The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins

TRLP 068: Angela Hougas talks about The Power of a Non-Anxious Presence

Got questions or comments? Text them to me!We live in a world that rewards speed, noise, productivity, and visible results. So it makes sense that a lot of us have learned how to do things for God without really slowing down to be with God.In this conversation, Paul talks with Angela, a fellow doctoral cohort member, counselor, and woman of deep wisdom, about what it means to move beyond a checkbox faith and into a life of presence. Angela shares her story of coming to the helping professions later in life, how she bridges faith and counseling, and why intentional time with God changes the way we show up with people.They talk about the difference between information and transformation, the contagious nature of anxiety and peace, the tension between being and doing, and why the presence of God is not a luxury for helpers, but oxygen.This episode is especially for pastors, leaders, counselors, and caregivers, but really, it’s for anybody who knows what it feels like to be busy, spiritually dry, and hungry for something deeper.Key takeawaysYou can do helpful things without being deeply anchored in God, but it changes the quality of your presence.Being with Jesus is not wasted time. It shapes what you carry into every room.A non-anxious, non-pushy presence is one of the greatest gifts we can offer people.Spiritual practices are not meant to be dry checklists but relational spaces of encounter.Gratitude, walking, music, Scripture, stillness, and even imagination can all become ways of meeting with God.Identity must inform activity, not the other way around.Our culture trains us to chase information, but transformation often comes through presence.God is not frustrated with our slowness; He is patient, present, and inviting.Memorable lines / pull quotes“You can do without being, but it’s going to affect the integrity of your doing.”“When I’m connected with God, I feel like I have more to give.”“Has the good news reached your face?”“God has a non-pushy presence.”“Their quiet time was with Him.”“Identity informs activity.”“We are so busy doing things for God that we don’t even think about what we’re bringing into those things.”“It’s not just the fuel for the rest of your day. Jesus is going with you for the rest of your day.”⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️Thanks for listening to The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins! Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to read the stuff I'm writing on my blog.Rather watch the video? Head over to The Reluctant Leader Podcast on my YouTube channel.

TRLP 067: What Leadership Pressure Is Actually Producing

Got questions or comments? Text them to me!Leadership pressure is unavoidable. Expectations, decisions, criticism, responsibility—it all adds weight. Most leaders spend their energy trying to reduce pressure, avoid pressure, or escape pressure.But what if pressure isn’t just something to eliminate?In this episode, we explore a different lens from James 1: pressure produces something in us. When handled well, the very things that squeeze leaders can actually shape their character, deepen their faith, and strengthen their endurance.Instead of asking, “How do I get rid of this pressure?” we learn to ask a better question:“What is God forming in me through this?”If you're leading anything—a church, a team, a family, or a ministry—this conversation will help you see leadership pressure in a whole new light.In This Episode:1. Pressure Reveals What’s Already in UsPressure acts like a spiritual MRI. It exposes what’s happening inside our hearts—our fears, our trust, our patience, and our insecurities. What rises under pressure shows us where God is still forming us.2. Pressure Builds Leadership EnduranceStrength rarely grows in comfort. Just like muscles develop under resistance, leaders develop perseverance through the weight of responsibility and the challenges they face.3. Pressure Deepens Our Dependence on GodPressure has a way of reminding leaders that the mission isn’t sustained by our strength alone. The moments that push us hardest often pull us back toward deeper reliance on God.Key Scriptures:James 1:2–4“Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”Luke 6:45“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”2 Corinthians 1:8–9“This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God.”Reflection Question for Leaders:Instead of asking “How do I escape this pressure?”, try asking: “What might God be producing in me through this?”⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️Thanks for listening to The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins! Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to read the stuff I'm writing on my blog.Rather watch the video? Head over to The Reluctant Leader Podcast on my YouTube channel.

TRLP 066: Natasha Skolny talks about Alignment, Armor, and Cold Plunging

Got questions or comments? Text them to me!What if the very thing you think is protecting you as a leader is actually holding you back?In this episode of The Reluctant Leader Podcast, Paul sits down with Natasha Skolny, a former professional ice skater who is now a leadership coach and founder of The Leadership Cabin. It's a wide-ranging, deeply practical conversation about authenticity, nervous system regulation, resilience, and what it really takes to lead people well.Natasha introduces the idea of “corporate armor”—the protective persona leaders put on to look competent, composed, and in control—and explains why that armor quietly erodes trust instead of building it. Together, Paul and Natasha explore why leaders are often promoted for control, but succeed long-term through connection.The conversation moves from boardrooms to locker rooms to ice baths, unpacking:Why vulnerability actually increases credibilityHow control and discipline are not the same thingWhat professional athletes understand about emotional regulationWhy breathwork, movement, and even cold plunging help leaders stay groundedHow stored emotion shows up in surprising (and often destructive) waysWhy the best leaders invest in coaches—and keep doing itHow Natasha helps young women reconnect with their voice, values, and directionThis episode is honest, hopeful, and highly practical—especially for leaders who are tired of pretending they’re fine and ready to lead from a healthier place.🔑 Key TakeawaysArmor creates distance; humanity builds trustWhat got you here won’t get you thereRegulation beats repression—every timeResilient leaders train their nervous systems, not just their skillsYou were never meant to lead alone🔗 Connect with NatashaWebsite: theleadershipcabin.comLinkedIn & YouTube & Instagram⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️Thanks for listening to The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins! Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to read the stuff I'm writing on my blog.Rather watch the video? Head over to The Reluctant Leader Podcast on my YouTube channel.

TRLP 065: Lead From the Heart: Why Distance Weakens Leadership

Got questions or comments? Text them to me!In a world more connected than ever, leadership has quietly become more distant.We have constant access to people—texts, emails, meetings, metrics—but proximity isn’t the same as presence. And when leaders begin leading from a distance, something subtle but serious happens: our decisions start to lose their soul.In this episode of The Reluctant Leader Podcast, Paul Jenkins reflects on an often-overlooked moment in Exodus 28:30, where God instructs the high priest to wear the breastplate—the place of discernment—over the heart.That detail is more than symbolic. It’s formative.This episode explores why:Good decisions flow from a well-connected heartLeadership always moves in two directions—toward people and toward GodDistance shows up first in our decisionsVulnerability isn’t a soft skill, but a leadership necessityWhen leaders close the gap emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, people stop being projects and start being people again. Stories stay close. Pain stays human. Growth stays personal.If you’ve been feeling cynical, sharp, or detached in your leadership, this episode offers a hopeful invitation—not to work harder, but to move closer.Closer to God.Closer to people.Closer to the heart.Key TakeawaysYou can be around people and still not be with themDiscernment belongs near compassion, not distanceLeadership breaks down when either people or God drift from the heartVulnerability keeps decision-making human and God-honoringThe heart must stay involved for leadership to remain effectiveScripture ReferencedExodus 28:30Leadership Practice for the MonthWear the breastplate again.Let decisions be shaped by love.Lead with people, not over them.If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone you’re leading—or another leader who needs the reminder. And as always, keep giving God your best, and He’ll do the rest.⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️Thanks for listening to The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins! Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to read the stuff I'm writing on my blog.Rather watch the video? Head over to The Reluctant Leader Podcast on my YouTube channel.

TRLP 064: Magdalene Mastin talks about Embodied Faith and How The Body Knows Before We Do

Got questions or comments? Text them to me!In this episode, Paul sits down with Maggie Mastin — life coach, spiritual director, and director of career development at Indiana Wesleyan University — for a conversation that brings leadership back into the real world… your actual body.They explore what happens when leaders live from the neck up, why “slowing down” is more spiritual than it sounds, and how paying attention to physical sensations can become a surprising pathway to discernment, emotional health, and Spirit-led presence.This one is equal parts practical, pastoral, and (yes) a little funny—because apparently Paul still can’t do a British accent without getting roasted.What you’ll hear in this episodeWhy the body often reacts before the brain can explainThe tension between having a body and being a bodyA simple practice: noticing tightness, warmth, restlessness, or peace as “data”How to create slower space in leadership without getting weird about itA powerful moment from Paul’s church: anxiety in worship as discernment, not distractionSeasons of the soul: why you can’t live in “spring” foreverThe “embers and flames” metaphor for faith that sustains you over timeWhat farm life teaches about patience, limits, and trustWhy play and whimsy matter more than we admitPhotography as a “thin place”: capturing holy moments in ordinary lifeKey quotes (short and shareable)“Your body moves toward what you want before you can explain it.”“You’re not the season you’re in—but the season you’re in matters.”“You can’t have flame without ember.”“Pay attention to the tension.”Try this today (a 60-second practice)Before your next meeting, sermon prep session, or hard conversation:Take one slow breath.Ask: What’s happening in my body right now?Name it without fixing it (tight, heavy, energized, restless, calm).Ask: God, what are You inviting me into through this?About MaggieMaggie is a spiritual director, life coach, educator, and the director of career development at Indiana Wesleyan University. She helps people grow in self-awareness, discern their next steps, and live with greater integration—body, soul, and story.⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️  ⬇️Thanks for listening to The Reluctant Leader Podcast with Paul Jenkins! Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to read the stuff I'm writing on my blog.Rather watch the video? Head over to The Reluctant Leader Podcast on my YouTube channel.