1 hr 22 min
Episode 11: Conversation with pastor Juanita Rasmus, author, speaker & co-pastor, St. John's Church The Edwards Empowerment Talks with Amanda K. Edwards
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- Society & Culture
In Episode 11 of The Edwards Empowerment Talks podcast, Amanda Edwards has a soul-touching and raw conversation with Pastor Juanita Rasmus, an author, speaker and pastor. Pastor Juanita Rasmus seemingly had it all - a loving family, a great church congregation, strong faith and a supportive community until her depressive episode she describes as her "crash" changed the treadmill course of her life. In her recent book, Learning To Be, Pastor Juanita uses her personal testimony to help people take better care of themselves and how to learn to be human beings rather than just humans doing. At an early age, Juanita grew up in 5th Ward and in Alief in Houston, Texas as an overachieving student. After years of being in the insurance business with her father, Juanita life began to take a different course. She married Rudy Rasmus, answered her calling to the ministry, and they became co-Pastors of St. John's Downtown.
When they agreed to take on this mission, the church was not what it is today. In fact, under their leadership the church grew from 9 members to thousands of members. This daughter, wife and mother of two, was on the fast track of serving her church and the broader community where she remained in high demand - until everything came to a screeching halt. One day as Pastor Juanita was preparing to start her day, she fell ill. Her nerves felt like uncooked spaghetti snapping from pressure. She went back to bed and began to sleep for 18-20 hours a day for months. This depressive episode she calls her "crash" required to emerge as a new Pastor Juanita. Her journey before the crash and the lessons she learned as she began her journey of healing are priceless, powerful insights that we all need to hear.
In this Episode, Pastor Juanita shares life advice that can apply to any person who has a hard time saying no, taking breaks or creating balance for themselves because of their relentless pursuit of their dreams. Pastor Juanita not only provides advice about warning signs she experienced before the crash, but she advocates for a combination of clinical, therapeutic and spiritual support for those experiencing mental health challenges. Pastor Juanita is open, honest and heartfelt in desire to use her personal testimony and lessons learned to benefit those who are living life in the fast lane. This is one Episode you do not want to miss!
In Episode 11 of The Edwards Empowerment Talks podcast, Amanda Edwards has a soul-touching and raw conversation with Pastor Juanita Rasmus, an author, speaker and pastor. Pastor Juanita Rasmus seemingly had it all - a loving family, a great church congregation, strong faith and a supportive community until her depressive episode she describes as her "crash" changed the treadmill course of her life. In her recent book, Learning To Be, Pastor Juanita uses her personal testimony to help people take better care of themselves and how to learn to be human beings rather than just humans doing. At an early age, Juanita grew up in 5th Ward and in Alief in Houston, Texas as an overachieving student. After years of being in the insurance business with her father, Juanita life began to take a different course. She married Rudy Rasmus, answered her calling to the ministry, and they became co-Pastors of St. John's Downtown.
When they agreed to take on this mission, the church was not what it is today. In fact, under their leadership the church grew from 9 members to thousands of members. This daughter, wife and mother of two, was on the fast track of serving her church and the broader community where she remained in high demand - until everything came to a screeching halt. One day as Pastor Juanita was preparing to start her day, she fell ill. Her nerves felt like uncooked spaghetti snapping from pressure. She went back to bed and began to sleep for 18-20 hours a day for months. This depressive episode she calls her "crash" required to emerge as a new Pastor Juanita. Her journey before the crash and the lessons she learned as she began her journey of healing are priceless, powerful insights that we all need to hear.
In this Episode, Pastor Juanita shares life advice that can apply to any person who has a hard time saying no, taking breaks or creating balance for themselves because of their relentless pursuit of their dreams. Pastor Juanita not only provides advice about warning signs she experienced before the crash, but she advocates for a combination of clinical, therapeutic and spiritual support for those experiencing mental health challenges. Pastor Juanita is open, honest and heartfelt in desire to use her personal testimony and lessons learned to benefit those who are living life in the fast lane. This is one Episode you do not want to miss!
1 hr 22 min