Since this episode is airing on Christmas Eve, we’re doing what we hope you’re doing too—slowing down, stepping away from the usual rhythm, and spending time with family. While we take a short break from recording, we wanted to bring back one of the most downloaded and most talked-about conversations from the past year.

This episode started, quite honestly, because Jonathan heard the word “adulting” one too many times. What followed was a wide-ranging, honest, and surprisingly deep conversation between the two of us and our friend Trent Emmack about responsibility, purpose, young adulthood, and why our culture seems so confused about what it actually means to become an adult.

We talk about...

• Why the word “adulting” drives us crazy (and what it reveals culturally)
• How college became an extended holding pattern instead of a launch point
• The difference between experiences and purpose
• Why chasing “fun” without meaning leads to emptiness
• The real gap behind “I don’t know how to be an adult”
• Education systems vs. real-world preparation
• Why purpose (telos) matters more than specific life skills
• The Christian vision of purpose beyond occupation or career
• Why responsibility—given early and often—is the key to maturity
• How resilience is built slowly, not magically overnight
• Why this work matters for families, churches, and civilization itself

This is one of those conversations that keeps coming back up as we talk with each other, parents we talk with, and the young adults who are trying to find their footing. The topics we talk about in this episode haven’t gone away, and if anything, they’ve become more important.

Whether you’re a parent, a mentor, a pastor, a young adult, or just someone who cares about the future, this episode gets to the heart of what’s actually broken—and what we can realistically do about it.

And if you happen to be listening on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, we hope you’re surrounded by people you love and moments that matter. Thank you for walking with us through another year of conversations, questions, and challenges that really matter. We’re grateful for you, grateful for this community, and excited about what’s ahead.

Merry Christmas, and as always, Be Unbound!

Learn more about Unbound: https://beunbound.us/

Hosts: Jonathan Brush, David Rethemeyer

Producer: Kyle Hill