In this episode, I share about one of the loneliest and weirdest seasons I've walked through in recent years—the strange territory of being nobody where you used to be somebody. It's been over a year since I stepped away from church staff, and I'm only now finding words for this peculiar experience.

When you transition away from ministry leadership, you don't just leave a job—you lose your immediate answer to who you are and what you do. You enter an awkward no man's land where you're still supposed to show up every week because it's "church family," but your role and relationships have fundamentally changed in ways nobody really prepared you for.

I talk honestly about the identity earthquake that happens when your name is no longer attached to a spiritual job description, the grief of going from essential to optional, and why learning to be a normal person is harder than it looks. I also share about the unexpected freedom I've discovered in functional obscurity and why I now pray for this gift for all my ministry friends.

This episode is for anyone navigating the awkward dance of staying put when everything has changed, for those wondering if they've made a terrible mistake or discovered a beautiful freedom, and for ministry leaders who need to know they're not crazy for feeling what they're feeling during transition seasons.

Sometimes the most profound spiritual formation happens not through addition but through subtraction—and sometimes God reveals who we are not by giving us more responsibility but by taking away what we thought defined us.

In this tender episode of Everything Made Beautiful, I sit down with my dear friend and beloved worship leader Christy Nockels to talk about transitions, lullabies, and the sacred art of letting go. Christy has just released her second lullaby album, "King Who Never Sleeps: Anthems for Rest," and our youngest daughters have just graduated high school—flying the nest together just like they started preschool together 14 years ago.

This conversation is for anyone navigating the bittersweet beauty of seasons ending and new ones beginning. You are seen in every season! We dive deep into why lullabies aren't just for babies (trust me on this), the unexpected emotions of empty nesting, and how to cultivate identity beyond the daily rhythms of motherhood. Christy shares the story behind her newest songs, including one called "Fly The Nest (Carry You)" that she wrote specifically for this season of releasing our children into the world.

Whether you're a young mom wondering who you'll be when the daily parenting season ends, or you're already walking through the tender transition of kids growing up, this episode offers hope, wisdom, and the reminder that God has beautiful things ahead in every season. Plus, Christy sings a lullaby over all of us at the end—and it's absolutely perfect.

If you've ever needed permission to have a good cry over the passage of time, or if you're looking for encouragement that your faithfulness in the hidden seasons will bear fruit, this conversation is for you.

Christy's Website: https://www.christynockels.com/
Christy's New Record: https://cnock.lnk.to/kingwhoneversleeps
Christy's Book: https://tinyurl.com/9x97y42x
Christy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christynockels/

In this powerful episode of Everything Made Beautiful, I sit down with marriage and family therapist Kimberly Haar to discuss her extraordinary journey from trauma to triumph. Four years after Kim's divorce, when she thought she was ready for a new beginning, an unimaginable night changed everything. What started as the worst night of her life became the catalyst for one of the most remarkable redemption stories I've ever heard.

Kim vulnerably shares how she moved from victim to survivor, the sacred space where her healing began, and the choice to forgive the unforgivable—not just once, but over and over again. As both a trauma survivor and professional therapist, she offers wisdom that can only come from someone who's walked through the valley and emerged whole.

This conversation tackles the hard questions: Where is God when bad things happen? How do we not get stuck in victimhood? How do we choose healing when we've been shattered? Kim's story is proof that no one is too broken for God's redemption, and that beauty truly can emerge from the deepest ashes.

Whether you're walking through your own dark valley or simply need a reminder of God's faithfulness, this episode will challenge your heart and strengthen your faith in ways you don't expect.

Be advised: This episode discusses domestic violence and gun violence, but culminates in the hope of Christ.

Kimberly's Website: https://kimberlyhaar.com
Kimberly's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Kimberly.haar
Kimberly's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyJHaar/
Kimberly's Book: https://kimberlyhaar.com/healing-from-lifes-deepest-hurts-book/