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Stillness Under Siege: Finding Rest Under Impossible Pressure
Posted on: Tuesday July 07, 2026

Free Resource: Craft a Rule of Life for Emotionally Healthy Leaders → emotionallyhealthy.org/rule

In 2004, I stood in front of a building we couldn't afford to renovate, a staff team with the wrong people in the wrong seats, and a list of problems that all traced back to my own failures as a leader. I thought about resigning. I thought I'd taken the church as far as I could.

Most of us know that feeling. Not enough hours. Not enough margin. Not enough emotional or spiritual energy for one more thing. And under that kind of pressure, we get reactive, anxious, driven.

This week, I go back to 701 BC and a king named Hezekiah, surrounded by the most powerful army in the world, with no way out. What he does under that siege is still exactly what we need today. Four practices, not theory, that show you how to find rest when the pressure won't let up.

This isn't about managing your calendar better. It's about what you do the moment the walls close in.

Listen now, and grab the Rule of Life resource above to start building this into your own life.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Archives:
Tuesday March 05, 2019

In part one of this new series, Pete explores the first and most important characteristic of a church culture that deeply changes lives – a slowed down spirituality. This is a church culture where people refuse to allow a hurried world to set the pace for their lives but instead live by rhythms that are slower and more deliberate. They set aside time each day to immerse themselves in Scripture, silence, and solitude, which are foundational practices for their communion with Jesus.

Download free e-book: Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday February 26, 2019

In this 4th and final episode of a sermon series on the life of Jacob, Pete observes the life of Jacob in contrast to his son Joseph. One lived as if all things were against him. The other lived knowing God was for him even in difficult circumstances. How might you be living?

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday February 19, 2019

In "Hard Lessons from the Life of Jacob: Part 3" Pete shares how Jacob finally faced his most difficult conflicts, became crippled in the process, but was changed by God.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

 

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday February 12, 2019

Tension. Distress. Difficulty. Pressure. Do these adjectives describe some days in your leadership? In Part 2 of "Hard Lessons from the Life of Jacob" Pete shares how God met Jacob in the mess, strain and conflict of his leadership. God is there to do the same in our own difficult leadership days.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday February 05, 2019

Jacob offers us a rich study of leadership. While he was richly blessed by God – chosen, destined to greatness, and deeply loved – he struggled to rest in that reality. In Part 1 of this series, Pete unpacks the lessons of Jacob's exploitation of Esau to ensure he gets God's blessings for the future.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday January 29, 2019

Jesus' challenge to the leaders in his day, found in his sermon in Matthew 23, is so biting and sharp that some interpreters have wondered if these words are authentically Jesus'. They are. In this podcast, Pete breaks down Jesus' challenge into 5 categories and shares how it applies to us today.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday January 22, 2019

Pete invites you into his personal journey of slowly breaking patterns and behaviors of overfunctioning. After considering the examples of Moses and Martha as classic overfunctioners, he lays out the three steps he took to stop overfunctioning.

 

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday January 15, 2019

When we cross the line into "fixing" our ministries instead of leading them forward to greener pastures, we are overfunctioning. Pete invites you to listen to Geri's reading of the audio version of an outstanding chapter out of The Emotionally Healthy Woman called "Quit Overfunctioning." By the time you finish, it will make sense why quitting overfunctioning is foundational to leadership.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

 

 

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Tuesday January 08, 2019

In part 2 of this podcast series, Pete explores four additional goals we frequently overlook in our leadership. To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

 

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference


Wednesday January 02, 2019

Setting priorities as a Christian leader is one of our most challenging and difficult tasks. If we get it right, fruitfulness and joy follow. If we get it wrong, feelings of failure and misery follow. This podcast (Part 1 of 2) will consider, in detail, the most frequently overlooked priority and goal of our leadership.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

   

  

A leadership formation intensive for pastors and leaders. Grow in practical EHD skills such as incarnational listening, clean fighting, and understanding your family of origin to build honest, life-giving relationships rooted in the love of Jesus.


Learn more about the EH Global Leader Conference 2026: emotionallyhealthy.org/conference