Giving Up Normal

It is the biggest obstacle that you face when it comes to the transformation your heart desires. It is your mindset. The way you think directly impacts the choices you make. It can contribute to your fatigue and depletion or give you life and peace. In this episode, Jen talks about the battle that goes on in our minds and how to win the fight.

Are you experiencing a hard season? Do you find yourself having to persevere in the "muddy middle?" Are you tempted to quit...turn back? Many of us feel this way. In this episode, Jen talks about the struggle of perseverance and some things we can do to keep going.

There is a choice that will determine our future. It is not about an election or a virus, but it will impact the health of our souls and decide the legacy we will leave.  In this episode, Jen scraps her original plans for the podcast and shares her mental fatigue and the anger that is rearing its ugly head. It's a sign of the worst pandemic we face but it can lead to a place of radical change.

Are you worried? Do you find yourself concentrating on the chaos, overwhelmed by problems, consumed by circumstances? You are not alone! Worry has become an epidemic. It is a constant companion, and if we are not careful, our bodies and souls will pay a high price.  In this episode, Jen acknowledges the worries that we face and what we can do with them so that they no longer have power over us.  

Busyness and overwhelm can be symptoms of living outside of your calling. Calling is complex, beautiful, and has many aspects. It is about becoming and doing. Sadly, many of us are frustrated because what we are doing is leading us farther away from the person God has created and called us to be. In this episode, Jen has a candid conversation about this struggle and gives you some questions to consider to help you reconnect with your calling.

Where are my rescuers? Are you someone who tends to come and "save" others from heartache, hardship, even failure? Being the rescuer can be a heavy burden to carry and it can keep others from being the person they were created to be. Rescuing, which usually comes from a place of care and compassion, often becomes interfering. Our involvement is actually a hindrance to the person, rather than helpful.  In this episode, Jen talks about her own struggle of giving up being a rescuer and gives you a powerful question to ask yourself before you get involved.

Do you feel the burden and weariness of not being able to gather and connect with others? Are you looking for a place to belong? Even before social distancing was a thing, we were lacking community. Americans were lonelier than ever and if you were in ministry too...well, chances are you didn't have close friendships outside of the church or the ministry organization in which you work. In this episode, Jen talks about giving up social distancing and getting creative with finding our place and connecting with our people. Join the Women in Ministry United Community HERE.

Being stuck stinks. No one likes the feeling of exhaustion and discouragement that comes from spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere. If this is you, don't worry. We've all been there (and if you haven't, it's ok, you will)! There is no tragedy in getting stuck. It happens to the best of us. The problem comes when we don't do anything about it! In this episode, Jen shares 5 questions to ask yourself when you feel stuck. If you take time to sit with God and these questions, you will gain clarity and begin moving forward.

Do you ever feel like you are failing at being spiritual? Are there times when you struggle concentrating on Jesus? If so, I totally get it! My mind has been all over the place lately. I show up consistently to meet with God and try so hard to "just be" with Him. But then the mind starts turning...and turning...and turning! My body is quite but my thoughts are all over the place. In this episode, I share my experience over these last few months of being disappointed in my inability to calm the chaos, and the scripture that reminded me that Jesus knows what it's like to be me...He knows what it's like to be you...not just because He made us and has knowledge of everything (which He does) BUT He knows because HE HAS BEEN THERE! He's totally, 100% fully human...just like you and me. So He gets it too!  

According to research, roughly ninety-one percent of pastors have experienced some form of burnout. Eighty percent don't last ten years in ministry, and for those that leave, almost ninety percent site burnout as their number one reason to stop. Burnout is prevalent in ministry, regardless of your position or the organization in which you serve but it is a dangerous trend that very few are talking about. In this episode, Jen has a very candid conversation about the emotional, physical, and spiritual state of women in ministry.

Have you ever gone through a season where you feel as though God is silent? You pray, you seek, you sit, and you just can't hear Him. What's going on? What do you do? In this episode, Jen shares several key things you can do as you wait to hear Him speak.   

Does your gender influence your leadership? Do you have a place around the table? Does your voice carry the same weight as your colleagues? Being a woman in ministry adds a layer of complexity to our calling and it is something we rarely talk about. In this episode, Jen talks about some of the challenges we face as women in ministry.

Are you worried about what people will think if you begin to integrate rhythms and boundaries for healthy leadership? Communicate is key! In this episode, Jen breaks down the purpose of communication and gives you two simple sentences to help you along the way.

"I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." These words from Jeremiah 29:11 are some of the most well known in the Bible. What isn't as well known is that they were spoken to people who had just been carried off into exile and told that they would be there for 70 years. In today's world, we look for a day without coronavirus. That is the future we want. But God says that we can thrive in the midst of exile and captivity. Be encouraged that you can be fruitful and multiple in the midst of this difficult season.  

Are you struggling to get it all done? Does it feel like you have more things to do than time in which to do them in? There always seems to be something that needs our attention and it feels like we've lost all control. In this episode, Jen offers three more tips as we continue our conversation around how to regain control of your time. 

Do you feel like you never have enough time to get things done? Are you convinced that you are at the mercy of all that's happening around you? In this first installment of a two-part episode, Jen shares tips to help you regain control over your time. Visit Women in Ministry United for more tips!

Do you know why you've reached the point where things need to change? What's driving you to invest in restoring your soul? In this episode, Jen lays out the reason why knowing YOUR WHY is vital to making progress when the journey gets hard. 

Your soul is the "you" that you bring into every role, every job, every relationship, and every activity. When we live as our true selves, we bend our roles, jobs, relationships, and activities to fit the design of our souls, the true essence of who we are and were made to be. Sadly, however, most of us end us changing who we are in order to fit the role that we play. This is dangerous territory. In today's episode, Jen discusses the importance of living and leading as your true self, out of a healthy soul. She shares three keys to nourishing your soul and enabling you to be you.

The world is very noisy and chaotic. So many voices surround us and fill our minds. Our own voice can add to the confusion as well. In this mini-episode, Jen reminds you of your true identity. 

There is a trend within the culture that drives me crazy. It keeps us from growing spiritually, disconnects from the world around us, and tarnishes our legacy. Any guess what it is? In this episode, you'll learn about this trend and what you can do to see if it has seeped into your culture.