Unhurried Living | Helping Christians Rest Deeper & Lead Better

Today my friend and spiritual director, Stacey Green, is with me and we will be responding to some spiritual direction and formation questions that we received via social media. We’re going to interact on these themes and hopefully offer some guidance and encouragement along the way. Stacey Green is a trained spiritual director, a Southern CA native, and a graduate of Pepperdine University. She is passionate about offering soul care to women in all stages of life, particularly those serving in leadership positions. Stacey is knowledgeable in the Enneagram, having studied it in depth for nearly 15 years. She loves the beach, hiking, yoga, reading, gardening and is a culinary epicure. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We’ve often said on this podcast that who you are as a leader makes all the difference in the fruitfulness of what you do as a leader. Two people can do the exact same bit of work with very different outcomes. Even little bits of work done with great love can bear more fruit than huge gatherings or impressive performances. For the Christian leader, the trajectory of our lives is in the direction of living and leading more and more in the spirit—in the way—of Jesus. Today, I’m talking with a fellow leader and friend, Tim Morey, about his recently released book titled Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul. Maybe you’re a church planter. If so, this episode is going to be a bullseye for you.  But even if you aren’t leading or participating in a church plant, you’re going gain a great deal of insight into how we become the sorts of women and men who can engage in the work of God more fruitfully and powerfully. Of that I’m confident. Tim Morey was born in San Diego where he embraced Christ at an early age, left the church as a teen, and was re-captured by the love of Jesus during college. Prior to planting Life Covenant Church, he served in college ministries in San Diego and Los Angeles. Tim and his wife, Samantha, are proud parents of two daughters, Abigail and Hannah. In addition to the book we’re talking about today, Tim is author of Embodying Our Faith: Becoming a Living, Sharing, Practicing Church and a contributor to two other titles on church planting. He serves on the national church planting team for the Evangelical Covenant Church and as an adjunct professor at Fuller Seminary.Connect with Tim on social media:Facebook @tim.morey Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Empathy. This is a much needed and seemingly ignored dynamic in cultural conversations. However, today we are going to bring it down to the personal…our own lives. What is empathy? Why is it important for us and our relationships? How does empathy factor into our relationship with God? Today I chat with my dear friend, Kristi Gaultiere who is an expert on empathy. Not only by training, but by giftedness and lifestyle. Practicing empathy and caring comes naturally to her and I benefit from her attuned heart. I can’t wait for you to learn from her today. Kristi is a Psychotherapist and spiritual mentor to women pastors and pastors’ wives. She co-leads Soul Shepherding with her husband, Bill. As a pastor’s wife, mother, and ministry professional, Kristi offers empathy and wisdom from her experience personally and as a therapist who has spent many thousands of hours caring for people. Kristi enjoys speaking, training, teaching, consulting, counseling, and retreat leading with Bill as well as recording their weekly “Soul Talks”.Connect with Kristi in a variety of ways:Facebook @kristi.gaultiereInstagram @kristigaultiere or @soulshepherding   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A mentor of mine would often say something like this: “The Christian life is not mainly something I believe or a group to which I belong. The Christian life is somebody with whom I enjoy a living, day-to-day relationship. That somebody, of course, is Jesus. He is risen and alive among us today—right now—by his Spirit. He is inviting us into the love he and the Father share. That has been the inviting good news I’ve sought to enter more deeply into over this challenging year in which we’ve found ourselves.Recently, I enjoyed a conversation with Michael Card about his most recent book titled The Nazarene: Forty Devotions on the Lyrical Life of Jesus. I found what he wrote and what we talked about refreshing, encouraging and inspiring. Michael Card is an award-winning musician and performing artist. He earned a master's degree in biblical studies from Western Kentucky University under Dr. William Lane. His many books include Scribbling in the Sand, A Fragile Stone, Inexpressible, and the Biblical Imagination Series on the four Gospels.  The book we’re talking about today came out in November of last year and is titled: The Nazarene: Forty Devotions on the Lyrical Life of Jesus.Learn more from Michael and connect on social media at:Facebook @MichaelCardMusicInstrgram @michaeljcard Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, major depressive disorder (or MDD) is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44. MDD affects about 16.1 million adults each year. And think about all of those who remain undiagnosed. Then add to that the increased anxiety and depression caused by COVID-19. Many of us have likely struggled with a form of depression over the last year. And, certainly, most of us know someone who struggles. How do we cope? Drawing on her own experience with depression, Diana Gruver, author of Companions in the Darkness, looks back into church history and finds depression in the lives of some of our most beloved saints, including Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Diana tells their stories in fresh ways and offers practical wisdom both for those in the darkness and those who care for them. Diana Gruver writes about discipleship and spiritual formation in the every day. She holds a M.A. in Spiritual Formation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and currently serves as the Communications Director for Vere Institute. She lives in south-central Pennsylvania, with her husband and daugther.Learn more from Diana on social at:Facebook @diana.stottlemyerTwitter @dianagruver  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most of you in our listening community are people who pray. Or at least people who have prayed. You may be grateful for the opportunity to come  into the presence of God. Your prayer may feel fruitful and life-giving.   Or, you may have become disillusioned when it comes to praying. You might feel like you’ve come to pray but God didn’t seem to come to listen or respond. It’s not an uncommon experience. But, in the end, you probably still want to be a person who lives in the presence of God—a person who prays. Today, I’m talking with my friend, Kyle Strobel, about a new book that he and John Coe have written called Where Prayer Becomes Real. We’ll talk about our experience of prayer and how we might enjoy the reality of God’s presence. That’s the focus of today’s episode of the Unhurried Living podcast. Kyle Strobel is the assistant professor of spiritual theology and formation at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and is the author of Formed for the Glory of God (IVP, 2013) and co-author of Beloved Dust (Thomas Nelson, 2014). Kyle can be found at KyleStrobel.com or on Twitter.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Burnout. This a most unwelcome word. And an even less welcome dynamic. But our guest today, Bethany Hiser, found herself smack in the middle of it. A social worker, jail chaplain and justice advocate, Bethany was in need of the very soul care she was providing to others. We’ll engage her story today. Bethany Dearborn Hiser is the director of soul care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma. As a bilingual social worker, chaplain, and pastoral advocate, Hiser has worked in a variety of ministry and social service settings with people affected by addiction, sexual exploitation, incarceration, and immigration. Whether you're a social worker, therapist, pastor, teacher, or healthcare professional, From Burned Out to Beloved will equip you to confess your limitations, embrace your identity as a beloved child of God, and flourish in your vocation. Connect with Bethany and her work on social:Facebook @traumainformedsoulcareInstagram @bethanydhiserTwitter @bethanydhiser   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When it comes to talking about and understanding our life with God, I’ve long loved the image of a journey as a way of talking about it. Our life of faith isn’t merely a static set of beliefs to defend or argue about. It isn’t just being part of the right association. It is a way of life in which each of us grows, learns and develops. It is a life in which we deepen in trust, broaden in love, strengthen in hope. I recently enjoyed a conversation with a good friend of ours, Bill Gaultiere, about a new book he and his wife, Kristi, have written called Journey of the Soul. We’ve been grateful for their presence in our lives for some time now. In their new book, they share insights into the shape that our journey of growth in Christ might take. Before we go there, let me tell you a bit more about Bill. He is a psychologist and a spiritual director. By the age of 30 he had published three books with mainline Christian publishers and sold over 40,000 copies. But then God led him into a 20 year hiatus from publishing in order to better love Christ, his wife and three children, and everyone in his circle of influence. It was a longer journey than he’d expected. Bill and Kristi have their doctorates in psychology and are the founders of Soul Shepherding, Inc., a nonprofit ministry that cultivates intimacy with Jesus for pastors and other servant leaders. Learn more and connect with Bill on social:Facebook @soulshepherdingInstagram @soulshepherdingTwitter @SoulShepherdingYoutube @billgaultierePodcasts @soultalks Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Along the way, God uses our life experiences to form us and to help us lead from an authentic and healthy place. The power of God’s presence is not just for your benefit but also for all in your sphere of influence. Today, I’m talking with Ebony Small, a younger leader who serves as a pastor and a mentor. Ebony has a wealth of experience in both churches and organizations. She's got practical and biblical wisdom to offer whether you are just starting or are looking for a fresh start in your life and leadership. Ebony is vice president of global ministries at PULSE Movement, a ministry committed to awaken culture to the reality of Jesus. She was formerly the director of Movement Day Expressions at MOVEMENT.ORG, where she was dedicated to catalyzing leaders to affect cities across the globe. She was selected to attend the Lausanne Younger Leaders gathering in 2016. Ebony also serves as an associate pastor at Bethel Gospel Assembly in New York City. If you are a younger leader or you’ve got younger leaders on your team, I hope you’ll encourage them to tune in and listen with you to Ebony’s encouragement and inspiration.Bethany would love to connect with you on social at:Instagram @bethanyssmallFacebook @ebonysmallauthorTwitter @EbonySmallYoutube @ebonyssmall  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We continue to find ourselves in unsettling times, don’t we? I’m sure I don’t need to unpack that any further for you, right? Many of us have struggled with what prayer looks like in this season when things are happening we never asked for. How do we pray when life feels more like a threatening night than a bright and dawning day?It was good to have a chance to speak recently with Tish Harrison Warren about her new book, releasing tomorrow in fact, called Prayer in the Night. Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, which was Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year. She has worked in ministry settings for over a decade as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations, and, most recently, as the writer in-residence at Church of the Ascension in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a monthly columnist with Christianity Today, and her articles and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Comment Magazine, The Point Magazine, and elsewhere. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. Connect with Tish on social at:Instagram @tishharrisonwarrenFacebook @tish.h.warrenTwitter @Tish_H_Warren Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.