Discovering Joy by Pressing Pause with Karynthia Glasper Phillips

Many of us are trapped in a default state of hurry, leaving little space for self-care, spiritual depth, or true rest. The cost is palpable: frayed nerves, drained energy, and fractured relationships—with ourselves, others, and God.

In this episode of The Digital Examen, Jay Y. Kim welcomes Karynthia Glasper Phillips, physician assistant, minister, and author of Press Pause: Making Time for God in an Overscheduled Life. Drawing from her 20+ years in family medicine and ministry, Glasper Phillips shares why our culture’s pace taxes mind, body, and soul—and she offers clear ways to notice the early symptoms of burnout: scuttle sickness, fast fever, and frenzy sickness. Her story—shaped by personal health trials and insights from working with patients—reveals both the lie of self-sufficiency and the healing power of sacred pauses in God’s presence.

Together, Kim and Glasper Phillips discuss recognizing the hurried heart, finding God at work in quiet moments, and learning the rhythms of rest that reawaken joy, creativity, and meaningful connection. You’ll find practical ways to start your day with intention and embrace the wholeness that comes from being present with God, with yourself, and with others.

If you’re weary, stretched thin, or on the verge of burnout, tune in for an opportunity to pause in God’s loving presence and experience his restorative rejuvenation.

This episode highlights the following themes:
✅ How hurry syndrome erodes our health, relationships, and spiritual life
✅ The power of Sabbath and practical strategies for true rest
✅ Why self-care and spiritual wholeness matter for loving others well

Links from this episode:
✅ Learn more about Karynthia Glasper Phillips (www.ivpress.com/karynthia-glasper-phillips)
✅ Preorder Karynthia Glasper Phillips’s book, Press Pause Making Time for God in an Overscheduled Life: (www.ivpress.com/press-pause)
✅ Read the transcript here (drive.google.com/file/d/1r7Kieehk7_G27ChvK4oXg_-kHPljvdRn/view)
✅ Preorder The Pace of Peace by Jay Y. Kim (www.ivpress.com/the-pace-of-peace)
✅ Learn more about The Digital Examen (www.ivpress.com/)
✅ Learn more about your host, Jay Y. Kim (jaykimthinks.com)
✅ Listen to Meditations from The Digital Examen: (podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meditations-from-the-digital-examen/id1777487307)
✅ Download a Guide to The Examen (www.ivpress.com/Media/Default/Downloads/digital-examen-podcast/The-Examen.pdf)

Slowing down in a culture of speed isn’t easy. Noticing in an age of distraction might be even harder. But walking intentionally with God happens at the pace of peace, leading us to that which often feels elusive: joy and delight. In this season of The Digital Examen podcast, host Jay Y. Kim joins an array of writers, educators, artists, and theologians to explore the many gifts God offers just beneath the surface of our frenzied lives, often hidden in plain view. Together, we’ll discover that a life marked by joy and delight is available to any and all who would slow down and notice.

SPECIAL OFFER | Visit ivpress.com and use the code IVPEXAMEN40 for 40% off and free shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.

Credits:

✅ Consulting Producer: Helen Lee
✅ Producers: Christine Pelliccio Melo and Travis Albritton
✅ Assistant Producer: Jack Reece
✅ Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts
✅ Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne
✅ Podcast Art: Kate Lillard and Elsbette San Blas
✅ Theme Song: "For They Will Inherit the Earth" by Stephen Keech

==== Time Stamps ====

00:00 – Introduction
04:21 – About Karynthia Glasper Phillips
05:43 – What Wakes Us Up to Our Busyness
09:20 – Hurry Syndrome
18:19 – Pausing for Stillness and Sabbath
20:55 – How Wholeness Happens
25:54 – Joy, Creativity, and Life that Lasts
30:32 – Loving Others from Wholeness
33:38 – A Blessing for the Weary

Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.