Podcast - Emotionally Healthy Discipleship

How to Find God in Unexpected Places: The Examen for Today

Posted on: Tuesday May 12, 2026

Most of us were trained to look for God in the big moments — the breakthrough, the open door, the dramatic call. But what if God is most consistently present in the ordinary moments we rush past every day?

In this episode, I want to share a 500-year-old practice that has quietly transformed my leadership, my marriage, and my relationship with God. It's called the Examen — and I believe it may be the single most underused tool in the modern pastor's spiritual formation toolkit.

I'll take you through the history of this practice, born out of the life of Ignatius of Loyola — a soldier brought low by a cannonball who discovered that God speaks through our interior movements. I'll share the 2-question version you can start today, and the fuller 4-movement practice the Jesuits have done twice a day for five centuries.

This isn't theory. I'll be honest with you about the years I spent pushing past the heaviness in my chest — misreading desolation as something to overcome rather than something to hear. What I missed cost me. You don't have to miss it too.

The Examen interrupts the cycle of leading from wounds and repeating old patterns. It teaches discernment, not just decision-making. And it begins with just two questions.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

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Showing 51 to 60 of 385 Podcasts

Tuesday July 09, 2024

How to Transition Well from Your Endings into New Beginnings

✅ [FREE E-BOOK] LeaderSHIFT: 8 Pivotal Breakthroughs of Emotionally Healthy Leaders https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/leadershift

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Loss, change, and transition are all around us.

Yet, one of the lesser-known practices of emotionally healthy leadership is learning how to let go and transition from one season to the next. Throughout our lives there are countless endings and new beginnings that invite us to pay attention:

Closing a chapter of life, Leaving one church and joining a new one, Starting a new job or role, Moving away or into a new home, Changing relationships, Succession and release of leadership

In every transition, there are gifts waiting to be discovered if we are able to slow down and reflect in gratitude. When we rush through transitions, giving little thought to what is happening, we actually miss out on the hidden ways God is trying to come to us.

In this podcast, I explore this theme further and share insights on how we can navigate transitions well.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

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Tuesday June 25, 2024

Rethinking What It Means to Be a Pastor or Leader in 2024

✅ How Healthy is Your Leadership? Take this short and free quiz to find out. //

https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/leadership-assessment/

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Churches have all kinds of expectations of pastors and church leaders. There is a certain pressure that you must be able to cast vision, teach and preach, lead and inspire staff and volunteers, build teams, and keep ministry momentum in all areas.

The problem? Everything on this list is EXTERNAL. Very few churches and pastors see their INTERNAL life with God as part of their job description.

For this reason, we must become increasingly serious about leading from a deep inner life with God (not just gifting and skill).

On today's podcast, I will share some of what I've been sharing with many pastors. How we should design every part of our lives (rest, work, prayer, and relationships) around the love of God.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday June 11, 2024

Emotionally Healthy Parenting, Pt. 2: Four Ways to Make a Lasting Impact

🎯 SKILLS FOR FAMILIES: Learn a powerful 5-part conversation tool and teach your family.
https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/community

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It's time we dispel a myth...there are NO perfect parents.

Geri and I have been parenting for 39 years, and we are still learning as we go. Every age and stage of life presents opportunities and challenges. The key is to continue in the direction of good parenting, even if you make mistakes along the way.

Today, Geri joins me for part two of a podcast where we explore one of the most challenging leadership tasks on earth – emotionally healthy parenting.

Together, we cover 4 critical parenting issues:

Why YOU are your child's biggest problem (and what to do about that)
How to create a SAFE environment in your home
Why CONNECTION is more important than rules
The importance of knowing your POWER with your children

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday May 28, 2024

Emotionally Healthy Parenting, Pt. 1: A Radical Approach to a Difficult Task

🎯 SKILLS FOR FAMILIES: Learn a powerful 5-part conversation tool and teach your family.
https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/community

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Today, we're tackling a relatively untouched topic on the podcast.

Parenting.

Why parenting on a leadership podcast? Among your many roles as a leader, one of the most important (and difficult) relationships is parents and children. The truth is – whether biological, adopted, or spiritual children, we all are called to raise up the next generation.

The reality is – without deep inner work and awareness, parents always repeat exactly as they were parented. You will parent the same way unless you intentionally change your family pattern.

You've heard the Proverb, "Train up a child in the way they should go." (Proverbs 22:6) Emotionally healthy parenting says, "Train up a parent in the way he or she should go."

Today is part one of a two-part series on the longest-lasting relationships you will lead in your entire life. This is for parents with kids of all ages - infant, adolescent, teenager, and adult.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday May 14, 2024

7 Qualities of an Emotionally Healthy Church Board

🎯 FREE TEAM TRAINING: Grow a healthy team culture with our team transformation videos
https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/team

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One of the most difficult and nuanced callings is serving as a board member of a church or ministry. This role is both legal and spiritual, affecting the entire church culture. Very few are trained to do it well.

Sadly, often it is only after a crisis or scandal that people realize the "Board" was not really functioning, trained, or doing what they were entrusted to do.

But the truth is – that healthy, thriving, flourishing churches have healthy, thriving, flourishing boards.

In today's podcast episode, I outline the 7 must-have qualities for building an emotionally healthy board. When your board gets these 7 things right, everyone in your church wins for the long haul.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday April 30, 2024

How (and How Not) to Choose Your Next 3 and 12 Disciples

📺 FREE WEBINAR: Develop High-Impact Leaders in Your Church
Get a roadmap to disciple the next generation of leaders. Register for the next webinar:
https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/highimpact/

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Pastors and leaders want to make an exponential impact for Jesus.

We often spend our energy on what will affect the most amount of people. So we prepare cutting-edge weekend services, craft sermons for large groups, publish social posts that we hope will have a viral reach, all while squeezing in time for people when we can.

But when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he focused his time on a few. In fact, he turned the world upside-down by concentrating his ministry on 12 men!

In today's podcast, I answer common questions like "How do I choose just 3 or 12 disciples?", "Who should I be looking for? (and, who should I avoid?), and "What do I actually do with them?"

This is not easy and fast work, but when we get this right, the church will be transformed.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday April 16, 2024

5 Relationships Every Leader Needs to Flourish

✅ How Healthy is Your Leadership? Take this short and free quiz to find out. // https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/leadership-assessment/

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The quality of the people who surround you will determine the success of your leadership. Because there is undeniable loneliness in leadership, it is ever more important that we evaluate our relationships on a regular basis.

Sadly, far too many pastors and leaders choose to go it alone, or surround themselves with foolish counsel (in the form of wrong relationships)

That's why in today's podcast, I explore the five types of relationships you need in your life in order to flourish as a leader or pastor.

Honestly, I wish I had this list 30 years ago. It would have saved me from confusion, foolish decision-making, and unnecessary isolation!

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday April 02, 2024

The Loneliness of Leadership

✅ FREE EMOTIONAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT: In 15 Minutes, Discover How Emotionally Mature You Are

https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/mature

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In this episode, we explore a topic that's as old as leadership itself: the loneliness that often accompanies the role of leadership.

From the slowness of change to the weight of difficult decisions, from the sting of criticism to the ache of betrayal, leadership can often feel like a solitary journey. But we can take heart because all throughout the Scriptures leaders have grappled with this very same loneliness.

And yet, loneliness can become destructive when it turns into isolation.

In today's episode, I share 4 critical steps that leaders must take to navigate loneliness while remaining healthy and whole.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday March 19, 2024

Staying Steadfast Through the Fires of Leadership

📣 FREE E-BOOK: 8 Practices of Emotionally Healthy Preaching & Teaching 🌟
Learn the essential practices to deliver sermons with depth and power.
https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/preaching

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Leadership is a crucible through which God is changing YOU into a new kind of person. Throughout your leadership journey you will be taken through a series of fires or tests from God that exists to purify you from the inside out.

In today's podcast, I share about the many tests you WILL encounter if you haven't already. If you are not prepared for these tests, you will stumble and drown in discouragement. If you are prepared for these tests, you will be transformed into the image of Christ.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Tuesday March 05, 2024

The Secret Ingredient that Unlocks a Radical Church Community

A course won't change your church.
Neither will a book, a podcast, or a sermon series.

So the question is, how do people truly change?

This is a question every pastor and leader needs to answer. Over the years of my pastoral ministry, and even today, one thing I've noticed is how often we UNDERESTIMATE the personal time, presence, and intentionality it takes to disciple people into transformation in Jesus.

True change is slow because it is relational. Change does not happen on an assembly line.

Over the past several weeks on the podcast, I've shared with you the importance of reclaiming a spacious life - one that is not rushed, crammed, or overscheduled. Many leaders are coming to understand this as it relates to their PERSONAL life and walk with God.

But today I want to share with you about creating spaciousness for OTHERS. I believe it's the secret ingredient our churches need to experience deep communal fruitfulness.

Reserve your spot at our upcoming Global Leaders Conference.
September 30 – October 1, 2026
14th St. Salvation Army, NYC
(Live Spanish Translation available)

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

Play Download Share

Showing 51 to 60 of 385 Podcasts

Preaching for Transformation: 8 Vital Skills You Need

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