Episode 103: Dai Hankey on Burnout and Finding Rest

A lot of us are burnt out. If you aren't feeling it now, you surely have at some point and probably will in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 left all of us feeling all sorts of ways, and I'm willing to guess burnout and weariness were just a couple of the emotions you dealt with.

That was certainly the case for this week's guest, author Dai Hankey, who was asked by his publisher to write a book encouraging Christians not to quit. But this came during the pandemic, when he himself was in a bad season and just felt like quitting a lot of things. He was exhausted in every way and everything seemed bleak around him.

In October 2020, there was a moment when he found himself flat on his back in his bedroom thinking he was just done and didn't have much left in the tank. He wasn't suicidal, he said, but just kind of feeling like he was done with life.

The perspective he eventually gained by journaling and spending time with the Lord is what's in his new book, "Hopeward: Gospel Grace for Weary Souls." Dai is a church-planting pastor in Cardiff, Wales, and is also the founder of Red Community, a Christian charity that fights human trafficking. He's devoted his whole life to teaching the Word of God, which I think is what makes this book and this conversation so special.

I think sometimes as Christians we might feel shame for feeling some of the emotions he speaks about, but all Dai was trying to do was be his authentic self, both before the Lord and in this book to his readers. I think that comes out through this conversation. It's a perfect follow-up to last week's conversation with Adam Ramsey, which I recommend downloading if you haven't yet.

If you want to connect with Dai, you can do so on Twitter @daihankey or by email at daihankey@gmail.com. You can purchase "Hopeward" anywhere books are sold, but I'm also giving away a free copy of Dai's it to someone who is a part of my Instagram and Substack communities. If you're interested in winning this giveaway, make sure you're following me on both. Links are below.

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