What do you do when work isn’t just difficult—it’s downright painful? In this episode of the Faith and Work Podcast, Jeff Hoffmeyer sits down with author Meryl Herr to tackle the raw realities of workplace hurt. From crushing disappointment to full-blown devastation, Meryl unpacks why work wounds us so deeply—and how we can find a way forward. With wisdom from scripture, real-life stories, and her groundbreaking book When Work Hurts, Meryl discusses the realities of enduring hardship, reclaiming purpose, and even healing from the pain we’ve caused others. Whether you're burned out, beaten down, or just searching for meaning in the chaos, this episode is packed with hope, practical guidance, and a call to be a light in the darkness. HIGHLIGHTS On a Work Hurt: "When we are overwhelmed by work hurt or frustration when it's building up, our light starts to diminish, right? We can't be a bright light for Jesus when we are overwhelmed, I mean, even burnt out, which is even a different metaphor to bring in that kind of work stress metaphor, but to think about how having to contend with all of this brokenness in our work that may be causing." On Discipleship: "You know, we have a job to do as Jesus' followers, and that is to bear witness to God's goodness, to the values of the kingdom, wherever we are, whatever we're doing."   RESOURCES Download the episode transcript When Work Hurts: Building Resilience When You're Beat Up or Burnt Out Meryl Herr's Website Meryl Herr's Substack KEEP READING & LISTENING Angry At the Office: How Paying Attention to Our Emotions Can Help Us Understand Our Work Hurt Teach Us To Pray Podcast - Beauty & Brokenness Series  Questions and Charcoal  Because the Night  Sing a New Song  

Dr. Hannah Stolze, a supply chain expert and author of Wisdom-Based Business, explores the biblical themes of valor (chayil) and mercy (hesed) in leadership and work. In this episode, host Joanna Meyer shares Hannah’s keynote from Women Work and Calling 2023, highlighting how wisdom in Proverbs and Ruth shapes ethical and impactful business practices. Hannah challenges listeners to consider: What is the war hymn of your work? Tune in for insights on integrating faith, excellence, and compassion in your daily work.  Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? Be sure to subscribe! Now available on iTunes and Spotify.   HIGHLIGHTS On a Renewed Vision of Work: "What is the war hymn of your work? In small ways or big ways, what is the redemption story when you go out Monday through Friday? Who will encounter the love of God as a result of your work?"  On a Proverbs 31 Woman: "Rather than reading Proverbs 31 as a checklist for women, we should be reading it as Lady Wisdom herself personified in the marketplace—with valor, with might, with fearlessness as she laughs at the future, but with kindness as she reaches out with the profits of her work."   RESOURCES Download the episode transcript Save the Date for Women Work and Calling 2025 on November 7th! Check out more at womenworkandcalling.com

SUMMARY Our guest today is James Ruder, former owner of L&R Pallet and current owner of FenceRight, who joins us to share his journey of faith and business transition interviewed by guest podcast hosts Spencer Williams and Jeff Haanen. After years of leading L&R Pallet and implementing transformative hiring practices, James made the difficult decision to sell the company in 2023. In this episode of the Faith & Work Podcast, we explore how selling a business impacts an owner personally, especially when guided by a Kingdom vision. Join us as James reflects on the challenges, emotions, and lessons he’s learned—and how his faith continues to shape his work today.  Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? Be sure to subscribe! Now available on iTunes and Spotify.   HIGHLIGHTS On Selling Your Business: "It was like someone absolutely died. Here we are trying to make a good business decision the smart thing we’ve talked about, a financial move… it felt like your grandma just died and someone tells you congratulations."  On Kingdom-Minded Work: "How am I going to use this resource that God’s given us to minister to the people who walk past my office door every day? He just showed us how the missions field can come to us, we don’t have to go to the missions field necessarily…" [Every day was an] “opportunity for impact, what are you going to do with the people that come through your doors?” RESOURCES Download the episode transcript Check out more of the L&R Pallet Story here - FAITH & CO: In The People Business  Get your tickets to Business for the Common Good before they run out!

Kevin Colón, Communications and Community Engagement lead for the Town of Superior, played a crucial role during the devastating 2021 Marshall Fire. As flames tore through neighborhoods, he became a steady voice and guide for a community in crisis. Join us as we reflect on the shocking destruction in LA, where wind-whipped fire caused an estimated $2 billion in damage, and explore how to lead through workplace tragedies with faith and resilience. In times of crisis, leaders can be a beacon of hope—and Kevin will share the powerful lessons God taught him during his tenure in Superior.   HIGHLIGHTS On Leading Through Crisis: "...it wasn't so much pastoral presence, but just regular everyday disciple presence that was able to activate the pastoral presence once the disaster hit. So it's just that everyday faithfulness [...] kind of led to that space of being able to be a pastoral presence when the time came for it to be. But it really, you know, again, what I was doing as a person moving into that space is everything that Jesus, you know, kind of taught us to do, you know, to love Him and to love our neighbor. I'm really glad He made it that simple. Obviously very nuanced and very textured, those two big relationships that we're in. [...] And again, it was that kind of presence every day and that kind of movement every day that fueled and activated everything that I did. Some days it was totally in my wheelhouse knowing how to love my neighbor because I knew how to do it. Some days I was completely out of my depths and I had to rely again on God to teach me new ways of loving people, new ways of engaging people." On trust: "You're either building trust or eroding trust. And especially in this climate that we're in, everybody's skeptical, everybody's cynical. And the way we build that in a work setting is all those basic things, right? It's your work ethic and your attitude and how you handle conflict and how you jump in to unexpected assignments when they're not in your job description and how you treat constituents and residents through email and phone and online."   RESOURCES Download the episode transcript EquiSage

In this episode, host Ross Chapman dives into the high-stakes world of investing with Andrew Clark (Jeremiah Fund) and Amy Brandenburg (DA Ventures). These trailblazing investors aren’t just chasing returns—they’re reshaping industries with faith-driven vision and purpose. From small-town roots to the fast-paced world of venture capital, Andrew and Amy share their journeys, revealing how faith fuels their decision-making, risk-taking, and leadership. They challenge the status quo, proving that investing isn’t just about money—it’s about relationships, impact, and creating businesses that truly serve the world. Is wealth a tool or a temptation? Can investing drive real change? What does it mean to build companies with a greater purpose? This episode is packed with thought-provoking insights, bold perspectives, and a call to action for anyone navigating faith and finance. Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? Be sure to subscribe! Now available on iTunes and Spotify. Highlights On Investing in relationships: "I think that investing is about relationships. Some would say, 'well, no it's not. I can be at a trading desk and I can just look at a stock and do that.' But you're investing in relationships. And quite frankly, you're trying to make money so you can do what with relationships." - Andrew Clark On whole-life integration of your faith: "I would love to see more churches supporting entrepreneurs. We leave church on Sunday and we go about our week, and on Sunday the content may not always speak to the business owners and operators and there's alot of opportunity out there that I'm really excited about the way I've seen this [faith & work integration] growing in Denver..." - Amy Brandenburg Resources Download the episode transcript Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It  God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity  Practice the Presence of God The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World Jeremiah Fund Denver Angels Learn More About Impact Investing:  Innovest  Eventide Thrivent Brightlight Kingdom Advisors National Christian Foundation

Welcome to our new series, Voices from the Workplace, where we explore various industries through the lens of leaders and experts who see their careers as a key way to serve others and fulfill God’s purposes. In this inaugural episode, we focus on the Investment Industry, examining how professionals approach equity and treasure with intentionality and faith. Our guests include Matt Monson, Partner and Portfolio Manager at Sovereign’s Capital, a faith-driven investment fund, and Brandon Roop, CFP®, CRPS®, Vice President, Senior Investment Advisor, and Partner at Donaldson Capital Management (DCM). Matt and Brandon discuss how their faith informs their decisions in managing investment funds, helping others view their finances through a biblical perspective, and shaping the next generation of leaders in the industry. Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? Be sure to subscribe! Now available on iTunes and Spotify. Highlights On Fear: "Two thirds of people are more afraid of living broke than they are of death." - Brandon Roop On Generosity "You can't out-give God "- Matt Monson "Do you want the blessing on the net or the gross?" -Brandon Roop   “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" (NIV) - Matthew 25:21 Resources Download the episode transcript Sovereigns Capital Donaldson Capital Management For further Exploration on Investing... Innovest  Eventide Thrivent Brightlight Kingdom Advisors National Christian Foundation   Donaldson Capital Management, LLC, is a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The oral and written communications of an adviser provide you with information about which you determine to hire or retain an adviser. Form ADV Part 2A can be obtained by visiting https://adviserinfo.sec.gov and search for our firm name. ADV Form 2B is available upon request. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed it so be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP (with plaque design) in the United States., which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. This presentation has been provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal or investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security or strategy. The investment strategy and themes discussed herein may be unsuitable for investors depending on their specific investment objectives and financial situation. Information obtained from third-party sources is believed to be reliable though its accuracy is not guaranteed. Opinions expressed in this commentary reflect subjective judgments of the author based on conditions at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

How can faith-based organizations, civic leaders, and business leaders join forces to tackle city-wide challenges? This episode dives into three powerful case studies focused on housing affordability, showcasing how collaboration is driving real change in Colorado. You’ll hear firsthand stories from: Stu Davis, founder of COS I Love You, on how churches, businesses, and civic leaders in Colorado Springs are working together to address housing and community needs. Jessica Dominguez, owner of Love Thy Neighbor Real Estate and director of Abundant Ground, on how Denver churches are reimagining land use to create affordable housing. Michelle Warren, president of Virago Strategies, on advocating for groundbreaking policy changes to unlock housing potential on faith-owned properties. These leaders are meeting their cities’ toughest challenges with creativity, persistence, and faith. Their stories will inspire you to reimagine how collaboration can bring God’s hope and life to your own community.  On Working Better Together: "And even though our temptation is to sometimes want to be the deliverer of support, a meal, a shelter bed, a hand around the shoulder, we also get to partner with agencies and organizations who do that every single day. And so Matthew 25 can be exercised by handing somebody a meal. It can also be exercised by providing additional resources and firepower and sustainability to the organizations who do that very thing, whatever problem it is that they're trying to solve. So I'm a big believer in both, and I just think that it's worth the opportunity for us to step into those partnerships and create the kind of collaboration that I think can happen when we do." -Stu Davis On Challenges of Collaboration: "So partnership is key. Having Michelle and Brian in my corner has been so great. I think the challenges with getting development going is the amount of time it takes, the amount of money it costs just to do some pre-development work. I also think that, oh, I know that churches are kind of waiting a long time before making the decision, and then it puts them in a spot where they have to make maybe a quick decision where they're not able to take their time to do their due diligence." - Jessica Dominguez On Ego: “And so we really need to understand that the whole process of collaboration, which is also in government called democracy, is its strongest when we have all the voices there having the opportunity and equal voice to speak into it. So I would just say is come full of conviction, but hold your positions with a little bit of open handedness so that you can build bridges to other people." - Michelle Warren RESOURCES Download the episode transcript Learn more about the Denver Institute's FOR Campaign  See the full Tamarac Scale  COS I Love You Website (Sign Up for thier Newsletter Here!) “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish” (John 1:14 MESSAGE) Abundant Ground Website Learn More about Empowering Faith and Educational Institutions to Create the Housing Their Communities Need GET INVOLVED If you are a church or faith-based nonprofit leader, would you read and consider signing this Letter of Support to allow churches greater ease and lower cost in developing creative housing projects? If you aren’t a faith leader, would you share this with your pastors or other organizational leaders in Colorado who might lend their support? If you are a business leader and interested in signing a Letter of Support to allow churches greater ease and lower cost in developing creative housing projects, please check back on this page soon for the link to sign!

Rob Kelly is the Founder & CEO of the FORCLT Network which connects pastors for personal, church, and city renewal. Rob is also co-founder of the City Leaders Collective which connects and equips city network leaders globally. In Part 2 of our Union With Christ series, you'll hear from Rob about why our union with Christ is such a misunderstood, revolutionary and often overlooked concept in scripture. This conversation reveals how union with Christ transforms identity, relationships, and our vocation. We also discuss why this conversation has often not been fully embraced in the Western Church, and some suggestions for answering the question, "how then should we live?" On Union with Christ: “When you understand your union with Christ, it changes how you even understand your salvation... When we talk about salvation, you're talking about what you're saved from, which is our sin that did ... What? Separated us from God. So if our sin separated us from God, then what did our salvation do? It united us to him. So can we not talk only about what we're saved from, but more joyfully, what we're saved into? Yes, Jesus died for our sin. Yes, our sin needed to be washed. It's through the blood of Christ the scripture says, right? This is amazing truth, that he paid the price for us that we could not pay for ourselves. Yes. But in so doing, he brought us back into the place that we were always created for in the first place, which is literally in God who is our salvation. On moving from Eden to the Eternal City: "We start in the garden with two, we end in a city with multitudes, a fully cultivated creation where we are one with God, where every tear is wiped away, everything is set back to right. Everything is not just set back toward the Edenic state, but in a more full, beautiful, shalom Edenic state, greater, that it's no longer perishable, but it will be raised imperishable. How? Because Jesus' body is made imperishable. It is because he is the new creation. "If you are in Christ, a new creation," Paul says."   RESOURCES Download the episode transcript. Rob Kelly on LinkedIn Learn more about Rob Kelly and FORCLT Metanoia: How God Radically Transforms People, Churches, and Organizations From the Inside Out by Rob Kelly Rob Kelly is the founder and lead author of the State of the City Report

Dave and Monica Hickman are entrepreneurs whose leadership has been marked by believing that Jesus doesn't want a relationship with us; he wants to be one with us. The Hickmans founded SocialHub, a business in North Carolina that creates community-building events for luxury apartment communities and they share some of their journey in this episode about how this new perspective to their faith and work has influenced how they lead. This shift from a constant striving to "be closer" to Jesus to recognizing an inherent unity that already exists—a concept also grounded in John 17—has had practical implications in their personal lives and in modeling their understanding of unity with Christ in a business context. Highlights On proximity to Jesus: “For me, all the striving was just neutralized because you're starting from the finish line. Instead of this journey that so many of us are used to of praying to receive Christ... the next steps in your Christian journey was to get closer and closer to Jesus over time. And while that's motivating to some degree because you're working towards something, it can also be really detrimental to your spiritual health as well, and turning you into just a Christian workaholic of always trying harder. And I think that's why Jesus always would point to our hearts. But it's not quite as sexy as saying to someone like, 'Hey, you already have everything that you could ever get.' You're as close to Christ now as you will ever experience between here and new creation. So now it's learning what's true of you having already arrived, learning what's true of you as 'the beloved Son in whom he loves, in whom he's well pleased,' that declaration over Jesus." - Dave Hickman On the art of hospitality: "I think just who we are as people and really driving hospitality, connecting people, enjoying life with others has kind of flown not only from us but from our staff, because they're just so amazing and they really do care for people. And I think that is really what sets us apart in the industry. Not only being able to create unique experiences for people on site but welcome them in a warm way, showing respect, being kind, being a good person." - Monica Hickman Resources Download the episode transcript. Closer Than Close: Awakening to the Freedom of Your Union with Christ by Dave Hickman How Charlotte startup SocialHub plans to grow across the Southeast "Until the unlimited, unbridled and unrelenting love of God takes root in our life, until God’s reckless pursuit of us captures our imagination, until our head knowledge of God settles into our heart through pure grace, nothing really changes.” - Running on Empty by Fil Anderson Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? See more great resources at Denver Institute for Faith & Work or find us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @denverinstitute

Ben Nussbaum, VP of Sales at OnCenter and associate director of Faith & Work Chicago, opens up about what it’s really like to stay true to your faith in the ups and downs of a sales career. He talks about the struggle of selling products he wasn’t fully behind and how he found a way to align his sales approach with his Christian beliefs. Ben also shares how practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer helps him stay grounded in the high-pressure world of meeting a quota and encourages leaders to create workplaces that honor the dignity of every employee. His approach to serving clients with integrity, even when it’s tough, is an inspiring model for Christians in any business role. On finding stability: “That is the daily reality they live in. Either the highs are high and I think I'm awesome, or the lows are low and I think I suck. It's very hard to find equilibrium or middle ground as a disciple. And that's acually why I think the gospel is such a balm for the salesperson.” On faith in work: “What Christ has to say to us when he says, 'blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth,' that has to mean something for the way we send emails, the way we do someone's taxes, the way that we defend someone in court, the way that we script a cold call. Whatever it is, right? It's our responsibility. This is what it means to be image bearers to live out that reality or that story." On failure: "You failed. You had a crappy performance review. You didn't hit your Q3 quota, like I don't know what it is. Christ takes the failures and those who have lost much and makes something wonderful out of them. So you know, every time I miss a quota or don't hit a deadline or I didn't measure up in my job, I'm reminded that God chose what is weak to shame the strong. It is the power of God that's made perfect in my weakness. So, be weak. Be comfortable with losing. It might mean that God is ready to use you." Download the episode transcript. Follow Ben Nussbaum on LinkedIn Learn more from Faith & Work Chicago “Be comforted, small one, in your smallness. He lays no merit on you. Receive and be glad.” - CS Lewis, The Space Trilogy A Community of Hope in a World of Rage – Sermon – Ray Ortlund Praxis Labs Redemptive Entrepreneurship Model Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? See more great resources at Denver Institute for Faith & Work or find us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @denverinstitute