The promise of faith isn’t protection from pain, but the assurance of being held when life breaks. That question threads through a candid conversation with Justin Jahnz, who opens up about miscarriages, a dangerous blood disorder that affected him and three of his children, and the hospital nights that reshaped his view of God, grace, and what really matters. His take is disarmingly simple and deeply earned: love God, love people. Not as a slogan, but as a way of moving through fear, forgiving the unforgivable, and finding purpose on the far side of disruption.
We move from Justin’s Lutheran roots and personal awakening to the hard-won insight that obstacles don’t detour us from growth; they make us. He shares how a song about being “held” became a lifeline, why organized religion still matters for consistency and community, and how divorcing faith from partisan politics clears room to love across tribes. We talk forgiveness that costs something, free will that preserves a real relationship with God, and the quiet relief of realizing salvation is gift, not wage.
Justin also pulls back the curtain on leadership as the CEO of an electric cooperative. He makes a compelling case for servant leadership grounded in four core values—respect, integrity, courage, humility—and a practical engagement model built on meaning, autonomy, growth, impact, and connections. Expect thoughtful stories about hiring for character, creating clarity of direction, giving feedback with grace and standards, and building cultures where people feel seen, safe, and capable of more than they imagined. Along the way, he offers a picture of God’s why that is both intimate and hopeful: we are wanted, fully.
If you’re craving perspective, practical leadership tools, and a gentler, stronger way to hold faith in a complicated world, press play and join us. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show.
