


In this episode of the Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast, Pete Scazzero challenges pastors and leaders with a simple yet radical invitation: "Do the work before the work."
This is more than a productivity principle. It's a call to integrity—where your outer leadership flows from your inner life with God. Through a compelling reflection on Jesus' own rhythms of solitude, limits, and Spirit-led decisions, Pete explores how the greatest threat to your leadership may not be your church, your staff, or your context—but your own unexamined inner life.
You'll hear the ancient tale of The Woodcarver, brought to life through Thomas Merton's lens, and discover how it mirrors the kind of inner work Jesus modeled in the wilderness.
If you've ever felt the pressure to perform, the pull of others' expectations, or the pace of a life without margin, this episode offers a pathway back to wholeness—and a leadership that's both fruitful and free.

⏰ DAILY OFFICE STARTER GUIDE - The Daily Office is an ancient practice to help you stop 2 - 3 times a day to quiet yourself and be with Jesus. https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/dailyoffice
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For most leaders, success is based on numbers, influence, and impact. But the life of Elijah teaches us something different.
On today's podcast, we continue our journey in Part 2 of The Power of a Hidden Life: Leadership Lessons from Elijah.
We'll explore a profound truth often overlooked in leadership: before we stand on large platforms or lead others, our inner life with God must be well-rooted and established. Elijah's story in 1 Kings 17-19 reveals that God shapes leaders in the quiet, hidden places—like the cave—long before the public victories.
We'll dive into Elijah's time of hiddenness, fed by ravens and a widow, as God worked in his soul. These hidden seasons are critical because they teach us to lead from a place of deep connection with God, not simply from activity or impact. Elijah teaches us that success is about discerning the voice of God, not the pressures of Western values.
Take a deep breath, let God care for you, and allow His abundance to overflow into every part of your life!

✅ DAILY OFFICE STARTER GUIDE - The Daily Office is an ancient practice to help you stop 2 - 3 times a day to quiet yourself and be with Jesus. https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/dailyoffice
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In today's chaotic and disorienting world, where leaders face intense challenges, Elijah's life offers us profound wisdom.
Whether you lead a ministry, organization, or family, Elijah's hidden life with God speaks to the core of how we navigate leadership in tumultuous times.
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah faced overwhelming exhaustion, fear, and disillusionment after pouring out his heart in service to God. As a fugitive, fleeing from Jezebel's threats, he reached his breaking point—ready to give up entirely. It's here, in the wilderness, that God met him in a way that transformed his leadership and life.
God didn't fix Elijah's problems immediately or offer a grand inspirational speech. Instead, He invited Elijah into the stillness and silence in the cave at Mount Horeb.
In today's podcast episode, we'll reflect on how entering our own "caves" of silence can transform not only our leadership but also our relationship with God.

Many Christians are familiar with the practice of a daily "quiet time".
But with the speed and volume of our often overscheduled lives, one short moment a day isn't enough to sustain an abiding life with Jesus.
Today's episode is a continuation of an 8-week podcast series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to start the journey toward emotional and spiritual health, this series is a must-listen.

In today's episode, we'll discover that it's in silence that we learn to pay attention to what God is birthing in and through us.

In today's podcast, Pete introduces the elements of one way to move from traditional devotions to transformative devotions through the integration of the practice of the Daily Office.

Pete talks about the ancient practice of the Daily Office as one powerful means to carve out sufficient time to be with Jesus and to be with ourselves – out of which we go and offer our lives as a gift to the world. This is not a superficial being simply to stay functional but to a deep waiting on Jesus – a life with deep stillness and silence that serves to center our leadership. He also breaks down one of his morning prayer times as a sample (being fully aware that each of us needs to find our own way) and leads a short Daily Office.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.