Why You Feel Guilty for Resting — and How God Designed You for Play w/ Brianna Lambert (Created To Play Book Review) (S3E19)

Do you feel guilty for enjoying your hobbies? Like reading, baking, or camping somehow pulls you away from God instead of toward him?In this episode, Dr. Tanya Paynter sits down with Brianna Lambert — author of Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually — to talk about why Christians so often compartmentalize their faith from the things they love, and why that divide was never meant to exist.Brianna shares how she once felt deep guilt over the activities she enjoyed most, and how understanding God's character as the source of all beauty, goodness, and creativity changed everything. They explore how hobbies are not a distraction from worship — they are an opportunity for it.In this episode, you’ll explore• Why the secular/spiritual divide in our daily lives is a false one• How play and hobbies connect us to our identity as image bearers of God• The difference between rest that restores and escapism• How shared hobbies build relationships — and open doors to the gospel• Practical ways to start small and find God in your ordinary, everyday momentsEpisode Timestamps 00:00 Why hobbies and shared activities build real relationships03:26 Guilt, “secular vs spiritual,” and learning to receive good gifts from God06:46 Rest vs escapism: how to discern the difference07:50 A better definition of idleness: not doing what you were created to do11:27 Redefining worship beyond singing and guilt about “not enjoying worship”23:47 Play in community: family hobbies, church life, and everyday evangelism31:30 The 10 “titles” of play + deep joys and temptations35:13 What it means to take hobbies seriously (without turning them into performance)41:36 Practical steps to start small and release productivity guiltResources MentionedCreated to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually — Brianna LambertStuart Brown (play and lifelong development)The “scholastics” framing of idleness/laziness (concept discussed)About the GuestBrianna Lambert is a writer and author from a rural community outside Indianapolis. Her articles and essays have appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Common Good, and Mere Orthodoxy. She serves on staff at Gospel Centered Discipleship and in the women’s ministry at her local church. She is the author of Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually.Connect with Brianna Lambert:Website: https://briannalambert.comSubstack: https://briannalambert.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannalambertauthorBook availability mentioned: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart (online)About the HostDr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast exploring faith, physiology, and the nervous system—how biblical practices shape stress response, emotional resilience, and long-term physical health. She is a licensed naturopathic physician.Where to Find Dr. Tanya PaynterLearn more at www.psalmmedical.comVisit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/cc-podcastFollow The Christian Clinician on Social MediaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinicianFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinicianInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/