A Closer Walk, by Mississippi Christian Living

In honor of Pastor Appreciation Month, MCL Editor Katie Ginn recently interviewed four pastors from the Jackson metro area. They discussed their biggest challenges, how YOU can encourage them, and how we should be thinking about AI, among other topics. 

Meet the pastors:

• Matt Ayars, Wellspring Church, Gluckstadt (Global Methodist)
• Breck Ladd, First Baptist Madison
• Tyson Taylor, Lakeside Presbyterian, Brandon (EPC)
• James L. Henley Jr., Fresh Start Christian Church, Jackson

MCL Editor Katie Ginn recently sat down with three licensed professional counselors (LPCs) who love Jesus and strive to help people live by His design through mental health. J. Nelson and Kristin Odom specialize in teens and young adults, and Stephanie Smith-Jefferson has over 40 years’ experience with families, children, and individuals. We talked about how they got into the mental health field, the issues they’re seeing with their clients, what helps - and how to tell the difference between normal stress or sadness and needing a counselor.

Connect with MCL:

• Website: MSChristianLiving.com
• Facebook: @MSChristianLiving
• Instagram: @mschristianmag

More from Katie:

• Check out the Oh My Word with Katie podcast, where Katie chats with Christian authors, helps you curate your TBR list, and marvels at all the ways God shows up in words and stories. 
• OMW Instagram: @ohmywordpod
• OMW Facebook: @ohmywordpod

MCL Editor Katie Ginn recently interviewed five Mississippi artists whose walk with Christ informs their work onstage and in the studio. They shared about their early (and current) inspirations, how their art impacts their faith, and how anybody can – and should – engage with the arts for God’s glory.

Meet the artists: 

Kathy Thibodeaux
Founder and Artistic Director, Ballet Magnificat!

Katelyn Harbaugh
Painter, oil and watercolor

John Maxwell
Playwright and actor

Mandy Ellard
Painter, pastel and oil

Antonio Mack
Christian hip-hop artist (stage name Martyrs Tone)

Margaret Fortenberry grew up on the mission field in Zimbabwe. In an American seminary, she met Robert - and before too long, they were married and committed to long-term, foreign missions. But their story took many twists and turns along the way. 

MCL Editor Katie Ginn sits down with the Fortenberrys to discuss why it took a decade-plus for them to get overseas, why they didn't go to the first country they chose ... and why coming home to Mississippi was harder than leaving. 

If you've ever thought about serving in missions or even just going on a short-term mission trip, this episode is for you. 

What happens when a “perfect” marriage suddenly isn’t?

In this vulnerable, hope-filled conversation, Rusty and Heather Bryant share the story of how their 15-year marriage was shattered by infidelity — and how God rebuilt it stronger than before.

From small-town beginnings and a seemingly solid relationship to the devastating moment of confession, this episode walks through the pain, the repentance, and the long road to healing. Ultimately, it’s a story about the gospel in action.

Today the Bryants use what they’ve walked through to help other couples find healing - through coaching, mentoring, retreats, and intensives.

In this episode, we discuss:

•  What was really going on beneath the surface of a “great” marriage 
•  The moment everything came to light — and the immediate aftermath
•  The difference between being sorry you were caught vs. true repentance 
•  How forgiveness starts (even when you don’t fully understand it yet) 
•  The role of Christian community in real healing 
•  What helps rebuild trust 
•  Why trying to “move on” without dealing with pain doesn’t work 
•  How the Bryants' story became a ministry helping hundreds of couples 

This will stay with you:

Heather describes the moment she fully confronted her sin — and encountered the love of Christ:

“I couldn’t lift my head… And then I felt the Lord say so sweetly to me that He loved me no matter what… That’s the moment my life changed forever.” 

Why this conversation matters

If you’re married, have been hurt, or simply want a clearer picture of what redemption looks like, this episode is a powerful reminder:

•  No one else can “complete” you — only Christ can 
•  Sin doesn't have to be the end of the story 
•  Healing requires honesty, community, and time 
•  God can restore what's broken 

Connect with Rusty & Heather Bryant

The Redeemed Marriage (coaching, mentoring, and podcast): https://www.theredeemedmarriage.com/ 

Listener takeaway

Don’t try to walk through hard things alone.

As Rusty says, couples who isolate don’t truly heal — they just try to move on. Real restoration happens in the light, in community, and anchored in truth.

None of these professionals started their careers in finance. They also didn't start off working with close family! Marray and TK Harris are a husband-wife team, and Jeff Miley and Kayla Soukup are stepdad / stepdaughter, all working to serve clients in the area of money. Listen in for some great financial and spiritual wisdom - some of it learned the hard way.

Rebecca and Dalco met line dancing as young people in Hattiesburg. It was "fun at first sight." But through a 2-year engagement, key relationships, and some fun physical challenges, their relationship has grown into one of spiritual maturity and mutual love and respect. Listen as they share their calling and their advice for their younger selves.

Each year, Mississippi Christian Living asks for nominations for Christian Leaders of the Year for our December cover story. This year’s honorees represent everything from a preschool choir to economic development, and they share a robust faith in Christ. We had to cut a LOT for print space, so this podcast contains the full interview!

What are the biggest challenges facing pastors today? What encourages them and gives them hope? And what is the point of all those genealogies in the Bible?? Listen as MCL Editor Katie Ginn interviews 5 Jackson metro pastors about these questions and more. 

*Note: This interview took place in August. Read our October Cover Story, available at MSChristianLiving.com starting Oct. 3, for how each pastor has encouraged their congregation to respond to the Sept. 10 murder of Charlie Kirk.

Chris and Kayla White had a plan. Kayla was a counselor, and Chris was a youth pastor aiming for the pulpit. Then Chris came home one day and told Kayla he felt “unsettled.” Listen as they share how God led them to a pivot that will allow them to be powerful agents of change for Mississippi families – together.