What if the pressure you’re carrying was never yours to carry?

So many of us are striving to do everything perfectly: trying to control outcomes, carry every burden, and make everything work. But what if God never asked us to carry that weight in the first place?

In this episode of The Empowered Life Podcast, I sit down with speaker, entrepreneur, and business coach Jenn Kleiber to explore what it truly means to faithfully steward what God has placed in our hands while trusting Him with the results.

Together we talk about:

• How to exchange pressure for peace

• Why surrender leads to freedom, not passivity

• Redefining success through God’s Kingdom

• Trusting God through setbacks and uncertainty

• Living open-handed with your time, gifts, and resources

• How generosity becomes an act of worship

Jenn also shares the heart behind the Faith Filled Experience, a one-day gathering for women designed to encourage, equip, and inspire them to walk confidently in God’s calling.

🎉 Join Jenn at the Faith Filled Entrepreneur Experience

If this conversation encouraged you, we’d love to invite you to continue it in person.

📅 August 7

📍 Mansfield, Texas

100% of the proceeds from this event will benefit Allies in Youth Development, helping train and equip local mentors who are bringing hope and transformation to vulnerable children around the world.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a mom, a leader, or simply someone longing to live with greater peace and purpose, this event is for you.

🎟️  Register here: https://www.jennkleiber.com/faithfilled

00:00 — Intro: Meredith sets the stage, exchanging pressure for peace

03:48 — Jenn Kleiber joins: stewardship, calling, and the one primary calling we all share

09:33 — How your calling can become your idol

17:55 — We can have doubt and faith at the same time, and that's okay

22:26 — Trusting God through setbacks: what holds us back from stewarding well

25:34 — She had $4 in her account. God had a plan.

29:57 — What are "God touches" and how do you recognize them?

38:38 — Praise is a weapon, and here's the method

45:27 — Living open-handed doesn't have to be a big event

50:24 — Who invested in Jenn: grandmother June and the favor of God

55:36 — The Faith Filled Entrepreneur Experience: what it is and why 100% goes to Allies

59:33 — Why she chose to give every dollar to Allies in Youth Development

01:04:31 — The journey of surrender is exciting. But it's really hard.

01:09:15 — Impact Moment: Natalia, South Africa

🌍 Allies in Youth Development: https://alliesyouth.org

🌐 Explore more: https://www.empoweredlifepodcast.org

📲 More episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredLifePodcast

The Empowered Life Podcast | Powered by Allies in Youth Development

#empoweredlifepodcast #jennkleiber #faithfilledentrepreneur #stewardship #faith #entrepreneurship #christianpodcast #alliesinyouthdevelopment #orphancare #mentorship #empoweredpeopleempowerpeople

What happens when a single yes turns into a movement?

In this special anniversary episode of the Empowered Life Podcast, Meredith Murray sits down with Chris Burgin, Founder and CEO of Allies in Youth Development, to celebrate one full year of the show: 1.7 million views, over 1,000 hours of watch time, and listeners in 26 states and more than a dozen countries.

Together, Meredith and Chris revisit the moments that defined the year: pastors going after "the one," a sheriff fighting trafficking before it starts, a financial advisor who learned to give without keeping score, a teacher whose question reached 2,000 people at a graduation, a mentor who found that consistency changes everything, and a survivor who is now the trusted adult she once needed.

Chris also opens up about the leaps of faith that built Allies from nothing, and closes the episode with a message about what one yes, said 15 years ago in a Russian orphanage, has become.

The Mission of Allies

Allies in Youth Development exists to put a consistent, trusted adult in the life of every vulnerable child who doesn't have one. Right now, that means mentors showing up month after month for more than 27,000 children across 92 countries.

✨ JOIN THE MOVEMENT ✨

Learn more about how you can empower orphans and vulnerable children globally:

👉 Visit alliesyouth.org

👉 New landing page: empoweredlifepodcast.org

🕒 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 - Celebrating one year of the Empowered Life Podcast

04:15 - Chris Burgin joins: "It's the power of the yes"

07:40 - Desi & Mychal Henk on going to "the ends of the earth"

19:20 - Sheriff Waybourn on early intervention & prevention

31:55 - Shannon Harris on generosity without an agenda

36:40 - Chris on faith, provision, and the founding of Allies

45:48 - Sam Riley: "What's in your palm?"

1:00:11 - Shawn Serfass on the power of consistency

1:12:13 - Angela Rose Thorne: "You are that person"

1:32:22 - Chris's closing message: One yes can change everything

📲 More episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredLifePodcast

The Empowered Life Podcast | Powered by Allies in Youth Development

#empoweredlifepodcast #oneyearanniversary #chrisbergen #alliesinyouthdevelopment #orphancare #mentorship #nextgeneration #faithjourney #liveempowered #empoweredpeopleempowerpeople

What happens when you stop keeping score and start living fully surrendered to God’s plan?

In this episode of the Empowered Life Podcast, host Meredith Murray sits down with Chip Roop, the President and CEO of the Roop Family Foundation, songwriter, and musician.

Chip shares his incredible journey from a small coal town in eastern Kentucky to seminary, and how God took his dream of being a youth pastor and multiplied it into a global impact spanning 52 organizations.

Meredith and Chip dive deep into what true, unconditional generosity and empowerment look like: shifting our focus outward rather than inward, getting our hands dirty alongside the organizations we support, and empowering the next generation to be game-changers today, not just "one day" in the future.

Central to the foundation's global reach is its deep partnership with Allies in Youth Development. Chip shares the emotional story of being surprised with the "Allies Roop Library" in Peru, a community impact center where mentors pour into vulnerable children daily. It’s a beautiful testament to how partnering with Allies has allowed his foundation to expand its mission across the globe, now reaching children in 92 countries.

If you are ready to be inspired to live an obedient, generous, and truly empowered life, this conversation is for you!

✨ JOIN THE MOVEMENT ✨

Want to link arms with people changing the world? Learn more about how you can empower orphans and vulnerable children globally through Allies in Youth Development:

👉 Visit https://alliesyouth.org

🎵 LISTEN TO CHIP'S MUSIC 🎵

Stream "Beautiful Outlaw" and Chip's full album on Apple Music and Spotify by searching: Chip Roop.

🕒 Suggested Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 - Intro: What does it mean to live an empowered life?

01:45 - Meet Chip Roop & The Roop Family Foundation

03:20 - Shifting from "Check-Writers" to Active Partners

04:55 - The Power of Collaboration: Group Coffee Gatherings

06:40 - The Surprise Allies Library in Peru: God as the Ultimate Multiplier

09:30 - What True Generosity Actually Means (Stop Keeping Score)

12:15 - How the Foundation Shaped Chip’s Faith

14:10 - Heartbreak & Hope for the Next Generation

16:45 - Eyewitness to the Asbury Revival

21:30 - Passing the Legacy to the Next Generation

24:00 - The Story Behind the Song "Beautiful Outlaw"

29:00 - Outro: Go Live Empowered!

The Empowered Life Podcast | Powered by Allies in Youth Development

#empoweredlife #generosity #nextgeneration #faithjourney #beautifuloutlaw #youthministry #liveempowered

What does it look like when someone who spent decades furious at God finally lets Him in? In this powerful episode of The Empowered Life Podcast, we sit down with Lisa "Sunshine" Jennett, an unconventional, unapologetic, and radically authentic author and entrepreneur. Her life is living proof that where you start does not define where you finish. Born into a violent home in West Texas, Sunshine learned early that the only way out was to outwork her surroundings. By age eight, she had a paper route. By her twenties, she had endured the devastating loss of twin daughters and survived homelessness in London. She went on to build a landscaping empire from scratch, but through it all, she kept God at a very deliberate distance. Then, alone in a field, everything broke open. Tune in to hear Lisa's raw testimony of what happened next at that retreat, at her father's deathbed, and how an encounter with God completely transformed her fury into an unbreakable faith. 🤝 SUPPORT OUR MISSIONThis episode of The Empowered Life Podcast is proudly powered by Allies in Youth Development. Just as Lisa overcame a childhood of trauma and instability, millions of vulnerable children are looking for hope today. Allies in Youth Development works tirelessly to rescue orphaned and abandoned children from a future of despair. Through dedicated in-country mentors, Allies provides critical human connection, life skills, and education pathways to children in over 92 countries every single day. You can be the turning point in a child's story. ➡️ Be part of the movement: https://alliesyouth.org 📖 GET LISA’S BOOK Grab your copy of Lisa "Sunshine" Jennett's incredible book, When Last I Saw Me: ➡️ Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Last-Saw-... ⏱️ CHAPTERS [00:23] - Introduction: Welcoming Lisa "Sunshine" Jennett to the podcast.[02:27]- Her story mirrors the mission of those Allies serves.[03:13] - Early Life in Texas: Growing up in West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, finding safety in hard work, and early dreams of adoption.[06:46] - Meeting Her First Husband & Moving to Scotland: Her unexpected engagement and life in Glasgow managing a unique Sunday school.[13:02] - Tragedy & Returning to Texas: Facing the heartbreaking loss of her twins, returning home to start over, and establishing her landscape business.[17:08] - The Turning Point: A personal crisis leading to a journey of self-reflection back through her childhood towns.[26:19] - From Fury to Faith: Attending "Quest" camp, confronting her anger toward God, and experiencing an unexpected encounter of love.[35:44] - Reconnecting with Her Father: A 20-month journey of visiting her abusive father, Raymond, leading to a profound lesson in borrowing divine love to forgive.[49:34] - Relationships with Her Mother & Mentors: Caring for her mother later in life and honoring the key people who poured into her throughout her journey.[59:11] - Three Favorite Words: Unpacking the philosophy behind her favorite concepts: "Yes", "Monday", and "Fail".[01:09:07] - Allies in Youth Development: Her "why" behind helping orphans, restoring family units, and finding what you are brilliant at to serve others.[01:23:47] - Conclusion & Final Thoughts: Host wrap-up on living an empowered "10X" life.[01:26:11] - Allies Field Report: A powerful transformation story of volunteers and youth at an Inside Hero lesson in Egypt.#empoweredlifepodcast #sunshine #lisajeanette #faith #redemption #godslove #healingjourney #christianpodcast #alliesinyouthdevelopment #mentorship #orphancare #christianity #testimony

What would hope say if it could speak directly into your darkest moment? Chaplain Desmond Haye has spent 20 years walking into the hardest places, and he wrote the book on it. Literally.

Chaplain Desmond Haye is the Director of Pastoral Care and Ethics at Texas Health Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. Born in Jamaica as the 12th child, and orphaned of his father before he was even born… he has spent his life turning pain into purpose. Out of decades of sitting at hospital bedsides, hospice rooms, and the darkest moments of human suffering, he wrote The Voice of Hope: Hearing Hope in Your Darkest Hour.

In it he shares seven declarations. Seven things hope would say if it could speak directly into your hardest moments. And every single one of them is real. We know, because at Allies in Youth Development, these are the exact declarations our mentors are speaking over orphaned and abandoned children in 92 countries every single day.

These declarations aren't just for hospital rooms. They belong in every orphanage, every broken home, every dark season, everywhere hope feels out of reach.

In this conversation, Desmond and Meredith unpack all seven:

— Hope says: You are not alone

— Hope says: You are loved

— Hope says: You can find peace

— Hope says: You can have joy

— Hope says: You will triumph over tragedy

— Hope says: The suffering will not last

— Hope says: There will be a brighter tomorrow

Whether you are in a dark season right now, just coming out of one, or you want to be the voice of hope for someone else… this conversation is for you.

"Hope is not loud. It's not boastful. It's not upfront. In my experience, it's quiet. It's gentle.

 And it whispers in the midst of your pain that — hey, triumph is possible and you can do it."

- Chaplain Desmond Hayes

📖  Get Desmond's book: The Voice of Hope: Hearing Hope in Your Darkest Hour: https://a.co/d/0aLbH4gn 

📖  His newest book: The Journey of Wholeness: 21 Stories, 21 Principles on Living and Feeling Whole: https://a.co/d/02D1YTFN 

🌍  At Allies in Youth Development, our mentors walk into the darkest places every day to bring hope to orphaned children in 92 countries. Learn how you can be part of that: alliesyouth.org

📲  More episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredLifePodcast

#empoweredlifepodcast #thevoiceofhope #chaplaindesmondhayes #alliesinyouthdevelopment #hopewins #faith #christianpodcast #healingjourney #orphans #mentorship #empoweredpeopleempowerpeople #darkseason #hopeandhealing

1 in 7 adolescents around the world are struggling. Dr. Josh Roberts reveals how tending to the soul creates the internal foundation every child needs to survive the storm.

Every child, regardless of where they live, what they have, or what they've been through, is searching for the same three things: a sense of worth, a connection to others, and something bigger than themselves.

That's not a theory. That's what the research shows.

Dr. Josh Roberts is a Fort Worth school principal with over 20 years in education. His doctoral research at TCU, titled “An Education of the Soul,” explores what happens when we stop treating children as problems to fix and start tending to their whole person: mind, body, and spirit.

And what he found lines up exactly with what Allies in Youth Development has been witnessing for 15 years as we walk alongside vulnerable children in 92 countries. When someone decides that the inner life of a child is worth showing up for, everything changes.

In this conversation, Josh and Meredith go deep on:

• What "education of the soul" actually means, and why it matters for every child, everywhere

• Why this generation is struggling in ways no generation before them has

• What spirituality looks like outside of religion, and why it belongs in every child's development

• What real students said when Josh asked them directly about their inner lives

• How parents, teachers, and mentors can begin pouring into the whole child, starting today

Whether you're raising kids, teaching them, mentoring them, or supporting the work of those who are… this conversation is for you.

"Education of the soul does not just happen. It happens when teachers and parents and mentors decide that the inner life of a child is worth showing up for, it's worth investing in."

🌍 Allies in Youth Development is currently supporting mentors for over 27,000 children every single month. Learn how you can be the reason a mentor shows up for a child: alliesyouth.org

📲 More episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredLifePodcast

#empoweredlifepodcast #educationofthesoul #beyondaid #alliesinyouthdevelopment #nextgeneration #wholechild #mentalhealth #parenting #mentorship #youthdevelopment #drjoshroberts #godeeper

Are you helping, or are you unintentionally creating dependency?In this episode of the Empowered Life Podcast, Meredith sits down with Stacia Miller (Director of Development at the Mansfield Mission Center) to discuss the thin line between compassion that restores and compassion that accidentally keeps people stuck.🌍 JOIN OUR MISSION: We believe lasting change happens when we equip people to stand on their own feet. Empower an orphan through mentorship and life skills today:👉 https://alliesyouth.org🕒 VIDEO CHAPTERS00:00 – Helping or Hurting? The Mission of Empowerment02:09 – Why Empowerment is the Key to Transformation07:05 – Behind the Scenes of the Mansfield Mission Center10:13 – Avoiding a One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Need14:05 – Empowering vs. Enabling: Compassion That Restores22:06 – Restoring Dignity: Why Small Details Matter32:53 – The Jesus Model: "Do You Want to Get Well?"38:25 – Kingdom Collaboration: Partnership Over Competition44:40 – Why a Kingdom Mindset Leads to Greater Impact50:42 – How to Get Involved & Final Thoughts💡 IN THIS EPISODE, WE UNPACK:The "80-60-10" Reality: Understanding the high stakes for orphans and why mentorship is the "missing piece" to survival.Dignity in the Details: Why choice and respect (like grocery store models vs. handouts) are the keys to true restoration.The Jesus Model: Why Jesus asked the paralyzed man "Do you want to get well?" instead of just fixing the problem.Kingdom Collaboration: Why shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundant, collaborative mindset is better for the whole community.🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE🤝 Allies in Youth Development: Learn how you can empower orphans through mentorship: https://alliesyouth.org🏢 Mansfield Mission Center: Empowering neighbors with essential resources to see a flourishing community: https://mansfieldmission.org/🎙️ Empowered Life Podcast: Join our mission to help you live a life of purpose and impact. Subscribe and hit the bell to never miss an episode!#EmpoweredLife #AlliesYouth #EducationChangesEverything #OrphanCare #BreakTheCycle #MentorshipMatters #SuccessStory #MansfieldTX #KingdomMindset

He had seen the world. Over 50 nations. Thousands of lives impacted. But even then, he still had to ask himself one question:

“Are you dead yet?”

Not physically, but spiritually. Because the truth is, we can do a lot for God… without ever fully surrendering to Him.

Johnny’s story is a powerful reminder that burnout doesn’t come from doing too little. It often comes from doing too much in our own strength. And Sabbath isn’t just rest. It’s full dependence.

We’re not called to carry the weight. We’re called to lay it down.

We are fighting to ensure the next generation doesn’t just survive—but walks in purpose, identity, and truth through the power of mentorship.

🚨 TAKE ACTION: Help us send a local mentor to stand in the gap → https://alliesyouth.org/give

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Question That Changes Everything: “Are you dead yet?”: Why surrender, not striving, is the key to real impact.

• The Reality of Burnout: How even strong leaders can hit a breaking point.

• Kingdom Sabbath: Why rest isn’t optional, and what it actually looks like.

• The Illusion of Control: Why we think everything depends on us… and how to release it.

• The Allies Connection: How mentorship creates generational impact through surrender and obedience.

CHAPTERS:0:00 - “Are you dead yet?”2:15 - Johnny’s global impact and mission work6:40 - The unseen: Living in the eternal, not the temporary12:30 - Burnout, anxiety, and hitting a breaking point18:10 - What Sabbath actually means (and what it doesn’t)26:45 - Letting go of control and responsibility34:20 - Living from overflow, not depletion41:00 - Hearing God daily and slowing down49:15 - The Allies connection: mentorship that multiplies impact

THE ALLIES MISSION:At Allies, we don’t wait for crisis. We step in early. Through local mentors, we break cycles before they begin and help young people walk in identity, purpose, and freedom. Learn more: alliesyouth.org

🔔 SUBSCRIBE: Join the Empowered Life community for more real conversations that challenge, equip, and transform.

#alliesyouth #mentorshipmatters #kingdomliving #sabbathrest #burnoutrecovery #faithinaction #empoweredlife #purposeoverpressure

Less than 1% of orphans make it to college. We are changing that statistic today. 🎓When an orphan ages out without an education, the cycle of poverty repeats. But what happens when you give them a professional tutor and a mentor? You get doctors, engineers, and leaders.🌟 HELP FUND A TUTOR TODAY: https://alliesyouth.org/give.aspx🌍 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MISSION: https://alliesyouth.org💡 INSIDE THIS EPISODEIn this episode, Meredith sits down with Kostya Shestakov, founder of the Allies Tutoring Program. A former street kid himself, Kostya reveals how he used his expertise in online education to build a "bridge" for orphans in remote regions—moving them from hopelessness to higher education.We discuss:[05:59] The Street to Success: Kostya’s journey from the fall of the USSR to professional educator.[12:02] Why Mentorship Isn't Enough: The missing link between "being loved" and "being educated."[33:59] The Professional Model: Why Allies uses paid, professional tutors to ensure a 100% success rate.[38:23] Success Stories: Meet Masha, Oraz, and Sasha—former orphans who are now thriving professionals.[53:52] The "Right Person" Effect: How one consistent adult changes a life's trajectory.🚀 TAKE ACTIONAt Allies in Youth Development, we believe every child has a God-given destiny. Education is the key that unlocks it.✅ Sponsor a Child: https://alliesyouth.org/sponsorachild.aspx✅ Subscribe for more stories of transformation: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredLifePodcast✅ Visit the Website: https://alliesyouth.org#EmpoweredLife #AlliesYouth #EducationChangesEverything #OrphanCare #BreakTheCycle #MentorshipMatters #SuccessStory #HigherEducation #GlobalImpact

⚠️ SENSITIVE CONTENT: 

The following conversation contains honest accounts of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and suicide attempts. We share this to EQUIP you with the knowledge to step in and MINIMIZE these vulnerabilities for the next generation. 

Viewer discretion is advised. 

30 years old. That is the average life expectancy of an orphaned child without intervention, due to trafficking, suicide, or substance abuse. This is the harsh reality millions of children face, and it is the reason why the Allies mission exists. 

Angela is that girl we are fighting for. This is her story. Join the mission to protect the next Angela at alliesyouth.org/podcast 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• The "Slow Fade": How predators identify and target unseen children. 

• The Reality of Grooming: Why exploitation rarely looks like the movies.

• The Life Expectancy Crisis: Why aging out of an orphanage is a death sentence for many.

• The Local Mentor Solution: How Allies empowers leaders on the ground to provide the "one person" a child needs. 

• Architecture of Redemption: Angela's journey from survival to restoration. 

Take Action with Allies. Angela’s story is the "why" behind everything we do. At Allies, we don't wait for tragedy to happen; we step in with local mentors to break the cycle of vulnerability before it starts. 

SPONSOR A MENTOR: Help us protect the next Angela by providing a local mentor for $25/month: alliesyouth.org/give  

THE ALLIES MISSION: See how we are rewriting the 30-year life expectancy statistic: alliesyouth.org 

SUBSCRIBE: Join the Empowered Life community to hear more stories of hope and prevention. 

Resources Mentioned: 

📖 Learn More about Angela's Story: amazon.com/Unbroken-Survivors-Overcoming-Trauma-Addiction/dp/B0DLP7XW1W

🕊️ About Freed People: freedpeople.org

📱 Follow the Podcast: @empoweredlifepodcast