EMB EP48 | Return to Jesus: An Invitation to Abide with Jen Thompson

I sit down with author Jen Thompson to discuss her book "Return to Jesus: An Invitation to Abide with Him in Every Beautiful, Stressful or Tedious Moment." This conversation is for every woman who feels overcommitted before her feet hit the floor in the morning.

Jen opens up about what prompted her to write the book... that post-pandemic season when life went from zero to 100 mph and she desperately wanted to carry the lessons of stillness into the chaos. We dive into what it really means to abide with Jesus throughout ordinary, overwhelming, and mundane moments rather than compartmentalizing our faith into just the "holy" parts of life.

The heart of our conversation tackles the plague of overcommitment that so many women face. Jen shares practical wisdom about taking your calendar before the Lord, learning to say no without explanation, and why scheduling "no plans days" might be the most counter-cultural thing you can do. We explore why our worth often gets tangled up in our productivity and how saying yes to everything might be robbing someone else of their opportunity to serve. Jen vulnerably shares about her own struggle with shame and how Jesus meets us exactly where we are - no cleaning up required. We discuss why the voices telling us to get ourselves together before coming to God sound nothing like how our Father actually speaks to us.

Whether you're drowning in expectations, numb with busyness, or simply trying to figure out how to meet with Jesus in your current season of life, this conversation offers hope, practical tools, and the reminder that you are seen, loved, and held by God in every moment.

Chapters

00:00 | Introduction and the Cost of Writing

02:59 | The Heart Behind 'Return to Jesus'

06:02 | Abiding in Busy Seasons of Life

12:33 | Navigating Overcommitment and Saying No

18:44 | Meeting Jesus in Ordinary Moments

22:07 | The Impact of Shame on Our Relationship with God

26:39 | Disrupting Patterns for an Eternal Perspective

27:23 | Disrupting the Mundane: Finding Spiritual Rhythms

30:40 | Seasons of Restoration: God’s Work in Our Lives

37:03 | Recognizing and Embracing Life's Seasons

40:47 | An Invitation to Grace: You Are Seen and Loved

44:01 | Designing Your Perfect Day: A Reflection on Joy

Jen's Website: http://www.jenthompsonauthor.com
Jen's Blog: http://www.trulyyoursjen.com
Jen's Facebook: facebook.com/trulyyoursjen
Jen's Instagram: instagram.com/trulyyoursjen
Jen's Podcast: https://jenthompsonauthor.com/the-podcast
Jen's Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/