Today we’re talking with Hunter’s pastor, Trey Richardson, about journeying as chosen exiles toward our heavenly home. Trey is married to one of Hunter’s lifelong best friends, Kristen, and together they have three kids. You can find out more about Ozark Baptist church at OzarkBaptist.church. This conversation with Trey brings our Rest for the Weary series to an end! We pray it has encouraged you to work from the rest Christ achieved for us as you go about the work God has given you within the four walls of your own home, in your work outside the home, and in your local church.

Today we’re chatting with Ruth Chou Simons about how the character of God meets us in our weariness and brings us true and lasting rest. If you don’t know her, Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books, including GraceLaced; Beholding and Becoming; and When Strivings Cease. Today we’ll be discussing her brand new book, Pilgrim: 25 Ways God’s Character Leads Us Onward. As you’ll hear, Ruth is an artist, entrepreneur, and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the word of God into people’s hearts.

In today’s episode we’re chatting with Maryanne Challies Helms about how to glorify the Lord even in the midst of what we might consider to be the “mundane” everyday work of life and ministry. Maryanne is a wife, a mother of four, and a fellow member of Morningside Presbyterian Church in Georgia. Maryanne embodies so well what it looks like to faithfully live as a Christian, especially in the current online spaces, which we talk about some in this episode! We pray this episode encourages you to see your work—even if it is ordinary or mundane—as beautiful unto the Lord and glorifying to him.

Today Dai Hankey is bringing some gospel grace to our weary souls. If you don’t know him, Dai is a church planter in Cardiff, Wales, and the founder of Red Community, a Christian charity that fights human trafficking. He is the author of Hopeward: Gospel Grace for Weary Souls. Speaking from a personal experience of burnout, Dai will come alongside those of us who feel weary to explore what it looks like to lean on Jesus and to enjoy his rest. We pray this episode encourages you to find your hope and rest in Christ.

Today we’re talking to with our friend Melissa Kruger about how to have hope in the hard moments of life. We pray this episode encourages you to look to the Lord in whatever hardship you’re facing today. Melissa Kruger serves as vice president of discipleship programming for The Gospel Coalition (TGC). She’s the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests, and Wherever You Go I Want You to Know. Her husband, Mike, is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte and they have three children.

Today we’re talking to Jamie Dunlop about one of the things that we can all probably say contributes to weariness in our lives: dealing with difficult people. Instead of running away from the relationships that drive us crazy, Jamie encourages us to pursue unity in Christ and to build genuine friendships across all of our differences as an opportunity to display the power of the gospel. Jamie serves as Associate Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and is the author of Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy. We pray this conversation encourages you to extend a hand of friendship across the aisle and move toward members of your local church in love.

Today we’re chatting with Jessica Mathisen about serving in the seasons in which you feel like you need to be served. We pray that this conversation encourages you not to become weary in doing good, knowing that at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. If you don’t know Jessica, she lives outside of Atlanta with her husband and three kids. As a writer, Bible teacher, podcaster, and coach, her passion is to communicate God's love to others through words and relationships. She has written several books, her latest of which is An Overwhelming Hope: How the Spirit Brings Peace to Our Storms. We hope Jessica’s story of God’s faithfulness to her through seasons of transition, change, and weakness reminds you of his faithfulness to you too. 

Today we’re sharing a conversation I had with Emily Jensen where she shares some much-needed encouragement for those who are feeling weak—this episode was entirely appropriate for me, as I’ve really been feeling my weakness as of late! If you don’t know her, Emily is the co-founder and content director at Risen Motherhood, co-author of the Risen Motherhood book, and author of a new book called He Is Strong: Devotions for When You Feel Weak which releases on October 10! We pray that this conversation serves to bolster your faith in the One who is truly your steadfast foundation amidst all the challenges of life.

Today we’re talking to Kristen Wetherell about where we can look to for hope and help when our souls are weary. Spoiler alert—it’s the one place we talk about all the time here at the Journeywomen Podcast: God’s Word. In case you don’t know her, Kristen is a pastor’s wife, a mother, and a writer. She is the author of Humble Moms and Fight Your Fears, and coauthor of the award-winning book Hope When It Hurts. Her newest book, Help for the Hungry Soul shares eight encouragements to grow your appetite for God's Word. We pray that this episode will stir your affections for God’s Word and that it will encourage you to look to Scripture as your help in the midst of seasons of weariness.

Today we’re talking to Jen Wilkin and JT English about how our theology—or our understanding of God—influences our everyday life and ministry. If you don’t know them, Jen is an author and Bible teacher who is passionate about seeing others become committed followers of Christ who are grounded in the Word of God. JT English is the Lead Pastor at Storyline Church, the author of several books, and co-founder of Training the Church. Jen and JT are two of the co-hosts on the Knowing Faith podcast, and they are also now co-authors of the new book You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well. This conversation is rich, approachable, and full of insights that will meet you wherever you are today! 

Today we’re talking to Missie Branch about what to do when you feel like a failure in the work the Lord has set before you, and what true success actually looks like. Heads up, it might not look how you expected! If you don’t know her, Missie serves as vice president of community engagement for Life Collective, Inc. She is a graduate of Southeastern Seminary with a master’s in ethics, theology, and culture. Missie is married to Duce and together they have four children. Missie is the cohost of the Women & Work Podcast, which we know you’ll enjoy.

Today we’re kicking off a brand new series called Rest for the Weary with a conversation with Jenny Manley about how Christ sustains us in our weariness. Through years of ministering faithfully within the four walls of her home and as a pastor’s wife in her church on the Arabian Peninsula, Jenny, like many of us, has navigated seasons of weariness in the work the Lord has set before her. The wisdom that Jenny shares with us today will leave you refreshed and encouraged in whatever work the Lord has set before you today.