Recorded live at Hope Church’s Volunteer Appreciation Day in Richmond. Tommy shares two life-giving disciplines that help “always yes” volunteers find margin, joy, and balance. You will hear how Sabbath rest and intentional celebration can move you from burnout to sustainable service, plus a practical Q&A on making this work in real life and work.

Key Takeaways

• God did not design you to live overloaded, overwhelmed, and exhausted.
• Sabbath is both a command and a gift. It is meant to come first so your work flows from rest.
• Rest renews joy, relationships, and impact. You serve from overflow rather than empty.
• Celebration is a spiritual practice. Joy and gratitude strengthen service.
• Small margins matter. Arrive a few minutes early. Leave space between meetings. Build simple pauses into your day.
• In nontraditional schedules, take rest whenever the window opens. Treat it as a first priority when possible.

Timestamps

(0:00) Intro

(1:11) My Volunteer Addiction

(11:04) The Discipline of Rest

(30:11) The Discipline of Celebration

(38:26) Q&A Section

(39:32) Question 1

(43:12) Question 2

(47:57) Question 3

(52:13) Question 4

(53:50) Final Thoughts

Scripture Mentioned

• Isaiah 30:15
• Isaiah 58:13–14
• Psalm 23
• Psalm 150
• Matthew 11:28–30
• Hebrews 4:9–11

Books Mentioned

• Margin by Richard Swenson

If you found this helpful, please share the episode with a friend! Subscribe to Space for Life for more conversations on living with margin and purpose.

Grief touches almost every life, yet many of us feel unsure how to face it, name it, or talk about it. In this candid conversation, Tommy and longtime friend David Dwight (Senior Pastor at Hope Church in Richmond, VA) explore the complexity of grief and sadness. This is an honest, compassionate guide for anyone carrying loss or walking with someone who is.

“the presence of her absence is everywhere.” ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

In This Episode:

- The language problem, grief vs sadness and why one word is not enough

- Myths that keep us silent, including the fear that talking about grief invites it

- The unhelpful urge to scale or compare grief and how to stop

- Different kinds of loss, extended illness, sudden death, suicide, job loss, broken relationships, losing a pet

- Family systems, differing timelines, and the need for permission and grace

- Guilt, shame, moments of happiness, and the surprising companion of relief

- Faith as refuge and wholeness when losses feel irreconcilable

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why We’re Finally Talking About Grief

(4:28) Why We Avoid Grief

(10:43) Permission and Grace

(17:58) Grief vs Sadness: Finding Better Words

(26:27) How Loss Changes Us

(36:08) What to Say (and Not Say)

(46:16) Families Grieve Differently

(55:32) When Acute Grief Becomes Lasting Sadness

(1:03:06) Guilt, Forgetting, and Moments of Joy

(1:10:08) Relief Alongside Sorrow

(1:15:30) Moving Forward With Hope

Resources:

- Psalm 46

- The Taste of New Wine, Keith Miller

- The Weathering Grace of God, Ken Gire

- Lament for a Son, Nicholas Wolterstorff

- A Grace Disguised, Gerald Sittser

- Healing the Heartbreak of Grief, Peter James Flamming

- Healing After Loss, Martha Hickman

If this episode helps you or someone you love, consider sharing it.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://tommythompson.org

We’re back for Season Six of Space for Life! This episode kicks off with exciting updates for the year ahead, including a new creative producer, a second podcast (Links for Life), and fresh energy for the YouTube channel.

From there, we dive into the big theme that shaped the summer: taking a sabbatical. Why was it needed? What were the warning signs that led me to step back? Why does sabbatical feel scary at first? And what did this summer actually look like in practice?

What’s In This Episode:

– Why discomfort can make a sabbatical meaningful

– Big updates for Season Six and new projects on the horizon

– The red flags that signaled it was time to pause

– Why sabbaticals shouldn’t have agendas

– Highlights from the summer (from golf in Scotland to welcoming a new granddaughter)

– The difference between recovery and true refreshment

– How space can expand your vision for what’s next

– Why sabbaticals aren’t just for pastors or executives

– Practical encouragement for creating your own sabbatical rhythm

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:08) Exciting Updates

(07:46) Today’s Topic

(09:16) What Was Behind Taking a Sabbatical

(15:47) Sabbaticals Are Scary

(18:48) Sabbaticals Shouldn't Have Agendas

(19:39) What Did This Sabbatical Look Like

(22:56) Highlights from the Summer

(26:49) Sabbatical is Refreshment not Just Recovery

(32:44) Sabbaticals Expand Vision

(38:35) Who Can Benefit From a Sabbatical

(44:59) Space to Breathe Again

Resources:

Email Tommy@TommyThompson.org to get copies of Space to Breathe Again for only $10 when buying 5+ copies.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://tommythompson.org