Finding Stability and Peace in the Shifting Sands of Change: Emily P. Freeman and Stephanie May Wilson

Update: 2024-05-30

Digest

This episode of the Jesus Calling podcast explores the challenges and opportunities of navigating life transitions and making significant decisions. Emily P. Freeman, a spiritual director and author, shares her insights on how to approach change with a sense of peace and purpose. She emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the good and bad aspects of a situation, asking ourselves what we're avoiding and what we'd miss if we left. She also encourages us to trust God's guidance and to see our decisions as part of a larger journey of becoming. Stephanie May Wilson, a TEDx speaker, author, and podcaster, discusses the "everything era," the period between ages 25 and 35 when many of life's biggest decisions are made. She highlights the pressures and expectations we face during this time and emphasizes the importance of making our own choices, trusting God's guidance, and defining our own success. Both guests share their personal experiences and offer practical advice on how to navigate change with faith and confidence.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction

This Chapter introduces the topic of navigating life transitions and making significant decisions, highlighting the challenges and opportunities involved. It also introduces the two guests, Emily P. Freeman and Stephanie May Wilson, who will share their insights and experiences.

00:01:23

Emily P. Freeman on Navigating Change

This Chapter delves into Emily P. Freeman's perspective on navigating change, using the metaphor of "rooms" to represent different commitments and spaces in our lives. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing both the good and bad aspects of a situation, asking ourselves what we're avoiding and what we'd miss if we left. She also encourages us to trust God's guidance and to see our decisions as part of a larger journey of becoming.

00:16:52

Stephanie May Wilson on the Everything Era

This Chapter focuses on Stephanie May Wilson's concept of the "everything era," the period between ages 25 and 35 when many of life's biggest decisions are made. She discusses the pressures and expectations we face during this time and emphasizes the importance of making our own choices, trusting God's guidance, and defining our own success. She shares her personal experiences and offers practical advice on how to navigate this pivotal time in our lives.

Keywords

Life Transitions

Significant changes or shifts in a person's life, such as starting a new job, moving to a new city, getting married, having children, or experiencing a loss. These transitions can be challenging but also offer opportunities for growth and new beginnings.

Decision Making

The process of choosing between different options or courses of action. It involves weighing the pros and cons, considering the potential consequences, and ultimately making a choice that aligns with one's values and goals.

Spiritual Direction

A practice of spiritual guidance and support, often involving conversations with a trained spiritual director who helps individuals explore their faith, discern God's will, and deepen their relationship with God.

Next Right Thing

A concept popularized by Emily P. Freeman, referring to the next step or action that feels aligned with God's will and one's own values, even if it's not always clear what the ultimate outcome will be.

Everything Era

A term coined by Stephanie May Wilson to describe the period between ages 25 and 35, a time when many of life's most significant decisions are made, including career choices, relationship commitments, and family planning.

Pre-Dreaming

The act of envisioning and planning for a desired future, setting goals, and identifying the steps needed to achieve them. It involves actively shaping one's own destiny rather than passively accepting what comes.

Jesus Calling

A popular devotional book and app by Sarah Young, featuring daily messages from God that offer guidance, encouragement, and inspiration. It has become a source of comfort and spiritual nourishment for many people.

Jesus Listens

A 365-day prayer devotional based on scripture, designed to deepen one's relationship with God. It emphasizes the importance of prayer and listening to God's voice in our lives.

Q&A

What are some practical tips for navigating life transitions and making significant decisions?
Emily P. Freeman suggests paying attention to the good and bad aspects of a situation, asking ourselves what we're avoiding and what we'd miss if we left. She also encourages us to trust God's guidance and to see our decisions as part of a larger journey of becoming.
What is the "everything era" and why is it so challenging?
Stephanie May Wilson defines the "everything era" as the period between ages 25 and 35, a time when many of life's most significant decisions are made. She highlights the pressures and expectations we face during this time, including career choices, relationship commitments, and family planning. The constant barrage of opinions and expectations can make it difficult to make our own choices and trust our own judgment.
How can we find peace and assurance during times of change and uncertainty?
Both guests emphasize the importance of spending time with God, seeking His guidance, and trusting His plan for our lives. They also encourage us to define our own success and to be mindful of the voices we listen to, choosing to prioritize those that align with our values and goals.
What is the role of faith in navigating life transitions?
Faith provides a foundation of hope, strength, and guidance during times of change and uncertainty. It allows us to trust God's plan, even when we don't understand it, and to find peace in the midst of chaos. It also empowers us to make decisions that align with our values and to see our lives as part of a larger story.

Show Notes

There is an intricate dance between the difficulty of making changes in our lives and a profound trust in God to guide us through. When we have to make the decision to leave something behind and start anew, there is an emotional toll and a fear of the unknown. However, there is much to be learned from endings and new beginnings, and how sometimes we end up finding peace in the midst of our turmoil.

Emily P. Freeman is a spiritual director and author who hosts The Next Right Thing Podcast. Emily shares practical thoughts on how to navigate change, taken from her new book, How to Walk Into A Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away. Stephanie May Wilson is a Tedx speaker, author, and podcaster who speaks to young adults who are facing crucial years where they will make some of their biggest life’s decisions, and advises them on how they can faithfully move forward by trusting God with their questions and their fears.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Reba McEntire

Upcoming interview: Jesse Hutch

Emily P. Freeman

The Next Right Thing Podcast

How to Walk Into A Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away

Stephanie May Wilson

Tedx speaker

Create A Life You Love

Interview Quotes:

“I have a lot of compassion for anyone who is standing in the threshold of a room that they have been in for a really long time, and maybe feel a really deep sense of belonging, to walk out of that room into something that could be amazing and beautiful, but something that also might come with some risk.” - Emily P. Freeman

“In reality, there is both beautiful and terrible in probably every space that we're in. And so if we decide to walk away, I think it's so good to do it with our eyes wide open, not just at the hesitations, but also to the gifts, so that we're having a truer experience of not only the room, but also our leaving of it.” - Emily P. Freeman

“I truly believe God is always aware of us, that God is fully love and fully attentive and and God will not let us miss our own future. Which means that as I make my decisions, I'm not making them in a room by myself.” - Emily P. Freeman

“Even if I make a move in a direction that turns out terrible and I learn something from it, God was still with me. And in that move, I am becoming someone. Because what is infinitely more important than the decision that I make, ultimately, is the person who I am becoming as I make my decisions.” - Emily P. Freeman

“True peace is not the absence of discomfort or conflict, but it is an inner brokenness and an inner wholeness and an inner knowing that even though chaos may be all around me, I can still be aligned with what I know and who I am, I can live in congruence with my own core values, with my true identity, with the common good, with my life and God.” - Emily P. Freeman

“The ‘everything era’ really is this super tricky period of time where a bunch of different forces are pushing and pulling us in different directions, and where I think it leaves us constantly feeling like we're falling short and falling behind.” - Stephanie May Wilson

“I don’t know that I knew that I got to participate in my life. I felt like there was one exact right way to do it, and I had to figure it out. And if I couldn't figure it out, then I was going to mess it all up. And I think that that's a really big lie that I had to combat.” - Stephanie May Wilson

“I started to learn that a beautiful life isn't one size fits all, and that there are a whole bunch of different ways that life can be lived, that are all right and beautiful and good and God-approved.” - Stephanie May Wilson

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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7

Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C

Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj

Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u

What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj

Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY

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