In this powerful episode of Rooted, we sit down with Jon Pausley, CEO of Historic Arnolds Park and former pastor, to explore leadership, faith, relationships, and what it truly means to live rooted in God’s love.

Jon shares wisdom from decades of ministry and organizational leadership, unpacking how authenticity, humility, and self-awareness shape healthy teams and thriving relationships. From navigating conflict and delegation to understanding your God-given wiring, this conversation is filled with practical tools for leaders, employees, singles, and married couples alike.

We also dive into Jon’s pastoral roots, his perspective on grace versus legalism in the church, relationship advice grounded in wholeness, and a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness in the small details. This episode closes with a foundational truth every listener needs to hear: God knows you, loves you, and didn’t make a mistake in how He created you.

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00:00 – Being rooted in God’s love & episode introduction

01:10 – Welcome to Rooted and introduction of Jon Pausley (PJP)

03:05 – Jon’s role as CEO of Historic Arnolds Park

06:10 – Transition from pastoral ministry to organizational leadership

09:00 – What leadership really is: influence, vision, and mission

12:10 – Knowing yourself as a leader & resisting comparison

15:40 – Delegation, trust, and empowering teams

19:10 – Leading like a coach instead of a player

22:00 – Navigating conflict with humility (OIC method)

25:30 – Leading up vs. leading down with wisdom

28:20 – Grace vs. legalism in the church

31:10 – Relationships, marriage, and becoming whole

34:00 – The airplane story: God cares about the details

37:30 – One truth to be rooted in: God knows you and loves you

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• “God didn’t make any mistakes in how He wired you.”
• “Leadership is really just influencing people toward a shared mission.”
• “If you’re not authentic, you’ll feel divided all the time.”
• “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with people.”
• “Delegation is hard, but it’s how people grow.”
• “Everyone wants to follow a leader who’s humble—not just right.”
• “Grace, not guilt, should be our motivation for growth.”
• “Be whole in yourself before expecting someone else to complete you.”
• “It’s not weakness to ask for help—it’s strength.”
• “Root yourself in the fact that God knows you and loves you.”

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• Historic Arnolds Park – Family-focused historic amusement park in Iowa
• Craig Groeschel – Leadership insights and podcast referenced
• Mark Batterson – Leadership principle: delegate at 80%
• Bethel University – Where Jon earned his Master’s in Leadership

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

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In this deeply moving episode of the Rooted Podcast, hosts Josie and Symone sit down with Eddie Buchanan, whose life is a living testimony of God’s relentless love, redemption, and grace.

Eddie shares his journey from shame, addiction, and same-sex attraction into true freedom — not through striving or behavior modification, but by becoming rooted in God’s love and beloved identity. Through powerful stories, biblical truth, and raw vulnerability, Eddie explains how transformation happens from love, not for love.

This conversation touches on topics many Christians wrestle with but rarely discuss openly: identity, shame, sexual brokenness, gay lifestyle, renewing the mind, healing from trauma, grief, and how to love others well while standing firmly in truth. Eddie’s testimony is an invitation to stop hiding, step into the light, and see yourself the way God sees you.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, ashamed, or unsure whether God could truly love you where you are — this episode is for you.

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00:00 – God as the safest place to be fully known

01:00 – Introduction to Rooted & Eddie’s story

03:00 – How roots shape fruit (Psalm 1)

07:00 – Recognizing unfulfilling patterns and addiction

08:30 – Discovering beloved identity & God’s unconditional love

09:30 – A life-changing encounter with Jesus

11:00 – Transformation through love, not behavior

12:30 – Renewing the mind & daily identity declarations

14:00 – The “pregnant woman” analogy for spiritual growth

16:00 – “Gradually, then suddenly” faith journey

17:30 – Loving people well while speaking truth

18:30 – Church, grace, and real transformation

21:00 – Loss, grief, and God’s ability to handle our emotions

24:00 – God as friend, not distant judge

26:00 – Breaking shame through confession and community

29:00 – Power of testimony and living in the light

30:00 – The story of seeing yourself through God’s eyes

33:00 – Final encouragement: Be rooted in who God says you are

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• “God loves me right where I am — and that’s what changed everything.”
• “It’s not changing behavior to earn love; it’s love that changes behavior.”
• “When you know who you are, the fruit will follow.”
• “Shame loses its power when you bring it into the light.”
• “God can handle your emotions — all of them.”
• “You don’t clean yourself up before you come to God.”
• “The enemy doesn’t care what he uses, as long as it works.”
• “What’s inside of you will eventually show on the outside.”
• “We don’t judge, we don’t convict — we love.”
• “You’ve always looked the way God created you… you just couldn’t see it yet.”

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• Damon Thompson – Teaching on Beloved Identity
• Love One Out – Support for those desiring to leave LGBTQ lifestyles
• Teen Challenge – Faith-based recovery program
• Billy Graham – “It’s God’s job to judge…” quote
• Gradually Then Suddenly – book by Mark Batterson

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

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In this powerful and refreshing episode of the Rooted Podcast, we sit down with sisters Kassidy and Kennedy—hosts of their own wellness podcast—to talk about faith-based wellness, family, fitness, and living rooted in truth in a noisy world.

From reformer Pilates and low-impact movement to biblical health principles, Kassidy and Kennedy share how their passion for wellness was shaped by personal health challenges, motherhood, and faith. They unpack why modern wellness can feel overwhelming, how to simplify health by going back to God’s design, and why wholeness—not perfection—is the goal.

The conversation also dives into family roots, sisterhood, navigating life in the public eye, and how faith anchors us amid misinformation, cultural pressure, and emotional reactivity. This episode is a reminder that true wellness begins at the root—with Christ—and flows into every area of life.

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00:00 – Welcome to Rooted + introducing sisters Kassidy & Kennedy

01:00 – Life seasons: motherhood, marriage, careers, and calling

02:30 – Why Kennedy started Studio Seven Pilates

03:45 – What reformer Pilates is & who it’s for

06:00 – Kassidy’s work with Pheasants Forever & conservation

08:00 – Hunting stories, archery elk hunts & outdoor values

11:45 – How wellness became personal: eczema, health journeys & questions

14:30 – Starting a wellness podcast without pressure or perfection

16:45 – Why modern wellness feels overwhelming

18:30 – Biblical health: simplicity, whole foods, sun & movement

20:45 – Practical steps to start a wellness journey (without burnout)

23:00 – Faith as the foundation of true wellness

25:00 – Sisterhood, family roots & staying close in different seasons

30:30 – Navigating life in the public eye & staying grounded

34:00 – Finding truth in a world full of misinformation

38:30 – Final truth: living with purpose & eternal perspective

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• “Our goal is to be whole—not perfect.”
• “Wellness was never meant to be this complicated.”
• “God designed health to be simple.”
• “Movement is movement—find joy in how you move your body.”
• “At the root of all wellness is faith.”
• “If you let emotion lead, you’ll never walk in truth.”
• “You don’t need to do everything—just start small.”
• “Only God truly knows who you are.”
• “Truth doesn’t change based on feelings.”
• “God created you for a purpose—slow down and live in that.”

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• Threads of Wellth Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/threadsofwellth/
• Reformer Pilates / Studio Seven Pilates
• Pheasants Forever (conservation organization)
• The Bible (health, wellness, and truth references)
• Atomic Habits by James Clear (referenced conceptually)

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

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In this powerful episode of the Rooted Podcast, Josie and Simone sit down with longtime friend Tucker to unpack his deeply personal journey of faith. From being adopted from South Korea into a Christian home, to wrestling with identity, spiritual warfare, mental health, and a “one foot in, one foot out” faith, Tucker shares how God relentlessly pursued him.

He opens up about a life-changing moment at the Passion Conference, a vivid dream that called him into surrender, and the slow but steady sanctification process that followed. Tucker also shares practical wisdom on fleeing sin, trusting God through uncertainty, stepping into calling “scared,” and living out faith in everyday work—now as a full-time photographer.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating faith in their 20s, wrestling with doubt, or learning how to trust God when clarity feels out of reach.

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00:00 – A vivid dream and the moment of surrender

01:00 – Welcome + Tucker’s current season and photography work

02:00 – Adoption story and growing up in the church

03:30 – One foot in faith, one foot in the world

04:45 – Passion Conference & Levi Lusko’s message

06:30 – Mental health struggles and COVID reset

07:30 – Digging deep roots in God’s Word

08:30 – Wrestling with adoption, identity, and lies of the enemy

10:45 – Spiritual warfare experiences as a child

14:00 – Learning about the spiritual realm later in life

17:00 – God’s protection and the unseen spiritual battle

19:00 – Child modeling stories (yes, really 👀)

21:00 – College life, sin cycles, and spiritual complacency

24:00 – What happened at Passion Conference

28:00 – “Just so happened” God moments

30:00 – Sanctification & practical steps to flee sin

34:00 – Advice for living half-in, half-out faith

36:00 – Photography, calling, and living faith publicly

39:30 – Doing things scared & trusting God

41:00 – Final truth to be rooted in

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• “Somehow in my heart I knew I looked the same—hopeless and lost.”
• “That dream was God asking me to step into the unknown.”
• “I didn’t realize it then, but that fear had been spiritual warfare.”
• “The enemy wants to invalidate your identity—but God calls you chosen.”
• “Doubts aren’t the end of faith; they’re an invitation to go deeper.”
• “Sin loses its power when you bring it into the light.”
• “Just because temptation shows up doesn’t mean it defines you.”
• “God doesn’t waste ‘just so happened’ moments.”
• “Faith is taking steps before certainty shows up.”
• “Sometimes you just have to do things scared.”

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• Passion Conference – Annual Christian conference for ages 18–25
• Levi Lusko – Pastor and speaker at Passion Conference
• Ephesians 6:12 – Scripture on spiritual warfare
• Psalm 139 – “Fearfully and wonderfully made”
• Becoming Something Podcast – Mentioned as part of Tucker’s spiritual growth
• Camp Shetek – Foundational place of community and ministry
• Northwestern College (St. Paul) – Tucker’s college experience

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

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In this episode of Rooted, Josie and Symone dive into a deeply encouraging conversation with Maya Mae Huff—Christian podcaster, speaker, entrepreneur, and co-host of the Overflow Podcast. Maya shares her powerful journey of faith, obedience, and trusting God not just with big decisions, but with the smallest details of life.

From hiking Mount Kilimanjaro with Compassion International to learning how waiting seasons refine our faith, Maya opens up about rest, calling, creativity, and navigating comparison in the age of social media. She reflects on Psalm 23, God’s delight in His children, and a remarkable story that shows how prayer and trust can transform hearts—even through something as simple as a lost pair of sunglasses.

This episode is a reminder that God is present in every detail, faithful in waiting seasons, and deeply invested in shaping our hearts through obedience, rest, and surrender.

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• 00:00 – 01:00 | Living from love, not striving for God’s approval
• 01:00 – 04:00 | Introducing Maya Mae Huff & her journey in faith
• 04:00 – 09:00 | Mount Kilimanjaro, Compassion International & Psalm 23
• 09:00 – 11:30 | Waiting seasons and learning to rest with God
• 11:30 – 14:30 | Overflow Podcast: from “In This Together” to rebirth
• 14:30 – 19:30 | Overflow Creative, calling, and trusting God’s timing
• 19:30 – 23:00 | Faith in work, ministry, and creative obedience
• 23:00 – 27:30 | Social media, comparison, and guarding your heart
• 27:30 – 30:30 | Silence, distraction, and sitting with God
• 30:30 – 34:00 | Hobbies, creativity, and healthy emotional expression
• 34:00 – 38:30 | Psalm 37 & God’s delight in life’s small details
• 38:30 – 44:00 | The sunglasses story: prayer, trust, and God’s faithfulness
• 44:00 – End | Belief, surrender, and trusting God’s sovereignty

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1. “I’m not earning God’s love—I live from His love.”
2. “God often tells us to wait because the soil of our hearts needs rest.”
3. “Just because God is silent doesn’t mean He’s absent.”
4. “We are not meant to fill every moment of stillness with distraction.”
5. “No one is immune to comparison—it’s what we do next that matters.”
6. “God delights in every detail of your life, not just the big ones.”
7. “Faith means trusting God even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.”
8. “If God can move hearts over sunglasses, imagine what else He cares about.”
9. “Rest prepares you for the fullness that’s coming.”
10. “God isn’t just after outcomes—He’s after our hearts.”

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• Overflow Podcast – Hosted by Maya Mae & Blakely Huff
• Overflow Creative – Creative agency and ministry platform
• Compassion International – Global child advocacy ministry
• Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my Shepherd”
• Craig Groeschel – Pastor and Influencer

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

______________________

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In this powerful episode of the Rooted Podcast, hosts Josie and Symone Harms sit down with longtime friend and police officer Caleb Witte to discuss what it looks like to live out authentic Christian faith in everyday life—especially in high-pressure, real-world environments.

Caleb shares his journey into law enforcement, how God called him to serve others, and the ways Jesus shows up on the job—most memorably during a welfare check that became a divine opportunity to point someone back to church and community. From there, the conversation dives deep into salvation by grace, understanding the gospel beyond works, the power of mentorship, forgiveness after heartbreak, memorizing Scripture, and making decisions without needing absolute certainty.

This episode is a reminder that missions don’t only happen overseas—sometimes they happen on patrol, in college dorms, through breakups, and in everyday obedience.

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00:00 – Welcome & introduction to Caleb Witte

02:00 – Why Caleb chose law enforcement

03:15 – A powerful welfare check and sharing faith on the job

06:30 – Luke 15 and God leaving the 99 for the one

08:00 – Making faith personal in college

09:15 – Mentorship questions that changed Caleb’s view of salvation

11:30 – Saved by grace, not works

14:00 – The importance of godly community

16:15 – Advice for young men growing in faith

18:30 – Being a student of the Bible

21:00 – Memorizing Scripture as spiritual armor

24:15 – Forgiveness after heartbreak

27:45 – Trusting God without full certainty

31:00 – One truth to be rooted in

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• “Jesus didn’t die for 70% of your sin—He died for all of it.”
• “You don’t need certainty to live in complete trust.”
• “If Jesus forgave me everything, who am I to hold something against someone else?”
• “Your closest friends should be the ones who impact you spiritually.”
• “In my weakness, Christ is made strong.”
• “God often works through signs, not always direct answers.”
• “You can do missions work no matter what job you have.”
• “The Bible isn’t just information—it’s transformation.”
• “Forgiveness is a process, not always a moment.”
• “Grace isn’t earned—it’s received.”

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Bible Passages

• Luke 15 (Parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Prodigal Son)
• Romans 3:23, Romans 6:14, 2 Corinthians 12:9, John 3:16, Armor of God (Ephesians 6)

People & Influences

• Craig Groeschel (pastor/podcast host)
• Zach Windahl – The Bible Simplified

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootedtoprosper

YouTube: https://youtube.com/rootedtoprosper

Support: https://bio.site/rootedtoprosper

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