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About

In this powerful episode of the Resilient Pastor podcast, host Sharon sits down with co-hosts Rich and Glenn before welcoming author, Bible teacher, and church planter Jess Connolly. They explore the real causes of pastoral burnout and exhaustion, moving beyond the popular “slow down and do less” narrative. Jess shares transparently about her own season of deep fatigue and anxiety that led to her stepping back from full-time church staff, while the group discusses practical strategies for stewarding time, energy, and capacity with wisdom. From planning rhythms and second-order decisions to the “ministry of absence,” this conversation delivers honest conviction and actionable hope for leaders who feel tired of being tired.

Jess also introduces her forthcoming book, Tired of Being Tired: Receive God’s Realistic Rest for Your Soul’s Deep Exhaustion, offering a balanced, gospel-centered approach to rest, boundaries, and sustainable leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Popular “slow down” messages are helpful but can be misused as an excuse for poor stewardship and laziness.
• Leaders often know the right things to do but make themselves the exception, repeatedly violating their own boundaries.
• Distinguishing between time and energy is essential—some tasks drain you more than others.
• Daily and weekly planning, buffer time, note-taking, and pregame decisions dramatically improve stewardship and reduce mental load.
• The ministry of absence reminds pastors that God moves powerfully when we step back and stop carrying unnecessary responsibility.
• You cannot obey God by disobeying Him—honoring your God-given limits is an act of worship.
• Rest and renewal are not the same; intentional renewal practices recharge your batteries more effectively than passive rest.

Highlights

• “I make so many less exceptions. I live into my limitations.” — Jess Connolly
• “You cannot obey me by not obeying me.” — The phrase God repeatedly spoke to Jess during her recovery
• “Did you pray today?” — The convicting note left by Rich’s daughter on his whiteboard
• “We are absolutely harming our churches when we continue to do things because we believe that’s how it ought to be done.” — Jess Connolly
• Rich’s decades-long practice of nightly planning his next day on a Post-it note (now digital)
• Glenn’s emphasis on capturing sermon intuitions immediately in Evernote to close mental loops
• Sharon’s honest confession about using “slow down” culture to justify hours of Netflix instead of stewarding her full capacity

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