Episode 347- Tired of Being Tired with Jess Connolly
How do we experience true rest in a culture that demands striving and encourages fatigue? What does it even look like to live from a place of rest instead of burnout and exhaustion like most people around us do?
For author, pastor, speaker, and mom of four, Jess Connolly, these were the questions she had to wrestle with in the face of all the demands coming at her from her various roles. When life hit a fever pitch and she seemed to reach a breaking point in every way, she knew that she needed more than some sort of watered down self-care answer. She needed to find a way to truly live from a place of trust in the goodness of God to provide and carry her through the noise and speed of life around her. It was through her own journey of figuring out how to deal with the soul-deep exhaustion that she decided to take others along in her latest book, Tired of Being Tired: Receive God’s Realistic Rest for Your Soul-Deep Exhaustion.
In this episode, Aubrey and Jess talk about how difficult it is to find rest in our modern culture, the different ways fatigue can show up, and how to lead in our pain and grief.
If you are tired of being tired--mentally, physically and spiritually--this conversation will show you that you don't need the world's false versions of rest, but you need an encounter with the one who offers you true rest in the depths of your being.
Episode 344- Now and Not Yet with Ruth Chou Simons
How do we lean into the tensions of life--the now and not yet? What does it look like to press into the different seasons as they come instead of constantly wanting something different?
Author and artist Ruth Chou Simons knows what it is like to live in the hidden places as a mom to six boys. For years, her life centered around changing diapers, preparing meals and bandaging scraped knees. But it was in that time that God taught her the importance of stewarding what she had been given. It was in that mundane, quiet season that God cultivated in her a reliance upon Him. Now, she is a well-known author and artist for her company, Gracelaced, but she will be the first to tell you that her work is simply an overflow of those quiet, hidden, faithful years of doing the work God had called her to in her family. Her latest book, Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You’re Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More, looks at how to handle those times where your soul is waiting or feeling restless and how to trust God when life isn't what you thought it would be.
In this episode, Davey and Ruth have a meaningful discussion about the importance of recognizing your season in life, what restlessness could really be a symptom of, and how so often, we become what we behold.
If you have felt yourself in a time of waiting or feeling restless, this conversation will remind you that even in the hidden, unseen moments of your life, God is inviting you to trust and know Him more.
Episode 343- Stepping into God's Calling with Kat Armstrong
How do you step into what God is calling you towards when others seem to discourage you? What does it look like to use your gifts for the kingdom in the face of challenges?
For author and Bible Teacher Kat Armstrong, it was her study of scripture that led her to rethink her own beliefs on her role in the kingdom as a woman. Having experienced pushback from others who seemed to not value her voice and giftings as a scholar and woman in ministry, Kat began to see how her own misinterpretations led to her not stepping fully into the call God had on her life. As she examined some of the strange ways in which people had taught about women in the Bible and their role in the kingdom of God, she began to grow in God-given confidence that she was made to teach and lead.
In this episode, Aubrey sits with Kat to discuss how women are used by God throughout scripture, what it looks like to step into your calling, and how our storylines intersect with God's greater one.
If you've ever found yourself shrinking back from what you've been called to do, this conversation will encourage you that if God has called you towards something, nothing can stop you.
Episode 336- Nothing is Wasted Book: More to the Story with Kenneth Wagner
What does true friendship look like in the midst of the darkest moments in our lives? How do we show up for our friends who are hurting after a tragedy?
The Bible says, "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17) It can be hard to find the kind of friend that will stick with you in difficulties, but for Davey, Kenneth Wagner was the epitome of that type of friend. Davey and Kenneth's friendship began in college and grew through each season of life: marriage, starting their families, and pastoring. It also grew through the most devastating time when Davey lost his wife Amanda and their unborn child in a home invasion. Kenneth did what any true friend would do in the unimaginable: he showed up. And he kept showing up in each and every way he could as Davey tried to rebuild his life and find healing after heartache.
In this heartfelt episode, Davey sits down with his best friend, Kenneth, to hear his unique perspective as he watched the tragedy and subsequent redemption unfold in Davey's life. They discuss what it looks like to be a good friend, how powerful the ministry of presence can be, and the importance of seeing God's kindness in our lives.
If you're walking beside a friend who is hurting, this conversation will encourage you to step into the space of their pain where no words are necessary but where all that is needed is your presence that reminds them that they are not alone.
Episode 331 - The Power of Personal Revival with Lisa Whittle
How do we live a more connected life with Jesus when this world offers so many distractions? What would it look like for individuals to experience personal revival in their own faith that could spark revival in other's lives as well?
For author, podcaster and Bible teacher Lisa Whittle, it was her own journey towards seeking more of God that led her to write about it. As a woman in ministry, Lisa has seen and faced many challenges, but through it all, she was able to find God more and more. By asking God for her own personal revival, Lisa began to see all the ways the enemy of her soul attempts to keep her from it. From people pleasing and anxiety to social media and the celebrity culture that has infiltrated the Christian spaces she has been in, Lisa knows that there are many things that can derail her from living out of a whole hearted devotion to God. It is why she decided to update and re-release her book, I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul. As God continued to draw her own heart into personal revival, she realized the message she wrote years ago had even more relevance for our current culture.
In this episode, Aubrey and Lisa talk about the challenges many women face in ministry and how to overcome them, what personal revival looks like in both seasons of normalcy and seasons of pain, and how the fear of man can keep us from the freedom God so longs to give us.
If you've ever desired to experience more of God in your own heart and life but don't know how, this conversation will teach you the simplicity of loving Him and reviving your soul in the process.
Episode 327 - Bonus Episode: The Good Gift of Weakness with Eric Schumacher
What do we do with our frailties? How can we begin to see God's gift in our weakness?
For author, pastor, and Nothing is Wasted guest host, Eric Schumacher, reframing his perspective on the areas where he was weak took some time. Struggling with his own imperfections and insecurities, God began to reveal to him that the very things that made him feel weak were exactly what God wanted to work through and reveal His strength. As Eric began to deep dive into the theological implications of weakness and where it can be found throughout human history in Scripture, he was able to see the incredible gift our weaknesses can be. It was through that study and his own personal journey that Eric wrote his latest book, The Good Gift of Weakness: God’s Strength Made Perfect in the Story of Redemption.
In this episode, Davey and Eric talk about why God works through our weakness, how to find our value and worth in Jesus instead of our accomplishments, and the various types of weakness we face.
If you've ever felt defeated by your own weakness, this conversation will encourage you that in whatever weakness you feel, God is at work in incredible ways to show you His strength.