Unhurried Living | Helping Christians Rest Deeper & Lead Better

As the 2023 Unhurried Living Podcast season begins, I’m pleased to be talking with Jen Pollock Michel about her latest book, In Good Time. As I read it in preparation for today’s conversation, I had so many “Amen” moments. I’m grateful for Jen’s deep-rooted and wise message about unhurried time. Jen Pollock Michel is a writer, speaker, coach, and podcast host. She is the author of five books: A Habit Called Faith, Surprised by Paradox (winner of Christianity Today’s 2020 Award of Merit for Beautiful Orthodoxy), Keeping Place, and Teach Us to Want (winner of Christianity Today’s 2015 Book of the Year).  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most of us have no idea how others see or process their experiences. And that can make relationships difficult.  Understanding the motivations and dynamics of our different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others―and in ourselves.   Suzanne Stabile’s book, The Path Between Us looks at the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships.   Today I’m sharing a portion of my Replenish conversation with Suzanne. We all desire healthier relationships and Suzanne can help point the way. The question I asked Suzanne for this I Can Do That! Podcast episode is this: What is a unique challenge for each Enneagram type in relationships? Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenish Community.Learn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As was typical of a season long ago, there was a pile of little boys in the back of my red minivan. We were driving down the street toward our home when I noticed some unusual dark grey storm clouds in the sky. Behind the clouds was a glowing blue sky, with splashes of pink and gold.It was the beginning of sunset, and, evidently, my then 4-year-old son had never seen a sky exactly like that before.“I never saw today!” he exclaimed as he peered out the van window, reacting to the sky.The wonder in his voice floored me. The only way he could think of to describe this amazing sky which he had never seen before was, “I never saw today!”What did his exclamation do for my mama’s heart? We’ll that’s where we’re headed.I’m Gem Fadling and it’s time for ICDT. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenish Community.Learn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As a part of my living room décor, I have two bowls of rocks. Of course this is lovelier than it sounds. The bowls are glass antiques from my Aunt Ruth’s collection and the rocks are all polished and colorful.But these aren’t just rocks. They represent a bowlful of treasured memories created with my dad. Markers of time spent together.I’m Gem Fadling and it’s time for ICDT.  Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenish Community.Learn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Last week, I shared some of the origin story of my latest book with InterVarsity Press, A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotions for Unhurried Living. In this episode, I’m going to share the essence of three of the daily readings from A Year of Slowing Down. I want to give you a feel for the resource. In this episode, I’m going to share the essence of three of the daily readings from A Year of Slowing Down. I want to give you a feel for the resource. So, for Day 29, I wrote about Psalm 33:5, which reads,The Lord loves righteousness and justice;  the earth is full of his unfailing love.If you’re going to learn to slow down to the pace of God’s kingdom, one of the realities you’re going to learn to trust is that the earth is full of God’s unfailing love, and that God loves making things right. He loves to restore attitudes, thinking, and ways of relating and living so they are what he intended. This is the fruit of communing with the God who does everything well. When we align ourselves more closely with God, he finds pleasure in this, and we find ourselves being made more whole and holy.Sometimes all we can see is the bad in this world. We hear news stories or witness global events and we see the injustice. Where is God in this? Despite the apparent evidence, God is working toward righteousness and justice. God is at work transforming our individual lives so that we, together, might bring change to the world around us. But that takes time. Hasn’t it taken time for God to bring about the transformation your life has needed? Listen as I talk about the benefits of the book as well as how to best engage with the devotions. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In our book, What Does Your Soul Love?, I shared a few nuggets of wisdom from one of my mentors, Abbot David Geraets. But there’s one nugget I didn’t put into the book, and I’d like to offer it to you today.  A nugget about silence. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living websiteLearn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today I’m talking with my sweetheart and husband of 37 years, Alan Fadling, and we’ll be discussing unhurried spiritual leadership. This is Alan’s expertise and I want you to learn from the best.Alan’s message has been forming over decades. And I’m sure you’ll hear echoes of things I’ve shared with you before. That’s because we’ve taken this journey together, and I count this as a great grace. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenish Community.Learn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today’s and next Monday’s episode, I’ll be sharing more about my latest book with InterVarsity Press, A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotions for Unhurried Living.  A Year of Slowing Down is designed to help you take the formational journey my first two books, An Unhurried Life and An Unhurried Leader, describe. These devotionals had their beginnings in my personal journal. I’ve been practicing the discipline of spiritual journaling regularly since my twenties. Since then, I’ve journaled about 11,500 pages and 7.6 million words over thirty-some years. At its simplest, my journal is a place where I pray. I wrestle with unhelpful thoughts. I meditate on scripture or spiritual readings. I reflect on my experiences. I capture creative ideas and work with them. I do all of this with a sense of God-with-me. It’s my hope that the Spirit who has been with me as I’ve written in my journal will be with readers as they journey through the book. I envision these daily readings as five-minute daily retreats. I don’t see the practice of retreat as a way of avoiding or escaping reality. It’s a practice in acknowledging deeper reality. As you read each day, and especially as you carry the included reflection question into your day to chew on, you’ll experience the steady formation of a more unhurried mindset and way of living. Transformation happens at that gracious, steady pace. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I’ve enjoyed the treat of having many mentor-like people in my life who were ahead of me on the journey. They knew more than me and readily shared their knowledge and wisdom. They believed in me and my potential, and were willing to help draw me into the next season.  Maya Angelou once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” It is certainly true that my mentors taught and trained me, but just as Ms. Angelou stated, what I remember the most is how they made me feel. Although there have been many who poured into me throughout my life, today I'm sharing with you three important people who touched and changed my life:Perla WarrenHal ClarkEllyn Cowie Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living websiteLearn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I’m sharing a recent conversation with Lore Ferguson Wilbert about her book A Curious Faith. In it, she talks about questions God asks us, questions we ask God, and question we wish others would ask us. We are sometimes uncomfortable with questions unless we quickly figure out an answer to them. But growing deeper in trusting God often involves “living the questions” rather than merely answering them. I believe in the formative power of good questions. Our own book, What Does Your Soul Love?, is based on eight questions that reveal the frontiers of where God is at his transforming work in our lives. Lore Ferguson Wilbert is the founder of Sayable.net and the author of Handle with Care, winner of a 2021Christianity Today Book Award. She has written for Christianity Today, Fathom magazine, and She Reads Truth, and served as general editor of B&H's “Read and Reflect with the Classics.” Wilbert reaches an audience of more than 40,000 through email and social media. She is currently pursuing an MA in Christian spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University and lives in upstate New York.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.