects scriptural and theological truth to your everyday life so you can experience what delighting in God really means. It's not about checking boxes on a spiritual to-do list or mustering a constant state of positive feelings. Rather, delight is about satisfying your soul's deepest longing through a vibrant relationship with the living God.What you will (re)discover as you journey with God through Awaken Delight:Delight in God is identity-shaping, not emotion-driven. Delight in God is not fleeting emotion but resilient identity.Delight in God is altogether trust, satisfaction in God, relational intimacy with Him.Delight in God is often expressed and grown through resilient joy under suffering.Delight in God is the missing engine behind resilience. It's the antidote to burnout. It's even the foundation for sustainable ministry.God's delight in you is secure, not performance-dependent. God's delight in you frees you from striving! That's the beginning of delight.Jesus is the center of every endeavor to delight in God.You can build a delight-centered spiritual life.Awaken Delight invites you to follow Scriptural truths and spiritual practices that cultivate daily joy in God.In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselleshows how delighting in God is crucial for spiritual growth,provides spiritual habits that help you live in delight, andincludes discussion questions and Bible engagement great for book clubs or small groups.By looking to Christ as your model of divine delight, you can discover that no matter what you're experiencing―whether weariness, sorrow, hope, or happiness―you truly can "taste and see that the Lord is good." If you are longing for a revived faith filled with hope, delight, worth, and grace, Awaken Delight invites you to cultivate a worshipful, life-giving delight in God that's rooted in God's delight in you.Purchase here: https://a.co/d/0625K1AZ More details at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelightDISCOVER THE BOOK BEHIND THE PODCAST | "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 isn't a poetic suggestion — it's a promise. But many believers quietly assume it doesn't really work, or it's not really possible here on earth.In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle invites you to rediscover what Scripture actually means by delight — not emotional hype, not religious performance, but a steady satisfaction rooted in who God is.Delight in God isn't a mood to manufacture; it's a relationship to receive.Through biblical theology and practical rhythms, you'll learn how communion with God reshapes suffering, quiets restless striving, and anchors your identity in something unshakable.Delighting in God isn't sentimental optimism. It's deeply rooted in Christ, Jesus.It's the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own heart.Awaken Delight is a theologically grounded spiritual formation book for thoughtful believers who feel spiritually fatigued and are ready to embrace the reality of Psalm 37:4.More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JKind words from Jennifer Rothschild, Bible teacher, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, Founder, Fresh Grounded Faith: “Stephanie helps us awaken to and experience true delight. It is a rich mix of God's delight in you and your delight in him. This is the life you were made for, the life your soul deeply longs for. So, the table is set. Pull up a chair and let your heart sit alongside Stephanie. As your delight in God wakes up and becomes fully realized, you'll find a satisfaction in Christ that makes you want more and more.”Kind words from Amanda Jenkins, Lead creator of THE CHOSEN's literary content: "I have yet to meet another person quite as eager to intimately know Jesus as Stephanie is. Her enthusiasm for the beauty found inside a thriving relationship with her Savior is downright contagious. Indeed, Stephanie's joy and faith and commitment to growth—along with her love for really good food!—will implant themselves in the hearts of readers. Lucky readers."Kind words from Os Guinness, Theologian, Social critic, Author, The Call:  "Stephanie addresses one of the greatest needs of Christians today. Knowing God is not knowing about God, but knowing Him genuinely and with desire and delight. She does so practically and helpfully, and in a style that sparkles with a verve and joy that is distinctively French."Kind words from Pippa Gumbel, Pioneer, The Alpha Course; Author, The Bible in one year with husband Nicky: "Stephanie's love of God is inspiring and infectious. Her book is an invitation to share in that delight and to come to know God in new and wonderful ways."More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!' But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren't worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.' So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,' he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?' But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.” Jesus is using the example of a royal wedding. The prince is getting married and the king is sending invitations to the celebration. It would have been considered an absolute honor to receive this invitation. There would be no reason NOT to go to the wedding. Everyone hearing this story knew you simply would not miss this opportunity. How foolish to not go when the king has invited you to be part of the royal celebration. And Jesus is saying, the true King of all kings, the maker of Heaven and Earth, our Heavenly Father, has invited us to his celebration. How unbelievably foolish would it be for us to refuse his goodness. For real, why do we resist? God says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for YOU. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Why in the world would we refuse his good plans? But we do, don’t we? A few months ago I was trying to make a decision. It was a pretty big decision and I didn’t know what to do. I knew what I wanted to do because I was just tired. But I didn’t have any peace about it. So, I sat down and journaled my prayer asking God for his direction. Afterwards, I sat and waited for the Holy Spirit to show me God’s answer. His answer to me was I had free will to make any choice I wanted, but God had an invitation for me to trust him. An invitation to continue on with him on the journey even when I was really tired. I had received an invitation to God’s goodness – why in the world would I refuse that? With this new perspective of God’s invitation, I accepted, I trusted him, I continued, and he renewed me. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made this year. I bet right now God is inviting you into his goodness. The problem is, it might require you to step out of your comfort zone. It might require you to put a bra on, along with some real pants and show up early. It might make you meet new people, go where you’ve never gone before, forfeit control and forfeit comfort. Trade your known for the unknown. And here’s the thing, if your world has slowly shrank in and become smaller, that invitation is becoming harder and harder for you to accept. That’s the way a little life works. Our life just keeps shrinking and shrinking, while the confines of our comfort zone tell us to just stay here where it’s known and where it’s safe. All while God created you for a great big, beautiful life! Girl, you’ve been missing out! There’s so much more for you. God’s goodness is out here, available for the taking – but you’ve been choosing comfort over Kingdom. You’ve been choosing what is easy over what is eternal. You’ve been choosing what you know over what God is inviting you to discover. If God is inviting you, why are you not going? If your life has gotten too busy to accept an invitation to God’s good plans, then quite simply, YOUR LIFE HAS BECOME TOO BUSY. If your life has become so comfortable that you don’t want to be inconvenienced, YOUR LIFE HAS BECOME TOO COMFORTABLE. If your life has become so predictable that you don’t have room for the unexpected things God wants to do, YOUR LIFE HAS BECOME TOO SMALL. If you have so carefully built your life that there is no room left for God to interrupt it, you aren’t actually living surrendered – You’re living scheduled. And maybe that’s the invitation today. Not an invitation to do more. An invitation to make room. Make room for God to surprise you. Make room for people you didn’t plan to meet. Make room for places you didn’t plan to go. Make room for opportunities you didn’t see coming. Make room for obedience that doesn’t make sense yet. Make room for a life that is bigger than the one you could have planned for yourself. Because here’s what I’ve learned: God’s invitations rarely come wrapped in comfort. Sometimes His invitation looks like an uncomfortable conversation. Sometimes it looks like showing up when you’d rather stay home. Sometimes it looks like saying yes before you know how. Sometimes it looks like releasing something you’ve been holding onto. Sometimes it looks like walking into the room where you don’t know anybody. Sometimes it looks like putting on a bra, real pants, and getting your butt out the door. And sometimes the invitation is simply: “Trust Me.” That’s what mine was. And when I said yes, I discovered something I don’t want you to miss: God’s invitation wasn’t taking something good away from me. It was leading me into something better. I thought I was sacrificing my comfort. God was expanding my life. I thought I was choosing obedience over what I wanted. But what I discovered was that obedience was actually the doorway to what I wanted most. That’s the deception of a little life. We think we’re protecting ourselves when we’re actually restricting ourselves. We think we’re choosing peace when we’re actually avoiding growth. We think we’re choosing comfort when we’re actually missing the whole point. We think we’re keeping our lives manageable when God is standing outside the door saying, “Girl, I have so much more for you.” Where is God inviting you? What have you been saying no to because it’s inconvenient? What have you been avoiding because it’s uncomfortable? Where have you allowed fear to make the decision for you? The King has prepared the feast. The table is set. The invitation is in your hand. Don’t miss the feast because you’re too comfortable sitting at home. Don’t miss God’s goodness because you’re afraid of what saying yes might cost you. Don’t keep choosing a little life when you’ve been invited into a BIG one. And here’s the really crazy thing about this parable: The invitation is not the end of the story. The king invited everyone. The good. The bad. The people who had their act together. The people who absolutely did not. The people who looked like they belonged at a royal wedding and the people who probably showed up wondering if they had accidentally walked into the wrong party. Some accepted, most did not. Everyone was invited, deserving or not. And you know what that is – That’s grace. You didn’t earn the invitation. You didn’t clean yourself up enough to deserve it. You didn’t become good enough to get through the door. You were invited because the King wanted you there. The King will not have an empty banquet. Girl, if you don’t accept his invitation to goodness, he will find someone to fill your spot at the table. But then Jesus tells us something strange. The king walks into the banquet and notices a man who isn’t wearing wedding clothes and has him thrown out. Wait what? At first this seems harsh. The guy was invited off the street – How was he supposed to have wedding clothes? But Jesus isn’t talking about a literal dress code. Dig deeper. Jesus is talking about someone refusing to CHANGE. (Let that set in). The man refused to change, so he was thrown out. When you accept God’s invitation, grace gets you in the door. But grace doesn’t leave you the same once you’re inside. Grace changes you and makes you new. The invitation says, “Come.” The wedding clothes say, “Now become.” God doesn’t invite you into his Kingdom just so you can keep living exactly the way you were living before you met Him. He invites you into something new. A new way of thinking. A new way of loving. A new way of living. A new way of responding. A new way of trusting. A new way of seeing yourself. A new way of seeing other people. A new way of doing life. You don’t have to earn God’s invitation. But if you accept the invitation, you have to be willing to let the King change you. You weren’t invited to a better version of your old life. You were invited to a completely different life. A BIG life. A Kingdom life. A life where you don’t have to be driven by fear, because you trust God. A life where you don’t have to control everything, because you know who is in control. A life where you don’t have to protect yourself from every possible disappointment, because you know God is faithful. A life where you don’t jump through hoops trying to be accepted, because you already know you’re loved. What is God inviting you into? And maybe even more importantly: What are you allowing to keep you from accepting the invitation? Is it comfort? Fear? Control? Busyness? Your need to know exactly how it’s going to turn out? Your fear of what other people will think? Your exhaustion? Your excuses? The King has prepared the feast. The table is set. The invitation has been sent. And you can keep standing outside wondering if you’re ready. Or you can walk through the door. You can say yes. You can trust Him. You can put on the wedding clothes and start changing. Girl, the King has invited you to the feast. Don’t miss the party because you’re too comfortable in the parking lot. Don’t miss the Kingdom because you’re afraid to leave your little life. Don’t miss what God has for you because you’re waiting until you feel ready. The table has been set and there’s a seat for you here – Oh how I pray you accept the invitation, let your life be changed, and meet me at the party! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Send us Fan Mail“We're good, just busy” might be the most common sentence in American family life, and it's reshaping what people can realistically say yes to. It's become the default answer for families, pastors, and church leaders. And when everyone feels stretched thin, youth ministry can easily respond by either adding more programming or blaming sports, school, and extracurricular activities for stealing students away.But what if that's not the whole story?Maybe youth ministry doesn't need more things on the calendar. Maybe the things already on the calendar need to matter more.In this episode, Zac Workun and Chad Higgins explore the difference between being busy and being intentional.Families demonstrate all the time that they're willing to make significant commitments when they understand the value. Sports have practices, specialized training, games, and clearly defined wins. Meanwhile, churches can accidentally fill calendars with gatherings that all feel vaguely similar—and therefore increasingly missable.That leads to a challenging principle:If everything is for everyone, eventually it feels like it's for no one.What if every gathering in your student ministry had a clearer purpose? An outreach event doesn't have to accomplish the entire discipleship process. A small discipleship gathering doesn't need the attendance of your biggest event. Some environments are designed to invite. Others help students practice. Others should give students opportunities to lead.Or, as Zac and Chad put it: pep rallies, practices, and games.The conversation moves beyond programming into a bigger vision for student discipleship. Instead of measuring success primarily by how many teenagers attended, what would happen if churches became clearer about the kind of disciples they're trying to form?Could students graduate from youth ministry knowing Scripture, understanding core theology, experiencing meaningful Christian community, serving the church, sharing their faith, and increasingly teaching others to do the same?That's a much more compelling goal than simply keeping the calendar full.And it might help us rethink the supposed competition between church and everything else in a teenager's life.The goal isn't simply getting students into more church activities. It's forming students who know how to follow Jesus everywhere else.If your fall youth ministry calendar is already packed, this episode will help you ask a better question than “What should we add?”What is all of this actually for?This Episode Will Help You Think AboutYouth ministry programming and calendar strategyStudent discipleship pathwaysFamily ministry and parent partnershipMeasuring spiritual growth beyond attendanceOutreach versus discipleship environmentsDeveloping student leadersBiblical literacy and theological formationEvangelism training for teenagersEquipping students to live on missionCreating meaningful next steps for studentsYouth Ministry Booster exists to encourage and equip youth pastors and student ministry leaders for healthier, more intentional ministry.Subscribe to the podcast, share this episode with another youth ministry leader, and leave a review to help more youth pastors find the conversation.Support the showJoin the community!

There is so much competing for our attention.   Opinions. Expectations. Responsibilities. Notifications. Busyness. Overthinking. The constant pull to look outside ourselves for one more answer.   But beneath all of that, your inner wisdom is still there.   In this episode of the Luminary Life Podcast, we explore what it means to slow down enough to hear the quieter voice within — and how crystals, nature, ceremony, and sacred rhythm can help us return to deeper listening.   We explore:   the many forms “noise” can take in our lives why inner wisdom can become difficult to hear the subtle ways intuition and knowing often speak how crystals and stones can anchor us into presence why nature and sacred practice create space for deeper listening how trust grows when we begin honoring what we hear   I also guide you into a simple reflection:   What has been difficult to hear beneath the noise?   And:   What is the smallest honest thing you know right now?   You do not need the whole answer.   Sometimes the deeper work is simply creating enough space to hear what is already present within you.   ✨ This theme is also deeply woven into the evolution of my Sanctuary Circle into The Crystal WisdomKeepers Circle.   The waitlist is now open for our fall doorway.   If you feel drawn to a sacred space where we gather with the stones, attune to the Earth, and deepen trust in our own inner wisdom, you can learn more here:

Have you ever caught yourself repeating a story about your life that, if you're really honest, isn't even true anymore? Maybe it's the "I had a perfect childhood" story, or the "I love my business" story, or the "I just don't know what I want to do" story. We tell ourselves these things so often we forget to check if they're real. That's exactly where this conversation with Philip McKernan took me, and honestly, it wrecked me in the best way. In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I sit down with Philip McKernan, a man who has built a global reputation for his unapologetic work with entrepreneurs. Philip has caddied golf for the president of Ireland, been chased by a bull elephant in Nigeria, made wine in Australia, traveled to 85 countries, helped build an orphanage in Peru, written five books despite being dyslexic, and directed an award winning documentary. For the past five years he's been restoring a 500 year old castle on 22 acres of Celtic rainforest on Ireland's west coast called Brave Castle, where he now hosts soul searching entrepreneurs and EO forum retreats. His whole philosophy, which he calls Soul Set, is about helping people uncover their unique gifts and use them to actually impact the world, not just talk about it. This episode matters because Philip doesn't let you hide. He has this gift, or maybe it's a curse depending on how you look at it, of hearing what people aren't saying. He calls himself insanely sensitive under all that toughness, and that sensitivity is exactly why he can spot a false narrative from a mile away. If you've ever felt like you're performing a version of your life instead of living it, this conversation is going to hit close to home. We give ourselves what we feel we deserve. Philip shared this belief that most entrepreneurs, deep down, don't fully like who they are, and that shapes everything from how they run their business to how they show up in relationships. Until you challenge that inner narrative, you'll keep recreating the same patterns no matter how much success you stack up. Life is a series of three mountains, and most people get stuck on the second one. The first mountain is about you. The second is about building something with others, your family, your business, your team. The third mountain is where it gets powerful, because that's where you turn your deepest scar into service for someone else. Philip's own mission became eradicating loneliness in the world, because loneliness was the thing he wrestled with his whole life. Busyness is often just a way to avoid feeling. Philip talked about how consuming endless information, chasing the next book or podcast, can actually be a form of running from yourself. He challenged listeners to stop consuming for a while and just sit with what comes up. Spoiler, it's usually clarity you've been avoiding. Geography quietly shapes your happiness more than we admit. Philip pointed out that so many of us build our lives in places we don't even want to be, hoping success will make it worth it. He's convinced that if you build something in a place that doesn't light you up, either it won't work, or it won't matter even if it does. Stop using so much "I" language. When Philip listens for what's really holding someone back, he notices how much people center themselves in their own fear. His advice was blunt and simple, your gift was given to you on loan, and your job is to give it away, not hoard it out of fear. By the end of our talk, Philip reminded me that the story you keep telling yourself, whether it's about your childhood, your business, or your fear, deserves to be questioned. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply ask yourself, is this actually true. This is one of those episodes you'll want to listen to twice. Go catch the full conversation with Philip McKernan at https://happyhustle.com/podcast, and let it challenge the story you've been telling yourself too. What does Happy Hustlin' mean to you? Philip said it's about having a mission you're relentlessly going after, but never sacrificing who you are at the core, what you believe, or the people around you in the process. He admitted he doesn't do it perfectly, but he does it with intention. His final word was this, have something you believe in and stand for, but don't chase it at the cost of everything else, because if you do, it will never feel worth it in the end. Connect with Philiphttps://www.facebook.com/philip.mckernanhttps://www.instagram.com/philip_mckernan/https://www.youtube.com/@philipmckernanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-mckernan/ Find Philip on this website: https://philipmckernan.com/ready/ Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.tiktok.com/@caryjackhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a copy of his new book, https://www.thehappyhustle.com/book Sign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course @ https://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/ Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure @ https://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/ “It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!” Episode Sponsors: Kiln Your environment shapes your energy and your results. That's why we're proud to partner with Kiln, a premium workspace experience designed to help you work smarter, connect with amazing people, and elevate your lifestyle. From co-working and private offices to meeting rooms and event spaces, Kiln (https://kiln.com/) has everything you need to thrive. Mention "Happy Hustle" for a special hookup! =================================================================== If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all night If you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at https://www.bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF. =================================================================== My Green Mattress If you've been waking up with back pain, feeling stiff, or just not getting that deep, quality sleep. This might be what you're missing: My Green Mattress. It's made with clean, non-toxic, and eco-friendly materials, so you're not just sleeping better, you're sleeping healthier too. The comfort and support are on another level, and you can really feel the difference night after night. If you're ready to invest in better sleep and better recovery, check it out at https://thehappyhustle.com/mygreenmattress =================================================================== Ozlo Sleep If you've been struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up feeling actually rested, let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer: Ozlo Sleep. These aren't your typical sleep buds. They're designed to block out noise and help your brain fully relax, so you can drift off faster and stay in deep, uninterrupted sleep. Perfect if you're a light sleeper or just want that next-level rest. If you're ready to upgrade your sleep and wake up feeling recharged, check out https://ozlosleep.com and save $80 OFF using code HAPPY.

We would love to pray for you! Please send us your requests here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Busyness is often a cover for avoidance, misplaced priorities, or even disobedience. Why is it the excuse most people resort to?

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever looked back on a year of nonstop motion and wondered, “I've been busy, but did I actually grow?” you're not alone. I sit down with Ben Barbic to talk about the kind of personal growth that doesn't show up on social media and doesn't arrive in one dramatic breakthrough. We get honest about why growth can feel invisible, why life rarely moves in a straight line, and how the real wins are often the quiet choices: patience over anger, curiosity over certainty, progress over perfection. Ben shares a simple, realistic approach to self-improvement that doesn't rely on hype or massive overnight change. We talk about why people repeat the same habits and relationships even when they want something better, and how introspection can uncover what “comfort” is really costing you. From there, we focus on micro habits: small, specific changes you can actually commit to, like a few minutes of reading, meditation, stretching, journaling, or cutting back one step at a time. The goal is consistency, not intensity, so your habits become part of your normal Tuesday instead of a plan you abandon by day three. We also dig into frustration and slow progress, comparing growth to building strength at the gym: the gains are real, but subtle, and they compound over time. And when you slip back, we don't treat it as failure. We treat it as normal human behavior and sometimes the exact reminder you need of what your routines were giving you. Finally, we challenge the lure of the “easy” past, and why purpose often matters more than comfort. If you want practical personal development strategies that feel doable and meaningful, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review with the one small choice you're making this week. Connect with guest: Website: https://www.risenclimb.com Book & Audiobook: Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain (Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble) Music: available on all major streaming platforms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benbarbic/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/BenBarbic YouEx Get 50% off the first 6 months of YouEx.ai! Couples Tantra Programme Unlock Deeper Connection and Intimate Pleasure in Your Relationship. Friending, Inc Offer: 15% off our coffee as stated above | Code: Podcast10 Find friends in real-life in a verified Patrick Casey Marissa Zwetow Offer: 12 taboo postpartum truths Jennifer Westcott Offer: free hypnosis sessions Jen Katsev Offer: 5 Day "Wake Up IN LOVE With Your Life" Challenge. Elizabeth Pritchard Offer: Mention Healthy Mind Healthy Life Podcast & receive 10% off the next course. | Code: AL10Disc Suzanne Rath Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Want to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life?

Send us Fan MailRetirement should be the beginning of your next meaningful chapter—not the end of your purpose.What happens when your career ends and the title, routine, responsibilities, and identity that shaped your life suddenly change? In this powerful episode of the Remarkable People Podcast, David Pasqualone sits down with Chris Maduri, founder of Vibrant Retirement, to explore how to find purpose after retirement, rebuild your identity beyond work, deepen your faith, and create a meaningful second act.Chris shares much more than retirement advice. He opens up about his own remarkable journey through adoption, struggles with identity, the devastating loss of his best friend, alcohol, divorce, multiple DUIs, jail, and the spiritual transformation that followed.During one of the lowest seasons of his life, Chris began reading the Bible, slowing down, becoming still, and developing a deeper relationship with God. That process helped him begin seeing himself differently—not according to his failures, income, career, achievements, or the opinions of other people, but through a completely different understanding of identity, grace, responsibility, and purpose.In this conversation, you'll discover:• Why financial preparation alone does not prepare you for retirement• How career and achievement can become dangerously connected to identity• Why you should begin designing your “second act” years before retirement• How to balance work, family, health, faith, and enjoying life now• Why stillness, prayer, listening, and self-awareness matter• How Chris rebuilt his life after addiction, DUIs, divorce, and jail• Why failure does not mean your life or purpose is over• How small acts of service can reveal a much larger purpose• Why purpose ultimately has to extend beyond yourself• How to stop endlessly preparing and begin taking meaningful action• Why you do not need to be perfect before you can add value to someone else's lifeOne of Chris's most powerful insights from the episode:“If you're looking for purpose, it has to be outside of you. No one's purpose is to help themselves.”Whether you are 25, 45, 65, approaching retirement, already retired, experiencing a major life transition, or simply wondering, “What does God want me to do next?”—this conversation is for you.Your career may eventually end.Your job title may change.But if you are still here, your life still matters—and there is still good you can do.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

So, how busy is YOUR life? British author and family advocate Katharine Hill shares how to slow down and appreciate every moment that you're given here on earth. Learn how to create space, begin some healthy habits...and be interruptible.

Hey there. Welcome back to Live with Purpose podcast.  Have you ever wondered why you feel exhausted and resting doesn't seem to fix it. What if you're exhausted not because you're doing too much—but because you're doing too much that doesn't matter?In this new episode you will find the answer. You might be surprised by the answer. Enjoy!Note: In case you were a listener of this podcast before this relaunch, and you are wondering where are the previously published 200 plus episodes, those episodes are in storage and will eventually be updated and repurposed. Follow Nora here:https://www.facebook.com/NoraAyalaDelgadoRemember that you are unique, with a purpose only you can fulfill.

If you're tired, look no further than to Matthew 11 where it tells you to come to the Lord to be fully restored. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

What if following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey? In Acts 2, the early church didn't simply gather for a service—they created a community centered on Jesus. They shared life, worshiped together, prayed together, served one another, met practical needs, and helped each other grow. In this message, Pastor Ken Senchal explores why biblical community is essential to abiding in Jesus. Because the people God places around us can help us become more like Christ. But authentic community requires more than simply showing up at church. It requires us to move from attendance to belonging. Pastor Ken explores three obstacles that can keep us from experiencing the kind of community God designed: Pride and self-sufficiency — believing, "I've got this," when God created us to need one another. Busyness and misplaced priorities — allowing our schedules to make spiritual community optional. Past hurts and unresolved offenses — allowing what happened in unhealthy relationships to keep us from the healthy relationships God wants to bring into our lives. The answer isn't isolation. The answer to unhealthy community is healthy biblical community. Ecclesiastes 4 reminds us that when one person falls, another can help them back up—and Scripture assumes that eventually, we all need someone. So the question isn't whether you'll need community. The question is: Will you allow yourself to be part of one?

We've baptized busyness as faithfulness. Martha did the same thing—filled every moment with good work and missed the one thing that mattered.Robin GoughAugust 9, 2026For more information, visit us at fxcc.org. 

In Episode 212, hosted by Kylie, we explore Luke 10:38-42 and the timeless tension between busyness and presence. Jesus and His disciples arrive at a village where a woman named Martha welcomes Him into her home. Her sister Mary sits at the Lord's feet, listening to what He teaches. But Martha is distracted by the big dinner she's preparing. She comes to Jesus frustrated: "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me." It's a completely understandable reaction. Most of us would feel exactly the same way. We're working hard. We're doing what needs to be done. And it feels deeply unfair when others aren't pulling their weight. Through guided meditation, discover what Jesus says in response. He doesn't rebuke Martha for working. He doesn't tell her the dinner doesn't matter. He rebukes her for being worried and upset: "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details." The problem isn't the dinner. The problem is that the dinner has become more important than the Guest. Martha is serving Jesus while missing Jesus. She's so focused on what she's doing for Him that she's lost sight of being with Him. And Jesus says there is only one thing worth being concerned about—and Mary has discovered it. Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet. She's listening. She's present. She's chosen the better part. And Jesus says it will not be taken from her. This episode explores the tension most of us live in every day. There is always more to do. The to-do list never ends. The needs are real. The work is legitimate. The dinner genuinely needs to be made. But somewhere in the busyness, we can lose the one thing that matters most—being present with Jesus. It's possible to be very busy for God while being very far from God. You can serve, plan, prepare, and produce—all in Jesus' name—and still miss Him entirely. Learn why Jesus doesn't condemn Martha's work but redirects her worry, and what it means to choose the one thing in the middle of a full and demanding life. Discover how to protect specific time to sit at Jesus' feet—not to pray through your list, not to read a devotional, not to listen to a podcast, but simply to be present with Him. Find the freedom and restoration that comes from choosing presence over productivity and being with Jesus before doing for Jesus. Experience what Mary discovered—the one thing that will never be taken from you.

When the answer to "what are your plans for tomorrow?" is the same as yesterday — laundry, dishes, write an article, you know, this and that — there are days when that answer brings tears to the eyes. Not from ingratitude, exactly, but from the quiet weight of monotony. Sort. Wash. Dry. Fold. Put away. Again and again. Day after day. And somewhere in that repetition, the temptation grows to reach for distraction — social media, movies, anything that makes the hours feel less like they are disappearing into nothing. But distraction is the enemy of the soul. The real need is not to escape the routine but to embrace it differently. Colossians 3:23-24 reframes every ordinary task with a single shift of perspective: whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Not for the applause of others, not for the feeling of significance, but for Him. A day spent doing dishes and laundry with a focus on God is a day well spent. When we worship, pray, and praise through the monotonous everyday stuff, intimacy with God deepens, faith grows, and what felt meaningless becomes sacred. The routine day has never been the problem. Living it on autopilot, disconnected from God's presence, is what hollows it out. When perspective shifts and the Lord is at the center, the soul refills. And a soul that is full will never describe its life as meaningless. Bible Verse "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."— Colossians 3:23-24, NIV Ponder Today Nothing done for the Lord is meaningless. When our ordinary tasks are offered to Him as an act of worship, they are transformed. The significance of a day is not determined by its drama but by its orientation toward God. Living on autopilot is what makes routine feel empty — not the routine itself. When we move from sunrise to sunset without becoming fully present to what God is doing in and around us, we miss the moments that will never pass our way again. Busyness and productivity do not fill the soul. A schedule can stay full while a soul stays empty. Doing does not equal being, and a life crammed with activity can still feel utterly meaningless if God is not at the center. Routine days are where faithfulness is quietly built. The repeated, ordinary steps are what enable us to walk through the fire when that day comes. Life becomes faithful and full in the ordinary, not despite it. Perspective is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we choose to see each day as a stewardship from God — significant, meaningful, and filled with His presence — that is the life we will experience. When we choose meaningless, that is what we get. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, thank You for the dailiness of life. Even in the routine and mundane activities, You are there. May we be ever reminded of Your faithful presence and work in our lives. And whatever we do, may we do it with You in mind and for Your glory. In humble gratitude for this day, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer helped you find fresh meaning in an ordinary day, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to keep your heart present, purposeful, and centered on God every single day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Busyness can create the illusion of progress, but movement alone doesn't mean you're moving in the right direction. This Empowering Moment challenges you to take an honest inventory of the areas that matter most—your faith, relationships, finances, health, thinking, and use of time. When your intentions and your actions tell two different stories, an honest evaluation can reveal where recalibration is needed.CONNECT WITH CT JOHNSON

It's easy to tell ourselves, "I'm just in a busy season." But what if our greatest struggle isn't busyness; it's priorities?In this episode, I share a powerful moment from a recent Bible study that challenged the way I think about intimacy with Christ. Together, we'll explore Jesus' invitation in John 15 to abide in Him and His example of regularly withdrawing to spend time with the Father. If you've felt spiritually dry, distracted, or like you've been waiting for the "right time" to reconnect with God, this episode is your invitation to stop waiting and reset today.Key Scriptures: John 15:1–5, Luke 5:16If this episode encouraged you, would you take a moment to leave a review? It helps more women in ministry find the show and be encouraged in their walk with Christ and leadership in the local church.Connect with Narcely:Website: www.NarcelyRuiz.comInstagram: @narcelyruiz / @upstreampursuit If you're a woman serving in ministry and you want support in growing in biblical confidence, leadership, and healthy ministry rhythms, I'd love to connect with you.

Our guest speaker, Brendan Edwards from The Send, challenged us this week with an important question: What is an appropriate response to God's faithfulness? The Bible shows us that God is faithful. But Brendan encouraged us to consider what a response to God's faithfulness sounds like (confession), thinks like (repentance), and looks like (prayer). He challenged us to reflect on what might be getting in the way of our response to God. Comfort? Convenience? Apathy? Fear? Individualism? Busyness? Materialism? What might God be asking you to surrender so you can respond more fully to His faithfulness? Want to hear more about The Send? https://thesend.org.au

SHOW NOTES   In Podcast Episode 386, “No Soap Strong Enough for That,” Kim discusses the lengths humans will go to try to cleanse themselves from sin and guilt. She takes listeners through a brief overview of many scriptures that point to the only way to receive cleansing for sin.   Our focal passage for this episode is Jeremiah 2:14-22, with 22 as the focal verse:   “No amount of soap or lye can make you clean. I still see the stain of your guilt. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”     WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:   What “soap” have you tried to use to cleanse yourself of your sins of commission or omission?   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   Matthew 27:11-24 Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-12; 3:23; James 2:10 Psalm 51; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Hebrews 9:13-14 John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:7-9 Examples of Modern-Day “Soap:” 1. Busyness; 2. Being a “Good Person;” 3. Religious Activity; 4. Image Management; 5. Comparison; 6. Success; 7. Self-Improvement; 8. Numbing the Conviction. Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus     I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF Jeremiah/Lamentation PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Jeremiah & Lamentations by Steven Smith “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III. OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT     "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.     National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.     The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/  

We often wear busyness like a badge of honor. Our calendars are full, our schedules are packed, and our to-do lists never seem to end. But does being busy mean we're doing what God has called us to do? In this episode of ScriptureLinks Daily Dose of Inspiration, we'll discover the difference between being busy and being faithful. Looking at Martha's distracted service, God's purpose for our lives, Satan's strategy of distraction, and Jesus' warning about empty religious activity, we'll learn how to focus on what truly matters. God isn't impressed by how much we accomplish—He's interested in whether we're accomplishing what He created us to do.

High-achieving Christian women are experiencing burnout trying to do it all — but Candice Rockel reveals the simple, powerful shift that can change everything: Intentional rest.Imagine resting in God's presence as naturally as breathing — even in the middle of chaos. Candice shares her personal story of hitting the breaking point during a busy season, then discovering that true rest isn't just a luxury — it's a commandment. Her debut solo book, Pause on Purpose: Intentional Rest for Women, is a game-changer for women tired of striving but craving a deeper, more peaceful connection with God.In this episode, Candice and Jenny break down the biblical foundation for Sabbath, revealing how “pressing pause” can feel uncomfortable before it becomes a holy habit. Discover her practical tips for recognizing when life's busyness is a sign you're outside God's rhythm — and how to intentionally step into rest, even when it feels foreign. You'll also learn tools to help you serve out of abundance instead of exhaustion.You'll hear candid insights on how women baptize their burnout, the difference between busyness for Jesus versus intimacy with Jesus, and why worth isn't linked to productivity. Candice emphasizes that God created us for joy, rest, and relationship — not just work, stress, and overwhelm. This conversation is a must-listen for women who want to pursue their God-given calling while embracing the peace and purpose He offers.Whether you're navigating a busy season or feeling stuck in chronic overdrive, Candice's story and wisdom will inspire you to press pause on purpose and step into a life of divine rest. Perfect for anyone craving alignment between faith and everyday life, this episode will leave you encouraged to put aside the “shoulds,” follow God's rhythm, and delight in Him.Candice Rockel is the CEO and co-founder of Aurora Network, a four-time bestselling author, and a passionate speaker dedicated to helping women find rest in God's promises. Press pause with purpose — and watch your soul thrive.Get Candice's book, Pause on Purpose, on Amazon — links in the show notes. This is your invitation to rest, grow, and flourish in Christ's love.Get all the Scripture references and resources mentioned in this episode: https://jennyzentz.com/intentional-rest-christian-women/Get the FREE Printable PDF: Positive Confessions From His Word⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction & The Burnout Epidemic in Women03:15 - Candice's Breaking Point & Discovering Biblical Rest08:40 - Why "Pausing" Feels Uncomfortable at First14:10 - Serving Out of Abundance vs. Exhaustion20:00 - Busyness for Jesus vs. Intimacy with Jesus27:30 - Breaking the Link Between Productivity & Worth32:00 - Final Thoughts & Practical Steps to Press Pause

"We should not be listening to things outside of us. Your body is telling you what you need." In this episode, Heather and Corey Colwell explore what happens when life forces you to stop long enough to hear the messages your body has been trying to communicate all along. Through a remarkable story that begins with a coyote bite at two years old and winds through years of health challenges, motherhood, overachievement, and a profound near-death experience, this conversation invites you into the space where intuition, healing, and purpose converge. At its heart, this episode is about learning to listen, not to the endless noise outside of us, but to the wisdom already living within our bodies, our souls, and the quiet nudges that keep trying to guide us back toward alignment, vitality, and a life that feels deeply alive. What to listen for:  ☑️ How getting bitten by a coyote at two years old shaped her passion in later life ☑️ Busyness and constantly moving forward keep you from listening to my body ☑️ The near-death experience that helped Corey choose to be in this life   "When people say fighting for your life, you have to recruit everything to get alive again. And so I fought my way back from that moment." ☑️ The importance of listening to that intuitive primal knowing when it comes up ☑️ What it feels like when your soul fully aligns with your body and human experience ☑️ Why it wasn't enough to just be alive and in bed, and what helped turn things around   "I was alive, and everyone's like, 'Great, just stay in bed.' And what happened is I started to experience an intellectual and passion death because my entire why is to solve problems and innovate." ☑️ How to start answering the question of what your body actually needs to thrive ☑️ Why we try to control the outcomes in our children's lives rather than surrendering ☑️ We shouldn't be listening to things outside of us; we should be leaning in   *** About Corey Colwell: Corey Colwell doesn't study problems. She solves them.  She is the person you call when you're stuck — not because she'll tell you why you got there, but because she'll already see three ways out. A licensed psychotherapist (LMFT), published author, and innovation strategist, Corey has spent nearly three decades finding patterns across health, sustainability, media, education, and beyond — and building the bridges to turn those patterns into real, lasting change. Her ideas have reached millions through outlets like Good Morning America, NPR, and CNN, and her collaborators have included Whole Foods, HGTV, and the Non-GMO Project. As founding COO of SNiP Nutrigenomics (snipnutrition.com), she's now helping reshape the future of health through genetic intelligence and hyper-personalized nutrition.  Corey is a recent empty-nest mom and lives in Seattle with her soulmate husband and infinitely amusing rescue dogs. Connect with Corey: www.snipnutrition.com  www.linkedin.com/in/coreycolwell/  *** For those of you who are ready to stop feeling drained, overextended, and out of alignment… join me inside the Energetic Time Management Accelerator, a focused experience designed to help high-achieving women uncover what's draining them, clarify what truly matters, and create a simple plan that fits their life. We'll pinpoint your biggest time + energy leaks, identify the top areas to focus on for quick momentum, and map out exactly what to let go of so you can reclaim your energy, your time, and your joy. Ready to make your time work for you without adding more to your plate? Join the Energetic Time Management Accelerator: www.heatherchauvin.com/time Explore the top episodes listeners come back to when they're stuck, burned out, or standing at the edge of a big shift: www.heatherchauvin.com/10 Follow Heather on Instagram: www.instagram.com/heatherchauvin_

You may have chosen to go into private practice because you wanted more freedom, only to find yourself recreating the same traditional workweek you were trying to leave behind.When success has always looked like putting in your time, staying busy, and being available throughout the workday, stepping away from your desk can feel like playing hooky, which can be uncomfortable — even when your business is stable and your clients are well supported.In this “Best Of” episode, Linzy revisits one of the most downloaded conversations from the past year with Diane Webber, a financial therapist, private practice owner, and coach in the Money Skills programs. Together, they explore the freedom, responsibility, uncertainty, and purpose that can come with self-employment.Diane shares how private practice has allowed her to be present for her family while navigating the changing needs of the sandwich generation. She and Linzy also talk about why therapists do not have 40 hours of quality emotional energy to give every week, how rest and time away support better clinical work, and why appearing busy is not the same as doing meaningful work.Their conversation also turns to the ongoing work of managing money as business owners. Financial systems cannot always be reorganized quickly because money is still coming in and going out while the changes are happening. Diane explains why patience, small wins, and confidence in the decision-making process matter more than trying to fix everything at once.If you have been measuring your success by the number of hours you work, feeling guilty when you step away, or trying to overhaul your finances in one intense burst, this episode will help you think differently about what a sustainable private practice can look like.Timestamps:03:30 - Meet Money Skills Coach Diane Webber04:16 - The Highs and Lows of Self-Employment05:17 - What Freedom in Private Practice Can Look Like06:05 - Self-Employment and the Needs of the Sandwich Generation07:41 - Building a Business That Supports Time Away08:01 - Unlearning the Need to Put In Your Time09:39 - Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity10:26 - Therapists Do Not Have 40 Hours of Emotional Energy11:16 - Giving Yourself Permission to Step Away12:54 - Letting Your Brain Work in the Background13:56 - The Performance of Busyness and Pseudo-Productivity14:41 - Understanding and Honoring How You Work Best17:34 - Variety, Change, and Using Different Parts of Your Brain18:17 - Why Money Skills Work Can Feel More Concrete20:00 - Creating Order in Work That Often Feels Messy22:00 - Building Confidence in Your Financial Process22:33 - Learning Money Skills While Money Is Still Moving23:30 - Creating a Sustainable, Ongoing Relationship with Money24:43 - Do All Private Practice Owners Identify as Entrepreneurs?29:33 - Finding a Gap and Building Work Around It30:33 - How Owning Your Niche Helps the Right Clients Find You32:22 - Outsourcing Work You Do Not Enjoy33:00 - Freedom, Responsibility, and the Thrill of Self-Employment34:06 - Diane's Financial Therapy Practice35:29 - Linzy's Final Reflection and Community InvitationConnect with Diane Webber:Diane is a licensed professional counselor and certified financial social work counselor with a fully online private practice in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She serves clients experiencing financial anxiety, general anxiety, strained relationships, grief, loss, and life transitions where money is part of the picture.Diane is also a proud member of the Money Skills for Therapists coaching team, enthusiastically celebrating successes as members of the program redefine their money mindsets and sharpen their money skills.Website: https://www.dianewebber.me/For other episodes with Diane, check out: Episode 97: Compassionate Approaches to Finances with Diane WebberEpisode 213: Adapting Your Business and Team for a Changing MarketAbout Linzy Bonham:Linzy Bonham is a therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm, confident, and in control of their finances through her podcast, free workshops and comprehensive programs: Money Skills for Therapists and Money Skills for Group Practice Owners.It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because managing finances was just too stressful.So Linzy set out to support helpers and healers with developing peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught money skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying.You can learn more here: https://moneyskillsfortherapists.com/aboutAnd you can follow along on social media:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneynutsandboltsWant to feel more calm and confident about your money? Join one of Linzy's free online workshops for private practice owners who want practical support with money mindset, avoidance, and the technical side of managing business finances.Explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay: https://moneyskillsfortherapists.com/workshopsYou can also join the private WhatsApp community to connect with other therapists, health practitioners, and podcast listeners. Submit your request here to join today.

In this episode, Jimmy Casas explores the hidden cost of hustle culture and shares practical ways to replace constant busyness with intentional leadership that creates lasting impact. Key Takeaways From Episode 133 Exhaustion is often caused by constant reaction rather than intentional leadership. Busyness and effectiveness are not the same thing. The Pause creates space to think before acting. Great leaders ask better questions before making decisions. One intentional pause can change the direction of an entire day. Leadership isn't about reacting faster. It's about responding with greater purpose.

Bridging the Connection Gap: Why Work Feels More Disconnected Than Ever We've never had more ways to communicate at work, yet many employees have never felt more disconnected. With hybrid working now firmly established, organisations are grappling with a new challenge: how do you build genuine human connection when work has become increasingly digital, transactional and fragmented? In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary Cullen are joined by Scott McInnes, Founder of Inspiring Change, to discuss the findings of his latest research report, Bridging the Connection Gap. Together they explore why workplace connection has become one of the biggest cultural challenges facing organisations today, what hybrid working has changed, and how leaders can intentionally create environments where people feel connected, engaged and able to do their best work. From overloaded calendars and endless Teams meetings to generational differences, leadership capability and the unintended consequences of technology, the conversation examines what organisations need to rethink if they want connection to become a genuine competitive advantage rather than simply another HR buzzword. Guest: Scott McInnes — Founder, Inspiring Change Topics include: Why workplace connection has become one of the biggest challenges facing modern organisations The findings from the Bridging the Connection Gap research report How hybrid working has changed relationships between employees and organisations Why busyness and back-to-back meetings are eroding meaningful connection The difference between digital communication and genuine human connection How technology can both enable and undermine workplace relationships The importance of intentional leadership in building connected teams Why managers need better support and development to lead effectively in hybrid environments Key Takeaways for HR Leaders Connection is not a "nice to have"—it underpins trust, collaboration, wellbeing and performance. Hybrid working requires intentional design rather than simply asking people to return to the office. Busyness and constant digital communication are crowding out meaningful human interaction. Great workplace cultures are built through conversations, not surveys alone. Leaders and managers play a critical role in creating opportunities for genuine connection. Technology should support relationships, not replace them. Resources Mentioned The Resources page Scott mentioned can be found here. This contains a link to the report and more details about Inspiring Change and the Building Better Cultures Podcast. Get in Touch If you're not already following us on LinkedIn, we'd love to connect with you. If you have suggestions for future podcast episodes, or would like to appear as a guest on The HR Room, contact Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn. About The HR Room Podcast The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR, where we speak with HR leaders, legal experts and workplace specialists from across Ireland about the issues shaping the future of work. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe, leave us a review, and share it with colleagues or friends. We're always keen to hear your feedback and suggestions for future episodes. For immediate HR support, contact Insight HR on 056 770 1060 or email info@insighthr.ie.

Busyness can make us feel productive while quietly pulling us away from the One we need most. Through the familiar story of Mary and Martha, we're invited to consider whether our anxious striving has drowned out the voice of Jesus — and to discover the peace that comes from simply being with him. Listen to this sermon as John Yates explores Christ's compassionate response to our deepest fears and reminds us that he sees us, cares for us, and offers the one thing that can never be taken away. ________ Sign up for Central’s newsletters here. Visit us on our website to learn more. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Busyness can make us feel productive while quietly pulling us away from the One we need most. Through the familiar story of Mary and Martha, we're invited to consider whether our anxious striving has drowned out the voice of Jesus — and to discover the peace that comes from simply being with him. Listen to this sermon as John Yates explores Christ's compassionate response to our deepest fears and reminds us that he sees us, cares for us, and offers the one thing that can never be taken away. ________ Sign up for Central’s newsletters here. Visit us on our website to learn more. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Sunday, July 5, 2026 | Seculosity: Everyday Obsessions That Become Religions of Enough | Pastor Michelle continues in our summer 2026 sermon series Seculosity, with a sermon on the Seculosity of Politics & National Identity, based on John 18:33-36 & Phil 3:17-21, entitled "No Other Kingdom."

Sunday, June 28, 2026 | Seculosity: Everyday Obsessions That Become Religions of Enough | Guest preacher Rev. Lan Davis Wilson continues in our summer 2026 sermon series Seculosity, with a sermon on the Seculosity of Pride, based on 1 Corinthians 13, entitled "The Path to Pride."

Why Do I Feel Worse At Night? You make it through the day. You go to work. You answer messages. You keep the family moving. You even catch yourself thinking, "Maybe I'm doing a little better today." Then night arrives. The house goes quiet. You climb into bed. And suddenly it all comes crashing back. The thoughts. The images. The questions. The anxiety. So why does this happen? In this episode of After the Affair, Luke explores one of the most common, but rarely discussed, experiences after betrayal: why emotional pain often feels so much heavier once the day comes to an end. You'll discover why the problem isn't actually the time on the clock, why tiredness is only part of the story, and what the quiet of the evening reveals that the busyness of the day has been hiding. Most importantly, this episode explores the difference between pain becoming worse... and pain finally being heard. Because those are two very different things. And understanding that distinction could completely change the way you experience your evenings. In This Episode You'll Learn Why so many people experience an emotional crash once the day becomes quiet Why "I'm just tired" doesn't fully explain what happens at night The surprising reason busy days often feel emotionally easier than quiet ones Why nighttime doesn't create your pain, it simply removes the distractions covering it How anticipation of difficult evenings can begin affecting your afternoons Why functioning well during the day doesn't necessarily mean you're healing underneath Luke's personal experience of the first nights after separation and what they taught him about grief The hidden cost of avoiding difficult thoughts until bedtime A practical way to stop your emotions ambushing you at 11pm How giving your feelings attention earlier in the day can reduce their intensity later A Powerful Question From This Episode "What have I been asking the day to carry that it was never actually built to hold?" Because sometimes the day isn't healing you. It's simply keeping you busy. And when the busyness ends... Whatever was waiting quietly underneath finally gets the chance to speak. Key Takeaways ✅ Nighttime doesn't create emotional pain, it often reveals what the day has been masking. ✅ Busyness can provide temporary relief without actually resolving what's underneath. ✅ Feeling worse at night doesn't mean you're moving backwards in your healing. ✅ The quiet isn't the enemy, it's often where the unattended parts of your experience finally become visible. ✅ Anticipating difficult evenings can begin stealing peace from your afternoons. ✅ Avoiding painful thoughts all day often allows them to arrive with greater intensity later. ✅ Giving difficult emotions a small, intentional space earlier in the day can reduce their need to demand attention at night. ✅ Healing isn't about distracting yourself better, it's about becoming willing to hear what your mind has been trying to tell you. Why This Episode Matters One of the most common experiences after betrayal is believing that something is wrong because the evenings feel unbearable. Many people assume they're simply more tired. Or that nighttime somehow makes everything worse. But often, the day has simply been full enough to compete for your attention. When the distractions disappear, what's been waiting quietly underneath finally has room to emerge. This episode explores why recognising that difference matters, and how understanding it can help you stop fearing the evenings and start understanding what they're trying to show you. Because sometimes the hardest part of the day isn't the day at all. It's the moment nothing is left to distract you from yourself. Resources & Support If you're rebuilding your life after betrayal and you're looking for structure, guidance and support, Luke offers both private coaching and a supportive recovery community.

Busyness can fill every moment of your day while quietly pulling you away from what matters most. When anxiety, responsibilities, and unfinished tasks leave you feeling scattered, Jesus offers another way to live.Through the stories of Mary and Martha and Jesus' teaching on prayer, Pastor Kevin Barra shows how time in God's presence can reorder our hearts. Discover how to bring your needs to a loving Father, align your desires with His, and pray with persistence—even when you don't know what His answer will be.• Recognize when busyness and anxiety are stealing your attention from what matters most.• Use Jesus' model for prayer to focus on God, align with His purposes, and bring Him your needs.• Pray persistently and expectantly while trusting God's heart through both yes and no.Key Scriptures:Luke 10:38–42Luke 11:1–132 Chronicles 7:14Take time this week to examine what is driving your busyness and choose one need, person, or burden to pray for persistently. Share this sermon with a friend or family member who feels overwhelmed, and join us at Bayou City Fellowship as we learn to follow Jesus together.Bayou City Fellowship Spring Branch Campus | Kevin Barra | July 12, 2026https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

Pastor Alex Kinney preaching on Wednesday night. July 8th, 2026.Find us online at:Website: www.capitalcommunity.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/capitalcommunitychurchInstagram: www.instagram.com/ccc_fredericton YouTube: www.capitalcommunity.tvThe Conversation Podcast: www.anchor.fm/ccc-theconversationSermon Archive Podcast: www.anchor.fm/capitalcommunitychurch

What's the one toxic leadership behaviour you'd banish forever? In this special Leadership Room 101 episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, three industry leaders each argue to banish one leadership behaviour for good: busyness, fear-based leadership, or pay-to-play culture. I'm joined by Katy Wright (Chief Client & Business Officer, AMV BBDO), Sergio Lopez Ferrero (Global CEO, Omnicom Production), and Sachini Imbuldeniya (Co-Founder & CEO, House of Oddities).Each leader gets around ten minutes to make their case, and at the end I pick just one to send into Room 101. The debate is honest, funny, and at times a little controversial, and each argument says something real about how leadership and the creative industry work today.What We Cover:00:00 Trailer00:50 The Leadership Room 101 concept, and meet the three leaders01:50 Katy's nomination: Busyness as a badge of honour06:20 Is being "busy" really pride, or is it fear?10:20 The fear of not looking busy enough12:50 The link between rest, sleep, and real creativity19:50 Sergio's nomination: Fear-based leadership21:50 Why blaming an unnamed "head office" erodes trust24:50 Can a little fear actually be healthy in leadership?27:20 Why "alpha" leadership is over, and vulnerability is rising27:50 The uncomfortable debate: do CEOs have psychopathic tendencies?40:50 Sachini's nomination: Why pay-to-play is rigging the industry45:50 Awards and access: is success bought or earned?47:50 How pay-to-play shuts out great creative work48:50 My verdict: which behaviour goes into Leadership Room 101Key Leadership Insights:Why “busy” has become a status symbol, and what it often hidesHow to hear what your team are really telling you when they say they're busyWhy a small amount of healthy fear can sharpen accountabilityWhy vulnerability now makes leaders more followable, not lessHow pay-to-play systems in awards and pitching hold the industry backWhy fixing fairness at the top can change a whole company culturePart debate, part masterclass, and a lot of fun. By the end you'll be deciding which leadership behaviour you'd banish too.

Send us Fan MailWhat if rest isn't the reward… but the thing you've been avoiding all along?Not because you don't want it.But because your nervous system doesn't trust it.In this episode, Alex unpacks the quiet resistance that shows up when life finally slows down.The fidgeting.The urgency.The need to fill every empty space.Because when you've spent years living in go mode, slowing down can feel strangely unsafe.Even when it's exactly what you need.Alex shares what she's been noticing while living in Panama, and how something as simple as sitting by the river with a coloring book cracked open a deeper truth:Busyness isn't always productivity.Sometimes it's protection.Your brain loves what's familiar. Even if familiar feels like stress, pressure, and overwhelm.So what happens when you interrupt the pattern?When you stop checking the clock?When you let yourself play?When you give yourself permission to just… be?What if the discomfort you feel in stillness isn't a sign you're doing it wrong?What if it's a sign you're finally meeting yourself?Presence changes everything.

Join me, Pastor Kendall, Paula Adams, and Libby Anderson as we talk about busyness in the Christian life.

Are you spiritually numb, emotionally tired, or quietly drifting while still looking responsible on the outside? In this powerful Christian men's teaching, Tim Holloway exposes how men often use work, food, entertainment, porn, alcohol, substances, ministry, busyness, achievement, and even religious performance to avoid pain, stress, shame, loneliness, disappointment, and the deeper condition of the heart. This message is for Christian men, husbands, fathers, leaders, business owners, ministry leaders, and men who feel disconnected from God, their marriage, their family, their body, and their mission. You may not be in open rebellion, but you may be lukewarm, passive, distracted, emotionally absent, and comfortably numb. Like the church in Revelation 3, everything may look successful on the outside while something inside is spiritually poor, blind, exposed, and in need of healing. God is not trying to shame you. He is trying to wake you up. This episode helps you identify your numbing habits, face what you have been avoiding, and begin the journey toward awareness, soul restoration, spiritual clarity, emotional healing, and real peace in Christ. You'll learn how numbness often hides behind socially acceptable habits like productivity, comfort food, sports, YouTube, Netflix, scrolling, ministry, and constant responsibility. You'll discover why Christian men can confuse busyness with fruitfulness, performance with maturity, and emotional avoidance with peace. You'll see how the story of Eli reveals the danger of passivity, compromise, and refusing to confront what God has already brought to your awareness. You'll be challenged to examine your marriage, family, body, business, leadership, and relationship with God to see where comfort has become a hiding place. 00:00 Intro: Being comfortably numb02:00 Why this message matters04:15 Avoidance through performance05:48 Facing your self-protection strategies06:21 Revelation 3 and lukewarm faith07:36 The danger of the comfort zone09:48 God loves you too much to leave you numb10:15 Eli: a leader who saw dysfunction but stayed passive12:41 Compromise inside the family15:21 Losing sensitivity while looking normal18:29 What you tolerate privately comes out publicly18:43 Work as the most acceptable drug20:20 Food, comfort eating, and Christian culture23:55 Entertainment as escape25:15 Porn as sexual escape and self-soothing28:29 Alcohol, weed, pills, and socially acceptable numbing30:38 Busyness, responsibility, and the need to be needed31:31 Ministry and spiritual performance as hiding places33:38 Anger, fitness, achievement, and status34:57 What are you trying not to feel?37:30 Numbing is a symptom, not the root problem39:19 Why feelings may feel unsafe41:09 Jesus never confused busyness with fruitfulness42:02 God wakes up the numb man43:21 When leaders fail because formation is missing47:59 Where numbness shows up in your life50:23 Real peace versus numbness52:14 What have you relied on instead of God? #ChristianMen#SpiritualGrowth#EmotionalHealing#MensMinistry#ChristianLeadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scroll through any financial feed, and you'll eventually hit the same pitch: AUM (assets under management) fees are a ripoff, and only foolish high earners pay them. We think that framing bends the math to sell you something, so we're breaking down why AUM fees have become the villain in personal finance marketing and giving you a real test for judging whether any advisor is worth the cost.Key moments:(03:56) Fees should be judged against service value(14:43) Separating bad service from bad fee models(17:23) Flat-fee comparisons can exaggerate AUM costs(28:02) Busyness and inertia create financial planning mistakesResources mentioned: Vanguard Advisor's Alpha studyLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

We were delighted to have Ogo Ekweozor-Holly join us. One line that stayed with us: fear shows up wherever we aren't truly believing God in that area of our lives. For many of us, God feels real in some places but distant in others, so we quietly compartmentalize Him and let other things rule where we haven't fully trusted. What keeps us from believing? Unhealed pain that whispers He didn't come through before. A small view of God. Busyness and fear of change. But the blood of Jesus isn't just an idea we but a reality meant to saturate every part of our lives.   Listen in now to hear Life Center Church's latest Sunday message from Guest Speaker Ogo Ekweozor-Holly.   ⛪️ Connect with us ⛪️  https://www.lifecenternyc.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lifecenternyc/

We American Christians have forgotten something important about our faith - namely, it's about a life WITH God rather than all the things we're doing FOR God. Our focus on endless activity is no accident. In the late 1800s, American Christians shifted heavily toward action, perfectly captured by preacher Charles Spurgeon’s famous plea: “Brethren, do something; do something; do something.” For over a century, this mindset has defined the movement by its programs and busyness. But the earliest disciples were marked as different - simply because they had been WITH Jesus.

15 weekends of summer. How are you spending them?Laurie counted them. There are 15 summer weekends this year — and the moment she did that, something shifted. Not because it changed anything. Because finite time does something very particular to high-achieving women: it turns enjoyment into management.This episode started as a thought on a walk and became something much bigger: an honest look at busyness as a drug, the habit of earning rest before allowing it, and why the discomfort of doing nothing might be the most useful information you get all summer.Laurie shares what she's been working through in real time: the Sunday she spent doing absolutely nothing while Mike was out of town, the guilt that followed, and the moment a quote from a keynote at Craft + Commerce hit her in the chest and put language to something she'd been feeling her whole life.Practical, honest, and a little uncomfortable in the best way. This one is for any woman who has ever felt like she needed to earn the weekend before she was allowed to enjoy it.What we coverWhy counting the summer weekends changes the way you experience them...and not always for the betterParkinson's Law: why finite time makes us cram instead of savor, and what that costs usThe two problems with finite time: cramming it full, or feeling guilty for not cramming it fullThe pattern Laurie has been running her whole life — Saturdays off, Sundays working — and why she never questioned it until nowThe Sunday she did absolutely nothing, felt guilty about it, and what that revealedJay Papasan's keynote at Craft + Commerce and the quote that stopped her cold: "If busyness is your drug, rest will feel like stress." — Ian SimpkinsWhy busyness works like a drug, and what the cost of that addiction actually isBusyness as a hiding place: why staying in motion postpones the questions, the decisions, and the version of yourself that has things to deal withThe empty calendar question: if every obligation disappeared tomorrow, what would bubble up for you in the quiet?Three things Laurie has been doing this summer — imperfectly — to practice actual restWhy rest is a skill, not a rewardThe question underneath all of it: who am I when I'm not busy?The three practices1. Name it when the pattern shows up. Not out loud, not dramatically. Just notice: I'm reaching for my laptop because I feel like I should have something to show for this afternoon. That's it. See it.2. Give the guilt somewhere to land. The guilt isn't about the rest. It's about the belief underneath: I'm only as valuable as what I produce. When the guilt arrives, get curious. Ask it: what are you trying to protect me from? What do you think will happen if I just sit here?3. Start smaller than you think you need to. Not the whole weekend. Twenty minutes. No phone, no task, no optimization. Just twenty minutes with no agenda. Then notice: how long after those twenty minutes does it take before you reach for something to do?Quotable moments"The moment something becomes finite, you stop enjoying it and start managing it.""At some point the weekend becomes a production — and the question becomes, is this still a weekend, or is it just a different kind of work?""If busyness is your drug, rest will feel like stress." — Ian Simpkins, shared by Jay Papasan at Craft + Commerce"The rest was always conditional. The play was always something I had to earn first.""The discomfort of being unproductive feels worse to me than the exhaustion of being overworked.""Busyness isn't just a habit. It can be a hiding place.""The busyness feels productive. But what it's actually producing is distance...from the questions, from the stillness, from the version of yourself that knows things you're not ready to deal with.""The rest isn't indulgent. It's information.""Rest is a skill. The first few times you try it, it's probably going to feel awful.""Who am I when I'm not busy? That's one of the most important questions a woman in midlife can ask herself."Resources + links mentionedLast week's episode: Shoot Your Shot — Even When You'd Rather Look AwayApply for the BEST LIFE MastermindBook a 15-minute call with LaurieIf this episode resonated, share it with the woman in your life who needs to hear it. And if you haven't already — subscribe, leave a five-star review, and know that Laurie reads every single one.

As an extension of JP's Friday Q&A, he answers live audience questions from Beso Live! Topics include prioritizing the big rocks of life, why your phone is the biggest threat to intimacy with God, learning to say no, and what it actually takes to live a life leveraged for the kingdom.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4059: Marc Chernoff explores how constant busyness, overcommitment, and the pressure to do everything can quietly drain your energy and pull you away from what matters most. By embracing simplicity, sustainable habits, and clearer priorities, you'll discover how doing less can lead to greater fulfillment, focus, and peace of mind. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.marcandangel.com/2019/11/12/5-signs-youve-been-doing-too-much-for-too-long/ Quotes to ponder: "Busyness is an illness." "You're either going to do a few things well, or do everything poorly." "Our excessive possessions (and obligations) are not making us happy. Even worse, they are taking us away from the things that do. Once we let go of the things that don't matter, we are free to pursue all the things that really do matter." Episode references: 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently: https://www.amazon.com/1000-Little-Things-Happy-Successful/dp/059332773X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a long walk on a hot afternoon, nothing else will do — your body simply craves water. You might try to push through or distract yourself for a while, but eventually that thirst demands to be answered. Whitney Hopler draws from that universal experience to illuminate something even more profound: the spiritual thirst every human soul carries for God. Psalm 42 gives it a beautiful and urgent image — a deer panting desperately for streams of water — and reminds us that this longing is not a weakness. It is a sign that we know where true life is found. The psalmist wrote from a place of spiritual dryness, far from the temple, separated from the worship he once knew. Rather than ignoring that ache or filling it with lesser things, he turned it into a prayer. Whitney invites us to do the same. The world offers endless substitutes — achievement, entertainment, the approval of others — but sooner or later the soul senses something is still missing. That restlessness is not an inconvenience. It is God drawing us toward Himself. When we let spiritual thirst motivate us to seek Him the way a deer urgently searches for a stream, we discover that He never ignores those who come looking — and that the refreshment He offers satisfies in ways nothing else ever could. Bible Verse "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."— Psalm 42:1, NIV Ponder Today Your deepest need is a relationship with God — not just the things He provides. Work, achievement, entertainment, and human approval can satisfy for a season, but only God can fulfill the longing at the very core of who you are. Spiritual thirst is not a sign of failure — it is an invitation. When you sense that something is missing even in a full and busy life, that restlessness is God drawing you closer. Don't ignore it or try to fill it with something else. Busyness is one of the greatest barriers to hearing God. Constant activity keeps us distracted from the quiet messages He is sending. Creating space for stillness and reflection is not optional for a soul that wants to thrive. Let spiritual dryness motivate you toward God, not away from Him. The psalmist did not let his dry season produce despair — he let it produce a prayer. A season of spiritual drought can become the very thing that drives us to seek the living water more urgently. Prayer is an opportunity for relationship, not only a list of requests. When we come to God simply because we want to know Him more, our faith deepens, our prayer life transforms, and we begin to experience the fulfillment our souls have been searching for all along. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, I am feeling spiritually dry and thirsty for You. Even though my life is filled with activity, something important is still missing. Only a relationship with You will truly fulfill me. Please meet me where I am and help me develop the longing described in Psalm 42, where my soul thirsts for You the way a deer thirsts for water. Draw me closer and motivate me to seek You each day. When I feel spiritually dry, remind me that You are the living water who refreshes my soul. Teach me to come to You not only when I need help, but because I want to know You more. Thank You, God. Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer stirred a deeper longing for God's presence in your life, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to draw you closer to the living water every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

"When we are busy, we are numbed out to this sense of inadequacy that we all know is real. Deep, deep, deep down." ~ Kenna MilleaWhat does it actually look like to be addicted to the hustle and not even realize it?How does staying perpetually busy become a coping strategy for the deeper questions we are afraid to sit with?What if the solution to your busyness is not better time management, but a ruthless commitment to doing less?In episode 103 of This Whole Life, Pat and Kenna Millea get honest about their own addiction to hustle. Drawing on John Mark Comer's The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, they explore why so many of us, including two licensed therapists who know better, cannot seem to slow down, and what our busyness is really covering up.They dig into the spiritual roots of hurry, why John Mark Comer calls it the greatest threat to the interior life, and how the Catholic social tradition has been telling us for over a century that work was made for man, not the other way around. Kenna shares a moment from her own therapy that reframed everything: the possibility that her anxiety has been masking depression all along, and that staying busy is the most productive-looking way to avoid sitting with the hard questions of the human experience. Pat gets equally honest about the cost of hurry in his own fatherhood, admitting that far too often he is yelling at his kids not because of what they are doing, but because he is in a hurry and their seven-year-old slowness is incompatible with his schedule.They close with four practical S's from Comer's book: silence and solitude, Sabbath, simplicity, and slowing. The challenge is to pick just one and try it for a week.This episode is for anyone who has answered "how are you doing?" with "so busy" and quietly wondered why that answer feels both true and empty at the same time.Chapters: (00:00) - Cold Open (00:37) - Welcome and Episode Intro (01:47) - Lightning Round: 90 Seconds with Kenna (09:39) - Highs and Hards (16:07) - Why We Might Be the Worst People to Host This Episode (17:46) - The Spiritual Roots of Busyness (21:41) - The Mental and Emotional Cost of Hurry (34:12) - Busyness as a Coping Strategy (42:47) - The Louis C.K. Conan Clip and Joy Antibodies (47:29) - Four Ways to Fight Back: The Four S's (54:00) - Challenge by Choice (54:55) - Closing PrayerEpisode 103 Show NotesReflection QuestionsLinks and Resources:The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark ComerLouis C.K. on Conan: Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy (language warning, do not watch with kids)Support the showThank you for listening, and a very special thank you to our community of supporters!Join our email list and never miss an episode or an eventVisit us online at thiswholelifepodcast.com, and send us an email with your thoughts, questions, or ideas.Follow us on Instagram & FacebookInterested in more faith-filled mental health resources? Check out the Martin Center for IntegrationMusic: "You're Not Alone" by Marie Miller. Used with permission.

Nazareth and the Hidden Life Retreat Reflection I Nazareth and the Sanctification of the Ordinary Epigraph “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” — St. Luke 2:51 “The Lord loves the humble soul that has surrendered herself to the will of God.” — Saint Silouan the Athonite ⸻ There is something deeply unsettling about Nazareth. Not because it is dramatic, but because it is not. The Gospels pass over nearly thirty years of Christ's earthly life in almost complete silence. We are told of His birth, the flight into Egypt, the finding in the Temple, and then suddenly He is standing in the Jordan before John. Between those moments lies an immense hiddenness. Decades vanish into silence. And yet the Church has always understood that nothing in the life of Christ is accidental. The hidden years are revelation. This is difficult for us because we are formed by a world that equates meaning with visibility. We instinctively imagine that what matters must be seen, accomplished, recognized, effective, influential, or extraordinary. Even our spiritual life often becomes infected with this mentality. We want transformation to be dramatic. We want clarity quickly. We want our lives to feel significant. But Christ spends the overwhelming majority of His earthly existence in obscurity. Not preaching. Not healing publicly. 1 Not raising the dead. Not confronting empires. Working. Praying. Eating meals. Walking dusty roads. Living within the repetition and hiddenness of ordinary life. The Son of God sanctified not only suffering and death. He sanctified ordinary existence itself. This is one of the great forgotten truths of Christianity. Many people secretly endure their lives as though the “real” spiritual life were elsewhere. They imagine holiness occurring in monasteries, missions, dramatic sacrifices, or extraordinary mystical experiences, while their own existence feels painfully repetitive: the dishes, the caregiving, the exhaustion, the office, the commute, the sleepless nights, the aging body, the hidden grief, the years that seem to pass without visible transformation. But Nazareth stands before the world as a contradiction to all such thinking. God chose hiddenness. Not as punishment. Not as delay. But as revelation. The hidden years reveal something about the very manner in which God acts. Divine life does not move according to the logic of spectacle. God works silently, patiently, gradually, often beneath visibility itself. Seeds germinate underground. The child grows in the womb unseen. Bread rises quietly. Prayer deepens imperceptibly. The kingdom of God arrives almost secretly. 2 And so much of the spiritual life unfolds precisely where the ego feels most deprived: in repetition, in obscurity, in waiting, in relinquishment, in the slow erosion of self-importance. This is why Nazareth becomes painful for us. Not because it lacks God. But because it threatens the fantasies through which we preserve ourselves psychologically. Most human beings carry within themselves an imagined life. We construct inward narratives about who we will become, what our lives will look like, how others will perceive us, what spiritual maturity will feel like, how our vocation will unfold. Often we do this unconsciously. The ego survives partly through anticipation and self-construction. But ordinary life slowly dismantles these fantasies. The years pass. Weaknesses remain. Relationships become difficult. Bodies age. Opportunities disappear. Recognition fades. The extraordinary fails to arrive. And many people quietly become resentful at precisely this point. Not necessarily resentful toward God explicitly. More often there emerges a subtle disappointment with reality itself. The ordinary begins to feel like failure. Hiddenness feels like abandonment. Repetition feels meaningless. The soul becomes restless, searching continually for intensity, novelty, affirmation, or escape. But the hidden years of Christ reveal something radically different: salvation unfolds within ordinary time. This is profoundly important because modern culture has become nearly incapable of remaining within ordinary life. We seek constant stimulation 3 because silence exposes our inner poverty. We seek visibility because hiddenness feels like nonexistence. We seek intensity because ordinary faithfulness feels insufficient to the ego. And yet the saints repeatedly tell us that God is found precisely in this hidden endurance. Saint Isaac the Syrian says that the man who has learned to endure himself has already approached the borders of humility. That phrase is extraordinarily deep because one of the great difficulties of ordinary life is that we cannot escape ourselves within it. The repetitions of daily existence expose our impatience, vanity, fantasies, irritability, loneliness, and hidden hunger for recognition. The monastery reveals this. Marriage reveals this. Caregiving reveals this. Aging reveals this. Silence reveals this. And modern people often flee immediately from such revelation. This is one reason our culture is saturated with distraction. Endless stimulation protects us temporarily from encountering the deeper movements of the heart. Noise allows us to avoid self-knowledge. Busyness protects us from stillness. Constant comparison protects us from accepting our actual lives. Nazareth dismantles all of this. The Son of God accepts limitation. He accepts hiddenness. He accepts gradualness. He accepts ordinary labor. He accepts being unknown. And perhaps most astonishingly, He remains. This may be one of the hardest spiritual acts for modern people. To remain. To remain in prayer when prayer feels dry. To remain in marriage when emotional intensity fades. To remain in caregiving when exhaustion deepens. 4 To remain faithful within obscurity. To remain present within ordinary life without fleeing continually toward fantasy or self-construction. The hidden years reveal that salvation often unfolds precisely through such remaining. Not glamorous remaining. Not emotionally triumphant remaining. Simply the quiet fidelity of continuing to offer oneself to God within the actual conditions of one's life. This does not mean passivity or fatalism. Nazareth is not an excuse for fear or avoidance. Christ eventually leaves Nazareth and enters public ministry. But He does so only after decades hidden within ordinary existence. The hidden life was not wasted time before the “real mission.” It was itself part of the revelation. And perhaps this is what many souls most need to hear today: your hidden life is not invisible to God. The years that seem uneventful. The labor no one notices. The prayers said distractedly but faithfully. The meals prepared. The tears shed privately. The humiliations endured quietly. The long stretches where nothing seems to happen spiritually. None of this is outside salvation. Christ has entered all of it. Indeed, He chose to spend most of His earthly life there. The fathers understood this more deeply than we often realize. The desert was never merely geographical. It was existential. The monk enters hiddenness not to become extraordinary, but to become truthful. Gradually the false self built upon recognition, performance, fantasy, and comparison begins to weaken. A different kind of life slowly emerges: simpler, poorer, more real, 5 less dependent upon being seen. This is why hiddenness feels simultaneously painful and liberating. Painful because the ego experiences obscurity as diminishment. Liberating because the soul gradually discovers it no longer needs to construct itself continually before others. Nazareth teaches us this freedom. The hidden Christ reveals the holiness of ordinary existence lived in communion with the Father. And perhaps holiness itself is far quieter than we imagine. Perhaps sanctity often looks less like dramatic accomplishment and more like: patience, presence, forgiveness, hidden prayer, remaining, and consenting slowly to the life actually given to us. Nazareth teaches us that salvation enters the world silently. And it teaches us that the ordinary moments we are most tempted to overlook may become precisely the places where Christ is forming His life within us. 6

Your calendar reveals your priorities more than your intentions ever will. In this episode, Costi Hinn walks through five practical, biblical ways to take back your time and stop living reactively.

We live in the most connected era in human history — and yet loneliness has never been more widespread. In this thoughtful and beautifully grounded episode, Lia Girard makes an important distinction between two very different kinds of being alone. There is the loneliness we dread — that gnawing disconnection felt even in a crowded room full of people staring at their screens. And then there is erēmos — the Greek word used in Luke 5:16 — a purposeful, chosen withdrawal to a quiet place to be with God. Jesus didn't just permit this kind of solitude. He modeled it, prioritized it, and returned to it again and again. Throughout the richly packed chapter of Luke 5, Jesus pours Himself out completely — healing, teaching, feeding, loving. And then He withdraws. Forty days alone in the wilderness. A mountainside after feeding five thousand. The Garden of Gethsemane, stepping away even from His closest friends to pray. If the Son of God — fully divine, fully human — needed the sanctuary of solitude to reorient His heart to the Father's will, how much more do we? Lia invites us to stop treating silence as something to fill and start treating it as the gift it truly is — a place where we can hear our own hearts, and the voice of God that is meant singularly for us. Today's Bible Verse "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." — Luke 5:16, NIV Ponder Today Solitude is not loneliness — it is sanctuary. The Greek word erēmos in Luke 5:16 describes a purposeful retreat to a quiet place. Chosen solitude with God is not isolation; it is intimacy. Jesus modeled solitude as a necessity, not a luxury. From forty days in the wilderness to a mountainside after feeding thousands, Jesus consistently withdrew to be with the Father. His example is both permission and invitation for us to do the same. Busyness and pouring ourselves out for others make solitude more necessary, not less. Jesus lived demanding, sacrificial days — and that is precisely why He withdrew. The fuller your life feels, the more urgently your soul needs quiet. Solitude protects the authenticity of your prayer life. Jesus warned against prayer performed for others to see. Time alone with God removes the audience and creates the conditions for an honest, unguarded outpouring of your heart. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, I'm not always comfortable with solitude — I tend to fill quiet moments with productivity or distraction rather than time with You. The world is loud, and my life feels full and demanding. Please help me reprioritize sitting in silence with You. Help me not to feel anxious when I'm alone, but to see stillness as a gift. Help me reestablish the practice of withdrawing to be refilled with Your guidance and presence. Thank You for Jesus, who shows us that solitude is a necessity, not a luxury — and that being alone is not lonely at all. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer made you want to find a quiet place and simply be with God, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to help you cultivate a deeper, more intimate walk with Him every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of our Daughters Series, we unpack the powerful story of Mary and Martha and discover why this familiar Bible story still has so much to teach us. We talk about the tension between doing things for Jesus and simply being with Him, the danger of burnout and performance-based faith, and the beautiful invitation Jesus gives every daughter to sit at His feet. We also explore one of the most moving moments in Scripture—Jesus weeping with Mary after the death of Lazarus—and what it reveals about His heart toward our pain, disappointment, and grief. Finally, we look at Mary's extravagant act of worship and uncover a powerful pattern throughout her life: every time we see Mary, she's found at the feet of Jesus. Whether you're feeling busy, burned out, heartbroken, or simply longing for more of God's presence, we hope this conversation reminds you that the posture of a daughter is always found at the feet of Jesus. In This Episode [03:00] Three Defining Moments in Their Story [05:50] Are You a Martha? [08:00] Burnout, Busyness & Christian Performance [12:30] Jesus Wept [16:00] Letting God Into Your Heartbreak [19:00] Mary's Extravagant Worship [20:00] Every Time We See Mary [21:00] The Posture of a Daughter [24:00] Practical Ways to Sit at the Feet of Jesus [27:00] Looking Ahead to Priscilla ORDER OUR NEW STUDY!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This seven-week, verse-by-verse study through the book of Acts invites you to embrace the unpredictable, sometimes challenging adventure of Spirit-led living that characterized the early church. Delight Ministries Looking for a Delight Chapter near you? Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Delightministries.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find one. If there's not one near you, and you want to help start one, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠let us know⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We would love to talk. Get on the list for updates on Kenz's new venture ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plenty Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Thanks to Our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Winshape⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more or submit your application today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you'd like to partner with For The Girl as a sponsor, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form! Follow us!