In this episode of the Going Deeper podcast, I sit down with speaker Shelbi Shutt to talk about faith, suffering, and what real comfort looks like in a world obsessed with ease and leisure. Shelbi lives with muscular dystrophy, and her story has profoundly shaped the way she understands the good life, discipleship, and the presence of God. Her honesty pushes us to examine what we run to for comfort and whether those places actually bring life.

We talk about how suffering exposes the beliefs we carry beneath the surface. She shares how her diagnosis forced her to confront the “Jesus plus” gospel she didn’t realize she held, and how choosing to participate in the sufferings of Christ has formed her spiritual maturity. She reminds us that true comfort is found in the presence of God.

In a world filled with noise, discipling our attention becomes a real part of following Jesus. We explore how prayer reorients us, how lament and celebration can coexist, and how resurrection life isn’t just a future hope but a present reality that shapes our perspective today.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustineCheri

Subscribe to The Digest: https://justinecheri.kit.com/ab6b561afa

Connect with Shelbi: https://solo.to/shelbishutt

Shelbi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbishutt/

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction
04:19 — Shelbi’s Journey and Diagnosis
07:17 — Faith and Suffering
10:20 — The Good Life and the Jesus Plus Gospel
16:27 — The Role of Suffering in Spiritual Growth
19:16 — The Illusion of Worldly Comfort
25:14 — Prayer and True Comfort
28:20 — Paradise and the Hope of Restoration
31:34 — Living in the Resurrection Life
40:19 — Discipling Our Attention in a Distracted World
42:16 — Longing for the Presence of the Lord
44:55 — Lament and Celebration: Coexisting Realities
48:31 — Finding Comfort in Daily Struggles
52:43 — Current Projects and Future Aspirations

In this episode of the Going Deeper podcast, I sit down with my own acquisitions editor, Eddie Larow of Baker Books. We talk about what an acquisitions editor actually does, how he helps authors connect with the readers who need their message, and how my own unexpected journey into authorship was guided by God’s timing.

From there, we widen the conversation to the cultural landscape shaping Gen Z: their longing for home, the pull toward community, and the deep sense of spiritual homelessness many young adults feel in a secular age. We explore how modernity and mobility have created restlessness, why “nomadic modernity” captures so much of our cultural moment, and how the return to historic churches reveals a desire for structure, order, and rootedness.

We end with a call to localism—pursuing embodied, committed community right where we live.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustineCheri

Subscribe to The Digest: https://justinecheri.kit.com/ab6b561afa

Eddie's Article "Gen Z Longs for Home": https://firstthings.com/gen-z-longs-for-home/

Eddie's Substack: https://substack.com/@eddielarow

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction
02:05 — Understanding the Role of an Acquisitions Editor
04:30 — The Journey to Authorship
09:45 — Cultural Observations: Gen Z’s Longing for Home
13:10 — The Impact of Modernity on Community and Belonging
19:07 — Exploring Nomadic Modernity and Its Implications
27:20 — Cultural Shifts and the Search for Authenticity
31:21 — Nostalgia and the Desire to Return to Simplicity
33:46 — The Skills Gap and Superficiality in Trad Aesthetics
37:32 — Spiritual Homelessness and the Need for Community
41:24 — The Search for Objective Truth in a Postmodern World
47:04 — The Longing for Tradition and Authenticity in Faith
52:51 — Ecumenical Unity and the Pursuit of Christ
01:00:47 — Localism and the Call to Community Engagement

In this episode, I’m sharing why Advent has become such a meaningful season for me—one marked by anticipation, preparation, and a deliberate slowing down. I talk through some of the practices my family and I are leaning into this year, why I’m taking a step back from social media, and how intentional rhythms can make room for real peace and hope.

I also walk through a reading from Philippians and reflect on the themes of humility, contentment, and the true cost of following Jesus. My prayer is that this conversation helps you sink deeper into Scripture and cultivate a heart that’s attentive to Christ as we move toward Christmas.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustineCheri

Subscribe to The Digest: https://justinecheri.kit.com/ab6b561afa

Submit a question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlDg0tCmIGqGkh9vpzf99V3x76AnMeuGZKlaC-umTajMKinA/viewform?usp=header

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Advent and Personal Reflection

06:12 – Embracing Advent: Intentional Practices

11:55 – Reading and Reflecting on Philippians

48:29 – Conclusion and Future Conversations