#45 - Following the Call - From Silicon Valley to Service with Jen Smith

#45 - Following the Call - From Silicon Valley to Service with Jen Smith

Do you ever feel a quiet tug that there's something more, even when life looks good on paper? JJ Smith spent decades building a career in Silicon Valley, from public relations to cybersecurity, riding the highs of startups and IPOs alongside her husband. But beneath the wins, she kept sensing God tugging at her heart for something else. What started with a brochure for an orphanage in Russia turned into years of ministry, a chance lunch that planted a seed, and eventually a full pivot into International Justice Mission, where she now helps fight human trafficking and slavery around the world. JJ's story is proof that God moves in small steps, not just big leaps, and that the same skills you built in your career might be exactly what He wants to use for something greater. In this conversation they cover: - Leaving ambition culture behind without giving up your gifts - How a single brochure and a simple yes changed the course of JJ's life - What it looks like when God closes doors so you can walk through the right one - The work International Justice Mission does to fight trafficking and slavery worldwide - Practical ways anyone can get involved, from prayer to giving to advocacy - Finding purpose in your second act, whatever season you're in 📌 Learn more about International Justice Mission: IJM's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ijm/ IJM's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalJusticeMission/ IJM's Website: https://www.ijm.org/ The Second Mountain by David Brooks: https://a.co/d/0bpjROlA 📌 Connect with Kimberly Milo / Room at the Table Email: Roomatthetableforyou@gmail.com 📌 The Heart Posture Collective → https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly The Heart Posture Collective is an online community built by James and Trisha Fenimore (Christian Speakers, Authors, Ministry partners, and Mentors) that focuses on helping believers live their faith- not just show up at church on Sunday. Believers gather for coursework, daily devotionals and live events- all of which are recorded if you miss them. You also get real access to Trisha & James as your coaches. It's been genuinely transformative for a lot of people. Go check it out! If this episode encouraged you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs to hear it today, and leave a rating or review. It helps this show reach more people looking for hope and purpose. Because there is always room at His table! #faithandcalling #purposedrivenwork #careerandfaith #listeningtoGod #followthecall #steppingintopurpose #thesecondact #justiceministry #globaljustice

#44 - Free At Last with Jen Savage

Have you ever tried to out-perform your way into God's approval, only to end up terrified you're still not doing enough? In this episode of Room at the Table, Kimberly Milo sits down with Jen Savage, a registered nurse who spent years trapped in a cycle of fear, obsession, and control disguised as faith. Jen grew up in the Bible Belt with a deep reverence for scripture, but underneath it was a mind wired for OCD long before she ever had the diagnosis. Combine that with a fear-based, performance-driven version of Christianity, and Jen found herself consumed by intrusive thoughts about sin, hell, and whether she was really saved, a cycle so overwhelming it led her into suicidal ideation during college. Her story is a raw look at what happens when mental illness and religious legalism collide, and what it took for her to finally find the real gospel of grace. In this conversation they cover: - Growing up in a fear-based, rule-driven church environment and mistaking control for faith - Living for years with undiagnosed OCD and how it fused with her spiritual life - The suicidal ideation she battled in college and the moment a friend intervened - Reading Ephesians 2 in 2019 and the instant she understood salvation by grace, not works - Getting free from suicidal thoughts the moment she met the real Jesus, and pursuing OCD therapy and medication afterward - How to tell the difference between a healthy church and one built on fear and control - Why "Jesus plus anything else" is not the gospel, and what that means for how we read scripture Jen's testimony is proof that questioning what you were taught is not a betrayal of faith. Sometimes it is the only way to actually find Him. There is room at His table, even when you feel unfixable. 📌 Connect with Jen Savage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jennifersavage/ Website: https://www.iamsavedbyjesus.com/ 📌 Connect with Kimberly Milo / Room at the Table Email: Roomatthetableforyou@gmail.com 📌 The Heart Posture Collective → https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly The Heart Posture Collective is an online community built by James and Trisha Fenimore (Christian Speakers, Authors, Ministry partners, and Mentors) that focuses on helping believers live their faith- not just show up at church on Sunday. Believers gather for coursework, daily devotionals and live events- all of which are recorded if you miss them. You also get real access to Trisha & James as your coaches. It's been genuinely transformative for a lot of people. Go check it out! Did you enjoy this episode? Follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use this encouragement today! ...there is room at His table. #OCDandChristianity #faithdeconstruction #healthychurch #religioustrauma #toxicchurch #Christianlegalism #Jesusplusnothing #mentalhealthandfaith #falsedoctrine #Biblebelt #Christiandiscernment

#43 - Grace & Gratitude; Embracing God’s Provision with Shannon Smith

What do you do when the life you built with someone is suddenly cut in half? In this episode, Kimberly sits down with longtime friend Shannon Smith, just three and a half months after the sudden loss of her husband Morgan. On a Monday morning in early December, Morgan went to the gym feeling fine and was gone by the end of the day, the result of a congenital brain malformation no one knew was there. Shannon walks through that day in detail: the chaplain who met her at the emergency room doors, the pastor who happened to have lunch on the calendar with Morgan that very afternoon, the friends and neighbors who showed up before she even had to ask. She talks honestly about raising two daughters through grief, about the difference between leading with logic and leading with feeling, and about choosing gratitude on purpose, even on the hard days. This is a conversation about grace that shows up exactly when you need it, and about what it looks like to keep your faith intact when everything else falls apart. In this conversation they cover: - The morning everything changed, and the small moments Shannon now recognizes as God's providence - Why the grace people extend during grief should be the same grace we extend all the time - Raising daughters with different grief styles, one led by logic and one led by emotion - The decision to donate Morgan's organs and the honor walk that followed - How community and church family carried Shannon's family through the hardest weeks - What Shannon wishes she could tell anyone facing sudden loss - Why she believes there is room at the table for grieving people too 📌 Connect with Shannon Smith: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonleesmith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eshannonlee/ Morgan Smith GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/0aa8d4a02 Konrad Reuland Foundation Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4yzx88qZ1k Morgan’s Celebration of Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqQ7bX9tL_A 📌 Connect with Kimberly Milo: Email: roomatthetableforyou@gmail.com 📌 The Heart Posture Collective → https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly The Heart Posture Collective is an online community built by James and Trisha Fenimore (Christian Speakers, Authors, Ministry partners, and Mentors) that focuses on helping believers live their faith- not just show up at church on Sunday. Believers gather for coursework, daily devotionals and live events- all of which are recorded if you miss them. You also get real access to Trisha & James as your coaches. It's been genuinely transformative for a lot of people. Go check it out! If this episode encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it. Leaving a review helps more people find their way to the table. ...there is always room at His table! #RoomAtTheTable #KimberlyMilo #GriefAndFaith #ChristianPodcast #FaithJourney #SuddenLoss #GodsProvidence #ChooseGratitude #ChristianWomen #HopeInGrief

#42 - From Witchcraft to Christ with Luna Escribano

What happens when you spend 20 years building a religion around yourself, and it still leaves you empty? Luna Escribano tried it all. Witchcraft, yoga, shamanism, channeling, past life regression, goddess work, Reiki, Kundalini, Wicca, and dozens more. She wasn't dabbling. She was all in, running workshops, leading women, writing a channeled book, and genuinely believing she was doing good. But underneath the seeking was a woman who couldn't outrun her own emptiness, no matter how deep she went. Then Jesus showed up. In this conversation they cover: - Why the New Age is essentially a DIY religion built around self - How yoga, astrology, numerology, and other "harmless" practices are connected to something deeper - What it felt like to be 20 years into seeking and still not have peace - The moment Luna encountered Jesus in the middle of a shamanic journey - How radical conversion changed how she mothers, relates, and sees herself - What she wishes Christians understood about people still in the New Age - Her challenge to anyone skeptical: try Jesus only, for 30 days 📌 Alabaster Ministry https://paypal.me/AlabasterMinistryAU Alabaster Ministry is a Bible-based ministry sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, discipling women, and helping those leaving the New Age find healing and growth in Him. All work by donations. 📌 Find Luna Escribano: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alabaster_ministry/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lunaescribanopereira Website: https://www.alabasterministry.org/ 📌 Connect with Kimberly Milo: roomatthetableforyou@gmail.com 📌 The Heart Posture Collective → https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly The Heart Posture Collective is an online community built by James and Trisha Fenimore (Christian Speakers, Authors, Ministry partners, and Mentors) that focuses on helping believers live their faith- not just show up at church on Sunday. Believers gather for coursework, daily devotionals and live events- all of which are recorded if you miss them. You also get real access to Trisha & James as your coaches. It's been genuinely transformative for a lot of people. Go check it out! If this conversation moved you, share it with someone still searching. Subscribe, leave a review, and help more people find the table. There is always room at His table! #Transformation #FromDarknessToLight #SpiritualAwakening #NewAgeDangers #FaithOverFear #BiblicalTruthAfterNewAge #RedemptionStory #ChristianPodcast #FindingPeaceInChrist #NewAgeToChristianity #ExposingNewAge #FreedomInChrist

#41 - About His Business with James Fenimore

📌 The Heart Posture Collective → https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly [https://theheartposturecollective.com/?via=kimberly] The Heart Posture Collective is an online community built by James and Trisha Fenimore (Christian Speakers, Authors, Ministry partners, and Mentors) that focuses on helping believers live their faith- not just show up at church on Sunday. Believers gather for coursework, daily devotionals and live events- all of which are recorded if you miss them. You also get real access to Trisha & James as your coaches. It's been genuinely transformative for a lot of people. Go check it out! 📌 Connect with James Fennimore: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejamesfenimore/ [https://www.instagram.com/thejamesfenimore/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejamesfenimore [https://www.facebook.com/thejamesfenimore] James Fenimore Website: https://www.thejamesfenimore.com/ [https://www.thejamesfenimore.com/] About His Business White Paper: https://www.thejamesfenimore.com/white-paper [https://www.thejamesfenimore.com/white-paper] James’ Devotional Book The Playbook, Volume 1: a 90-Day Game Plan to Elevate Your Faith on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06vhL9nD [https://a.co/d/06vhL9nD] 📌 Connect with Kimberly Milo: roomatthetableforyou@gmail.com What does it actually look like to bring your faith into the workplace without forcing it on anyone? James Fennimore has spent decades building businesses, coaching executives, and leading teams and he'll tell you the biggest shift wasn't a strategy. It was surrendering control and putting Christ at the center of everything. James is a certified executive coach, licensed Christian counselor, co-founder of the Heart Posture Collective, and author of The Playbook devotional. He joins Kimberly to talk about why compartmentalizing your faith is a recipe for burnout, and what it looks like to stop running your business and your life on your own strength. In this conversation they cover: - How James went from scaling businesses in New York to building a Christ-centered coaching practice in Florida - What the Heart Posture Collective is and who it's for - The devotional The Playbook and how it was born and what makes it different - The KINGDOM Framework: a practical guide to living out your faith at work - Why "marketplace ministry" starts at the desk next to yours - Obedience over outcomes and what that costs in the real world - How to spread the gospel with confidence, even if you're not a preacher If this conversation stirred something in you, subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. There is always room at His table. #roomatthetable #KimberlyMilo #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndBusiness #MarketplaceMinistry #KINGDOMFramework #ChristianCoaching #ThePlaybook #HeartPostureCollective #JamesFennimore #ChristCentered #BusinessAndFaith #ChristianEntrepreneur #FaithAtWork #ExecutiveCoach