“It’s not about your work, and it’s not about you making great work. It’s about you becoming the kind of person who makes great work.”

This is the first thing I remember hearing Justin McRoberts say, and it stuck. Justin has done it all — he’s a coach, spiritual director, author, retreat speaker, songwriter, and podcast host. In this episode, we talk about his work as a coach and spiritual director, hearing God’s voice, and why we should seek the well-being of our enemies.

Enjoy the conversation!

Listen on Spotify, Audible, or Amazon Music — and feel free to leave a review or a comment. 💛

Welcome to this guided nature walk! This will be a 30-minute experiential time of movement and reflection to help you connect with God, yourself, and the natural world. Find a place that brings you peace, and set out prepared to wander while you enjoy encountering the world in a fresh way. If you can, choose a natural setting where there are trees, water, or other foliage to look at. Or try a library, bookshop, or gallery — anywhere you can take time to simply be.

At the end, there will be some journaling questions in case you'd like to reflect on your walk. Feel free to enjoy this guided walk any time you need to slow down, find calm, and connect with God.

In Episode 7, Bailey Gillespie defines her terms and explores what it means to listen to our lives, a resonant phrase from the works of Frederick Buchner. She also shares some autumn favorites and leads listeners in a reflective exercise. Enjoy the conversation!

You can learn more⁠⁠ at ⁠baileygillespie.com or follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@baileylgillespie⁠⁠

Subscribe to Bailey’s Substack newsletter

Other resources mentioned:

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” —Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation

Paleo-AIP Apple Crisp Recipe

The Farmer's Wife: My Life in Days by Helen Rebanks

The Remarkable Ordinary by Frederick Buechner

Vanilla Pumpkin Scented Candle - Trader Joe's

In Episode 6, Bailey Gillespie hosts a special conversation with her mom, Patty. The two swap stories about the books that formed them as children, and Patty tells a moving story about two book-inspired dreams that came true much later in life—involving a cardinal sighting and high tea in Scotland.

Listeners are encouraged to read widely and be on the lookout for how God is speaking to them in the midst of their reading lives.

Enjoy the conversation!

Subscribe to Bailey’s Substack newsletter

Follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@baileylgillespie⁠

In Episode 5 of Listen to Your Life, Bailey Gillespie shares her September highlights so far, including an apple blackberry cobbler, evening walks, and a surprising story about her first business venture (and replacement podcast mic). She encourages listeners to stay the course and remain faithful to their creative vision — even when obstacles hit.

Enjoy the conversation!

You can learn more and download Bailey’s ebook, ⁠⁠Cultivating 6 Restorative Rhythms⁠⁠ at ⁠baileygillespie.com⁠

Subscribe to Bailey’s Substack newsletter

Follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@baileylgillespie⁠

Other resources mentioned:

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” —Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation

Paleo Blackberry Cobbler (apples added)

Bailey’s Hobbit Day playlist on Spotify

⁠The Next Right Thing Podcast

At Home with Sally Podcast

Meg's Reading Room Podcast

Makers & Mystics Podcast

What’s your favorite hour of the day? In Episode 4 of Listen to Your Life, Bailey Gillespie invites listeners to consider when they feel most energized, hopeful, or at peace. She shares how we might intentionally use this time to cultivate a favorite practice that fills our cup. That might be an hour (or let’s face it, 15 minutes) to write in the morning, meal prep, go for a walk, water the garden, or spend time in God’s Word.

Bailey also introduces a slightly new format for her podcast and the accompanying Substack letter, Listen to Your Life. This format includes three sections: Reflect (a short reflection on creativity, well-being, and life with God), Rejoice (a place where she’s finding wonder/beauty/delight), and Rest (a prayer prompt).

Enjoy the conversation!

You can learn more and download Bailey’s ebook, ⁠⁠Cultivating 6 Restorative Rhythms⁠⁠ at ⁠baileygillespie.com⁠

Follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@bailey_bluebird⁠

Other resources mentioned:

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” —Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation

Bailey’s Substack newsletter

Laity Lodge

Lectio 365 app

Simon Wester’s music on YouTube

Alabaster & Co.’s Book of Psalms

Prayer of Examen

The Bookwanderers

Anna James (@acaseforbooks)

Box breathing exercise

Bailey’s Spotify profile

In Episode 3, Bailey Gillespie shares a conversation with her good friend, Whitney Lindsay.
Whitney is an adventurer, a people lover, and a general life enthusiast. In her mid-30s, she moved from Placerville, California to Jacksonville, Florida to pursue a ministry apprenticeship through the Church of Eleven22.
In this episode, you'll learn about St. Augustine (the town, not the man), gourmet popsicles, Sabbath, the best thing about being in your 30s, and how to keep walking when your well-laid plans fail and life turns out differently than you imagined. You’ll also hear the story of the day these two accidentally crashed a wedding rehearsal in San Francisco and stumbled across a life-sized replica of the Ark of the Covenant. "There is becoming a greater restfulness in my 30s," Whit shares, "—a greater expectancy for just God. He allows things to be stripped away so that I can, in my core—in my knower—understand that Christ is my all and defines me. Even in the stripping away, there’s a hopefulness."

Happy listening!

Learn more and download Bailey’s new ebook, ⁠⁠Cultivating 6 Restorative Rhythms⁠⁠ at ⁠baileygillespie.com⁠

Follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@bailey_bluebird⁠

Other resources mentioned:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero

Fight Hustle, End Hurry Podcast⁠ by John Mark Comer & Jefferson Bethke

The Church of Eleven22⁠

⁠The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops⁠

Do you long for closer friendships?

In Episode 2 of Listen to Your Life, Bailey Gillespie unravels the belief that it’s impossible to make good friends as an adult. You just have to be persistent and creative! Each season of life holds its own hidden treasure for us, and that includes the gift of friendship. With humor and encouragement, Bailey shares her personal experience trying to cultivate friendships as a 30-something, along with tips for making and keeping friends more easily (spoiler: always keep a picnic blanket in your car trunk!). Ultimately, she reminds listeners that the soul’s desire for intimate communion reflects how we were made for a close, fulfilling friendship with God himself. When we hit up against the “radical incompleteness” we often feel, this is just a compass pointing us toward the One who thought up friendship in the first place.

You can learn more and download Bailey’s new ebook, ⁠⁠Cultivating 6 Restorative Rhythms⁠⁠ at ⁠baileygillespie.com⁠

Follow Bailey on Instagram ⁠@bailey_bluebird⁠

Other resources mentioned:

⁠
Alcoholics Anonymous

The Dark Night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth by Gerald G. May, M.D.

“This love and desire represents something far deeper than emotions. They reflect humanity’s most profound motivation. This radical incompleteness that we feel determines the basic direction of our lives.” —Gerald G. May, M.D.

Marco Polo app

Voxer app

Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo