Masi is back! We recorded this one in our Christmas pajamas from Deep Woods Refuge, and it's less like a podcast and more like two friends processing life over coffee. We started with a question I think about every holiday season: everyone's singing about peace on earth, but how do I get peace on me?

We talked about the difference between positional peace (knowing where we stand with Jesus) and practical peace (the day in, day out kind when things are a total cluster of mayhem). I shared about my dad, a man I would describe as a person of peace, and how he made it a practice of his life to be unoffendable. Not because he didn't have reasons to be offended, but because he cared more about his peace than he did about his point.

Masi walked us through the Peace Index and we landed on people, place, and purpose... and how assessing those things can help us show up differently this season. If you're heading into the holidays with a lot of opinions converging around one table, this one's for you. Life is hard, but God is good and He is making everything beautiful in its time. Peace.

Chapters

00:00 | Christmas Pajama Crossover

04:08 | Positional vs. Practical Peace

07:06 | Navigating Family Dynamics at Holidays

10:49 | Assessing Your Peace: The Five P's

14:02 | Building a Support System

16:06 | Evaluating Your Relationships

20:26 | Creating Your Ideal Space

24:10 | Understanding Your Purpose

27:45 | Understanding Identity Beyond Titles

32:03 | Embracing Transformation and Growth

35:19 | Identifying Your Unique Gifts and Purpose

38:12 | Intersecting Gifts and Heartbreak for Purpose

41:24 | The Power of Love and Connection

43:19 | Understanding the Peace Index

44:22 | Setting Boundaries for Inner Peace

45:52 | Choosing Peace Over Points

46:51 | Celebrating Encouragement

46:53 | Navigating Grief During the Holidays

48:31 | The Beauty of Giving

49:58 | Life's Hardships and God's Goodness

Masi's Website: https://www.masiwillis.com/
The Lead Like You Mean It Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lead-like-you-mean-it-with-masi-willis/id1826446460
Masi On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masiwillis/

What happens when you become empty nesters and realize you need less house and more... something? In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing the full story of our recent move, from endless house showings and a fallen-through contract to eating Chinese food on the floor and discovering what my soul was really crying out for.

This isn't just a story about downsizing or real estate. It's about what happens when God takes your practical plans and invites you into something much bigger. It's about learning that refuge isn't passive, it's active. And it's about taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.

Whether you're in your own season of transition, feeling a low-grade restlessness you can't quite name, or wondering if it's okay to need something different than what you currently have, I hope this episode will encourage you to trust God's timing even when it makes absolutely no sense in the moment.

We'll have one more holiday episode airing in mid-December, and that will round out 2025's episodes. We'll look forward to seeing you in 2026!

This is a very special crossover episode airing on both the Everything Made Beautiful podcast and Masi Willis's Lead Like You Mean It podcast. Masi is one of my longest friends (we're talking almost 30 years), and this conversation is one of my favorites.

As we head into Thanksgiving, we knew we wanted to talk about gratitude, but not in the superficial way our culture often does during November. Instead, we get honest about what it looks like to practice gratitude when the holidays bring as much pain as they do promise. We talk about the gaps... the empty chairs, the relationships that aren't what we hoped, the seasons that feel more heavy than celebratory.

Masi and I both share vulnerably about our own Thanksgiving realities this year, the grief we're carrying, and how we're choosing gratitude as a daily formation rather than a seasonal performance. We also dig into how leadership coaching has transformed both of our lives, helping us know ourselves and lead ourselves well before we can truly lead others.

If you're walking into this season with a full heart or a broken one, or both at the same time, this conversation is for you. Pain and promise can coexist, and they don't have to be hopeless.

Chapters

00:00 | Introduction to the Crossover Episode

05:20 | Navigating Emptiness During the Holidays

09:08 | The Role of Faith in Gratitude

12:32 | Coexisting Pain and Promise

16:51 | Entitlement and Gratitude in Life

20:27 | The Importance of Care in Communication

24:51 | Celebration as a Communication Code

28:38 | The Importance of Celebration and Affirmation

32:28 | Hope and Purpose in Daily Life

34:51 | Influential Leaders and Their Impact

36:37 | Excellence in Leadership

37:37 | The Role of Mentorship

39:53 | Wisdom in Decision Making

42:36 | The Power of Feedback and Affirmation

43:58 | Embracing Authenticity in Leadership

45:24 | Navigating Triggers and Personal Growth

47:20 | The Ongoing Journey of Self-Improvement

49:38 | The Role of Coaching in Personal Development

52:57 | Gratitude and Vulnerability in Relationships

54:50 | Finding Peace Amidst Life's Challenges

Masi's Website: https://www.masiwillis.com/
The Lead Like You Mean It Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lead-like-you-mean-it-with-masi-willis/id1826446460
Masi On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masiwillis/