EP# 338 - I Thought I Needed to Do More. God Taught Me to Rest. - Audio

What if the Christian conversation about heaven has become too escapist, sensationalized, or sentimental? In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, author and pastor Brian Zahnd joins Catherine to explore themes from his book “Unseen Existences” and recover a deeper understanding of heaven, the unseen realm, spiritual formation, and our pilgrimage toward union with God. Brian describes heaven not simply as a distant location but as an eternal, unseen reality—and explores how our lives in this present world form us for deeper participation in God. Together, Catherine and Brian discuss the “already and not yet,” the spiritual significance of our everyday journey, and why there are no shortcuts in genuine spiritual formation. They also explore wonder and beauty as powerful ways of becoming more awake to God. From watching stars and bats in the backyard to intentionally noticing beauty on an ordinary drive through suburbia, Brian explains how wonder can awaken gratitude and reconnect us with realities we often overlook. The conversation moves into Christian aesthetics, spiritual experiences, prayer, imagination, technology, the false self, and the mystery of becoming who God created us to be. In this conversation, you’ll discover: • Why Brian believes Christians need a renewed theology of heaven • How this life functions as a pilgrimage toward union with God • Why wonder can become a spiritual practice • How beauty can point us toward the divine • Why ordinary spiritual experiences deserve meaningful conversation • How our humanity connects the physical and spiritual worlds • Why technology cannot replace our relationship with God • How imagination can help us become attentive to the unseen realm • Why holy awe—the “mysterium tremendum”—matters in spiritual formation Perspectives with Catherine Toon explores conversations that invite deeper encounters with God, spiritual transformation, love, truth, beauty, and what it means to live fully awake to His presence.  To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd ► Instagram: @catherinetoon ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

 To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd ► Instagram: @catherinetoon ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Returning from a sabbatical, Catherine Toon shares powerful encouragement about rest, healing, identity, and God’s faithfulness. To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Catherine returns from a three-month sabbatical and shares what she experienced during a season of rest, restoration, worship, healing, and deeper intimacy with God. Catherine talks about the importance of pulling back, being refreshed and reoriented, and learning to receive rather than always being the one who gives. She shares encouragement for anyone walking through uncertainty, disappointment, hardship, or a dark season — reminding us that God is faithful, that He is working even when we cannot see what He is doing, and that it is not over. This episode explores rest in God, identity in Christ, spiritual growth, healing, hope, and the glory that God is revealing in His people. Catherine also reflects on Jesus' time in the wilderness, the importance of supporting one another through difficult seasons, and the call for believers to become agents of love, restoration, healing, hope, and redemption. In this episode, you'll be encouraged to: • Find rest and refreshment in God's presence • Trust God when circumstances don't look the way you expected • Remember who you are and whose you are • Recognize God's work even in difficult seasons • Embrace the power of community and supporting one another • Step into the next season of what God is revealing Timecodes 0:00 - Returning From Sabbatical 03:07 The Power of God's Faithfulness 05:58 The Journey of Transformation 08:54 The Importance of Community Support 12:04 Looking Ahead: New Beginnings To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Experiencing God’s presence isn’t just for “super spiritual” people. In this conversation, Dr. Catherine Toon and Steve McVey explore the Christ Current and how ordinary believers can step into real encounter, stillness, and union with God. If you’ve longed to feel God’s love, hear His voice, or move with the Holy Spirit’s flow in daily life, this episode will help you relax out of striving and into the safe, healing presence of Jesus. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why meditation and contemplative prayer are deeply Christian ways to experience God’s presence. - How to move from fear, overthinking, and “beta fight or flight” into stillness and trust. - What it means to feel the Christ Current and experience oneness beyond religious boxes. - Practical ways to tune into God’s frequency and let His love transform your body, emotions, and inner world. To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

The world feels heavy, and many believers are running on empty, but God is still the God of encouragement and endurance. In this conversation, Catherine talks with Shannon Crowley about her new book The Ministry of Encouragement and how God lovingly imparts courage right into the places we feel afraid, exhausted, or ready to give up. You’ll hear Shannon’s story of joy and “crap‑ola” seasons, how God met her in loss, and why encouragement is a manifestation of perfect love that drives out fear instead of shaming you for struggling. They explore Barnabas as a “son of encouragement,” the role of community, and why even behind‑the‑scenes faithfulness can ripple out to impact countless lives. What you’ll learn: - How God encourages you through scripture, the Spirit, and people - Practical ways to encourage yourself in God when you feel flat - Why community and interdependence matter when you want to isolate - How to offer simple, Spirit‑led encouragement that strengthens others To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Feeling stuck in regret, shame, or “if only I hadn’t…” loops from your past? In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Dr. Catherine unpacks how God can redeem your story, heal the fallout of other people’s choices, and turn even your worst mistakes into real wisdom. You will learn how to own your part without taking on false responsibility, reject victim identity, and partner with God as a powerful son or daughter instead of staying stuck in self‑pity. Catherine shares how to forgive yourself and others, release the need for payback, and trust God’s justice without slipping into religious punishment pictures of God. You will see how aligning with love, refusing bitterness, and choosing healthy boundaries can shift the “cycles” that keep repeating in your life. If you have ever thought, “I’ve wasted years,” this conversation will help you see how nothing is beyond redemption in God’s hands. What you’ll learn: - How to move from victim mindset to powerful partnership with God. - Practical ways to forgive yourself and others without denying the pain. - How to leave justice with God and stop rehearsing revenge in your heart. - How God turns regret, betrayal, and “stupid decisions” into real wisdom and compassion for others. To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Feeling stuck in regret, shame, or “if only I hadn’t…” loops from your past? In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Dr. Catherine unpacks how God can redeem your story, heal the fallout of other people’s choices, and turn even your worst mistakes into real wisdom. You will learn how to own your part without taking on false responsibility, reject victim identity, and partner with God as a powerful son or daughter instead of staying stuck in self‑pity. Catherine shares how to forgive yourself and others, release the need for payback, and trust God’s justice without slipping into religious punishment pictures of God. You will see how aligning with love, refusing bitterness, and choosing healthy boundaries can shift the “cycles” that keep repeating in your life. If you have ever thought, “I’ve wasted years,” this conversation will help you see how nothing is beyond redemption in God’s hands. What you’ll learn: - How to move from victim mindset to powerful partnership with God. - Practical ways to forgive yourself and others without denying the pain. - How to leave justice with God and stop rehearsing revenge in your heart. - How God turns regret, betrayal, and “stupid decisions” into real wisdom and compassion for others. To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

In this conversation, Catherine sits down with William Paul Young, author of The Shack, to hear the story behind writing Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption (releasing October 6, 2026). Paul pulls back the curtain on the creative process, shares how his nine years of friendship with men on death row became the unexpected seed for the sequel, and talks honestly about grief, forgiveness, and what it looks like to keep living after a life-changing encounter with God. In this episode you'll hear: - How Paul went from "I'll never write a sequel" to 40,000 words in 8 days - The death row friendships that inspired the story's redemption arc - What good editing actually does to a creative work - How his characters "take over" and surprise even him - Why he describes Return to the Shack as "a choir" compared to the original's "soloist" To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

In this conversation, Catherine sits down with William Paul Young, author of The Shack, to hear the story behind writing Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption (releasing October 6, 2026). Paul pulls back the curtain on the creative process, shares how his nine years of friendship with men on death row became the unexpected seed for the sequel, and talks honestly about grief, forgiveness, and what it looks like to keep living after a life-changing encounter with God. In this episode you'll hear: - How Paul went from "I'll never write a sequel" to 40,000 words in 8 days - The death row friendships that inspired the story's redemption arc - What good editing actually does to a creative work - How his characters "take over" and surprise even him - Why he describes Return to the Shack as "a choir" compared to the original's "soloist" To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

What if communion was never meant to be a lifeless ritual, but a living encounter with the Person of Love Himself? In this episode, Dr. Catherine Toon invites you back into the early church’s lost revelation of communion as intimacy, union, and shared life with Christ and one another. As Catherine shares vulnerably from her own journey out of religious burnout, she unpacks how religion has toxified powerful spiritual practices, like communion, and how Jesus gently restores them as gifts to nourish your body, soul, and spirit. You’ll discover that communion is not about performing for God or “qualifying” yourself, but about receiving the finished work of Christ and remembering that you are already included in the circle of Love. In this episode, you’ll learn: - How the early church practiced communion as a joyful “love feast,” not a cold, symbolic exercise - Why communion is meant to be a living encounter with Christ’s presence, not a fear-based check-box - How to move from complacency and religious trauma into real intimacy and union with God - Why communion proclaims Jesus’ finished work over your shame, unworthiness, and exhaustion - How to begin reclaiming communion in your everyday life—slow, tender, and deeply personal with Jesus Whether you’ve been hurt by religion, feel disconnected from church, or simply hunger for a deeper experience of God’s love, this conversation will help you rediscover communion as a doorway into the heart of the Trinity. You’re not on the outside trying to get in—you’re already welcomed to the table. Links Mentioned How to Handle Scripture Rightly: https://catherinetoon.com/how-to-handle-scripture-rightly-part-one/ Jamie Englehart: https://www.youtube.com/@JamieEnglehart Laura C Worship: https://www.youtube.com/@LauraCWorship To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
 ► Instagram: @catherinetoon
 ► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd
 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.