Today’s special guest on The Weight is none other than co-host Eddie Rester. Eddie has some big news about what’s been going on in his life over the past few months, and he and Chris have a candid and thoughtful conversation about leadership, leading through the hard times, and the importance of finding your tribe of people.

Robert Khayat’s list of professional accomplishments is long: former NFL player with the Washington Redskins, a graduate of the University of Mississippi Law School and Yale Law School, a successful lawyer and professor, and the fifteenth chancellor of the University of Mississippi. Robert’s mission while chancellor was for Ole Miss to be, and to be perceived as one of America’s great public universities, and his legacy of greatness continues to impact the school and the state of Mississippi today.

Chris and Eddie share in a fun conversation with an old friend of Eddie’s, Dr. David McDonald. David is a preacher, teacher, and creative innovator within the Christian community. He believes in the creativity and imagination of God and how that creativity and imagination can spark joy and fulfillment in us.

Welcome to Season 6 of The Weight Podcast! We’re kicking things off with someone who has a lot of fun while doing a lot of important work: Annie F. Downs.

Annie’s podcast, That Sounds Fun, has been on air for 10 years, and this year, she’s shaking things up a little. She’s helping her listeners navigate the seasons of their life by using the seasons of nature--winter, spring, summer, and fall--to bring some clarity and compassion to those moments when we feel our lowest and to bring joyful ownership to those times when we are at our best.

We are so excited to be back for Season 6 of The Weight! We are kicking off this season with an amazing guest, who you won't want to miss. So make sure you tune in next Thursday!

We’re wrapping up our fifth season on The Weight, and Eddie, Chris, and producer Cody Hickman talk about some highlights from this season. We have had some wonderful conversations about the power of story telling, working through trauma, food, and leadership. We even got to talk to a local Olympic silver medalist. We hope you’ll go back and give your favorite episodes a re-listen.

This year, as a special treat, we’re also highlighting some bloopers, mistakes, and misspoken words. We needed a laugh, and we thought you might, too!

This episode of The Weight will probably make you laugh, might lighten your spirit, and will definitely give you a new perspective on encouraging leadership in others.

Sophie Hudson is a blogger, author, and podcast host. She has written seven books. She draws inspiration for her most recent book, A Fine Sight to See: Leading Because You Were Made for It, from the story of Moses and Exodus, and explores how we are all called to lead, whether we feel qualified or not.

Ted Campbell is the Albert C. Outlet Professor of Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. He has served as a United Methodist pastor and has taught at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Duke Divinity School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the author of many books, including Wesleyan Beliefs, The Gospel of Christian Tradition, and most recently A Core Methodist Hymnal, which is more like a devotional and less like a traditional hymnal.

Chris Herlinger is an international correspondent for National Catholic Reporters Global Sisters Report. He has worked in many areas of conflict, including South Sudan, Darfur, Haiti, and Afghanistan, and his most recent work has taken him to Ukraine. His most recent book is Solidarity and Mercy, which highlights the humanitarian efforts of Catholic Sisters in Ukraine.

Are you an apostle of Jesus?

It may seem like an easy “yes,” but the answer is a lot more nuanced than you might think. For Rebekah Simon-Peter, it goes beyond a passive faith in Jesus to a robust, active life with the faith of Jesus.. Rebekah is an author, pastor, coach (and friend of Eddie’s). She spent 12 years as a United Methodist pastor before stepping out to create a ministry that equips churches to build and renew. Her passion for and delight in the work of the Holy Spirit come through in this conversation.