Author Spotlight: Becky L. McCoy
May 14, 2026
Becky L. McCoy is a writer, retreat leader, and spiritual director trained at Adelynrood Retreat Center. She is the marketing and outreach coordinator for the Brian Dagle Foundation and podcast host of Sucker Punched. She is the author of In the Company of the Weary which released May 12, 2026 and is available wherever books are sold.
Kregel: In your book, you outline ten gentle spiritual practices. Is there one practice that is deeply personal to you?
Becky L. McCoy: I always come back to Visio Divina, the practice of using art as a lens to examine my own heart and contemplate how the Spirit is moving in my life. The first time I tried it, I was suspicious and doubtful that anything much would happen. It turned out to be a truly life-changing experience that triggered in me an insatiable curiosity about how I connect with God, myself, the world, and the people around me. Visio Divina has become something I practice without even thinking about it.
Kregel: What prompted you to write this book?
McCoy: After a lifetime of struggling with anxiety and depression, and after losing my dad and my husband within two years of each other, my faith felt like the only reliable thing left. During my time in seminary, I realized that my understanding of what it meant to be a Christian had been defined by an exhausting amount of things to do, when historically, being a Christian was more about the ways you lived. When panic attacks and health problems kept me from going to church or reading my Bible, I wondered why we put so much emphasis on Sunday mornings and rigorous Bible study when doing so excludes those who cannot get to church or comprehend Scripture. I could not believe that God would exclude people on the basis of health or intelligence, so I began to explore the ancient Christian practices that are gentle and kind to tired souls, regardless of ability. Looking back, I cannot believe I ever thought contemplative practices were not for modern people. The more I learned about these ancient practices, the more I learned how to be—as a human and in the presence of God—and the more I understood that God cares for me and my limitations, not just how effective I can be in ministry and life.
Kregel: What are some reasons that many Christians may be unable to attend church, receive inspiration from religious platitudes, or keep up with mainstream spiritual disciplines?
McCoy: Aside from dealing with physical or mental health issues that can be prohibitive when it comes to attending church, belonging to a Bible study, or serving within the church in some capacity, there are many reasons why people may feel they no longer fit in or belong to what seemed natural for so long. Grief changes our understanding of how the world works, and suddenly, religious platitudes that once seemed to make sense are now hurtful because they attempt to avoid the pain and discomfort of loss. Many have experienced disappointment with church and have been hurt by Christians and need time away from traditional Christian spaces in order to heal. Throughout a lifetime, a person’s understanding of God changes, and sometimes that means they need to connect with God in new and different ways as well.
Kregel: What is one word of encouragement you can give the spiritually burned-out today?
McCoy: It is okay to want to find ways to practice your faith that feel gentle and kind. It is okay to learn to live with your limitations instead of always trying to overcome them. Take a deep breath, drink some water, and know that as you stay curious, you’ll discover the ways your soul most needs to connect with God.
Kregel: What do you hope readers take away after reading In the Company of the Weary?
McCoy: I hope readers know that we don’t need to work ourselves into spiritual burnout. There is not one single “right way” to be a Christian or to connect with God, so we should not be ashamed if we need to find spiritual practices that honor who we were made to be. This book only explores ten possibilities, so I hope it might be a springboard for exploration.
Women managing grief, burnout, or mental illness may feel limited in their spirituality, unable to push through to participate in the often exhausting and effortful faith practices common in Christian communities. How can these weary Christians connect with God when it feels impossible?
Becky L. McCoy faced this issue personally. Hindered by grief, depression, and anxiety, she thought a meaningful spiritual life required more than she could give—until she began exploring contemplative practices and unlocked a gentle and accessible way of faith she never expected.
Now she's inviting Christians tired from trying to do spirituality the "right" way to join her by experimenting with a new take on ancient practices. Readers will
discover new, thoughtful ways of connecting with God,
shift their perspectives on silence and the purpose of spiritual practices,
realize spirituality should be full of curiosity and mystery, and
learn that God is interested not in how much they know but in how they respond to their human limitations.
In the Company of the Weary is a gentle invitation for readers to reweave their faith with healthy practices that will honor their limitations and nourish their weary souls.
Kregel: In your book, you outline ten gentle spiritual practices. Is there one practice that is deeply personal to you?
Becky L. McCoy: I always come back to Visio Divina, the practice of using art as a lens to examine my own heart and contemplate how the Spirit is moving in my life. The first time I tried it, I was suspicious and doubtful that anything much would happen. It turned out to be a truly life-changing experience that triggered in me an insatiable curiosity about how I connect with God, myself, the world, and the people around me. Visio Divina has become something I practice without even thinking about it.
Kregel: What prompted you to write this book?
McCoy: After a lifetime of struggling with anxiety and depression, and after losing my dad and my husband within two years of each other, my faith felt like the only reliable thing left. During my time in seminary, I realized that my understanding of what it meant to be a Christian had been defined by an exhausting amount of things to do, when historically, being a Christian was more about the ways you lived. When panic attacks and health problems kept me from going to church or reading my Bible, I wondered why we put so much emphasis on Sunday mornings and rigorous Bible study when doing so excludes those who cannot get to church or comprehend Scripture. I could not believe that God would exclude people on the basis of health or intelligence, so I began to explore the ancient Christian practices that are gentle and kind to tired souls, regardless of ability. Looking back, I cannot believe I ever thought contemplative practices were not for modern people. The more I learned about these ancient practices, the more I learned how to be—as a human and in the presence of God—and the more I understood that God cares for me and my limitations, not just how effective I can be in ministry and life.
Kregel: What are some reasons that many Christians may be unable to attend church, receive inspiration from religious platitudes, or keep up with mainstream spiritual disciplines?
McCoy: Aside from dealing with physical or mental health issues that can be prohibitive when it comes to attending church, belonging to a Bible study, or serving within the church in some capacity, there are many reasons why people may feel they no longer fit in or belong to what seemed natural for so long. Grief changes our understanding of how the world works, and suddenly, religious platitudes that once seemed to make sense are now hurtful because they attempt to avoid the pain and discomfort of loss. Many have experienced disappointment with church and have been hurt by Christians and need time away from traditional Christian spaces in order to heal. Throughout a lifetime, a person’s understanding of God changes, and sometimes that means they need to connect with God in new and different ways as well.
Kregel: What is one word of encouragement you can give the spiritually burned-out today?
McCoy: It is okay to want to find ways to practice your faith that feel gentle and kind. It is okay to learn to live with your limitations instead of always trying to overcome them. Take a deep breath, drink some water, and know that as you stay curious, you’ll discover the ways your soul most needs to connect with God.
Kregel: What do you hope readers take away after reading In the Company of the Weary?
McCoy: I hope readers know that we don’t need to work ourselves into spiritual burnout. There is not one single “right way” to be a Christian or to connect with God, so we should not be ashamed if we need to find spiritual practices that honor who we were made to be. This book only explores ten possibilities, so I hope it might be a springboard for exploration.
Women managing grief, burnout, or mental illness may feel limited in their spirituality, unable to push through to participate in the often exhausting and effortful faith practices common in Christian communities. How can these weary Christians connect with God when it feels impossible?
Becky L. McCoy faced this issue personally. Hindered by grief, depression, and anxiety, she thought a meaningful spiritual life required more than she could give—until she began exploring contemplative practices and unlocked a gentle and accessible way of faith she never expected.
Now she's inviting Christians tired from trying to do spirituality the "right" way to join her by experimenting with a new take on ancient practices. Readers will
discover new, thoughtful ways of connecting with God,
shift their perspectives on silence and the purpose of spiritual practices,
realize spirituality should be full of curiosity and mystery, and
learn that God is interested not in how much they know but in how they respond to their human limitations.
In the Company of the Weary is a gentle invitation for readers to reweave their faith with healthy practices that will honor their limitations and nourish their weary souls.
