What do mission and identity look like when grief has taken everything from you? In this episode I sit down with pastor and AMS leader Dwight Easler, who lost his son Benji in a tragic accident. We talk about the overwhelming weight of that loss, what it does to a leader's sense of calling, and how Dwight has continued to show up faithfully in ministry in the middle of his own devastation. This is not a how-to episode. It is a testimony, and it is one worth hearing.

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Adam didn’t get a pause button.

In this episode, Adam shares what it looked like to lose his father and keep leading anyway. While his family grieved, he stepped into a new reality overnight, carrying the weight of pastoral leadership and the responsibility of becoming the patriarch in his family.

This is a conversation for the leader who is still showing up while life is falling apart.

In this episode, we talk about:
• What grief does to your focus, energy, and leadership decisions
• How to lead a church when you feel emotionally empty
• What changes when you become “the man of the family” overnight
• The difference between performing strength and living with steady conviction
• What it means to persevere without going numb

If you’re carrying weight you didn’t ask for, this one will help you name it and lead with a steadier footing.

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Want coaching or a mission reset for your church or team? Visit Heart the Mission at heartthemission.com.

This isn’t a highlight reel.
It’s an honest conversation about ministry, identity, burnout, leadership, and what happens when calling costs more than you expected.

Pat Gillen shares the real story behind church planting, team failure, resilience, family pressure, and learning to trust God when success disappears. No hype. No formulas. Just lived experience and hard-earned wisdom.

If you’re leading, pastoring, planting, or wondering who you are when the work falls apart—this one’s for you.