In this reposted interview, Richard Blackaby talks with Kyle about Godly Grit and the kind of resilience needed for life, leadership, and ministry. We explore why spiritual strength matters, how grit is formed through challenges, and what it looks like to keep moving forward with faith and endurance.

Show Notes and Links:

https://www.kylefarran.com/missionslife/34-richard-blackaby-interviews-kyle-on-godly-grit

View Godly Grit on Amazon

The Richard Blackaby Leadership Podcast

Godly Grit: Unshakable Resilience and Grit for Life and Leadership launches today—in this episode we’re talking about how to stay steady when life gets hard and bad news hits.

What if hard seasons didn’t have to shake you to the core?

In Psalm 112, God gives us a picture of the person who is steady, calm, and unafraid—even when bad news comes.

In this episode, we talk about how Godly Grit grows when we stop expecting life to be easy and start building our life on the One who never moves.

“In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33).

“For the righteous will never be moved… He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid…” (Psalm 112:6–8).

“I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8).

In This Episode, We Cover:

✅ Why expecting “easy” sets us up for discouragement and quitting

✅ What it means to be unshakable (and how resilience is different than being shaken)

✅ Psalm 112: the marks of a steady heart that doesn’t fear bad news

✅ How fear is often rooted in comfort, control, and wanting to know the plan

✅ Why real faith isn’t trusting a plan—it’s trusting a Person

✅ A story about a charging rhino (and what it taught us about trusting God)

✅ How your response to challenges can make God look big to the people watching

View Godly Grit on Amazon

Show notes and links:

https://www.kylefarran.com/missionslife/33-godly-grit-how-to-be-unshakable-when-bad-news-hits

We want to hear from you!
Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode?
Send us a message at kfarran@abwe.org with the subject “Podcast” or connect with us on Instagram: @kyle.farran

Whether it’s a challenge you’re facing, a topic you’re curious about, or just a quick note to say hi—we’d love to hear it.
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Your feedback and ideas help shape the future of Missions Life: Navigating Life, Leadership, and Ministry Abroad!

In this episode, we talk with E.D. Burns about why being deeply grounded in Scripture is essential for missionaries who want to endure faithfully for the long haul. Drawing from his book The Missionary-Theologian, Evan challenges common assumptions about preparation, ministry methods, and success in missions, pointing us back to a Word-centered vision shaped by theology rather than trends or results.
In This Episode, We Cover:
✅ The central message of the book and why theology matters for everyday ministry on the field
✅ The dangers of shaping ministry methods around culture, trends, or measurable results instead of Scripture
✅ What modern missionaries and everyday Christians can learn from the Word-centered lives of Adoniram and Ann Judson
✅ How missionary methods reveal underlying theology—and practical ways to evaluate whether our approaches flow from biblical convictions or pressure for quick outcomes
✅ Preparing the heart to endure suffering, weakness, and hardship without losing joy, hope, or faithfulness
This conversation is a timely reminder that lasting fruit in missions does not come from clever strategies, but from leaders who are immersed in the Word, anchored in sound doctrine, and willing to endure faithfully for God’s glory.
E.D. Burns is the executive director for training and development at ABWE, and also directs the MA in Cultural Apologetics at Founders Seminary. He is on faculty at Asia Biblical Theological Seminary, and he and his family live in a small hilltribe village in Northern Thailand, where he works with training and translating materials into hilltribe languages.
We want to hear from you!
Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode?
Send us a message at kfarran@abwe.org with the subject “Podcast” or connect with us on Instagram: @kyle.farran
Whether it’s a challenge you’re facing, a topic you’re curious about, or just a quick note to say hi—we’d love to hear it.
​
Your feedback and ideas help shape the future of Missions Life: Navigating Life, Leadership, and Ministry Abroad!