Episode 7: Learning to Lose

Episode 10 Made to Matter

Do I matter? Most of us don’t ask the question directly, but it sits underneath far more of our lives than we realize. It’s why success feels so satisfying. Why failure feels so personal. Why comparison is so exhausting. Why criticism can linger for days. We’re all searching for value, worth, purpose, and significance. In this episode, Dustin continues the By Design series by exploring Ephesians 2 and what Scripture teaches about our identity. Before Jesus, we were spiritually dead and separated from God. Through His grace, we are made alive, rescued, restored, and remade as His workmanship. In This Episode * Why the search for significance drives so much of our lives * What Paul means when he says we were “dead in our trespasses” * The difference between finding identity and receiving identity * What it means to be saved by grace through faith * Why God’s grace is displayed through ordinary, imperfect people * How your flaws, failures, and limitations do not disqualify you from being used by God * Why every follower of Jesus is a masterpiece on display Key Passage Ephesians 2:1–10 Links / Resources Buy Me a Coffee [http://buymeacoffee.com/dustinkleinschmidt] The Wilderness Way Book: [https://a.co/d/7tX3sSI] Finding freedom in life’s fractures The Wilderness Way Workbook [https://a.co/d/dxNeO7P] For individual reflection or group study. DustinKleinschmidt.com [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Learn more about resources and upcoming projects. dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching] Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership. You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season. Music: Wilderness Worship Collective IN WILD DAYS OUT NOW [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/inwilddays] Available now on all streaming platforms. Recent Podcast Appearances Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way. SOUL SENSE PODCAST [https://youtu.be/cW18wH8rdJ4?si=4cVSWk9ET0FJ0_M6] FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH [https://freshhopeformentalhealth.com/] LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/conversations/life-after-ministry] Connect If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story. Website [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Social Media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dustinkschmidt/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.kleinschmidt] | YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt]

Episode 9: Faithfully Fragile

Strength isn’t the goal. In a world that constantly pushes us to be more capable, more put together, and more in control, this episode flips that assumption on its head. What if the life God designed us for doesn’t come through strength—but through surrender? Looking at 2 Corinthians 4, this conversation explores the tension between how we define success and how Jesus actually forms us. Weakness, limitation, and struggle aren’t obstacles to spiritual growth—they’re often the very place it happens. Description Most of us are trying to become stronger versions of ourselves. More disciplined. More certain. More in control. But what if that instinct is actually working against us? In this episode, we explore the idea that we weren’t designed to be strong in the way we think—we were designed to be dependent. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4, this message reframes weakness, suffering, and limitation not as problems to solve, but as part of how God forms us. The Apostle Paul describes our lives as “jars of clay”—fragile, ordinary containers carrying something extraordinary. And that’s the point. This episode unpacks three key ideas: * Fragility frames our focus (it keeps the attention on God, not us) * Fragility isn’t fatal (there’s hope even in pressure and pain) * Fragility forms us (it deepens our dependence and trust) If you’ve been feeling the tension between who you thought you’d be by now and where you actually are… If you’re tired of trying to hold everything together… If you’re wondering why following Jesus doesn’t feel like “winning”— This episode is an invitation to stop trying to be the strong one… and start learning how to trust the One who is. What This Episode Is About * Why our definition of strength often works against spiritual formation * The tension between cultural success and the way of Jesus * What Paul means by “treasure in jars of clay” * How weakness actually reveals God’s power * Why suffering isn’t meaningless—and isn’t final * The difference between trying harder and surrendering more Scripture Referenced * 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 Links / Resources Buy Me a Coffee [http://buymeacoffee.com/dustinkleinschmidt] The Wilderness Way Book: [https://a.co/d/7tX3sSI] Finding freedom in life’s fractures The Wilderness Way Workbook [https://a.co/d/dxNeO7P] For individual reflection or group study. DustinKleinschmidt.com [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Learn more about resources and upcoming projects. dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching] Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership. You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season. Music: Wilderness Worship Collective You Are There [https://youtu.be/wxFcsmUHpIU] Light & Love [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] My Heart Sings [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available now on all streaming platforms. Song Stories / Devotionals [https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com/] Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs. Chord Charts [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs. Recent Podcast Appearances Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way. FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH [https://freshhopeformentalhealth.com/] BLEEDING DAYLIGHT [https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-u4q95-1a6e404] LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/conversations/life-after-ministry] Connect If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story. Website [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Social Media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dustinkschmidt/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.kleinschmidt] | YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt]

Episode 8: Jesus is Enough

What this episode is about We spend a lot of time paying attention to what’s happening around us. Cultural shifts. Moral confusion. A growing sense that things are moving away from the way of Jesus. But Scripture points us somewhere unexpected. In Colossians 2, Paul warns that the greater danger isn’t just what’s happening outside the church—it’s what can quietly take root within us. Ideas, assumptions, and ways of thinking that sound spiritual but slowly pull us away from the simplicity of the gospel. This episode explores: * Why distraction—not just opposition—is the real threat to spiritual life * How we subtly add to Jesus and dilute the gospel * The danger of spiritual “mixtures” (faith + control, faith + performance, faith + identity) * What it means to be rooted and established in Christ * Why Jesus is not a part of your life—but the center of it Key idea Jesus is enough. When we add to Him, we lose sight of Him. When we trust Him, we discover we lack nothing. Scripture referenced * Colossians 2:8–15 * Ezekiel 36:25–27 * Romans 12:1–2 Links / Resources Buy Me a Coffee [http://buymeacoffee.com/dustinkleinschmidt] The Wilderness Way Book: [https://a.co/d/7tX3sSI] Finding freedom in life’s fractures The Wilderness Way Workbook [https://a.co/d/dxNeO7P] For individual reflection or group study. DustinKleinschmidt.com [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Learn more about resources and upcoming projects. dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching] Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership. You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season. Music: Wilderness Worship Collective You Are There (New Single) Out April 10 Light & Love [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] My Heart Sings [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available now on all streaming platforms. Song Stories / Devotionals [https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com/] Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs. Chord Charts [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs. Recent Podcast Appearances Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way. FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH [https://freshhopeformentalhealth.com/] BLEEDING DAYLIGHT [https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-u4q95-1a6e404] LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/conversations/life-after-ministry] Connect If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story. Website [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/] Social Media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dustinkschmidt/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.kleinschmidt] | YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt]

Episode 7: Learning to Lose

What this episode is about At the core of the human experience is a desire for comfort and control.   We want to follow Jesus—but we also want our lives to make sense. We want things to work. We want to feel like we’re moving forward and that our faith is producing results we can see and measure.   But Jesus offers a very different framework.   In Matthew 16, He says that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow. Not as a call to self-rejection, but as an invitation to let go of control and trust Him with our lives.   This episode explores: * Why we instinctively try to control our lives—even while following Jesus * How we build “kingdoms within His Kingdom” to protect comfort and predictability * The difference between consuming faith and actually following Jesus * What Jesus means by denying ourselves and taking up our cross * Why trying to save our lives often leads to more anxiety, not less * How surrender becomes the pathway to real life Key idea Following Jesus is not about trying harder—it’s about surrendering control. Buy Me a Coffee [http://buymeacoffee.com/dustinkleinschmidt] Wilderness Way Resources The Wilderness Way Book: [https://a.co/d/7tX3sSI] Finding freedom in life’s fractures The Wilderness Way Workbook [https://a.co/d/dxNeO7P] For individual reflection or group study. DustinKleinschmidt.com [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com] Learn more about resources and upcoming projects. Coaching dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching] Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership. You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season. Music: Wilderness Worship Collective My Heart Sings (New Single) [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available now on all streaming platforms.   Light & Love [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] The first single from the upcoming album   Song Stories / Devotionals [https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com] Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.   Chord Charts [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs. Recent Podcast Appearances Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way. FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH [https://freshhopeformentalhealth.com] MY DASH STORY [https://youtu.be/gK_9aeLlPus?si=E8ivzOyaUNDsmQC0] BLEEDING DAYLIGHT [https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-u4q95-1a6e404] LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/conversations/life-after-ministry] CRUSHING STRONGHOLDS WITH MICKEY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPRYg8dLgxM] Connect If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story. Website [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com] Social Media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dustinkschmidt/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.kleinschmidt] | YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt]

Episode 6: Authentic Authenticity

Our culture talks a lot about authenticity. But most of what we call “authentic” is still a performance—just a more carefully curated one. In this episode, we explores what the Bible actually means by authenticity. In 1 John 1, the apostle John describes a life lived in the light—where we stop hiding, stop pretending, and begin to live honestly before God and others. Real authenticity isn’t something we manufacture. It grows out of encountering Jesus, embracing the exposure that His light brings, and learning to confess what’s real so His grace can begin to transform us. This episode is an invitation to step out of hiding and into the freedom of the gospel. In This Episode Before the message, Dustin shares an update on the Wilderness Way ecosystem—resources and conversations designed to help people learn how to live well in the complexity of real life. Topics include: * The heart behind The Wilderness Way * New opportunities for coaching and leadership development * Guest appearances on other podcasts * New music releases from Wilderness Worship Collective * The upcoming album rollout Then we move into a teaching on Authentic Authenticity Teaching Highlights Authenticity flows from encountering Jesus (1 John 1:1–4) Real authenticity begins when we realize we are fully known by Jesus and still loved by Him. Authenticity means embracing exposure (1 John 1:5–7) God is light. Walking in the light means allowing Him to expose what we would rather hide—and discovering that exposure is actually grace. Authenticity compels confession (1 John 1:8–10) Confession is how we let the light back in. When we stop pretending, God’s grace begins to reshape us. The episode closes with a reflection on Psalm 139, inviting us to pray: “Search me, God… know my heart… and lead me in the way everlasting.” Wilderness Way Resources The Wilderness Way Book: [https://a.co/d/7tX3sSI] Finding freedom in life’s fractures The Wilderness Way Workbook [https://a.co/d/dxNeO7P] For individual reflection or group study. DustinKleinschmidt.com [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com] Learn more about resources and upcoming projects. Coaching dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching] Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership. You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season. Music: Wilderness Worship Collective My Heart Sings (New Single) [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available now on all streaming platforms.   Light & Love [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] The first single from the upcoming album   Song Stories / Devotionals [https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com] Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.   Chord Charts [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/wilderness-worship] Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs. Recent Podcast Appearances Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way. LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/conversations/life-after-ministry] CRUSHING STRONGHOLDS WITH MICKEY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPRYg8dLgxM] Connect If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story. Website [https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com] Social Media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dustinkschmidt/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.kleinschmidt] | YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt]