Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Joining us this week is worship leader turned viral comedian Heather Land. After growing up in the shadow of her mother’s decades-long addiction, Heather reflects on how this painful season—alongside her unexpected shift from the worship stage to the world of comedy—taught her that while our paths may take unforeseen turns, our core calling to encourage and uplift others remains constant.
Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Rachel Kessler, an Episcopal priest and Kenyon College chaplain who completed her PhD in medieval studies at the University of Toronto before pivoting to seminary after hitting academic burnout, then built a following as the “Nerdy Priest” on TikTok after a student secretly downloaded the app on her phone.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Cole Arthur Riley
Upcoming interview: Dude Perfect

Heather Land
@heatherland_iaintdoinit
Heather Land’s books

Rachel Kessler
“Nerdy Priest” on TikTok
Harcourt Parish Episcopal Church
Rachel Held Evans
www.nerdypriest.com

Interview Quotes:
“It was challenging growing up in addiction. I think when you’re young, you don’t necessarily know what’s going on. You hear your family talking about it or you know it in theory, but you don’t know how to piece it together.” - Heather Land
“When you’re in addiction, codependency is just alive and well. And I think it makes the best of people act extremely erratically and say things they don’t mean.” - Heather Land
“I asked [my mom] one time, ‘What keeps you sober now?' And without hesitation, she said, ‘This time, I finally decided to stop living in shame.’” - Heather Land
“I went through a little season where I really questioned my faith. I had a lot of doubt. I think I was undoing some messed up theology that I needed to deconstruct. This was no surprise to God.” - Heather Land
“When you’ve had a certain life for fourteen years or however long, and then you find yourself walking into the unknown, it is very scary.” - Heather Land
“When we doubt God and we’re like, ‘I don’t know about this,’ He’s like, ‘Well, hang on, I’ve got something up My sleeve!’ I just think that's such a beautiful story of who God is and how faithful He is.” - Heather Land
“There is something to be said for the habits of faith when we’re not necessarily feeling that deep connection to God, for just still showing up.” - Rachel Kessler
“My online platform as ‘The Nerdy Priest’ really is just an authentic representation of who I am.” - Rachel Kessler
“I think you get burnt out in ministry when you are focusing on the ends as opposed to the means. It is so easy to get caught up in writing a good sermon or making a good post that goes viral and getting the engagement. What’s so critical is staying grounded in the truth.” - Rachel Kessler
“What I came to realize is that there aren’t rules on how we are meant to relate to Jesus. Through ritual, through the traditions of the church, those are the ways that I communicate with Jesus.” - Rachel Kessler
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7
Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx
Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU
Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ
Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb
Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37
Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh
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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.*
Today we’re joined by author and speaker Sarah Jakes Roberts, who invites us to rethink what true strength looks like—shifting from building a tolerance for the world’s noise to finding stillness in our calling. From stepping back from social media to anchoring identity in daily prayer, Sarah shares the liberating truth she discovered when she finally hit “mute” on the digital world.
Next, we hear from human rights defender Timothy Cho, who recounts his harrowing escape from North Korea. He recounts the oppression and lies that were leveled at him from an early age and the moment he was labeled a traitor in his own country, driving his daring escape to experience the freedom truth brings, and how he now advocates for others to find their own freedom.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Cyntoia Brown-Long
Upcoming interview: Heather Land

Sarah Jakes Roberts
Woman Evolve
2 Corinthians 12:9
www.SarahJakesRoberts.com
The Power in Surrender

Timothy Cho
Tumen River
Timothy Cho’s Instagram

Interview Quotes:
“Strength is not our tolerance for whatever comes our way. It is our ability to stay focused regardless of what comes our way.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“Coming to a place where you can admit that I don’t have to be strong enough takes so much pressure off of yourself.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“My gratitude becomes more magnified because I realized just how unworthy I am, and how good God has been in allowing me this space and opportunity.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“When we talk about trying to figure out our identity in Christ in a world that is so noisy, we have to be the one to turn the volume down. You have to remember that you hold the remote control. At any given moment, you can hit mute. And in the process of hitting mute, you have to be willing to confront some of those voices that exist within our own head.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“Our identity is constantly being developed, and we get to decide whether we allow it to be formed by digital algorithms or by words from God, affirmations that come from stillness and prayer.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“Connecting with God daily allows us to be rooted and anchored in such a way that when we show up to the world, we’re not asking the world to tell us who we are.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts
“I asked God, ‘If you are really there and you give me freedom, I will give my life to you.’” - Timothy Cho
“Arriving in a democratic country, a free country, I thought it was the end. What I didn’t realize was that it was the beginning of another part of the journey.” - Timothy Cho
“I was [able to] fight back against a wave of darkness and trauma. In my desperation and screaming out and tears, I would keep hearing, ‘Son, I love you, I love you, I love you.’” - Timothy Cho
“We are facing a lot of hatred in this world at the moment. But hatred never [wins]; only love can overcome all of this hatred.” - Timothy Cho
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7
Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C
Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj
Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u
What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj
Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY
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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from Butch Hartman, the animator and creator behind Nickelodeon’s biggest shows, including The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom. Butch grew up in a chaotic household in Michigan, where television and comic books served as his primary escape. This early passion eventually led him to California’s top animation school and then to a long career at Nickelodeon. Today, we’ll hear why he walked away after nearly twenty years at the network to start his own studio.
Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Matt Cooper, a country artist from Jacksonville, Florida who turned the worst year of his life into a number one radio single. After losing his mother to cancer, Matt found himself white-knuckling his grief, until a late night group therapy session cracked something open and sent him home to write a song in a single hour that would change everything.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Jimi Cravity
Upcoming interview: Sarah Jakes Roberts

Butch Hartman
CalArts
The Garden - Cartoon created by Butch Hartman

Matt Cooper
“Good God” - song by Matt Cooper
“Highs and Lows” - song by Matt Cooper

Interview Quotes:
“I was [at Nickelodeon] for a lifetime, and I thought it’s time to go build a new life somewhere else with my own way to do this.” - Butch Hartman
“There are millions of people out there that will never go into a church, but they’ll hold a screen in their hand and they’ll watch something. So it’s my job as a producer and a showrunner and a studio head to make sure that whatever goes on that screen is uplifting and is good for people’s souls and their spirit.” - Butch Hartman
“There are kids out there I will never meet, but I know that the content I’m producing is going to somehow affect their life in a positive way for the Lord.” - Butch Hartman
“We have to be very wise about the decisions we make, especially when it comes to entertainment, because it lives forever.” - Butch Hartman
“I think it’s really hard, especially as a man, to deal with grief, because you try to white knuckle everything as a dude.” - Matt Cooper
“I’m a big believer in therapy. It was really, really great for me. It was a way for me to talk through the emotions that I had just been hiding a lot.” - Matt Cooper
“I wrote my song 'Highs and Lows' in one hour. It was the fastest song I ever wrote. And that was the first sense of like finding music as a way of dealing with my grief.” - Matt Cooper
“I think the biggest thing that I’ve taken away from grief is that I understand more of the love of the Father than I ever had in my life.” - Matt Cooper
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes: https:/bit.ly/3zvjbK7
Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C
Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj
Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u
What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj
Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY
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Connect with Jesus Calling
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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this deeply honest conversation, Erin Kerry opens up about living with PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder—and the labels that once defined her. As a nutritionist and health coach, Erin shares how she moved from shame and self-limiting beliefs to a place of healing, hope, and wholeness.

Guest’s Links
YouTube: @erinbkerry
Facebook: @ErinBKerry
Instagram: @sparkingwholeness

Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/44xz2Xs
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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dr. Jim Burns, founder of HomeWord, returns to the Jesus Calling Podcast to discuss how parents can navigate the heartbreak of estrangement with their adult children. He offers advice on avoiding self-blame, communicating without unsolicited criticism, and prioritizing healthy boundaries.
Later, neuroscientist Dr. Joshua W. Brown shares how a terminal brain tumor diagnosis at age thirty sparked his interest in investigating how faith practices and prayer contribute to healing. Using his scientific training, he describes seeing cases that medical professionals cannot explain, exploring how healing may happen beyond the scope of traditional treatment.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Brooke Envick
Upcoming interview: Butch Hartman

Dr. Jim Burns
Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out - Book by Dr. Jim Burns
When Your Adult Child Strays: Trading Heartache For Hope - Book by Dr. Jim Burns
Reconnecting with Your Estranged Adult Child: Practical Tips and Tools to Heal Your Relationship - Book by Tina Gilbetson

Dr. Joshua W. Brown
Global Medical Research Institute
Proving a Miracle: Unlocking the Power of Prayer to Heal - Book by Dr. Joshua W. Brown

Interview Quotes:
“I say to people whose kids are just moving into adulthood: ‘Number one, you’re fired as a day-to-day parent. You have to give the kid the passport to adulthood.’” - Dr. Jim Burns
“Mentors don’t necessarily give advice, they give advice when they’re asked.” - Dr. Jim Burns
“I say to parents all the time, take the lead, but take the lead with love. Take the lead with kindness.” - Dr. Jim Burns
“There are very few estrangements where we don’t need the help of counsel. We need somebody coming alongside us to give us insight, especially with estrangement, because we don’t know what to do.” - Dr. Jim Burns
“So the tightrope that you walk is you show love, you practice kindness, you expand the relationship to not just be a one-topic parent. And in doing that, you can embrace your child and love your child.” - Dr. Jim Burns
“I think the bottom line with a lot of people, a lot of adult children, is they’re asking one question, ‘Do you still love me?’” - Dr. Jim Burns
“If you hope for nothing, you are protected from being disappointed. And so hope has a cost to it. I was starting to see people, right in front of me, experience healing through this kind of prayer ministry. And so that gave me some degree of hope that there was at least something going on there that was worth pursuing.” - Dr. Joshua W. Brown
“If you spend your time praying, thinking about God, thinking about His goodness, thinking about how He loves you and cares for you, your brain cells will become more responsive to those thoughts over time.” - Dr. Joshua W. Brown
“Can what we believe, or our prayers for example, lead to mind-body effects that can have effects on actually reducing pain?” - Dr. Joshua W. Brown
“As with food, you are what you eat. And I think the same principle applies spiritually and even psychologically [as to] the things that you spend time thinking about.” - Dr. Joshua W. Brown
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7
Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C
Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj
Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u
What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj
Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY
________________________
Connect with Jesus Calling
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Pinterest
YouTube
Website
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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.