Join us at The Bright Side for your daily dose of positive news and inspiration: https://livethebrightside.com/ Change is inevitable. Sometimes we choose it. Sometimes it chooses us. And even the changes we celebrate—a wedding, graduation, a new baby, a new season of life—can bring unexpected loss and grief. In this episode of the Live Faith First Podcast, Elliot sits down with pastor, author, and birder Courtney Ellis to talk about her book, Weathering Change: Seeking Peace Amid Life’s Tough Transitions. Courtney explains why change is so difficult, how we can prepare spiritually for transitions before they arrive, and why curiosity and self-kindness can help us navigate the uncertain spaces between what was and what comes next. Drawing lessons from Scripture and the natural world, Courtney explores “ecotones,” aging, adaptability, resilience, and what water can teach us about finding a new path when life puts a boulder in our way. Elliot and Courtney also discuss what it means to encounter God in seasons of disorder, why we shouldn't pressure ourselves to immediately discover the “lesson” in our suffering, and how remembering God's past faithfulness can anchor us when the future feels uncertain. Whether you're facing a career transition, an empty nest, aging, a changing relationship, loss, or simply a season that doesn't look the way you expected, this conversation offers a reminder: change is hard, but we don't face it alone. Courtney’s newest book, Weathering Change, combines Scripture, pastoral wisdom, personal stories, and lessons from creation to explore how we can approach life's transitions with preparation, curiosity, adaptability, and resilience. Courtney Ellis is an author, speaker, pastor, podcaster, and avid birder based in Orange County, California. She serves alongside her husband, Daryl, at Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo, where they have pastored together for more than twelve years. Courtney holds an M.A. in English Literature from Loyola University and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is the author of seven books published by InterVarsity Press, Tyndale, and Broadleaf, including Looking Up: A Birder's Guide to Hope Through Grief and her newest book, Weathering Change: Seeking Peace Amid Life's Tough Transitions. She also hosts The Thing With Feathers, a podcast exploring birds and hope through conversations with ornithologists, naturalists, pastors, artists, poets, and others. Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table. Connect with Courtney Ellis Website Instagram Substack Facebook Connect with Live Faith First Website: livethebrightside.com Instagram: @LiveFaithFirst TikTok: @livefaithfirst Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFaithFirst YouTube: youtube.com/@livefaithfirst
