There are seasons where prayer feels natural… and seasons where it feels like the words just won’t come. Today’s conversation is for the in-between—when you want to stay close to God, but you’re not sure how.

Friends, we’re back with another Between the Pages episode, and this one honestly felt like such a full-circle moment for me. I got to sit down with my friend Grace—someone I’ve watched love Jesus with her whole heart, especially in the work she does with students and the way she shows up in real life, not just “church life.”

Community is one of those words that sounds warm and safe—until you’ve been hurt by it, or left out of it, or you’re trying to rebuild it from scratch. And then you start wondering… what does “biblical community” actually mean when real people are involved?

I used to think calling was something you found—like a hidden treasure buried just beneath the surface of your faith. If you prayed hard enough, chased the right dreams, and checked all the right boxes, one day you’d stumble across it and everything would finally make sense.

But over the years, I’ve learned that calling rarely looks the way we plan.

What if rest doesn’t look like a hammock and a nap—but 300 miles of mud, silence, and surrender?

That’s the question my brother, Troy, unknowingly set out to answer when he hiked the entire Superior Hiking Trail this fall. Not for glory or a bucket list checkmark—but to find what happens when we finally stop trying to earn rest and instead, walk it out mile by mile.

This episode is special. Not just because Troy is my brother—my built-in best friend and adventure buddy—but because his story reframes how we think about rest altogether.

When you hear the word church, what comes to mind? For some, it’s stained glass and pews. For others, it’s community, family, or a place that feels like home. And for many—it’s also where wounds were formed.

In this week’s episode of Between the Pages, I sat down with my dear friend Esther Maier to talk about one of the most loaded words in the Christian faith: church.

This season, we’re deconstructing Christian buzzwords—words we use often but rarely stop to define. And “church” might be the biggest one of all. What started as a movement of people on mission with Jesus has, over time, become a system, a building, and sometimes even a brand.

To help us dig in, I’m joined by Pastor Dave Hugare, who has been in ministry for over 20 years and now serves as lead pastor at Lakeview Covenant Church. Dave is passionate about making disciples who make disciples, and he carries a heart for people who are asking the hard questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Together, we unpack why deconstruction has become such a cultural and spiritual buzzword, what it looks like to rebuild with Christ at the center, and why asking “the dumb questions” might actually be one of the holiest things you can do.

Can Christian guys and girls really just be friends? It’s the question no one wants to ask—but most of us have lived. In this season finale, we explore the nuance, heartbreak, hope, and holiness wrapped up in opposite-sex friendships, especially in Christian culture. What are the boundaries? What’s wise? And what happens when someone catches feelings?

From backstage prayer circles to late-night Facetimes and preschool classrooms turned mission fields, Meg’s journey hasn’t been perfect—but it’s a reflection of what it really looks like to follow God through shifting seasons, unseen detours, and the tension between personal dreams and divine direction.

🎉 Rebecca is joined by the Boldly Seeking team — Samantha, Jenny, and new team member Grace — for a heartfelt conversation about living a life of impact, legacy, and faith in action.

Kelley shares personal stories of confronting comparison in close friendships, navigating the tension between envy and celebration, and how God met her in moments of vulnerability.

From social media breaks to gratitude journals and even a bold new “Year of Dares,” Kelley invites us into a conversation that feels like a heart-to-heart over coffee.

In this episode, we explore their courageous decision to leave the familiar comforts of college life and embrace God's call to serve in the Alaskan frontier. Christ and Bennet join us to share their heartfelt journey of faith, navigating the challenges of transition, and the profound lessons learned along the way. 

In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome back Evan Kolding, the next gen pastor at Lakeview Covenant Church, as he shares his profound insights on navigating the tumultuous waters of faith and doubt. 

Evan opens up about his personal journey from the West Coast to Duluth and his deep passion for discipleship, offering invaluable wisdom on embracing uncertainty as a tool for spiritual growth.