Nate and Van are joined by design researcher Oxana Loseva to explore endurance—how we keep going without losing ourselves. They contrast resilience with endurance, and Nate shares how gratitude in pastoral work turns burden into privilege. Oxana reflects on stress, health, and identity, while Van reframes tough days as “things we get to do.” Together they discuss removing small choices to save energy, the limits of helping—especially in abusive situations—and Edwin Friedman’s “bridge” fable about when to hold on and when to let go. The takeaway: endurance isn’t blind persistence; it’s grounded by gratitude, boundaries, and faith, helping designers and everyday people stay with what matters most—and step away when staying harms them.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/