Ep 28 | Balance Is a Myth — Or Is It? How to Thrive in Seasons of Press and Rest

Ep 28 | Balance Is a Myth — Or Is It? How to Thrive in Seasons of Press and Rest

Show Notes If this conversation is stirring something in you and you want to go deeper — we want to go there with you. Join us at the 2026 Pray Without Ceasing Conference on August 15th in Buena Park, CA.  Details and registration are linked below! Register today:  https://praywithoutceasing2026.eventbrite.com [https://praywithoutceasing2026.eventbrite.com/] Episode Overview Is work-life balance even real — or is it something we've been chasing that doesn't exist? In this episode, I get honest about my own journey from a 60-hour work week grind that landed me in the hospital, to learning that balance isn't a destination — it's a rhythm. If you've ever felt guilty for pushing hard in a season, or struggled to give yourself permission to rest, this conversation is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode * Why balance isn't a myth — but it does fluctuate with the seasons of your life * How to recognize whether you're in a season of press or a season of rest * What grind culture gets wrong and why self-reliance can quietly push God out * Practical strategies for being present during rest so your brain actually shuts off * Why you don't have to be afraid of missing God — He knows how to find you Balance Comes in Seasons Audrey shares a candid story — from managing at 25, working 60+ hours a week as a single woman, to ending up in the hospital after years of operating in the extremes. She reflects on how marriage, motherhood, and career transitions each shifted what balance looked like, and why that's not failure — it's wisdom. Seasons of Press When it's time to push, here's how to do it without losing yourself: * Guard against grind culture, which quietly breeds self-reliance and can crowd out your dependence on God * Set clear expectations for yourself and the people around you * Accept that it will be hard — and stay laser focused on the end goal * Be intentionally present in the moments that matter most  "Unless the Lord builds a house,     the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city,     guarding it with sentries will do no good. 2 It is useless for you to work so hard     from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat;     for God gives rest to his loved ones." — Psalm 127:1–2 NLT Seasons of Rest Rest doesn't just happen — it has to be intentionally protected: * Put vacation on the calendar  * Take mini-rest breaks daily — step outside, eat lunch away from your desk, and actually disconnect * Don't check email or bring your laptop. When you do, your brain stays in work mode * Plan a buffer day before returning to work — unpack, meal prep, and prepare your household * Block the first half of your first day back for emails and task triage, not meetings You Won't Miss God Are you afraid to rest because you might miss what God is calling you to do?  "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'" — Isaiah 30:21 NKJV Scriptures Referenced * Psalm 127:1–2 NLT  * Isaiah 30:21 NKJV  Reflection Questions 1. What season are you currently in — press or rest? 2. Are there areas of your life where you've been operating in the extremes? 3. What would it look like to be intentionally present in your rest this week? Connect with Us 🌐 praywithoutceasingministries.com [https://www.praywithoutceasingministries.com] 📧 hello@praywithoutceasingministries.com [hello@praywithoutceasingministries.com] 📲 @AudreyTShelby "Pray without ceasing." — 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Ep 27 | Leading From a Healed Place: Practical Steps to Lead with Confidence and Faith Part 2

SHOW NOTES Last week, in Healing the Leader Within: How Trusting God Transforms the Way You Lead, we explored what it looks like to let God heal us as leaders so we can lead more effectively. We named three executive trauma responses that signal we may be leading from a place of unresolved pain — and this week, we move from awareness to action: how do we actually begin to heal? A Quick Recap: Three Trauma-Driven Leadership Patterns 1. Hyper-Controllership — Micromanaging, resisting delegation, and reacting aggressively to mistakes, often rooted in a deep fear of vulnerability. One of the most common trauma-driven leadership barriers. 2. Workaholism — Compulsive overworking that numbs emotional pain and avoids self-reflection. It stalls spiritual growth, blocks intimacy with God, and leads to burnout for you and your team. What would happen if you actually slowed down? 3. Impaired Decision-Making — Unprocessed trauma disrupts stress regulation, leading to short-term, fear-driven choices instead of innovative, Spirit-led solutions. Effective Christian leadership requires a clear mind and a healed heart. Anchor Scripture "So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help." — Isaiah 30:18 (NLT) Faithful means completely reliable, steadfast, and unwavering. Scripture affirms this truth about God again and again:  *  1 Corinthians 1:9: God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  *  1 Thessalonians 5:24:  God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.  *  2 Timothy 2:13: If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.  *  Hebrews 10:23: Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.  How Do We Begin to Heal? Five Practical Steps 1. Build Your Relationship with God Relationships grow through time spent together — and your relationship with God is no different. Invite Him in. Make space for just you and Him. It's okay to start small: 15 minutes a day is enough to begin. Try setting a timer to stay intentional — time moves fast, and a timer helps you stay present and focused. 2. Build Your Support System We don't heal alone — we heal in connection with others. * Pray and ask God to bring people into your life who love Him and will be good friends to you. * Map your current connections (an ecomap exercise): other parents at school, sports/hobbies, neighbors, work colleagues, church family, or a professional network like Bestiepreneurs Network [https://www.instagram.com/bestiepreneurs.network/], which connects business women and entrepreneurs through monthly meetups. * Is there someone who's already reached out to you, but life got busy? Set the intention to reconnect — a walk, a coffee, a phone call, facetime. Connection doesn't have to cost money. 3. Seek Professional Support Healing isn't meant to happen in isolation. Take an honest assessment of where you are, and don't be afraid to invite professional support from a therapist along the healing journey. 4. Build Trust in God Through Reading His Word Scripture reveals who God is. Books of the bible like Isaiah, Psalms, and John 10:10 remind us of His character and His promises. 5. Remember God's Faithfulness What has God already brought you through? This week's challenge: write out 10 ways God has been faithful in your life. Let it become a testimony you return to when leadership feels heavy. Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.“ Listen now to hear the full conversation on what it means to lead from a healed place — and start your own journey toward leading with confidence and faith. Connect with the Show 🌐 Website: www.praywithoutceasingministries.com 📧 Email: hello@praywithoutceasingministries.com 📱 Instagram: @AudreyTShelby

Ep 26 | Healing the Leader Within: How Trusting God Transforms the Way You Lead

Show Notes What if the greatest barrier to your leadership effectiveness isn't your strategy or your team — but your unhealed wounds? Many leaders in the public and private sector are leading from a place of brokenness, wondering why their spiritual growth feels stalled and their impact feels limited. The truth is, it's very hard to pour out something you don't have. Research shows that 70% of adults experience trauma in their lifetimes — which means a significant majority of leaders are carrying unresolved pain directly into their organizations, their teams, and their decision-making. In this episode, we go beneath the surface of professional performance to explore what happens when leaders stop drawing closer to God and start relying solely on their own strength. Drawing from her own leadership journey, Audrey shares how rejection, perfectionism, and the need for control quietly shaped the way she led — and how surrendering to God's healing process changed everything. If you've ever felt like you were running on empty, masking your stress, or leading from a cracked cup — this episode on trusting God and whole-person healing is for you. What You'll Hear in This Episode * Why unresolved trauma is one of the most overlooked barriers to effective leadership * A transparent look at how unhealed wounds show up as poor boundaries, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and burnout in leadership * The three most common Executive Trauma Responses — and how to identify them in your own leadership style * Why control feels like safety and what it's actually costing your spiritual growth * How drawing closer to God begins not with a giant leap of faith, but with small, consistent steps in prayer * A personal story of what shifted when she stopped managing the chaos alone and began trusting God with her healing, and ultimately experiencing God’s faithfulness. Key Scripture for Leaders Psalm 25:2 (AMP) "O my God, in You I have unwavering trust and I rely on You with steadfast confidence. Do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed; do not let my enemies triumph over me." Trusting God with your healing as a leader starts with anchoring yourself in His Word. Drawing closer to God through scripture and prayer is not a passive act — it is an essential leadership discipline. The 3 Common Executive Trauma Responses A foundational step in your spiritual growth and leadership development is honest self-awareness. Ask yourself — do you recognize any of these patterns in the way you currently lead? * Hyper-Controllership — Micromanaging, resisting delegation, and reacting aggressively to mistakes, often rooted in a deep fear of vulnerability. This is one of the most common trauma-driven leadership barriers. * Workaholism — Using compulsive overworking to avoid self-reflection and numb emotional pain. This pattern stalls spiritual growth, blocks intimacy with God, and leads to burnout for you and your team. What would happen if you actually slowed down? * Impaired Decision-Making — When unprocessed trauma disrupts stress regulation, leaders default to short-term, fear-driven choices instead of innovative, Spirit-led solutions. Effective Christian leadership requires a clear mind and a healed heart. Don't make a long-term decision based on short-term circumstances. How Trusting God Transforms Your Leadership Drawing closer to God doesn't require having it all together. It requires honesty. When you bring your unhealed pieces to God in prayer — the fear, the pain, the need for control — He meets you there. Trusting God with your healing is not a one-time decision; it is a daily practice that deepens your spiritual growth and reshapes the way you lead. You don't have to come to God perfect. He wants to heal you where you are broken. And it doesn't matter who broke you — God can and will heal you. Your Homework from This Episode This week, take these four steps toward healing and leadership wholeness: * Review the three Executive Trauma Responses above and identify the one most present in your current leadership. * Pray — Ask God to reveal where the root of that behavior is coming from. This is spiritual growth in action. * Write down one area of your career that you have been carrying on your own. * Pray over that area every day this week — not just once. Ask God for strategy, strength, and peace. That's what it means to pray without ceasing. Resources Mentioned 📖 Pray Without Ceasing: 31 Days in Prayer by Audrey Shelby Available everywhere books are sold. → Grab your copy today [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pray-without-ceasing-audrey-tousant-shelby-msw/1145633992] Connect with the Show 🌐 Website: www.praywithoutceasingministries.com 📧 Email: hello@praywithoutceasingministries.com 📱 Instagram: @AudreyTShelby

Ep 25 | Stop Searching for Your Purpose — You'll Never Find It Without God

Show Notes You've been told to "follow your passion," "find your why," and "live your best life." But what if every framework you've been handed has kept you running in circles — because it left God out of the equation entirely? About This Episode In this episode of Leading from Wholeness, we get honest about the one truth the world won't tell you: you cannot find your purpose without God. That empty feeling you keep trying to fill with achievements, relationships, shopping, and busyness?  Only God can fill it. We walk through what Scripture says about purpose, identity, and direction — and we give you a practical, God-honoring framework from the John Maxwell Leadership Bible to help you gain the clarity you've been desperately seeking. Ecclesiastes 2:1-10 (NIV) Solomon — the wisest and wealthiest man who ever lived — tried it all. Pleasure, projects, possessions, prestige. And his conclusion after every pursuit? Vanity. Emptiness. Meaningless. If Solomon couldn't find fulfillment in external things, neither can you. And neither can we. What We Cover in This Episode 1. You cannot find your purpose without God.  Purpose isn't discovered through personality tests, career pivots, or self-help books. It's revealed through relationship with the One who created you. 2. Only God can fill that void. The things you're using to numb the emptiness — stuff, scrolling, status — are substitutes for the only thing that will actually satisfy: God Himself. 3. God already knows His plans for you. Before you were formed, your purpose was established. You don't have to create it — you have to seek the God who holds it. 4. Ephesians 1 reminds us who we are in Jesus Christ. Chosen. Adopted. Redeemed. Sealed. Your identity isn't a question to answer — it's a truth to receive. When you know whose you are, your purpose becomes clear. "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Ephesians 1:4 (NIV) The John Maxwell Decision-Making Checklist for Clarity of Purpose Drawn from the John Maxwell Leadership Bible, this five-question framework helps you evaluate opportunities and commitments through the lens of purpose — so you can say yes to what God has called you to and confidently release everything else. Ask yourself these five questions: * Is this consistent with my priorities? * Is this within my area of competence? * Can someone else do this better? * What do my trusted friends and mentors say? * Do I have time to do this well? Purpose doesn't demand you do everything — it demands you do the right things. These questions are filters, not fences. Use them to protect your assignment. Ask. Seek. Knock. Matthew 7:7 gives us the divine posture for finding purpose. It's not passive — it's active pursuit in partnership with God. Ask Bring your questions, confusion, and desires to God in prayer. He invites your honesty. Seek Actively pursue God through His Word, community, and quiet listening. Purpose is found in proximity to Him. Knock Step forward in faith. Take the next obedient step even before you see the full picture. Reflection Questions for This Week * What have you been using to fill the void that only God can fill? * When you read Ephesians 1, which identity statement resonates most deeply with where you are right now? * Run one current commitment through the Maxwell checklist. What does it reveal? * What is one step you can take this week to Ask, Seek, or Knock? Scriptures Referenced Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 Solomon's search for fulfillment in earthly things — and why it all fell short. Ephesians 1 Your God-given identity: chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed. Matthew 7:7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Resources Mentioned John Maxwell Leadership Bible A leadership-focused study Bible with practical frameworks for decision-making and calling. Ready to Live Life on Purpose? Join us at the 2026 Pray Without Ceasing Conference — August 15, 2026, DoubleTree Hotel, Buena Park, CA. Themed "Live Life on Purpose," this is the room where women come to get whole. Register for the Conference [https://www.praywithoutceasingministries.org]   Connect with Us Email: info@thestrategicvision.com [info@thestrategicvision.com] Instagram: @AudreyTShelby Website: www.praywithoutceasingministries.com [http://www.praywithoutceasingministries.com]

Ep 24 | The Lie Every High-Achieving Christian Woman Believes: "I Don't Need Help"

If this conversation is stirring something in you and you want to go deeper — we want to go there with you. Join us at the 2026 Pray Without Ceasing Conference on August 15th in Buena Park, CA.  Details and registration are linked below! Register today:  https://praywithoutceasing2026.eventbrite.com [https://praywithoutceasing2026.eventbrite.com/] SHOW  NOTES You’ve worked hard to get here. You know how to figure things out. But asking for help can feel like admitting defeat — or confirming the voice that says you don’t belong. This episode unpacks why high-achieving women resist asking for help, what it costs them, and what Scripture says about the body we were always meant to be part of. Anchor Scriptures “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you.”  — Romans 12:2 NLT   “In his grace, God has given us different gifts… We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”  — Romans 12:4–6 NLT   “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good… All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”  — 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11 ESV   Part 1: The Transformation Condition Romans 12:2 has a condition most of us skip: then you will know — but only after transformation. We cannot fix ourselves. The trap is waiting to “get it together” before going to God. He is the one with power to make us new, and the renewing of our minds is an ongoing surrender, not a one-time event.   REFLECT:  Where are you trying to fix yourself before coming to God? What would it look like to come to Him as you are?   Part 2: I Got the Seat — And I Was Terrified After 3 years I became an executive — 65 people, 5 programs, 7 direct reports, nearly $4M in government contracts — and immediately thought: I can’t do this. I was too proud and too insecure at the same time to ask for help. I wanted the power. God wanted to give me purpose. When we submit to Him, He doesn’t just grant our desires — He changes them.   FOR THE HIGH ACHIEVER:  Pride says ‘I’ve got this.’ Insecurity says ‘but they’ll find out I don’t.’ Both will keep you from asking for the help you need.   Part 3: You Were Not Built to Do This Alone Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 say the same thing in two voices: different gifts, one body, for the common good. Your gaps are not flaws — they are invitations to interdependence. Someone else’s strength is not a threat to yours. Blind spots are where the little foxes get in; where you don’t know you’re weak, you won’t know where to partner.   * CliftonStrengths identifies your gaps and helps you pair strategically with others * Monday Morning Leadership (David Cottrell) — a book club that shifted a team from management to mentorship   LEADERSHIP INSIGHT:  Insecurity asks ‘What if they see what I can’t do?’ Maturity asks ‘How do I build a strong team where I’m weak?’ The second question builds organizations.   Part 4: The Cost of Not Asking Burnout You were never designed to carry it all. Burnout is not weakness — it’s the inevitable result of operating outside God’s design for the body. Confusion When you lack capacity but won’t admit it, there’s no clear path forward. You stay stuck — not because you’re not smart, but because you won’t ask. Spiritual Depletion Leading from your own strength instead of leaning on God and the people He placed around you leaves you empty. You can’t pour from a vessel that refuses to receive.   Closing & Reflection Asking for help is not weakness — it’s the posture of someone who understands how God designed the body and trusts Him enough to live inside that design. * Where are you operating in pride disguised as self-sufficiency? * What gift in someone around you are you unintentionally suppressing? * Are you leading from wholeness — or from fear? * What is one area where you could ask for help this week — and actually do it? Resources  * Romans 12:2–16 NLT   1 Corinthians 12:4–13 ESV * Monday Morning Leadership — David Cottrell * CliftonStrengths — gallup.com/cliftonstrengths   Gallup Strengths Podcast Connect with Us Email: info@thestrategicvision.com [info@thestrategicvision.com] Instagram: @AudreyTShelby Website: www.praywithoutceasingministries.com [http://www.praywithoutceasingministries.com]