Welcome to The Greater Call, where faith, leadership, and life’s greatest lessons intersect. Hosted by CBS Golf Analyst Mark Immelman, this podcast uncovers inspiring stories, timeless truths, and powerful principles from the Bible.
Through captivating conversations about life, leadership, and legendary moments, The Greater Call will challenge and encourage you to live with purpose, lead with excellence, and embrace the extraordinary journey God has for you.
What happens when even the strongest leaders reach their breaking point?
In this powerful episode of The Greater Call, host Mark Immelman welcomes Grammy-nominated Christian worship artist Cody Carnes for an inspiring conversation about the prophet Elijah, overcoming burnout, finding strength in God's presence, and learning to recognize His still small voice.
Known for worship songs like Firm Foundation (He Won't) and Run to the Father, Cody shares the personal experiences behind his music, including seasons of depression, exhaustion, and learning to surrender control.
Together, Mark and Cody explore Elijah's extraordinary journey, from boldly confronting the prophets of Baal to fleeing into the wilderness overwhelmed by fear and discouragement. His story reveals that even the most courageous people experience moments of weakness, and that God's response is often not condemnation, but compassion, rest, and renewal.
Through honest reflections on faith, leadership, and legacy, they remind us that our greatest calling isn't always found in life's biggest moments, but in the quiet, everyday decisions to trust and follow God.
🎙️ In This Episode, You'll Discover:
🎙️ The personal story behind Cody Carnes' worship anthem Firm Foundation (He Won't)
🎙️ How speaking God's truth can help strengthen faith during difficult seasons
🎙️ Why Elijah's extraordinary courage didn't make him immune to fear, exhaustion, or self-doubt
🎙️ What Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal teaches us about confidence rooted in God
🎙️ How God responded to Elijah's burnout with rest, nourishment, compassion, and reassurance
🎙️ Why even successful leaders need permission to pause and recover
🎙️ How Cody stepped away from a demanding schedule to rediscover peace and dependence on God
🎙️ The importance of Sabbath, stillness, and creating space to hear God's voice
🎙️ Why running to God in moments of weakness is an act of faith, not failure
🎙️ How Elijah's relationship with Elisha demonstrates the importance of mentorship and legacy
🎙️ Why lasting influence is built through small, consistent acts of obedience
🔑 Key Themes
Elijah: Courage in the Face of Opposition
Elijah stood boldly against King Ahab, Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal during a time of widespread spiritual darkness.
His confidence wasn't rooted in his own abilities, but in the power and presence of God. His story reminds us that true courage comes from knowing whom we trust, even when the odds seem overwhelming.
Burnout, Depression, and God's Compassion
Following one of his greatest victories, Elijah experienced fear, exhaustion, and deep discouragement.
Rather than rebuking him, God first provided rest and nourishment. Mark and Cody discuss how this moment reveals God's compassion for our humanity and why recognizing our limitations is essential to healthy leadership.
The Still Small Voice: Finding God in the Quiet
Elijah had witnessed extraordinary displays of God's power, yet during his lowest moment, God met him through a gentle whisper.
Cody reflects on how constant activity, pressure, and distraction can make it difficult to recognize God's direction. Sometimes the most important step forward is learning to become still.
Firm Foundation: Finding Peace in Difficult Seasons
Cody shares how Firm Foundation (He Won't) emerged during a deeply challenging personal season.
Through worship and declaring God's promises, he discovered renewed peace and strength. His experience highlights the importance of anchoring our faith in something greater than changing circumstances.
Run to the Father: Strength Through Surrender
Elijah's willingness to bring his fear and frustration before God offers a reminder that we don't need to have everything together before seeking Him.
Cody connects this lesson to his song Run to the Father, emphasizing that dependence on God is a daily practice, not a last resort.
Rest, Sabbath, and Sustainable Leadership
At a time when his music career was experiencing tremendous momentum, Cody felt called to dramatically reduce his commitments.
What initially felt like a difficult decision became an opportunity to rediscover the importance of rest, trust, and the understanding that everything doesn't depend on us.
Legacy: Faithfulness in the Everyday Moments
Elijah's influence continued through his mentorship of Elisha, demonstrating that leadership is ultimately about what we pass on to others.
Mark and Cody explore how meaningful legacies are created not only through extraordinary achievements, but through everyday obedience, discipline, and faithfulness.
📖 Key Bible Passages Discussed
🎵 Music Mentioned
Firm Foundation (He Won't) — Cody Carnes
A powerful declaration of God's faithfulness and the peace available even in life's most difficult circumstances.
Run to the Father — Cody Carnes
A reminder that we can continually return to God for comfort, healing, and renewed strength.
The Blessing — Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe
A worship anthem centered on God's favor, presence, and blessings across generations.
🔥 Takeaways
➡ Your greatest victories don't make you immune to burnout. Even Elijah experienced exhaustion and discouragement after an extraordinary display of faith.
➡ Rest is not a weakness. Sometimes the most important thing a leader can do is pause, recover, and trust God with the outcome.
➡ God meets us with compassion. Elijah's story reminds us that moments of weakness don't disqualify us from our calling.
➡ Confidence comes from God's presence, not personal ability. True courage is rooted in knowing who stands with us.
➡ Make room for the still small voice. God's guidance isn't always found in dramatic moments. Sometimes it comes through quiet reflection and stillness.
➡ You don't have to carry everything yourself. Trusting God means recognizing that the world continues turning even when we stop working.
➡ Run toward God, not away from Him. Moments of fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion can become opportunities for deeper dependence on Him.
➡ Legacy is built one faithful decision at a time. Small acts of obedience and service can create an impact that lasts for generations.
🙌 About Cody Carnes
Cody Carnes is a Grammy-nominated Christian worship artist, songwriter, and worship leader whose music has encouraged listeners around the world.
Known for songs including Firm Foundation (He Won't), Run to the Father, and The Blessing, Cody creates worship music rooted in biblical truth, faith, and personal encounters with God.
Through his songwriting and ministry, Cody encourages people to experience God's presence, find strength in difficult seasons, and deepen their relationship with Jesus.
Connect with Cody Carnes:
Website: https://codycarnes.com
Instagram, X & TikTok: @codycarnes
Music: Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube
🎙️ Follow Mark Immelman
Instagram & YouTube: @MarkImmelman
Facebook: @markimmelmangolf
X: @mark_immelman
LinkedIn: @mark-immelman-87ab46162
Website: https://markimmelman.com
Connect with Us:
📲 Follow us on social media: @TheGreaterCall (Instagram & X)
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📩 DM us for prayer requests, leadership advice, or to share your story!
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Website→ https://markimmelman.com/the-greater-call/
✨ Be full of joy in all things, no matter where you are. Be thankful. Go and be a legend! ✨
