After IV

What's the hardest part about making friends after graduation?

Believe it or not, it usually isn't meeting new people. New people are everywhere. The hardest part is taking consistent, proactive steps toward GETTING TO KNOW someone once you've met them. So, how do we take that step? If friendship and community are so important for our faith development, mental health, and general well being, how do we overcome that most difficult step?

This week, Jon and Nader chat about vulnerability, healthy boundaries, prayer, and a little persistence as a workable formula for developing deeper, meaningful connections after graduation.

RELATED EPISODES

• E167: Too Distracted to Pray: Developing Prayer Rhythms That Work for You (YouTube, Spotify, Apple)
• E103: Making (and Keeping) Friends After Graduation (Spotify, Apple)

RESOURCES

• Nader's Website

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

Life's too distracting to have a meaningful prayer time...

Do you ever feel this way? You're not alone!

Spiritual Director and clinical counselor, Nader Sahyouni, says that distraction is one of the most common barriers people experience in prayer. Whether it's the result of big life choices, frustrations at work, or relentless TikTok notifications, life is just distracting. And the remedy isn't simply getting more focused... It's leaning into God's gracious invitation to experience his love and care for us.

Join us this week for an invitation to transition from prayer motivated by task and obligation to a sense of relationship and connection with a loving God (plus a few practical tips to help the distracted pray-er...)

RELATED EPISODE

• E166: Where Does God Want Me to Go?: Developing Tools for Discernment (YouTube, Spotify, Apple)

RESOURCES

• Nader's Website
• Distraction Problems

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

How do I know where God is leading me?

This episode kicks off a new series on After IV. We're exploring a few of the changes we can expect in our faith experience after graduation.

On this episode, clinical counselor and spiritual director Nader Sahyouni joins us to unpack the shift from being driven to being called. Nader introduces listeners to the practice of discernment—not just for big decisions, but as a daily rhythm. He explains the role of consolation and desolation, how to build a personal rule of life, and why our desires—when rightly ordered—can lead us closer to God. Whether you're feeling burned out or just unsure about next steps, this episode offers practical tools for tuning into God's daily invitations.

RESOURCES

• Nader's Website
• Developing a Rule of Life

RELATED EPISODE(S)

• E78: Finding Your Footing on Purpose (Apple, Spotify)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

What does it really look like to navigate life after college with hope and faith?

Erica Young Reitz returns to After IV with wisdom from the newly revised edition of her book After College, now updated for Gen Z. In this encouraging conversation, Erica and Jon explore the challenges of transition, the unique superpowers Gen Z brings to the table, and the role of spiritual formation in all of it. Whether you’re anxious about what’s next or simply looking for clarity, this episode will help you breathe deep, name what’s normal, and take your next step with Jesus.

RESOURCES

• Grab your copy of After College: Navigating Transitions, Relationships, and Faith by Erica Young Reitz
• Visit the After College Transition website for more resources!

RELATED EPISODE

• E102: Ending Well With My Friends On Campus (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

When the final final whistle blows and a college athlete hangs up her jersey for the last time, what happens next?

For Julia, an Athletes InterVarsity Alumna from UW-River Falls, it was a challenging transition. Saying goodbye to her team, managing an unfamiliar routine, and embracing her new grad school environment meant following Jesus into uncertainty. But God had been preparing her to take courageous steps of faith like these since joining the UW-River Falls Women's Basketball team during her junior year. It was here, as a brand new member of the team, that Julia planted a team Bible study; a ministry that has continued to grow and flourish since she graduated in 2024. It may not look quite the same, but Julia is still courageously saying "yes" to Jesus in her new context and learning what it means to lean into her identity as a child of God and follower of Jesus.

RELATED EPISODE

• E102: Ending Well With My Friends On Campus (Apple, Spotify)
• E163: Cookies with Andy (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

In this special bonus episode, Philip Sheegog shares his final words of wisdom for alumni navigating life after graduation. Reflecting on his own journey, he encourages us to trust in God’s provision, release fear, and hold onto His faithfulness—even when the future feels uncertain.

RELATED EPISODE

• E162: Holding Your Calling with Open Hands (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

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• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

Jon realizes a dream today: Eating a really big cookie with Andy Mineo. (If you aren't watching this on YouTube, you should be. Link HERE.)

RELATED EPISODE

• E20: Andy Mineo: Using Influence, Inspiration, and Imperfection to Make Something New (YouTube, Spotify, Apple)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

As an artist, what does it mean to pursue your calling while holding it with open hands? 

In this episode, Philip Sheegog, an Arts InterVarsity alumnus and co-founder of the electroacoustic duo Arkai, shares his journey from Juilliard to life as a touring musician. He opens up about navigating calling, trusting God's plan in a highly competitive industry, and resisting the pressure to define success by the world's standards. Through personal stories and wisdom, Philip challenges alumni to surrender our gifts to God, trust His timing, and embrace a vision bigger than ourselves.

RELATED EPISODE

• E116: Navigating a Career in the Arts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

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• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

What does modern psychology have to say about our pursuit of health and wellness?

As we close our wellness series this week, we're revisiting our conversation with Dr. Louis Tay from Purdue University's Department of Psychological Sciences. Listen in as Dr. Tay shares his expertise on well-being and how to live a life built on a foundation of loving God and having godly loves.

RELATED EPISODE(S)

• E89: Navigating Anxiety with Grace and Grit: 10 Tips for Post-Graduation Anxiety (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E91: Joy Instead of Comparison: Anchored in God’s Goodness with Jay Kim (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E92: Self-Control Instead of Reckless Indulgence: Beyond Willpower and Positive Thinking (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe

We all know work can be difficult, but when does difficult become unhealthy?

This week, Chase Read returns to share about her difficult decision to leave a job. The work was something she loved, believed in, and had spent a lot of time studying to do. But when it became clear that the job was a detriment to her mental and emotional wellness, Chase discerned that it was time to step away. And, although it required her to step into unfamiliar territory, Chase was comforted to find a familiar God walking through that transition with her.

RELATED EPISODE(S)

• E153: Taking the Next Step in Your Wellness Journey (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E87: From Gap Year to Volunteer: Why "Failure" Should Always Be an Option (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website
• Leave us a message on SpeakPipe