Unlearning the Need to Impress God and Each Other: Rebecca St. James & Zahriya Zachary

This week, we'll hear from Rebecca St. James , a Grammy and Dove award-winning contemporary Christian music artist. When Rebecca's family moved from Australia to the U.S. when Rebecca was a teen, they faced serious financial struggles—the kind that forced them to rely completely on each other and outside support for basic survival like food, transportation, and medical bills. This intense period of "making it work" became the bedrock of her career and is the focus of the film Unsung Hero . Next, we meet Zahriya Zachary , an artist and worship leader with Bethel Music who experienced a major pivot in her early twenties. She shares how she shifted from the pursuit of a traditional career to an unexpected music career. Her story explores the struggle of unlearning the need for perfection and performance, and the profound freedom found in simply showing up as yourself. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned : Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Darlene Zschech Upcoming interview: Maria Lee Jesus Listens for Moms Rebecca St. James Unsung Hero "You Make Everything Beautiful" My Utmost for His Highest Zahriya Zachary "Stay" Rediscovery Interview Quotes: "[Hardship] really did encourage us to turn to God as a family, because we needed Him in a way that we had never needed Him so desperately before." - Rebecca St. James "My parents were definitely the kind that encouraged us to flourish in our own gifts. I think that they were very attentive to specialized giftings within the family and encouraged us to be unique." - Rebecca St. James "I remember my parents being very available for just talking things through, and that's something that I'm also trying to do with our kids, [is to be] available and present." - Rebecca St. James "I think God's design for the family is so beautiful, and I think when we can live that out privately in our lives, but then also if God allows us to to live that out in the public space too, there's an undeniable loveliness to it." - Rebecca St. James "I think something that I am currently unlearning is my performance being the thing that makes God stay, and even that makes other people stay. I'm really unlearning that because it can tend to be this driving force of, If I do good enough at this, if I can just be perfect at this, then God will just stay. The Lord is revealing to me, 'I love you because I love because I love you .' " - Zahriya Zachary "I've had these moments throughout my life with God in the moments where I felt the most lost. He actually reveals to me a highlight reel of every place where I thought I was alone and every place where I thought He wasn't. It's actually given me strength to stay when it's hard, because He enables me to remember." - Zahriya Zachary "It was never up to us to reach for God's presence or earn it, because He's already done it all." - Zahriya Zachary ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes: Bonus Podcasts: Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: Peace for Everyday Life: Peace in Uncertain Times: What's Good? Enneagram: ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us .

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Unlearning the Need to Impress God and Each Other: Rebecca St. James & Zahriya Zachary is an episode from Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith by Support.

This episode is 20:09 long.

This episode was published on Apr 23, 2026.

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