Lead Without Losing Yourself with Colleen Rouse

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Colleen Rouse and Natalie Born explore how powerful questions can help people think more deeply, take ownership, and grow as leaders. Drawing on their coaching certification experiences, they discuss the shift from giving answers to helping others discover their own, how to stay curious without creating dependence, and why leaders should make room for silence and reflection. They also consider how prayer and the Holy Spirit shape the questions we ask, the wisdom we seek, and the people we are becoming. [00:00 – 03:16] From Consulting to Coaching Explore the shift from offering expert advice to helping someone uncover an answer for themselves. Learn why a coaching question should create insight and introspection, rather than simply gather information. [03:17 – 06:45] Ask Questions That Build Ownership Use questions such as “What do you really want?” and “What are you avoiding?” to bring the real issue into focus. Help people discover and own their decisions so the solution is more likely to stay with them. [06:46 – 11:45] Stay Curious Instead of Solving Everything Resist the urge to provide an answer just because you have experience or can see a possible blind spot. Ask what someone thinks is happening, what options they have considered, and how they would make the decision. Build critical thinking and independence instead of making yourself the only source of help. [11:46 – 15:53] Consider What You Are Learning and Becoming Move beyond “What are you going to do?” and ask what you need to learn and who you need to become. Notice how a new assignment can develop character, agency, and dependence on God—not just produce an outcome. Pray to become the kind of person who can be entrusted with what God is preparing to give you. [15:54 – 20:45] Make Space for Silence and Reflection Ask a thoughtful question, then allow the other person time to process before filling the silence. Recognize that reflection may take time, especially for internal processors or in conversations with teenagers. Let go of the pressure to solve everything in one meeting; people can return to a question after they have had time to think and pray. [20:46 – END] Take Your Questions to God Before turning to another person or a tool for an answer, consider whether you have first brought the question to prayer. Allow unresolved questions to become part of spiritual formation and a deeper relationship with God. Practice asking better questions so the people you lead can discover wisdom and make decisions with ownership. Quotes “It’s when we stop talking that He can begin to talk.” — Natalie Born “A good coach doesn’t give us the answers. They help us to discover the answer through asking great questions.” — Natalie Born “Have I taken this problem to prayer before I’m taking it to someone else?” — Natalie Born About Natalie Born Natalie Born is the founder of Innovation Meets Leadership and the media host for Thrive Today. Through her work, she equips leaders to navigate change, strengthen their influence, and approach leadership challenges with wisdom, courage, and practical strategy. Guest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieborn Website: https://innovationmeetsleadership.com Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? ⭐ Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women discover faith-filled leadership. 💬 Join the Thrive Today community for coaching, encouragement, and connection. 👉 Learn more at https://thrivetoday.com

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with business leader, author, and speaker Elizabeth Dixon to explore how a clear sense of purpose can steady us through change. Elizabeth shares the personal experience that led her to write The Strength of Purpose, the common barriers that keep people from discovering their purpose, and why purpose must reach beyond a job title or season of life. Together, they discuss faith, priorities, comparison, and practical ways to make room for what matters most. [00:05 - 03:20] Introducing Elizabeth and Her Work Meet Elizabeth Dixon and hear about her 20-year career at Chick-fil-A and her work with the Trilith Foundation. Learn about her writing, consulting, and entrepreneurial work. [03:21 - 06:58] Discovering the Strength of Purpose Hear how a painful work decision prompted Elizabeth to examine what mattered most to her. Explore how a clearly defined purpose helped her respond differently to the same circumstances. Learn why she wrote The Strength of Purpose as a guide. [06:59 - 9:55] Moving Through Discomfort, Defeat, and Distraction Identify three common barriers to discovering purpose: discomfort, defeat, and distraction. Consider how unprocessed setbacks can shape a limiting story about the future. Hear why creating silence and margin can help us focus on what matters beyond a busy to-do list. [9:56 - 14:03] Carrying Purpose Through Changing Seasons Explore why purpose is more lasting than a role, career, or specific calling. Hear how a clear sense of purpose can support people through transitions, loss, and uncertainty. Consider Elizabeth’s sailboat-in-a-storm story and the stability that comes from knowing what you can control. [14:04 - 17:51] Building a Foundation That Can Weather the Storm Explore how the foundation beneath our identity and purpose shapes the strength we live from. Hear how Elizabeth’s Christian faith informs the way she sees difficult and abundant seasons alike. [17:52 - 22:37] Making Space for What Matters Most Learn how Elizabeth’s companion guide helps readers put their purpose into practice. Hear Elizabeth’s practical approach to putting her phone to bed in another room and using a sunrise alarm clock. [22:38 - END] Living Confidently in Your Own Purpose Remember that you were created on purpose and for a purpose. Encouragement to resist comparison, stay focused on your own season, and celebrate other women’s gifts. Close with a reminder to live confidently in the work and calling in front of you. Quotes “The foundation that we build on determines the strength that we live from.” - Elizabeth Dixon “When we define our purpose by things that we cannot fully control, we put ourselves in a really vulnerable position.” - Elizabeth Dixon “Our purpose endures our 20s, our 30s, our 40s, our 50s, our 60s.” “There’s abundance in celebrating what other women are doing.” About Elizabeth Dixon Elizabeth Dixon is a business leader, keynote speaker, consultant, and author with more than 20 years of experience helping teams thrive and brands stand out. She spent 20 years in leadership at the Chick-fil-A Support Center and has partnered with brands including Southwest Airlines, The Ritz-Carlton, Zappos, and Wegmans. Elizabeth developed and served as CEO of the Trilith Foundation, is a Fellow at Baylor University, and founded Possibility Co. and Slumber Sleepwear. She is the author of The Power of Customer Experience and The Strength of Purpose, with The Advantage of Purpose forthcoming at the time of this recording. Her faith and family are central to her life. Guest Links Website: https://elizabethdixonspeaks.com Books discussed: The Strength of Purpose; The Advantage of Purpose

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with Thrive Today founder Colleen Rouse to explore the art of decision-making. Together, they discuss why decisiveness must be paired with discernment, how overconfidence can create blind spots, and what leaders can learn when a decision fails. Colleen also shares how to invite the right voices into the process, recognize when consensus becomes a hiding place, and move forward with humility, courage, and full ownership of the outcome. [00:00 – 05:40] Pairing Decisiveness with Discernment ● Recognize that being decisive does not automatically mean being right. ● Learn from Joshua 9 and the danger of relying on momentum without inquiring of the Lord. ● Use a knowledge audit to uncover what failed in the decision-making process. [05:41 – 10:54] Letting Strong Ideas Withstand Inquiry ● Shift from top-down leadership by inviting questions and honest feedback. ● Remember that the goal is not to prove the leader is right, but to prove the decision is right. ● Give trained leaders freedom within a clear framework and defined boundaries. [10:55 – 15:51] Choosing the Right Voices and Avoiding Indecision ● Include implementers and people whose knowledge and expertise reveal the decision’s impact. ● Clarify when the room is having a discussion and when a final direction has been given. ● Watch for fear-based consensus that delays action or creates rogue decision-makers. [15:52 – 18:35] Learning from Failure Without Blame ● Treat consensus as a source of wisdom, not a hiding place from responsibility. ● Examine the process and assumptions instead of blaming the people who implemented the decision. ● Trust God’s redemptive process to turn failure into wisdom for the future. [18:36 – 22:01] Knowing When It Is Time to Decide ● Confirm that the right voices have been heard and the key assumptions have been tested. ● Make sure the decision-maker is clear and prepared to own what happens next. ● Listen humbly, decide courageously, and take full responsibility for the outcome. [22:02 – End] Building Strong Women and Strong Relationships ● Celebrate women as leaders and recognize that they are assets, not liabilities. ● Challenge women to grow and coach them to think differently. ● Build leadership strength within a community grounded in meaningful relationships. Quotes “The goal here is not to prove that the leader is right. The goal here is to prove that the decision is right.” — Colleen Rouse “Consensus is to be a source of wisdom. It’s not to be this hiding place from responsibility.” — Colleen Rouse “We listen humbly, we decide courageously, and we own the outcome fully.” — Colleen Rouse About Colleen Rouse Colleen Rouse is the founder of Thrive Today and the founding pastor of Victory Church in Norcross, Georgia. She is a trusted voice for faith-centered leadership, helping high-capacity leaders move from pressure-driven performance to grace-filled stewardship. Guest Links 🌐 Website: https://thrivetoday.com 📱 Join the Thrive Today Community Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? ⭐ Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women discover faith-filled leadership. 💬 Join the Thrive Today community for coaching, encouragement, and connection. 👉 Learn more at https://thrivetoday.com

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with pastor, leadership coach, and speaker Melissa Graham to explore what it means to guard your heart with wisdom rather than fear. Anchored in Proverbs 4:23, Melissa explains how what we allow into our hearts shapes our thoughts, decisions, relationships, and leadership. Together, they discuss intentional priorities, constant accessibility, healthy boundaries, daily time with Christ, and the way a healthy heart can become a fountain of life to others. This conversation encourages leaders to protect what matters most so they can live, lead, and serve from a healthy place. [00:04 - 03:32] Guarding Your Heart with Wisdom Explore Proverbs 4:23 and why Melissa considers the heart the control center of life. Understand guarding as stewardship rather than fear, isolation, or emotional walls. Consider what and whom you allow access to your heart. [03:33 - 07:18] Choosing the Right Thing Distinguish knowledge from the wisdom to recognize what deserves priority. Ask whether each opportunity supports God's purpose for your current season. Learn why mature leaders make intentional decisions, not merely good ones. [07:19 - 12:19] Turning Down the Noise Recognize constant accessibility as a major source of distraction. Examine the difference between being busy and being fruitful. Release other people's expectations and view boundaries as an act of stewardship. [12:20 - 16:51] Setting Boundaries That Restore You Hear the three boundaries Melissa protects around family, access to her heart, and time with Christ. Consider whether success is costing the people and priorities closest to you. Create a regular rhythm that gives you space to listen, worship, and renew your soul. [16:52 - 18:30] Becoming a Fountain of Life Lead your own life well so what God is doing in you can overflow to others. See how the health of your heart affects your marriage, family, business, and leadership. Move beyond survival toward a life that brings health and encouragement to those around you. [18:31 - 20:42] Remembering Your Heart Is Worth Guarding Receive guarding your heart as a compassionate and generous choice, not a selfish one. Choose inputs that produce the godly life you want to experience and share with others. Reflect on the example your guarded, healthy life sets for the women watching you. [20:43 - End] Connecting with Melissa and Guarded Learn where to find Melissa's resources and community. Discover her book Guarded and the annual Guarded conference. Connect with Thrive Today for leadership, community, and strength. Quotes “Guarding isn't fear. Guarding isn't walls. Guarding is wisdom.” - Melissa Graham “Mature leaders, they don't just make good decisions, they make intentional decisions.” - Melissa Graham “Sometimes we can mistake being busy for being fruitful.” - Melissa Graham “Boundaries are an act of stewardship.” - Melissa Graham About Pastor Melissa Graham Pastor Melissa Graham is a speaker, leadership coach, and co-founder of The Avenue Church, which she founded with her husband, Justin, in 2013. She has spoken in corporate and private settings, with platforms ranging from the Miss America Pageant to the John Maxwell Coaching Network. Melissa holds a master's degree in counseling and education and is passionate about building leaders, adding value to people and organizations, and providing practical tools for personal, professional, and spiritual growth. She and Justin have two children. Guest Links Website: https://melissagraham.org Book discussed: Guarded - available at melissagraham.org Speaking inquiries: [email protected] Social media: Connect with Melissa on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with health coach, author, and speaker Lori Nolan to explore her faith-based approach to lasting wellness. Drawing from The Balanced Life Method, Lori shares why she begins with spiritual and emotional well-being before addressing daily health habits. Together, they discuss sleep, stress, movement, the appeal of quick fixes, and practical ways busy women can prioritize their health. This conversation encourages leaders to pursue consistency over perfection and care for themselves as they care for others. [00:16 - 06:45] Building a Strong Foundation for Health Explore the house-building analogy behind Lori’s seven-pillar framework. Hear why Lori begins her coaching with the spirit and soul. Consider how beliefs, past experiences, and emotions influence daily habits. [06:46 - 08:18] Prioritizing Sleep and Consistency Hear why Lori identifies sleep as a frequently neglected pillar. Explore her 90-10 approach to consistent habits with room for everyday life. Focus on caring for your body rather than pursuing perfection. [08:19 - 10:11] Taking Inventory of Your Stress Identify the pressures competing for your attention. Distinguish motivating stress from distress that needs attention. Consider how boundaries and relationships connect to stress management. [10:12 - 11:48] Making Movement Part of Your Life Reframe fitness as regular movement, not just a gym membership. Explore walking, cycling, and swimming as ways to stay active. Hear Lori’s encouragement to include strength-building activities. [11:49 - 18:37] Looking Beyond Quick Fixes Explore the appeal of quick results versus sustainable lifestyle changes. Hear Lori’s perspective on weight-loss medications, peptides, and health habits. Recognize the importance of addressing emotional and behavioral patterns. [18:38 - 22:08] Where to Start When You Feel Overwhelmed Find a trusted doctor and discuss appropriate evaluation and support. Write down your concerns and prioritize one manageable area at a time. View self-care as stewardship that supports your ability to lead and serve. [22:09 - 25:03] Changing the Way You Speak to Yourself Notice the story you tell yourself about your body and your future. Replace harsh self-criticism with kindness, gratitude, and hope. Choose thoughts and words that support your next constructive step. [25:04 - End] Connecting with Lori and Taking the Next Step Learn where to find Lori’s coaching, book, and The Balanced Life Podcast. Take one step toward the health journey you have been putting off. Connect with Thrive Today for leadership, community, and encouragement. Quotes “It’s not about living forever. It’s about living better.” - Lori Nolan “Not everything needs your attention all at one time.” - Lori Nolan “You can’t pour from an empty place.” - Lori Nolan “Just start transforming your mind and your words.” - Lori Nolan About Lori Nolan Lori Nolan is a health coach, author, and speaker with three decades of experience helping people pursue faith-centered wellness. Through The Balanced Life Method, she supports lasting change across physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. She is the author of The Balanced Life Method and Kingdom LeadHership, hosts The Balanced Life Podcast, and serves on the advisory board of the Association of Christian Business Women. Guest Links Website: https://lorinolanhealth.com Instagram: @CoachLoriNolan Facebook: Coach Lori Nolan Podcast: The Balanced Life Podcast (Solwin TV and YouTube) Book discussed: The Balanced Life Method - available on Lori’s website and Amazon.

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Colleen Rouse sits down with Natalie Born to explore how leaders can navigate conflict with greater wisdom, confidence, and flexibility. Using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Natalie unpacks five common responses to conflict: competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromising, and collaborating. She explains when each approach can be helpful or harmful. Together, they offer practical insight to help leaders identify their default style, choose the right response for the situation, and grow beyond the patterns that may be limiting their leadership. [00:00 – 03:39] Understanding Your Conflict Style Identify the response you use most often when conflict arises. Understand assertiveness and cooperativeness as the model’s two key dimensions. Treat each conflict style as a tool rather than a permanent leadership identity. [03:40 – 05:30] When Competing Is Necessary Use a highly assertive approach when safety or urgency demands immediate action. Make the hard call when delaying a decision could cause greater harm. Avoid turning competition into a default win-lose leadership mentality. [05:31 – 09:08] Accommodating Without Losing Your Voice Choose accommodation when serving others or yielding a preference supports the greater good. Recognize when healthy cooperation has become unhealthy self-sacrifice. Bring your thought leadership to the table instead of becoming known as the person who always gives in. [09:09 – 12:38] The Hidden Cost of Avoidance Step away when a conversation becomes unsafe, unstable, or too emotionally charged. Do not allow temporary avoidance to become a pattern of ignoring difficult issues. Remember that unaddressed behavior shapes culture and can erode a team’s respect for its leader. [12:39 – 14:58] Finding Common Ground Through Compromise Use compromise when trust is limited or time requires a practical decision. Clarify what each person needs and what each is willing to give up. Let smaller negotiations become opportunities to listen well and build trust. [14:59 – 20:17] The Work of True Collaboration Balance confidence in your position with openness to a better idea. Seek to understand the other person’s needs before asking to be understood. Give important decisions the time, trust, honesty, and maturity collaboration requires. [20:18 – End] Growing Beyond Your Default Ask trusted people how they experience your conflict style at work and at home. Choose one less-familiar style to practice over the next 60 to 90 days. Build the flexibility to match your response to the needs of the moment. Quotes “These are tools in our tool belt.” — Natalie Born “Even a servant doesn’t have to be a doormat.” — Natalie Born “Culture is the worst behavior we allow.” — Natalie Born “Seek to understand before you’re understood.” — Natalie Born About Natalie Born Natalie Born is the founder of Innovation Meets Leadership and the media host for Thrive Today. Through her work, she equips leaders to navigate change, strengthen their influence, and approach leadership challenges with wisdom, courage, and practical strategy. Guest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieborn Website: https://innovationmeetsleadership.com Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? ⭐ Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women discover faith-filled leadership. 💬 Join the Thrive Today community for coaching, encouragement, and connection. 👉 Learn more at https://thrivetoday.com

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with Thrive Today founder Colleen Rouse to explore how leaders can move a team from surface-level agreement to genuine buy-in. Together, they unpack the differences between compliance, agreement, and commitment; why resistance often appears after the meeting; and how leaders can create space for honest feedback. Colleen also shares a practical framework for building clarity, strengthening collaboration, and helping people take ownership of the ideas they help shape. [00:00 – 05:35] From Compliance to Commitment Understand the difference between compliance, agreement, and buy-in. Recognize why external agreement does not always mean internal commitment. Give people the why behind the what so they can take ownership. [05:36 – 09:41] Inviting Honest Feedback Read the room and notice who is truly engaged. Ask questions that invite people to challenge the idea. Bring resistance to the table before it appears through poor follow-through. [09:42 – 14:46] Motivation vs. Manipulation Make space for both internal and external processors. Help others see the vision instead of pressuring them to agree. Examine your motive and adjust your influence to fit the room. [14:47 – 18:53] A Framework for Better Decisions Move through observation, validation, and solution. Prioritize clarity and the opportunity to be heard over consensus. Use thoughtful questions to move the room toward a shared solution. [18:54 – 22:42] Creating Connection and Ownership Ask for research, experience, and insight—not opinions alone. Build trust by helping people feel safe, heard, and respected. Remember that people value what they help build. [22:43 – End] Collaboration That Brings Out the Best Use collaboration to uncover strengths and mine the gold in your team. Include the people who will be impacted by and responsible for the idea. Approach the process strategically, honestly, transparently, and respectfully. Quotes “People can agree with you externally but never be committed internally.” — Colleen Rouse “Leadership isn't about convincing people. It’s about helping them see what I see.” — Colleen Rouse “Manipulation is thinking, ‘How do I get my idea across?’ And motivation is, ‘How do I help others see this?’” — Colleen Rouse “When people feel heard, the walls start coming down and collaboration can begin.” — Colleen Rouse About Colleen Rouse Colleen Rouse is the founder of Thrive Today and the founding pastor of Victory Church in Norcross, Georgia. She is a trusted voice for faith-centered leadership, helping high-capacity leaders move from pressure-driven performance to grace-filled stewardship. Guest Links 🌐 Website: https://thrivetoday.com 📱 Join the Thrive Today Community Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? ⭐ Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women discover faith-filled leadership. 💬 Join the Thrive Today community for coaching, encouragement, and connection. 👉 Learn more at https://thrivetoday.com

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with Thrive Today founder Colleen Rouse for an honest conversation about what it means to lead with confidence without losing yourself in the process. Together, they explore why women often feel misunderstood in leadership, how men and women process communication differently, and practical ways to build stronger collaboration. Through biblical wisdom and leadership experience, Colleen shares how curiosity, confidence, and intentional communication can help women lead authentically while remaining true to who God created them to be. [00:00 – 03:40] Understanding Leadership Differences Why women often feel unheard in leadership. Honoring differences between men and women. How beliefs shape the way we lead. [03:41 – 07:28] Different Strengths, Better Collaboration How men and women process information differently. Valuing both relational and solution-oriented thinking. Turning differences into collaboration. [07:29 – 10:40] Choosing Curiosity Over Assumptions Replace assumptions with better questions. Grow in self-awareness and awareness of others. Curiosity creates healthier communication. [10:41 – 14:40] Communication Habits to Avoid Stop expecting others to think like you. Avoid over-explaining your ideas. Don't take direct feedback personally. [14:41 – 18:30] Leading with Confidence Build bridges instead of proving a point. Prepare well and communicate strategically. Lead from conviction, not approval. [18:31 – End] The Power of Community Why leadership can feel lonely. The value of learning alongside other women. How Thrive Today equips women to lead well. Quotes "The way that we show up is often based on what we believe and how we feel." — Colleen Rouse "Curiosity is a saving grace." — Colleen Rouse "Confidence isn't something you hype up. It comes from conviction." — Colleen Rouse Guest Links 🌐 Website: https://thrivetoday.com 📱 Join the Thrive Today Community Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? ⭐ Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women discover faith-filled leadership. 💬 Join the Thrive Today community for coaching, encouragement, and connection. 👉 Learn more at https://thrivetoday.com

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this encouraging episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, host Natalie Born welcomes author, speaker, and leadership coach Traci Morrow for a deeply personal conversation about navigating unexpected life change with faith and purpose. After learning through a public press release that the company she had faithfully served for years was shutting down its division, Traci found herself facing uncertainty, loss, and a complete shift in identity. Rather than allowing disappointment to define her, she chose to surrender her future to God and trust that He was leading her into something greater. Through biblical examples, personal testimony, and practical wisdom, Traci shares how God can use seasons of disruption to clarify our calling, refine our identity, and redirect us toward His true assignment. This episode is a powerful reminder that while we cannot always control our circumstances, we can choose how we respond—and that response can change everything. [00:00 – 03:52] When Life Changes Overnight Traci shares the shocking moment she learned her company was closing. Processing unexpected loss while standing in a fabric store with her daughter. The emotional impact of uncertainty and sudden change. [03:53 – 07:09] Choosing Your First Response Why our initial response shapes the road ahead. Turning to God before reacting to circumstances. Trusting Him and surrendering fear even when the future feels unclear. [07:10 – 10:55] Releasing What Was Letting go of an identity connected to a career. Asking God what He wanted to do in the next season. Viewing change as an invitation rather than a setback and becoming a faithful steward of every season. [10:56 – 15:10] Finding Identity Beyond Success Building identity in Christ instead of accomplishments. Allowing God to strip away unhealthy attachments. Embracing transformation from the inside out. Discovering renewed purpose through surrender. [15:11 – 19:45] Lessons from Esther Drawing encouragement from Esther's willingness to obey. Showing up in faith even without knowing every outcome. Trusting God's timing and preparation. Courage often begins with simple obedience. [19:46 – 24:15] Joy, Purpose, and New Perspective Rediscovering joy that isn't dependent on circumstances. Learning to see difficult seasons through God's perspective. Finding peace by resting in God's faithfulness. Recognizing that disruption can reveal new direction. [24:16 – End] Staying Focused on God's Assignment Lessons from Nehemiah on avoiding distractions and staying faithful to God's calling. Why obedience in your current season prepares you for what's next. A final encouragement to trust God through every transition and choose faith over fear. Quotes "You don't know how you'll respond until life turns upside down." — Traci Morrow "I am building something the Lord has me on, and I cannot be distracted." — Traci Morrow "Until you've completed the last thing the Lord asked you to do, you can't begin something else." — Traci Morrow About the Guest: Traci Morrow Traci Morrow is a speaker, author, leadership coach, and relationship mentor with a passion for helping people discover God's purpose for their lives and build healthy, thriving relationships. She serves as the Growth Guide for Relationships on John Maxwell's Growth Platform, co-hosts the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, and mentors married couples alongside her husband, KC, at Zeal Church in Colorado. Traci is also the author of the Amazon bestselling book Real-Life Marriage: Navigating Your Beautiful, Messy, One-Of-A-Kind Love Story and equips individuals and couples with practical, Christ-centered tools for lasting relationships. Guest Links 🌐 Website: https://tracimorrow.com 📱 Follow Traci on social media: @TraciMorrow 📖 Real-Life Marriage: Available wherever books are sold.

✅ Join our Thrive Tribe! https://thrivetoday.com/ Learn more about our Thrive Today Membership: https://thrivetoday.com/pages/membership In this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, Natalie Born sits down with pastor, leadership advisor, speaker, and author Vince Thomas Jr. to discuss his new book, The Art of Resilience. Vince shares the personal experiences and biblical lessons that shaped the book, offering practical wisdom on developing character, overcoming comparison, stewarding resources, asking for help, and growing stronger through life's challenges. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a difficult season, or simply pursuing personal growth, this conversation will encourage you to build resilience one faithful step at a time. [00:00 – 06:48] The Story Behind The Art of Resilience Vince shares his family, ministry, and leadership journey How years of personal journaling became the foundation for the book Why resilience is built through dependence on God rather than personal strength [06:49 – 12:46] Character Over Success Why character matters more than charisma or accomplishments Leadership as a marathon, not a sprint The importance of remaining faithful when no one is watching [12:47 – 16:56] Escaping the Comparison Trap The dangers of measuring your life against others Paul's "thorn in the flesh" and learning dependence on God Staying humble by remembering who deserves the credit for every success [16:57 – 22:55] Stewarding Finances & Small Decisions Biblical principles for managing resources wisely Why small financial habits create long-term impact The "small leaks" that quietly steal from our future [22:56 – 28:46] Growing 1% Every Day The power of consistent, incremental growth Why asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness Building personal dashboards for spiritual, emotional, relational, and financial health Healing from past pain so you don't repeat unhealthy patterns [28:47 – End] Final Encouragement How personal healing impacts leadership Where to connect with Vince and learn more about The Art of Resilience Natalie's encouragement to pursue intentional daily growth Quotes "The moment we stop growing, we start stagnating." - Vince Thomas Jr. "What you don't heal from will eventually show up in how you lead." - Vince Thomas Jr. "Character will always speak louder than your reputation." - Vince Thomas Jr. About the Guest: Vince Thomas Jr. Vince Thomas Jr. is the Founder and Lead Pastor of The Outlet Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He also serves as the Director of Leadership Development and Adjunct Professor of Urban Leadership at Oglethorpe University, where he equips leaders in faith, leadership, and community impact. He is the author of The Art of Resilience and holds a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Beulah Heights University. Vince and his wife, Ashley, have two children, Asher and Chloe, and call metro Atlanta home. Guest Links Website: VinceThomasJr.com Book: The Art of Resilience Church: TheOutlet.cc Thrive Today: ThriveToday.com Loved this episode of the Thrive Today Podcast? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help more women grow in leadership, faith, and purpose. Join the Thrive community for leadership resources, coaching, and conversations designed to help you thrive in every season.