In this vital episode of Sunburnt Souls, founder Dave Quak (pastor living with bipolar disorder) sits down with pastor, church planter, and creative Ralph Mayhew to explore the raw realities of depression, anxiety, and ministry burnout in the Christian world. Ralph shares his deeply personal journey—struggling with mental health while attending Bible college and serving as a lead pastor—and how he found true joy and identity in Jesus through it all.

You'll hear honest, practical discussion on:

• The challenge of preaching God's truth when your life doesn't feel congruent with what you proclaim.
• Why reframing your identity in Christ is the key to overcoming the stigma of anxiety and depression.
• The role of medication, self-care, and Sabbath in a pastor's life (and why it's not a lack of faith).
• How to build spiritual disciplines (like Lectio 365) that work with the messiness of life.
• Finding strength to keep going, one rung of the ladder at a time, and redefining what a "win" looks like.

This conversation is essential for anyone in Christian leadership, anyone struggling with depression, or those seeking faith-based, practical hope for their mental wellbeing.

Links & Resources:

• Ralph Mayhew Photography on YouTube
• Village Church Burleigh Heads

CONNECT

Discover more from Sunburnt Souls — the Christian Mental Health Podcast that shares real stories of faith, hope, and healing at sunburntsouls.com
.
Explore our full suite of Christian mental health podcasts, devotionals, and online courses created to help you grow in faith and emotional wellbeing.

Follow Sunburnt Souls for raw conversations about Jesus, mental health, and everyday hope:
🔗 Facebook | 🔗 YouTube | 🔗 Instagram

NEW ONLINE COURSE

🧠✨ Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health
A 28-day, $28 journey designed to help you:
✅ Embrace your identity in Jesus
✅ Build life-giving spiritual rhythms
✅ Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with faith and honesty
👉 Start your 28-day journey today

Join Our Community

Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox.
👉 Subscribe to the newsletter

Support the Mission

Help us keep creating free Christian mental health podcast content that reaches people around the world with hope.
👉 Donate to Sunburnt Souls

Leave a Review

Love this episode? Your review helps others discover this faith-...