I used to think calling was something you found—like a hidden treasure buried just beneath the surface of your faith. If you prayed hard enough, chased the right dreams, and checked all the right boxes, one day you’d stumble across it and everything would finally make sense.

But over the years, I’ve learned that calling rarely looks the way we plan.

Sometimes it’s not about discovering something new—it’s about seeing what’s already in front.

It’s just me today. No guest. No interview. Just me, a mic, and a topic that has both comforted and challenged me for years: calling. 

To be honest, I was nervous sitting down to record this one. Because “calling” is one of those words that can carry both inspiration and pressure. It’s a word we hear in youth group, in sermons, on graduation cards—“Find your calling! Live your purpose!” But what happens when you think you’ve found it… and still feel lost?

Over the last few years, God’s been reshaping how I see calling—not as something to achieve, but as something to become. And in this episode, I’m sharing how that realization changed everything for me: my career path, my faith, even how I see myself.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Calling isn’t a destination—it’s a relationship. God doesn’t ask us to do things for Him; He invites us to do things with Him.

Identity comes before purpose. Before God calls you to something, He calls you His.

You are already a masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works—not to discover our worth, but to live out what’s already true.

Let go of striving. Real calling isn’t sustained by hustle or ambition—it’s sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Abide, don’t race. Calling looks less like a staircase to climb and more like a table to sit at.

Favorite Quotes

“Maybe your calling is already written in who you are, not what you achieve.”

“God calls us to do things with Him, not just for Him.”

“Calling is the invitation to become.”

“Not resting is often a lack of faith, because we think everything depends on us.”

“Before God called you to do anything, He called you His.”

Chapter Markers

00:01:06 – Nervous laughter & the truth about church “buzzwords”

03:15 – Doing all the “right” things and still feeling lost

07:45 – The lie of chasing an “extraordinary” life

10:20 – Ephesians 2:10 and realizing you’re already God’s masterpiece

11:00 – Losing a dream job and learning to sit with Jesus

14:23 – When God flips your calling and builds you through the season

23:02 – Doing things for vs. with God

27:02 – “You belong here”: finding worship again after rejection

30:33 – You’re still called—because you’re still His

35:18 – The three-legged race with Jesus: abiding instead of striving

38:00 – What “yes” really means in faith

41:03 – You’re not behind—you’re being built

42:09 – The table, not the staircase: communion as a picture of calling

45:08 – Micah 6:8 and walking humbly

46:03 – The truth that never changes: you are known, chosen, and loved

Your Turn

Take a deep breath and ask yourself: “Where in my life am I trying to find something, when God is simply asking me to be with Him?”

This week, instead of chasing clarity, practice closeness. Sit at the table with Jesus. Let that be enough.

💛 Support the Podcast

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

What if rest doesn’t look like a hammock and a nap—but 300 miles of mud, silence, and surrender?

That’s the question my brother, Troy, unknowingly set out to answer when he hiked the entire Superior Hiking Trail this fall. Not for glory or a bucket list checkmark—but to find what happens when we finally stop trying to earn rest and instead, walk it out mile by mile.

This episode is special. Not just because Troy is my brother—my built-in best friend and adventure buddy—but because his story reframes how we think about rest altogether.

When I told him before his trip to think about “rest,” he laughed and said, “I’ll try.” Three and a half weeks later, blistered and changed, he had a lot to say. Together we unpacked what true rest looks like—what it isn’t, why we resist it, and how God uses wilderness seasons (literal and spiritual) to remind us we’re not the ones keeping the world turning.

Because maybe rest isn’t stopping—it’s trusting.

✨ Key Themes & Takeaways

Rest is an act of faith. When we stop striving, we declare that God—not us—keeps our world spinning.

You can’t rest if you still feel responsible for everything. Rest begins where false dependency ends.

Sabbath is worship, not recovery. It’s less about what we do and more about who we trust.

Busyness can be disguised self-importance. The need to feel “needed” often keeps us from true peace.

Silence and solitude matter. When we step away from noise, we finally hear what God’s been saying all along.

Our Favorite Quotes

“What we need to remove in order to rest might matter more than what we add.”

“God didn’t rest because He was tired. He rested because it was good.”

“Not resting is often a lack of faith—we think everything depends on us.”

“If Jesus could sleep through a storm, maybe I can stop checking my email.”

“Rest isn’t lazy—it’s holy trust in motion.”

⏱ Chapter Markers

00:00 – Rest redefined: a hike through surrender

06:50 – Why Troy took on 300 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail

13:00 – The false promise of “productive rest”

20:00 – When rest meets resistance: learning to be present

27:40 – Disconnection, dependency, and the noise we cling to

31:10 – Faith, Sabbath, and what Genesis really teaches us about rest

44:00 – How Jesus modeled rest in the middle of chaos

50:00 – The Westminster confession and the mental work of Sabbath

1:06:00 – The challenge: make your list of what depends on you

🪶 Your Turn

This week’s reflection prompt: “What parts of your life have you convinced yourself can’t run without you—and what would it look like to trust God with them?”

Maybe your rest doesn’t look like 300 miles of trail. Maybe it looks like closing the laptop early. Turning your phone on silent. Saying no to one more thing.

Whatever it is—remember, rest isn’t retreating from life. It’s returning to the One who holds it all together.

💛 Support the Podcast

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

When you hear the word church, what comes to mind? For some, it’s stained glass and pews. For others, it’s community, family, or a place that feels like home. And for many—it’s also where wounds were formed.

In this week’s episode of Between the Pages, I sat down with my dear friend Esther Maier to talk about one of the most loaded words in the Christian faith: church.

This season, we’re deconstructing Christian buzzwords—words we use often but rarely stop to define. And “church” might be the biggest one of all. What started as a movement of people on mission with Jesus has, over time, become a system, a building, and sometimes even a brand.

Esther brings such a grounded, thoughtful perspective. She’s spent her life in the church—first as a pastor’s kid, now as a ministry leader—and she’s seen the beauty and the brokenness of it up close. Together, we asked:

What was church meant to be?

What have we turned it into?

And how can we begin to live it out again the way Jesus intended?

Key Themes + Takeaways

Church as a People, Not a Place: The Greek word ekklesia literally means “called-out ones”—a gathering of believers, not a building with four walls.

Acts 2 as the Blueprint: The early church was a living, breathing community—sharing meals, giving to those in need, and growing together daily.

Frustration & Hope: Many young believers are wrestling with how modern church has become a production or institution rather than a movement. That tension is holy—it can lead us back to authenticity.

Monday Morning Faith: What if our worship on Sunday looked the same on Monday? Following Jesus means carrying His presence into our work, families, and neighborhoods.

Obedience Over Opinion: We don’t need better arguments about church. We need to actually live like Jesus—generous, relational, and full of grace.

Our Favorite Quotes

“The people are failing to be the church in the world. I’m failing to look like that too.”

“If we want to be the church, let’s spend time with Jesus. Let’s do it with other people. Then let’s actually start doing what He did.”

“Virtual church might be convenient, but it can’t replace the gathering. Even the word church means people coming together.”

“We’ve made church both too complex and too simple at the same time.”

“Have a confessional community—a place where you can name sin and be known. That’s where real growth starts.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 – What comes to mind when you hear “church”?

04:37 – Esther’s journey: growing up in ministry and seeing it from the inside

11:04 – What church actually means in Scripture

17:21 – The world’s definition vs. Jesus’ design

23:10 – Acts 2 and the tension between discipleship and mission

33:33 – Virtual church, convenience, and what we’ve lost

45:15 – Following Jesus in the real world

54:22 – The challenge: create a confessional community

Your Turn

This week’s reflection: What would it look like for you to be the church right where you are—at home, at work, or in your neighborhood?

Maybe it’s as simple as starting a conversation, sharing a meal, or confessing honestly to someone you trust. Because the church was never meant to be something we attend—it’s something we are.

💛 Support the Podcast

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

What do you do when a word that’s supposed to help us grow in faith gets turned into a buzzword that feels heavy, confusing, or even dirty?

As we kick off season four of Between the Pages, I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with the word deconstruction. It’s a word that has been showing up everywhere—from faith communities to social media feeds—and yet, depending on who you ask, it can mean very different things.

To help us dig in, I’m joined by Pastor Dave Hugare, who has been in ministry for over 20 years and now serves as lead pastor at Lakeview Covenant Church. Dave is passionate about making disciples who make disciples, and he carries a heart for people who are asking the hard questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Together, we unpack why deconstruction has become such a cultural and spiritual buzzword, what it looks like to rebuild with Christ at the center, and why asking “the dumb questions” might actually be one of the holiest things you can do.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Deconstruction isn’t just about tearing things down—it’s about asking if what we’ve built is strong enough to hold.

Culture and social media can muddy the waters, making discernment even more essential.

Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience (the Wesleyan Quadrilateral) offer a framework for rebuilding with wisdom.

Community matters. You don’t have to wrestle with your faith alone.

At the end of the day, hold on to Jesus as the firm foundation when everything else feels uncertain.

Our Favorite Quotes

“Be careful who’s discipling you—especially on the internet.”

“God can handle your doubt. And He can handle your deconstruction, too.”

“All questions are dumb questions…because you don’t know yet. Ask them anyway.”

“If you’re going to deconstruct, make sure you’re rebuilding on the Rock, not on sand.”

“Don’t take my word for it. Dig deep. God will meet you where you start digging.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 What we mean when we say “deconstruction”

03:09 Meet Pastor Dave—Chicago roots, ministry stories, and empty nesting

05:58 Why deconstruction is everywhere in culture (and the church)

10:25 Seminary, systematic theology, and wrestling with new questions

14:11 Social media, algorithms, and who’s discipling you

21:33 Why young people are turning back to ancient church traditions

26:15 Scripture’s voice on deconstruction: Ecclesiastes, Corinthians, and Matthew

33:06 Doubt, Thomas, and holding on to Jesus

37:29 The Wesleyan Quadrilateral: Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience

41:00 Asking the “dumb” questions in community

44:00 Resources for digging deeper: Pete Enns, Leonard Sweet, Brian Zahnd

48:06 Dave’s encouragement: Keep asking, keep holding on to Jesus

Your Turn

This week, I invite you to sit with this question: What’s one belief, practice, or assumption you’ve been carrying that you want to hold up to the light of Scripture and community?

Don’t be afraid to ask the “dumb” question. It might be the very place God wants to meet you.

💛 Support the Podcast

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

  
  

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

Can Christian guys and girls really just be friends?It’s the question no one wants to ask—but most of us have lived. In this season finale, we explore the nuance, heartbreak, hope, and holiness wrapped up in opposite-sex friendships, especially in Christian culture. What are the boundaries? What’s wise? And what happens when someone catches feelings?

For the final episode of Season 3, Rebecca is joined by Jill and Kelley for one of the most debated dynamics in faith-based spaces. They open up about their own stories—funny, messy, meaningful—and invite listeners into a conversation filled with grace, growth, and just enough spice.

🔑 Key Themes + Takeaways

• “We’re just friends” can signal unspoken confusion

• Boundaries shift with age—but they're always necessary

• Emotional dependence can sneak in and get sticky

• Guarding your heart ≠ emotional shutdown

• Clarity is always kinder than avoidance

• Platonic friendship is possible—but rare without intention

⏱ Episode Chapters

00:01:11 – Season 3 finale setup: Jill and Kelly return

00:02:18 – “Can guys and girls really just be friends?”

00:05:14 – Why this is a hot topic in Christian culture

00:10:09 – Personal stories: crushes, boundaries, blurred lines

00:21:16 – How friendships shift in high school vs adulthood

00:26:19 – Emotional dependence and unmet expectations

00:34:11 – Sharing too much, too soon: where’s the line?

00:48:23 – Proverbs 4:23 – Guarding your heart, revisited

01:06:14 – Brother in Christ or boyfriend? Finding the boundary

01:10:02 – “Clarity is kindness”: why we avoid DTR convos

01:16:35 – Advice to our younger selves

01:15:14–end – Help us fund Season 4 + closing thoughts

📖 Scripture Highlight

Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”The conversation breaks down what it really means to guard your heart—without building walls, avoiding others, or locking up your emotions.

💛 Support the Podcast

We’re fundraising $3,400 to bring Season 4 to life!

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

Meg is back on the mic—and it’s a reunion you don’t want to miss. In this heartfelt and laughter-filled episode, Rebecca and Meg dive deep into the messy, beautiful reality of pursuing your God-given purpose. 

From backstage prayer circles to late-night Facetimes and preschool classrooms turned mission fields, Meg’s journey hasn’t been perfect—but it’s a reflection of what it really looks like to follow God through shifting seasons, unseen detours, and the tension between personal dreams and divine direction.

Together, they unpack the emotional weight of waiting, the pressure to “figure it all out” by 30, and why discernment often starts with simple, quiet obedience. If you've ever questioned your purpose, felt stuck in transition, or wrestled with the “shoulds” of adulthood and faith—this one’s for you.

🛠️ In This Episode We Talk About:

• Why your calling may not look like a straight line—and why that’s okay
• How to stay faithful in the "in-between" seasons of life
• The spiritual importance of waiting, resting, and letting go of hustle culture
• Meg’s story of balancing big dreams (like acting) with her current calling in education
• How to discern between God’s will and your own timeline
• What real friendship and community look like in seasons of disappointment
• The role of spiritual rhythms (like prayer walks and journaling) in staying grounded
• How to pray through doubt and choose obedience over clarity
• What it means to “grow into your calling” instead of forcing it

• You’re not behind—God’s timing is never wasted
• Your purpose doesn’t expire when life gets hard
• Discernment often happens best in community, not isolation
• Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is rest
  

🙏 Challenge of the Week:

Meg invites listeners to practice gratitude in the midst of waiting, and reflect on how God might be shaping you right where you are.

Rebecca encourages you to find your own “Meg”—a friend, mentor, or spiritual companion to walk with you through your season of discernment. Don’t do it alone.

🔗 Links + Resources:

• 🛍 Shop the Boldly Seeking Merch Line – 100% of proceeds support Season 4 of the podcast

• ✉️ Join Our Email List for updates, devotionals, and community events

• 💬 Follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking

• 🎙️ Revisit the original episode with Meg from Season 2

📣 Help Us Grow:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend or someone in your community who’s navigating a season of waiting or transition. Your reviews and ratings help this podcast reach others who need these messages of hope and faith. 

Visit https://boldlyseeking.online/ to learn more and donate

Today, we're flipping the mic and celebrating birthday week with a very special episode of Between the Pages!

🎉 Rebecca is joined by the Boldly Seeking team — Samantha, Jenny, and new team member Grace — for a heartfelt conversation about living a life of impact, legacy, and faith in action.

Together, we dive into:

✨ What it really means to boldly seek Jesus — not just in theory, but in everyday life

✨ How to live with a Kingdom perspective in our careers, relationships, and dreams

✨ Small, tangible ways to put faith into action right where you are

✨ How obedience, generosity, and service create a lasting legacy

✨ Personal stories of saying "yes" to God's call — even when it feels risky

Plus, we officially welcome Grace Rubin to the Boldly Seeking team and share a few birthday week surprises (hint: you’ll want to follow us on Instagram @boldlyseeking for the big announcement coming Friday!). 🎂

Whether you're in a season of waiting, risk-taking, or dreaming big, today's episode will encourage you to keep showing up with bold faith. Here's to celebrating five years of God’s faithfulness — and looking ahead to even greater things to come!

Chapter Markers (Top 10):

00:00 – Birthday Week Celebration: Living a Life of Impact 🎉

02:00 – Meeting the Team: Samantha’s First Episode + Introductions

05:00 – What It Really Means to Live Like Jesus

10:00 – Sharing Your Faith in Everyday Moments

16:00 – Staying Grounded in Your Walk with God

20:30 – Trusting God's Plan When the Road Looks Different

26:00 – Building a Legacy Through Small Acts of Faithfulness

33:00 – Keeping a Kingdom Perspective in Careers & Relationships

39:30 – How Obedience, Generosity, and Service Shape Legacy

53:20 – Welcoming Grace Rubin + Dreams for the Future

Links + Resources:

🔗 Follow us on Instagram: @boldlyseeking 

🔗 Join our email list for first looks at new launches: https://boldlyseeking.online/ 

🔗 Read our blog + meet Grace: https://boldlyseeking.online/blog/

Leave us a Birthday Gift! 🎁

If this episode encouraged you, would you celebrate with us by leaving a rating and review?

Your support helps us reach more people with the message of bold faith and everyday discipleship. Thank you, friend! 💛

________________

Connect with us here at Boldly Seeking Ministries:

Website: www.boldlyseeking.online

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldlyseeking/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boldlyseekingministries4924 

Have you ever looked around and thought, “Why not me?” Maybe it's the engagement post, the promotion announcement, or just the quiet ache of feeling behind.

In this deeply honest and grace-filled episode, Rebecca sits down with Kelley Johnson—Listener Engagement Director and Evening DJ at Life 97.3—to talk about the sneaky ways comparison can show up, even in your 30s.

Kelley shares personal stories of confronting comparison in close friendships, navigating the tension between envy and celebration, and how God met her in moments of vulnerability.

From social media breaks to gratitude journals and even a bold new “Year of Dares,” Kelley invites us into a conversation that feels like a heart-to-heart over coffee.

This episode is an invitation to examine what’s really going on beneath our comparison traps—and to remember that joy, purpose, and peace aren’t found in the world’s timeline but in God’s good and perfect will.

In This Episode:

• Why comparison doesn’t end in high school (and sometimes gets harder in adulthood)
• Honest conversations between friends when envy sneaks in
• Kelley’s social media fast and how she now uses it with intentionality
• The emotional root of comparison—and how curiosity can be a tool for healing
• Why Kelley’s word of the year is activate—and what dares have to do with joy
• A fresh take on Romans 12:2, Psalm 139, and gratitude as spiritual practices
• The importance of embracing your unique journey and finding joy in the small things

Connect with Kelley:

💬 Send her a DM through Life 97.3’s Facebook page—she’s the one behind the messages!

📩 Want to dare Kelley as part of her “Do It for the Story” challenge? Send your (kind, ethical, safe!) dare + a donation to her selected charity.

🎉 Don’t miss our next episode—Boldly Seeking is turning FIVE and we’re throwing a birthday party in the studio!

________________

Connect with us here at Boldly Seeking Ministries:

Website: https://boldlyseeking.online/ 

Instagram: @boldlyseeking 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boldlyseekingministries4924 

In this episode, we explore their courageous decision to leave the familiar comforts of college life and embrace God's call to serve in the Alaskan frontier. Christ and Bennet join us to share their heartfelt journey of faith, navigating the challenges of transition, and the profound lessons learned along the way. 

From enlightening interfaith dialogues in Northern Ireland to their transformative journey of saying "yes" to God's plans, this episode is packed with wisdom and encouragement for anyone facing life's big changes.

Discover the vital role of community support, the excitement and challenges of raising mission support, and the joy of sharing Jesus' love with the Native communities in Alaska. 

Whether you're drawn to support them through prayer, financial contributions, or simply following along, we invite you to be part of this incredible journey.

Here’s what we cover:

(00:00) - Navigating Life Transitions With Faith

(11:11) - Trusting God Through Life Changes

(22:59) - Community Support in Life Transitions

(26:32) - A Reluctant Decision

(31:41) - Long Distance Relationship and Faith

(36:22) - Discovering Personal Mission Through Surrender

(40:22) - Saying Yes to God's Plan

(53:17) - Sharing Jesus' Love in Alaska

(59:05) - Support Raising for Alaska Mission

(01:08:40) - Faith and Mission in Alaska

Tune in now to be inspired by Christy and Bennett's story and explore the profound ways faith can shape our paths. Don't miss this compelling episode and be sure to stay connected for more meaningful conversations in our upcoming season!

✨ This Week’s Action Item: Support Christy and Bennett's Mission in Alaska

This week's action item for "Between the Pages" is to support Christy and Bennett's mission work in rural Alaska. Engage through prayer, financial help, or by following their updates. Your support aids their 10-month training in cultural, ministerial, and survival skills, aiming to positively impact Alaskan communities.

https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/AlaskaStudentPartnership/Scheuring 

________________

Connect with us here at Boldly Seeking Ministries:

Website: https://boldlyseeking.online/ 

Instagram: @boldlyseeking 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boldlyseekingministries4924

In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome back Evan Kolding, the next gen pastor at Lakeview Covenant Church, as he shares his profound insights on navigating the tumultuous waters of faith and doubt. 

Evan opens up about his personal journey from the West Coast to Duluth and his deep passion for discipleship, offering invaluable wisdom on embracing uncertainty as a tool for spiritual growth.

Here’s what we cover:

(00:00) - Navigating Doubts in Faith

(17:43) - Navigating Faith Through Doubt

(30:01) - Faith Amid Doubts and Miracles

(35:11) - Finding Faith Amid Comparison and Doubt

(44:39) - Navigating Doubt With Purpose and Faith

(58:19) - Enduring Suffering and Finding Hope

(01:08:38) - Rediscovering Faith and Seeking Guidance

Whether you're in a season of doubt or supporting someone through it, this episode is packed with empathy, encouragement, and a fresh perspective on facing life's trials. Tune in to rediscover hope and find strength in faith's challenges. 🌈🙏

✨ This Week’s Action Item: discuss faith doubts with trusted individuals

Sharing uncertainties and seeking community support fosters growth. Consider historic practices like praying with the Psalms to balance emotions and intellect in your faith journey. 

Embrace doubt as a tool for spiritual growth and adopt a holistic approach to navigating faith.

________________

Connect with us here at Boldly Seeking Ministries:

Website: https://boldlyseeking.online/ 

Instagram: @boldlyseeking 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boldlyseekingministries4924