10 Resources to Refresh and Nourish Church Leaders This Christmas

In this episode of the ImBetween Podcast, Drake Farmer unpacks for us what hope is, where we should put our hope when we are going through a difficult season, and how to be full of love, fueled by faith, and addicted to hope. He says: “Our hope isn’t found in our circumstances or the release of painful situations. Our hope is the anchor. It is in the shepherd. Our hope is in Jesus.”  
 
Listen here ​

​In this interview, Paul Tripp addresses the core reasons for the current ‘crisis’ among pastors while offering practical ways to move forward. He says: “The key to ministry fruitfulness is longevity because we all know, fruit doesn’t come overnight. The key to longevity is spiritual health. It’s only spiritually healthy pastors who are able to sustain the dark valleys and high mountains of being a pastor and the key to spiritual health is community…”  
​
Watch the interview

An uplifting hymn by Emu Music, inspired by the book of Isaiah. The lyrics remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, Hope of Nations, and the Light of the World who has shattered darkness to bring us hope, light and eternal life: 

The heavens declare, angels proclaim 
Shepherds cry out, the Christ has come to save 
He is our light, he is our hope 
He is our gift of life 
Jesus is his name, Jesus is his name 

Listen here  

In this blog post, Lara d’Entremont shares her struggle with social anxiety, and how she has drawn comfort from Jesus and his love for his mother, Mary. She writes: “Jesus didn’t look at Mary with heartless stoicism. He didn’t tell her to get over it because he is sovereign. Instead, he beheld his mother in her inevitable suffering and still sought to comfort her in her grief. All the while, he bore the sins of his people upon his beaten back.”
​  
Click here to read the full article
​

In this blog post, Chris Thomas writes beautifully about Christmas carols and why we need to sing “in the minor key”. He writes: “Christmas as a child was simple and straight forward, but with the passing years came complexity, blurred lines, and tears that mix in a strange melody with laughter. We need songs that speak of glorious victory, yet carry a tune of heartbreak that ripples beneath the surface...It’s good and proper to sing songs in the minor key too.”  
 
Click here to read the full post
​

​A free resource by the SOLA Network to encourage couples to reconnect and to have Christ-centered conversations ahead of Christmas.

Click here to access it

In Companions in the Darkness, Diana Gruver looks back into church history and finds depression in the lives of some of our most beloved saints, including Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King Jr. Without trying to diagnose these figures from a distance, Gruver tells their stories in fresh ways, taking from each a particular lesson that can encourage or guide those who suffer today. Drawing on her own experience with depression, Gruver offers a wealth of practical wisdom both for those in the darkness and those who care for them. 
​
Purchase here

In 2023, Oxygen will return as a 4-day conference retreat in the beautiful Blue Mountains. A line-up of guest speakers including Paul Tripp and Zack Eswine will speak on the topic, “Reshaping Our Hearts for the Work We Do”.  
​
Delegates will be served with a quiet, focused space to hear God speak and to rest and reflect in nature. God’s word will be opened each morning and evening, and delegates will be equipped through practical sessions aimed at nurturing and cultivating a “God-shaped” heart.