Are you, as a ministry leader or parent (or both), looking for relief from the daily demands of leading? Are you worn down, near empty, or feel like you are being held captive to a schedule that offers no mercy? The daily weight of leading in ministry or at home is heavy and draining. And as our guest this month so wisely puts it, “Adapting to an empty tank is not only dangerous, but arrogant. It’s not just that you lead on an empty tank; you willfully acknowledge you are empty and depleted, and you push through and lead anyway.”

On this episode of the M2P podcast, the team is live at the D6 Conference in Orlando, where we welcome our friend, author, speaker, and disciple-maker Marianne Howard to pull up a chair and have a refreshing conversation about rest. The concept and the importance of rest are often looked down upon in our culture, which celebrates busyness as success in leadership. But, as Marianne reminds us, “To lead from a place of rest, we must live from the daily practice of intimacy. God’s primary call on our life is not ministry; it’s intimacy. Intimacy is remaining in that close, dependent relationship with Jesus Christ. Abiding is the most important aspect of a leader’s life because authentic leadership is an overflow of satisfaction in God.” Through our conversation with Marianne, we discuss her new book Rest: Overcoming Spiritual Fatigue and how we can all learn to step into experiencing the rest that God offers and that we so desperately need. Don’t miss this conversation as we spend some time talking about the concepts in the book and encouraging you to make spending intentional, restful time with the Lord a normal part of your rhythm of life.

This month, we dive into an issue that we all know is at the forefront of child and adolescent development: the question of identity. Kids, teens, and even parents often struggle to embrace an identity that is rooted in their relationship with God. Instead, we frequently feel like we need to perform, achieve, or earn any love or acceptance, and we have great difficulty settling into an identity rooted in our relationship with God. In this episode, Sass, Kerry, and Amy discuss this struggle for identity and how we can help the kids, teens, and parents in our ministry embrace an authentic identity that will sustain them for a lifetime.

Our digital world can be complicated, frustrating, and even incredibly dangerous. But one thing is certain: it’s not going away anytime soon. The constant innovation, proliferation, and saturation of technology in the lives of our kids and teens is why ministry leaders must know how to better lead and equip parents to navigate this ever-changing space. On this episode of the M2P podcast, the team is joined by our friend and parent ministry expert, Brian Housman, to discuss some of the specific issues that arise in parents navigating technology alongside their kids and teenagers.

Brian is an influential voice in helping ministry leaders and parents discern how to guide their kids and teens to have a good perspective and healthy habits. He has traveled the world to teach and equip families since 1993 and currently serves as the Director of 360Family in Memphis, TN. Brian is also the founder of Screen Smarts, which is a revolutionary tool designed to help encourage and equip parents each week in just six minutes. Brian is a prolific writer for parenting magazines, most notably Parenting Teenagers, Homeschooling Today, and Parent Life. He has written four books: How You Always Meant to Parent, Engaging Your Teen’s World, Tech Savvy Parenting, and Raising Responsible Teens in a Digital World. Brian has been featured as a “parenting expert” (whatever that is) on more than sixty radio shows and TV programs, including FOX, ABC, and NBC affiliates. You can keep up with Brian and all he has going on through Instagram (@brianhousman) or Twitter (@BWHousman).