105: Finding Hope and Healing After Ministry Hurt with Kristen Joy

Have you ever found yourself reeling from unexpected hurt and pain in your leadership and ministry? As Christian leaders, how can we find hope and healing when the unmet expectations and personal devastation goes beyond what we could have prepared for?

In this episode, Holly and I talk with Kristen Joy about her personal journey through ministry hurt. She shares how this experience impacted not just her, but also her entire family. Kristen also shares how she found hope and healing after the ministry hurt. 

We also dive into some of the things leaders can do to get and stay healthy. Whether you are in full-time ministry or not, this conversation is sure to give you a better understanding of how female leaders can be proactive in finding hope and healing after hurt.

For the full show notes for this episode, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode105.

  Key Points Discussed: Kristen’s life & leadership journey [4:30] Why Kristen desires to support leaders who are hurting [10:02] Kristen’s story of experiencing hurt in ministry Additional crises in their own family Finding healing and help for herself [25:40] Impact on her marriage Lessons she has learned Healing from unmet expectations [36:06] Boundaries Attending to whole person needs Watching for God Tension between deny yourself and pursuing your passions Learning to be open handed Why leaders don’t set boundaries [51:10] Forgiveness and healing [55:43] How churches can handle hiring & firing better [1:00:05]

 

Key Quotes from the Episode:

All quotes are by Kristen Joy unless otherwise noted.

“Success requires a lot of humility, and a lot of giving up your own agenda.” “The beginning of healing was before it even happened.”  “I had put all of these things--values I had, dreams I had, gifts and skills that I had--and I had put them in a box and put them away.”  “Mental health and emotional health come in the form sometimes of all the small, daily choices that you’re making.” “If your hands are open, then whatever he chooses to place in them is a blessing. And whatever he chooses to take away is also a blessing.” “When boundaries are not there, it’s a recipe for disaster for the organization but also for the individual.” - Esther Littlefield “In the place of hurt… even though you can’t feel it and you often can’t see it, you are still His child… you are still loved… He is right there with you.”

 

Connect with Kristen Joy: Website Facebook Instagram Email: KristenJoy@theministrywife.com

 

Kristen Joy is a chocolate-lovin' wife, momma to 6, ministry leader, and wounded soul advocate. As a certified Biblical life coach, she is passionate about people learning to attend to their whole-person health. Growing up as a "PK" and then marrying a pastor, she also cares deeply for the health of Christian leaders and the church as a whole. She believes people best see the love of Christ and the power of the gospel when healthy Christ-followers lead well.  

 

Other Episodes & Resources Mentioned Pastor’s Hope Network Recovering from Trauma, Why Leaders Need to Heal & How We Can Get (and offer) Support for Mental Health with Dr. Barbara Lowe Life Coach Certification with Elisa Pulliam

 

Support the podcast

Our Merch Store

Click here to go to the store and find merch you'll love!

If you grab one of the items and share a photo on social media, use the hashtag #leadwithconfidence and/or tag us so we can see it!

Tag @estherdlittlefield or @christianwomanleadership on Instagram

Tag @estherlittlefield on Facebook

 

Become a Podcast Partner & Receive Bonus Content

We have a fun way for you to partner with the podcast and get access to exclusive content. Every month, we add at least 1 bonus clip from an interview or from Holly and I to a special podcast for our partners. You can become a podcast partner for as little as $5/month by clicking here.

  Connect with Esther and Holly: Esther’s other podcast, The Christian Woman Business Podcast Esther’s Website Holly’s Website Instagram Facebook Group Facebook Page

 

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode105.