Unhurried Living | Helping Christians Rest Deeper & Lead Better

Today we're talking about being a mentoring presence, or wise woman, in the lives of others. This really is an encouragement to any woman listening to think of herself as a wise woman in the life of another.The actress, Julia Louis Dreyfus, has a new podcast called “Wiser Than Me.” She is 62 and she interviews women who are older than her. She asks questions so that she can glean life wisdom from other women’s life experiences. So our question today is this: how am I living my life so that, over time, I can become a wise woman. And how am I offering myself to others in this way…all along the way. ______________________________________________________Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

My first book, An Unhurried Life, which was published over ten years ago, had this as it’s subtitle: “Following Jesus' Rhythms of Work and Rest.” Knowing what I know now about our great cultural struggle to rest well, I might have changed that to: “Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Rest and Work. It’s not that rest is more important than work. It’s that real rest is so neglected these days.  And many of us are feeling our need for real rest more today than perhaps we ever have. Getting better sleep, setting aside a day a week not measured by productivity or accomplishment, even guarding some weeks each year to really rest is something most of us still struggle to do.  Today, I’ll share seven reasons we don’t rest well. They aren’t theoretical for me. They are reasons I’ve struggled with entering into the gift of rest that God has always been offering me. I hope some of these will ring true to you as well, and just might help you move through some of these resistances, misbeliefs and challenges to a place of deeper rest of body and soul with God.  _________________________________________________________Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It’s been nearly 45 years ago that I attended a jazz concert sponsored by a Sacramento area church. I was invited to it by my boss, Jim. I had been working for him for a year or two at the Magic Tunnel Car Wash. It was at that concert that Jim’s life, shaped as it was by his love for Jesus, came to make sense to me. When someone asked me why I’d come forward at the end of the concert, my answer was simply, “I want what Jim has.”  It was that simple focus on Jesus in Jim’s life and in that little community that drew me into a new way of living and, eventually, into the vocational focus of my life. And refocusing on Jesus along my journey has been what has renewed me, even revived me, when my life began to feel heavy, or wayward, or empty.  All of this is why I’m so happy to be talking with Todd Hunter, my bishop and my friend, about his new book What Jesus Intended: Finding True Faith in the Rubble of Bad Religion. Doesn’t that title speak to where so many of us find ourselves these days?  The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter is the founder of The Center for Formation, Justice and Peace. He is past president of Alpha USA, former national director for the Association of Vineyard Churches, and retired founding pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Costa Mesa, CA. He is the author of many books, including Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others, Giving Church Another Chance,  Our Character at Work and Deep Peace. He writes a weekly newsletter, The Gospel of the Kingdom, that you can find on Substack. Todd also happens to be my bishop and my friend.  _________________________________________________________Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Are you now, or have you recently been, in a difficult situation? Most of us have at least one circumstance in our lives, at any given point, that isn’t going the way we had hoped. Today I’m sharing a personal story of climbing a mountain at high elevation. Together, we’ll look at it literally and metaphorically.______________________________________________________Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The theme of today’s episode has been fermenting in my thinking and in my rhythm of life for a while now. In fact, I’ll be sharing four episodes this season about rest. Today, I’m going to share some ideas about how exactly might we cultivate a good rest ethic. It’s something with which we’re much less familiar as a culture than a good “work ethic,” but it’s just as important. _________________________________________________________Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I’ve often been captured by a little line in the gospels. The disciples ask a question that has been burning in their hearts and minds, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” We signs of competition among the disciples, each wanting to prove himself the most faithful or the most gifted. They want to know how they can best get to the top in the eyes of Jesus.  I don’t think they’re expecting the answer Jesus gives. He says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 18:3).” Become like little children. What does that look like? How does that work? Why would little children be the greatest in the kingdom of God.  To help us with that question and others like, my guest today is Lacy Finn Borgo, and we’ll be talking about her latest book, Faith Like a Child: Embracing Our Lives as Children of God. I found our conversation personally helpful, and I’m hopeful you will, too. _________________________________________________________Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In preparation for co-leading a pilgrimage for women to Italy last month, I spent some time getting to know St. Catherine of Siena and St. Clare of Assisi. These two female saints were quite formidable in their passion and love for God—and what that meant for their own souls and those around them. In Ilia Delio’s book, Clare of Assisi, I found a snippet Clare wrote in a letter to her sister, Agnes.  “O most noble Queen,gaze upon [him].consider [him].contemplate [him].as you desire to imitate [him].” Four words leapt off the page: GazeConsiderContemplateImitate These four dynamics are compelling invitations in my relationship with God. And, if followed, could lead to “much fruit that lasts” spoken of in John 15.  ______________________________________________________Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Explore the purpose and benefits of journaling as a leader, including self-reflection and personal growth. Discover the transformative power of journaling, seeking evidence of God's generosity. Learn about the importance of connecting with God in creative work. Try the practice of journaling and look forward to upcoming episodes on rest and authors Lacey Finn Borgo and Bishop Todd Hunter.

The day this episode releases, I will be in Italy with 15 wonderful women. We will be on a pilgrimage.  People have been engaging pilgrimage for centuries. Yes, it is a physical journey but it's also an inward exploration of the soul. Pilgrimage is a chance to connect with your inner life, your deepest held beliefs, and your relationship with God in a focused and intentional way. So how can you embrace the idea of pilgrimage as an element of your lifestyle?______________________________________________________Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

One of the outcomes of our experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has been to both highlight and to amplify our problem with loneliness and isolation as a culture. That’s why I’m glad to be talking with Justin Whitmel Earley about his new book, Made for People: Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship. Justin describes our interactions with others as either a  "snack" or a "meal", and goes on to state "our fullest spirituality is only possible with others." This is a rich conversation you will enjoy.Justin Whitmel Earley is a lawyer, author and speaker from Richmond, VA. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in English Literature before spending four years in Shanghai, China, as a missionary. Justin got his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and he now runs his own business law practice in Richmond, Virginia at Earley Legal Group. In addition to Made for People, Justin is the author of The Common Rule and Habits of the Household. In episodes 72 and 222, I interviewed Justin about these two books. He frequently speaks at businesses and legal events on habits, technology and mental health; and at churches and conferences on habits, spiritual formation and parenting. He is married to Lauren and has four sons – Whit, Asher, Coulter and Shep. _________________________________________________________Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.