Let me know what you think of this episode? (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1754677/fan_mail/new)
What if the place you’re trying to escape is the place God is using to form you? Pastor, author, and coach Dustin Kleinschmidt joins us to candidly unpack burnout, depression, leadership wounds, and the surprising joy that can surface when we stop treating life like a problem to solve. Dustin shares how stepping down from a crisis-ridden church didn’t end his pain—it exposed his expectations and led him into a deeper, steadier trust. Drawing from the Exodus story, he lays out the Wilderness Way: rescued from slavery, promised restoration, and shaped in the in‑between where beauty and brokenness live side by side.
We talk through what wilderness can look like—grief that lingers, a diagnosis that upends plans, a child in chaos, or a church split that shatters trust—and why quick fixes often keep us stuck. Dustin describes the hard won practices that helped him rebuild: counseling, confession, letting pressure out early, and inviting his wife to be an advocate in the fight against secrecy and shame. He also explains his coaching model for leaders that integrates spiritual health, emotional resilience, relational honesty, and organizational clarity, because strategy without soul burns people out and feelings without structure stall change.
If your faith feels frayed, you’ll find language, hope, and a path forward. Expect practical wisdom, not platitudes: how to worship honestly in pain, how to spot small daily joys without denying reality, and how to hold outcomes with open hands while trusting the God who stays. Grab Dustin’s book The Wilderness Way on Amazon, explore the companion workbook, and share this episode with someone who needs permission to be honest and keep going.
If this conversation helped you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who’s walking through their own wilderness. Your story might be the whisper someone needs today.
Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1754677/support)
Social Media Links,
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/dorsey.ross/
https://www.facebook.com/DROCKROSS/
My Book
Amazon Book Overcomer
Want to be a guest on Dorsey Ross Show? Send Dorsey Ross a message on PodMatch, here:
https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1615423845838x127949785844303500
Affiliate Link For Podmatch
