Faith & Work

Resource Links:

The Faith Work and Home Collective  - Shop Here

Buy Makenzie's Book Here

Is it possible to pursue excellence without becoming consumed by perfectionism?

Mackenzie Shelton is a real estate agent, team leader, author, wife, and mother of four serving clients in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. After beginning her career in property management, Mackenzie planned to pursue nursing but an honest conversation with her husband redirected her toward real estate.

Her early years in the industry included unpredictable results, raising young children, working around her husband’s demanding schedule, and learning much of the business through experience. After joining a team that showed her what she did not want in leadership, Mackenzie eventually helped launch a new team and later stepped into leading it independently. Today, she leads six agents and three full-time staff members.

Mackenzie and Carole discuss what separates a healthy real estate team from an unhealthy one. Profitability matters, but so do culture, collaboration, and the way people are treated. In an industry that can become competitive and transactional, Mackenzie strives to create an environment where agents support one another and clients are served with honesty.

That commitment has sometimes required difficult decisions—including walking away from clients whose requests conflicted with the team’s ethical standards. Mackenzie explains why short-term gain is never worth compromising integrity and why doing the right thing remains important even when someone else appears to be succeeding through shortcuts.

The conversation then turns to perseverance. In a difficult real estate market, self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs must remember the deeper reason behind their work. Mackenzie shares how her original “why” was creating options for her husband, whose physically demanding career could not continue forever. After achieving that goal, her purpose evolved: she now wants to add value to others and help people who are facing struggles similar to those she experienced a decade ago.

That desire led Mackenzie to write The Serenity Solution: Freedom from Control, Perfectionism, and the Pressure to Do It All. The book is written for high-achieving, driven people who are experiencing burnout, stress, and anxiety under the weight of impossible expectations.

Mackenzie and Carole speak candidly about the pressure women can place on themselves to maintain a successful career, a spotless home, perfect meals, and an ideal family life. They reflect on the importance of repeatedly adjusting their priorities and choosing relationships, memories, faith, and presence over appearances.

Mackenzie also shares the Scripture that has followed her since childhood:

“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This verse offers a powerful question for anyone carrying the weight of perfectionism: Is this a burden God gave me, or is it one I placed on myself?

The episode concludes with practical ways to encourage real estate professionals. Mackenzie explains that referrals are one of the most meaningful ways clients can support an agent. A sincere acknowledgment of the agent’s work and care can also be deeply encouraging, especially during a challenging market.

What if the biggest obstacle to growing your business isn't your strategy but your striving?

In this episode of the Faith & Work Podcast, Carole Evans welcomes executive consultant and faith-driven entrepreneur Philip Hunt for a powerful conversation about building a business from God's principles instead of the world's pressure.

Philip shares his remarkable journey from addiction and burnout to living completely by faith, where God faithfully provided for his family in extraordinary ways. Through that season, he discovered that true Kingdom leadership isn't fueled by hustle, it's built through intimacy with God, healing, and learning to trust His direction.

Together, Carole and Philip explore what it means to lead from rest instead of exhaustion, why entrepreneurs must heal from past wounds before they can lead others well, and how God's design for work began long before the Fall.

Whether you're launching a business, leading a growing company, or simply trying to balance faith and work, this episode offers practical encouragement for building something that lasts, without sacrificing your soul in the process.

Interesting in connecting with Philip? Check out his website here:

Philip Hunt

Don't forget to check out our YouTube Channel to watch this episode:

Faith & Work YouTube Channel

If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love to have you leave a review and rating! Every rating and review help more people to find these conversations. 

Have you ever wondered if the work you're doing today is preparing you for something greater?

As we kick off Season 3: Meeting Faith-Driven Entrepreneurs, we're beginning with a conversation that reminds us that God rarely wastes a season. Whether you're building a business, exploring a new calling, or simply trying to be faithful where you are, this episode will encourage you to trust that every experience has purpose.

In this episode, Carole sits down with Cally Logan, teacher, author, speaker, and contributor to Crosswalk, to discuss how God faithfully used each chapter of her life to prepare her for the next one. From spending more than a decade in the classroom to becoming the author of three books and writing for one of the largest Christian publishing platforms, Cally shares how seemingly ordinary opportunities became stepping stones toward God's greater calling.

Rather than chasing success, Cally chose to remain faithful with the opportunities God placed in front of her. Her story is a powerful reminder that our careers, our gifts, and even our waiting seasons are all part of God's preparation process.

If you're a Christian entrepreneur, aspiring author, educator, creative, or someone seeking clarity about God's purpose for your work, this episode offers practical encouragement and biblical wisdom for trusting God's timing.

Learn more about Cally's books, writing, and ministry by visiting her website and following her work through Crosswalk.

Instagram: @Callylogan 

LinkedIn: Cally Logan

Website: Cally Logan

Books:

Hang In There Girl

The Wallflower That Bloomed

A Love Letter Journey While Waiting on God's Best

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And leave a review! Every review that we have, helps more people find these conversation! 

Resource Links:

Faith Drive Entrepreneur - Buy on Amazon here

The Web of Identity  - LinkedIn Article 

The Faith Work & Home Collective  - Shop Here!

Your work matters but it was never meant to define your worth.

In this episode of Faith & Work, Carole Evans explores Chapter 2 of The Faith-Driven Entrepreneur and the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Through an honest look at her own struggle with pride, achievement, and professional identity, Carole examines what happens when our success, talent, or performance becomes the foundation of who we believe we are.

Whether you are standing on a mountaintop of success or walking through a difficult professional valley, your identity remains secure in Christ. You are not your greatest accomplishment, your most painful failure, your business, your position, or your productivity. You are loved, chosen, and accepted by God.

This episode will encourage you to stop working for your identity and begin working from the identity you have already received in Christ.

Thank you for listening! If today's conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend and leave us a review! 

What does the Bible really say about entrepreneurship?

Many people think faith belongs in church and business belongs at work but what if God intended them to go together from the very beginning?

In this first episode of Season 3 of Faith & Work, we're kicking off a three-part study of The Faith Driven Entrepreneur by exploring one foundational truth: God is the original Creator, and because we are created in His image, we are called to create.

Whether you're launching a business, leading a team, serving in ministry, building a nonprofit, or simply trying to honor God in your everyday work, this episode will encourage you to invite God into every decision, every meeting, and every opportunity He places before you.

Carole shares personal stories about learning to embrace God's calling, discerning between seeking wise counsel and seeking approval, and trusting God's timing when new ideas and opportunities arise. You'll also discover why the book of Genesis provides one of the strongest biblical foundations for work, leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

This episode also marks an exciting new season for Faith & Work! Beginning this season, you'll find video episodes on YouTube, new Bible study resources, and practical faith-based tools designed to help you grow in your relationship with Christ while living out your calling at work and at home.

Take some intentional time over the next two weeks to deepen your understanding of God's design for work and calling.

Let's Stay Connected!

Etsy Shop

YouTube Channel

Website

Keywords: Christian entrepreneurship, faith and work, biblical entrepreneurship, Genesis Bible study, faith-driven entrepreneur, Christian leadership, Christian business owner, biblical purpose, calling, work as worship, Christian podcast, entrepreneurship and faith, Christian business, Genesis creation, purpose at work.

What happens when life takes a direction you never expected?

At 18 years old, Matthew Porterfield’s life changed forever after a dirt bike accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. With dreams of college, independence, and a future that looked completely different, Matthew found himself learning how to live life again.

But Matthew’s story is not defined by what happened to him, it’s defined by what God has done through him.

In this episode of Faith & Work, Matthew shares his journey of faith, resilience, and discovering purpose after paralysis. He talks about the moment he truly surrendered his life to Christ, the accident that changed everything, and how God used his story to encourage others.

From wheelchair racing in the Paralympics to building a career, raising a family, serving his church, and encouraging others walking through difficult seasons, Matthew shares a powerful reminder: our circumstances do not determine our purpose.

This conversation is part of our Faith in Our Community series, where we explore how we can better understand, support, and love people walking through experiences different from our own.

“Life in general is gonna let you down. But God won't. He's always gonna be by your side, whether you realize it or not.”

If you know someone walking through a difficult season, someone adjusting to a new reality, or someone who simply needs encouragement today, this episode is a reminder that God is still working, even when life looks different than we imagined.

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

Don't forget to check out the video edition of this episode on YouTube

Grief changes everything.

One phone call can alter the course of a life forever.

For Christina Woodruff, that phone call came just months after losing her brother. At only 27 years old, she suddenly became a widow when her husband, David, a police officer, was killed in a motorcycle accident. Overnight, the future they had planned together disappeared.

Yet this episode isn't simply about tragedy.

It's about what happens next.

It's about learning to survive when every day feels impossible. It's about returning to work because bills don't stop when you're grieving. It's about finding faith when you don't understand God's plan. And it's about discovering that healing isn't something you "finish" it's something God faithfully walks you through one step at a time.

One of the most eye-opening parts of Christina's story is how invisible grief can be.

As a hairstylist, she spent her days helping others feel beautiful while quietly carrying unimaginable pain. To those around her, she appeared to have it all together. Inside, she felt emotionally numb.

It's a powerful reminder that the people we work with, worship beside, and encounter every day may be carrying burdens we'll never see unless we slow down long enough to notice.

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that grieving people don't need us to fix their pain.

They need us to faithfully show up.

Christina shares that some of the most common Christian phrases although well intended were often the least comforting.

Instead of hearing, "God has a plan," what she needed most was someone willing to simply sit with her, acknowledge the pain, and remind her she wasn't alone.

If someone in your church, workplace, or family is grieving, this episode offers practical ways to love them well:

One of the most heartbreaking moments in Christina's story is sharing how isolated she felt within the church after losing her husband.

Many people weren't intentionally unkind they simply didn't know what to say.

But silence often hurts more than imperfect words.

This conversation is a loving challenge to every church community: don't let fear keep you from showing up. An awkward conversation is almost always better than no conversation at all.

Perhaps the greatest encouragement from this episode is that healing doesn't happen all at once.

For Christina, healing came through countless "micro movements" of hope, small reminders of God's faithfulness that slowly rebuilt a future she never imagined.

Years later, therapy helped uncover grief she didn't realize she was still carrying. Eventually, she discovered something that changed her life:

"I feel like what truly helped me heal and move forward is learning how to be okay with me... I was putting so much on Jonathan and expecting him to fill a void that was not his to fill."

That truth reaches far beyond widowhood.

We all have a tendency to expect spouses, careers, friendships, children, or success to fill places in our hearts that only Christ can satisfy.

If this conversation encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone walking through grief or someone who wants to better support a grieving friend, coworker, or family member.

You never know how one conversation might help someone feel seen, understood, and reminded that they are not alone.

Keywords: Christian grief, young widow, police officer widow, grieving the loss of a spouse, Christian podcast on grief, widow encouragement, grief and faith, supporting a grieving friend, church and grief, healing after loss, Faith & Work Podcast, finding hope after losing a husband.

Connect with Christina Woodruff on Facebook

What does it look like to support someone through divorce with both biblical truth and Christlike compassion?

In this episode of the Faith & Work Podcast, Carole Evans continues the Faith in Our Community series with a deeply honest conversation with Christian life coach Katie Ann. Together they discuss the realities of divorce, rebuilding your identity in Christ, and how churches, friends, and families can better walk alongside those navigating one of life's most painful seasons.

Katie shares her powerful testimony of growing up in the Mormon faith, experiencing divorce after 17 years of marriage, leaving the only faith community she had ever known, and discovering the transforming power of God's Word. Through her story, listeners will hear how God meets us in our deepest brokenness and faithfully rebuilds our lives on the foundation of Christ.

Whether you have experienced divorce yourself, love someone who has, or simply want to better understand how to minister with grace and truth, this conversation offers biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and hope for healing.

One of the most powerful reminders from this conversation is that while divorce changes many things, it never changes God's love for His children. Healing begins when we stop defining ourselves by our past, our pain, or our relationships and begin seeing ourselves through God's eyes.

Katie also reminds listeners that the Church has an incredible opportunity to minister to divorced families with compassion instead of judgment. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is simply showing up, listening well, praying faithfully, and allowing God to lead each conversation.

Ultimately, this episode points listeners back to the only foundation that never fails, Jesus Christ.

Don't forget to leave a rating and review if you enjoyed today's episode. 

Connect with Katie on: LinkedIn

Connect with Katie on: Facebook

Check out her Podcast: Beyond Believing

Carole and Joan talk about the inspiration behind Joan’s book and the family conversations that changed her perspective during the racial tensions of COVID. Joan shares what she has learned about navigating interracial family dynamics, supporting biracial children, and recognizing the difference between curiosity and placing emotional labor on others.

The conversation also dives into faith, Scripture, parenting, diversity within churches and communities, and how to approach conversations about race with humility rather than fear. Together, they reflect on the importance of raising children who are compassionate, aware, and open to learning from people whose experiences may differ from their own.

Listeners will walk away encouraged to lead with empathy, ask thoughtful questions, create welcoming environments, and remember that love is something we actively choose to live out every day.

Resources:

Make sure to check out Joan's book below on Amazon!

Navigating Two Worlds: From Blind Spots to Awareness in Interracial Families

And her website to connect with her personally

*This is where you can find the list of resources that she talks about in the podcast

Joan's Website

Connect with Joan on Social Media

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

#FaithAndWork

What happens when your faith is tested in the middle of uncertainty, financial hardship, and loneliness?

In this inspiring episode of Faith Around the World, Carole Evans sits down with entrepreneur and ministry leader Dorcas Marcharia from Kenya to hear the remarkable story of how God met her in some of the darkest seasons of her life.

While studying in Uganda, Dorcas found herself facing overwhelming financial challenges. There were days she didn’t know where her next meal would come from. She experienced illness that landed her in the hospital, isolation from home, and moments that forced her to decide whether she would trust God when nothing around her made sense.

But this conversation is about far more than surviving difficult circumstances.

Dorcas shares how her faith evolved from simply knowing about God because of her family and church into a deeply personal relationship with Jesus Christ. What began as a faith rooted in fear became a faith rooted in love, surrender, and complete dependence on God. That transformation changed everything.

Today, Dorcas is passionate about serving others, building businesses that impact her community, and boldly sharing the hope she has found in Christ. Her story is a beautiful reminder that God never wastes our pain. Instead, He often uses our greatest struggles to prepare us for our greatest ministry.

One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes when Dorcas shares:

“I want what I have gone through not to be a pain in my spirit. I want it to be a ministry—to be a blessing.”

Whether you’re walking through financial uncertainty, questioning God’s plan, or longing for a deeper relationship with Christ, this conversation will encourage you to keep trusting the God who is faithful in every season.

Connect with Dorcas on LinkedIn to learn more about what she is doing in Kenya and how you can be a part of bring her Peanut Butter Factory to life.