Faith encouragement for serving with joy: how to stop serving from obligation and start serving from love

Faith encouragement matters most when serving starts to feel heavy. If you've ever said yes to help, but inside you felt drained, resentful, or like you were doing it alone, this conversation is for you.


In this episode, I'm back with my friend Angela (yes, the one with the gorgeous 1967 Ford Mustang) to talk about what happens when serving stops feeling like worship and starts feeling like a chore. We get honest about those moments that make you want to throw on your eight-year-old attitude and say, "That's not fair." Like the time Angela was hauling heavy trash bags while everyone else stood around chatting, and she felt the resentment rise.


But we don't stay there.


We talk about how the shift happens, not by waiting for people to notice you, but by letting God reshape your heart posture. Because the truth is, serving on a fun day is easy. Serving on a random Tuesday morning in January is where your faith in real life gets tested.


In this episode, you'll hear:
- How to move from obligation to love when serving feels draining
- Why who you serve with can change everything (good company matters)
- The difference between happiness and joy, and how joy gets built in the small things
- Practical examples of serving that fit introverts, busy moms, and everyone in between (doors at church, driving, libraries, animal shelters, checking on a friend)
- A simple challenge you can try today: ask Jesus, "What would you have me do?" and take one small step with a smile


Serving isn't about applause. It's about obedience, perspective, and letting the joy of the Lord become your strength in the middle of real life.


If serving has been feeling like a weight, I hope this episode helps you breathe again and remember this: you don't have to. You get to.