In this special episode, we are hitting "pause" to make sure we are heading in the right direction. Join us for a raw conversation about admitting mistakes, pursuing excellence, and our plans for the future of Out of the Desert.

In Episode 11, we break down the vital difference between a "vision" and a "mission." A vision is your destination and your ultimate purpose, whereas your mission outlines the steps required to get there. We use the biblical calling of Elisha to talk about what it means to count the cost of your decisions, why achieving a new vision requires you to let go of old baggage, and how to push forward when people around you only want to remember you for your worst moments.

Have you ever experienced a massive win in your life, only to completely crash and burn shortly after? You aren't alone. In this episode, we look at the biblical story of Elijah to unpack what happens when we run to the desert in exhaustion. When we are disappointed or terrified, our natural instinct is to hide and isolate ourselves, convinced we are the only ones struggling.

Once you make it out of your desert, you face a brand new challenge: what's next? You can't stay in survival mode forever. In this episode, we talk about the importance of finding a new vision for your life and why deciding to "do whatever you want" is actually a trauma response, not a sustainable plan.

Sometimes the most massive shifts in our lives come from the most unexpected places. Today, we welcome our first guest to the podcast: Chris Kendrick! Chris is the original founder of Employment Matters of South Georgia, the agency that Ryan eventually took over and grew into Joshua Tree Service Group.

We are pulling back the curtain on Joshua Tree Service Group. We also look back at the terrifying leap of faith it took to join this company with zero promised pay, and the explosive growth we've experienced as we've expanded into 77 schools across the state.

Rebuilding your life after a major crash takes an incredible amount of endurance, and eventually, you're going to hit a wall where you just want to quit. In this episode, we talk about the exhaustion of the messy middle and the danger of isolating yourself when you feel stuck. We also take a deep dive into the anxiety of "missing God's will".

Sometimes you have the best plans in the world, and life just throws you off track. In this episode, we talk about what to do when your script fails. We discuss the importance of keeping an even keel, taking your hands off the steering wheel, and having trusted friends who can act as "spotters" to help you see your blind spots. Ryan also shares the unexpected story of having his son, Jackson, and how the divine interruptions we don't plan for are often exactly what we need.

What happens after you hit rock bottom? Bryan and Ryan discuss how to avoid the victim mentality, rebuild your foundation, and step out of the quicksand.

In Episode 4 of Out of the Desert, Bryan Evans and Ryan Herrington record remotely to answer the hardest question you face after everything falls apart: "Now what?"

In this raw and vulnerable episode, Bryan Evans takes the hot seat to share his personal journey through the desert. From growing up as the "smart guy" with all the answers to battling severe depression in college and surviving a near-fatal car accident, Bryan opens up about the moments that shattered his carefully constructed plans.

In Episode 2 of Out of the Desert, host Ryan Herrington takes the hot seat to share his personal desert story. Growing up in the church, Ryan felt he didn't have a choice but to be in ministry. He built his life on a foundation of performance and fear—terrified that if he didn't pastor, he would go to hell.

In this premiere episode, hosts Bryan Evans and Ryan Herrington introduce their journeys as "preacher’s kids" who grew up in the same town and felt pushed into vocational ministry. They open up about their personal "desert experiences"—Ryan's identity crisis and complete life upheaval in 2017 and Bryan's traumatic 2020, involving the loss of a baby, a severe back injury, and job loss.