Welcome to Episode 5 of Love & Light Leadership! This week, Dr. Phenessa Gray dives deep into the second fruit of the Spirit: Joy.

In this powerful episode, you'll discover why joy and happiness are NOT the same thing and why that matters for your leadership, the biblical foundation of joy as strength from Nehemiah 8:10 and Galatians 5:22-23, how Psychological Capital connects to Spirit-led leadership, the neuroscience behind joy and how it rewires your brain for better decision-making, three practical leadership strategies to cultivate joy intentionally, a guided breathwork practice to release heaviness and embrace joy, and Heart-Mind Check questions with journaling prompts for deeper reflection.

Dr. Phenessa seamlessly blends biblical truth with industrial-organizational psychology and neuroscience, offering leaders a holistic approach to leading with joy even in challenging seasons.

Featured Leadership Strategies include The Joy Inventory, a daily gratitude practice that primes your brain for positivity, Lead with Celebration and how recognition transforms team culture, and Guard Your Joy by setting boundaries to protect your peace and power.

Whether you're a ministry leader, executive, entrepreneur, or emerging leader, this episode will equip you to Love Bold, Live Lit, and Lead Forward with supernatural joy.

Episode Length: 8-10 minutes

🔗Connect with Dr. Phenessa on Instagram and social media @DrPhenessa.

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Next Episode: Peace - Leading with Calm in the Chaos

Bible Translations Used: The Voice, Good News Translation, The Message Bible, New Living Translation

✨ New episodes weekly — for deeper connection, exclusive resources, and a like-hearted community, join the Love & Light Leadership Movement.

🤝Support the podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast–6730707/support. 

📝 As a thank-you gift for listening, access my Love & Light Leadership Podcast Companion Journal. 

The Love & Light Leadership Podcast is humbly sponsored by EMSight Global—helping leaders embrace holistic intelligence and the whole-person approach to change. Learn more at EMSightGlobal.com. 🐘💖🧠

In Episode 4 of Love & Light Leadership, Dr. Phenessa explores how love is not just a virtue—it’s a leadership framework. Drawing from Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 13, she unpacks why love is the foundation of trust, resilience, and transformation in leadership.

Through Scripture reflection, bold affirmations, and a practical leadership strategy, you’ll discover how love shows up in real-world leadership:

💡 Why love in leadership is not weakness but a strategic advantage

💡 How the Greek expressions of love (Agape, Philia, Storge, Pragma, Eros) apply to leadership and conflict resolution

💡 Practical ways to build trust, create psychological safety, and lead with courage and compassion

This episode also includes a calming Moment to Breathe (4–4–6 rhythm), a Heart–Mind Check journaling prompt, and a prayer to help you embody love in your leadership practice.

If you’ve ever wondered how to balance compassion with accountability, or how to lead with both strength and grace, this episode will equip you to lead with love that transforms.

👉 Listen now and learn how to Love Bold, Live Lit, and Lead Forward.

📝As a thank-you gift for listening, access my Love & Light Leadership Podcast Companion Journal, bit.ly/love-lightleadershipjournal.

🎧 Subscribe on iHeart Radio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube: youtube.com/@LoveLightLeadership

💖 Support this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast--6730707/support

Discover how the ninefold Fruit of the Spirit can transform your leadership from the inside out. In this episode, Dr. Phenessa Gray unpacks Galatians 5:22–23 through the The Mirror Bible and The Message Bible, showing how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control aren’t separate virtues but one integrated character produced by the Spirit.

You’ll learn:

1) How each “fruit” shapes your heart posture, relational flow, and inner strength as a leader

2) A practical “Fruit Pause” exercise to cultivate one trait each day

3) Research-backed reasons why character-based leadership builds trust and resilient cultures

4) A guided breathwork segment to help you embody patience, gentleness, and self-control in real time

5) A journal prompt to anchor these traits in your daily leadership practice

Whether you’re leading a team, a community, or your family, this episode equips you to lead from overflow rather than depletion — turning your leadership into nourishment for others.

Listen now and start growing the fruit that feeds gentle leaders.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast--6730707/support.

(00:00:00) Episode 2 Introduction

(00:02:09) Anchor Scriptures: Matthew 11:28 and Mark 6:31

(00:04:33) This Week's Affirmation: "Rest is not weakness - it is wisdom. I lead best when I lead from rest."

(00:04:34) Reflection

(00:05:08) Reflection

(00:07:14) Related Leadership Strategy: Resource Conservation Theory and Sustainable Leadership Theory

(00:08:20) Moment to Breathe: 4-4-6 Breathwork Exercise

(00:10:18) Heart-Mind Check & Journal Prompt

(00:11:03) Call-to-Action: Block in your calendars a self-meeting just for rest.

(00:11:48) Prayer

(00:13:31) Closing

In this episode of the Love & Light Leadership Podcast, Dr. Phenessa challenges the hustle‑driven mindset and reframes rest as a core leadership discipline — not a luxury.

Through Scripture, leadership theory, and practical application, you’ll discover how Jesus modeled rest as a rhythm, not a reward, and why modern research confirms that intentional pauses protect clarity, compassion, and capacity.

In this episode, you’ll experience:
 
🙏 A grounding Scripture reflection on Matthew 11:28 and Mark 6:31.
💡 An affirmation to help you lead from overflow, not depletion.
📊 Eye‑opening statistics on absenteeism, presenteeism, burnout, and mental health in today’s workplace.
📚 Insights from Resource Conservation Theory and Sustainable Leadership Theory that prove rest fuels long‑term influence.
🛠️ A step‑by‑step strategy for embedding rest into your leadership rhythm.
📝 A Heart–Mind Check and journal prompt to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Whether you lead a library, a nonprofit, a classroom, or a corporate team, this episode will equip you to normalize God‑ordained pauses and create a culture where rest fuels excellence.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to make rest your leadership advantage.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast--6730707/support.

Episode 1 – Leading from Love: God, YOU, and Others Anchor Scripture: Matthew 22:37–40

In this first episode of Love & Light Leadership, Dr. Phenessa lays the foundation for leadership that flows from the greatest commandment—loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and loving your neighbor as yourself. You’ll discover why authentic leadership begins with receiving God’s love, extends to caring for yourself well, and overflows into how you guide and serve others.

Through Scripture reflection, bold affirmations, a practical leadership strategy, a calming breath moment, and the 30-second Heart–Mind Check journaling prompt, you’ll be equipped to lead with grace, courage, and truth.

If you’ve ever wondered how to balance compassion with strength, or how to lead without losing your light, this episode will help you start from the only place that truly sustains—love.

👉 Listen now and learn how to Love Bold, Live Lit, and Lead Forward.

As a thank-you gift for listening, access my Love & Light Leadership Podcast Companion Journal. 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast--6730707/support.

You’ve been told you’re too soft. Too sensitive. Too much heart for the hard edges of leadership. But here’s the truth — your light is your leadership.

In this special trailer episode, Dr. Phenessa A. Gray introduces the Love & Light Leadership Podcast — a weekly breath of scripture, strategy, and soul care for faith-driven professionals who want to thrive in work, life, and God’s calling.

Discover how to anchor your vision, protect your leadership wellbeing, and lead with clarity, courage, and compassion in a world that’s constantly shifting. Each Sunday, you’ll receive biblical wisdom, practical leadership tools, and moments of reflection to help you love bold, live lit, and lead forward.

If you’ve never fit the world’s mold of leadership, this is your invitation to embrace the way God designed you to lead — with both strength and grace.

✨ New episodes weekly — for deeper connection, exclusive resources, and a like-hearted community, join the Love & Light Leadership Movement. Support the podcast here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast–6730707/support. 


As a thank-you gift for listening, access my Love & Light Leadership Podcast Companion Journal.

Welcome to the Love & Light Leadership Podcast—where leadership is more than strategy and skill; it’s about loving boldly, living lit, and leading forward with grace and courage. In this first episode, Dr. Phenessa A. Gray shares the heart behind the podcast and how faith, emotional intelligence, and holistic well-being guide the journey of authentic leadership. You’ll explore what it means to lead from the inside out—building character, nurturing resilience, and influencing others through light-filled, faith-focused leadership.

This episode includes a Moment to Breathe, a grounding practice to center your heart and mind, along with a scripture reflection, affirmation, and journal prompt to help you begin leading with clarity and purpose. Whether you’re navigating workplace challenges, building stronger teams, or striving to live and lead with intention, this podcast will inspire you to shine brighter and guide others with compassion and truth.

✨ New episodes weekly — for deeper connection, exclusive resources, and a like-hearted community, join the Love & Light Leadership Movement. Support the podcast here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-light-leadership-podcast–6730707/support. 

As a thank-you gift for listening, access my Love & Light Leadership Podcast Companion Journal. 

The Love & Light Leadership Podcast is sponsored by EMSight Global—helping leaders embrace holistic intelligence and the whole-person approach to change. Learn more at EMSightGlobal.com.