In this episode of Linking Arms, host Nadine sits down with Jenni Balda, Purposeful Living's Spiritual Growth & Development Coordinator. Jenni introduces the concept of the shadow mission — a term that describes what happens when our God-given calling gets hijacked by a hidden need to prove, perform, or protect something about ourselves. Jenni opens by affirming that God has given each one of us a unique mission — one that can show up in our leadership, our careers, our homes, and our relationships. But tucked right alongside that calling, often running quietly in the background, is a shadow mission fueled not by faith, but by insecurity, fear, and unmet relational needs. And the telltale sign? Weariness. That bone-deep exhaustion that just won't quit, no matter how hard you work or how much you give. The conversation takes a surprising and deeply freeing turn when Jenni reframes humility entirely. Rather than something quiet and shrinking, true humility — the kind rooted in Christ — is bold. It's confident. It's the freedom to fully show up as who God made you to be, without the weight of needing to prove it to anyone. The shadow mission, she explains, keeps us performing for an identity we already have in Him. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 10 and Philippians 2, Jenni walks through how selfish ambition and vain conceit — the very things Paul warns against — are the shadow mission at work. And until we can name what's running beneath the surface, we can't demolish it. Whether you feel crystal clear about your calling or you're still in the beautiful, unfolding process of discovering it, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Because as Jenni reminds us: we all have a shadow mission. The question isn't if — it's what are you going to do about it? Stay tuned for Part 2, where Jenni walks through practical, step-by-step tools to help you recognize your shadow mission, bring it into the light, and begin walking in the true freedom and identity you already have in Christ.Guest Bio Jenni Balda serves as the Spiritual Growth & Development Coordinator at Purposeful Living, Inc., where she is part of the executive leadership team supporting the ministry's spiritual depth and leadership development. Jenni brings a thoughtful, Scripture-rooted approach to helping women understand their identity in Christ and lead from a place of security rather than striving. Scripture References 2 Corinthians 10:1, 4–5 — "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds...we demolish arguments and every pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."Philippians 2:3 — "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others more significant than yourselves."
