Unhurried Living

Today, I’m talking with Brian Zahnd about his latest book "When Everything’s On Fire". The subtitle is Faith Forged From the Ashes. Brian’s book speaks to just how much this season in which we found ourselves over the last couple of years has tested our faith. A word some use to describe this experience is “deconstruction.”  Some think that deconstruction is a new idea, but something like deconstruction has always been a part of how our faith is refined. Sometimes, we are given beliefs in our childhood or youth that simply don’t reflect the truth of God or the wisdom of Scripture nearly as well as they might have. Losing beliefs is not necessarily the same as losing faith. Brian’s book addresses these realities with theological richness and spiritual depth. Connect with Brian on his website or on social media... Instagram or twitter Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Think about the stories when Jesus and his disciples are on their way somewhere. The disciples often seem agenda-oriented and, therefore, they become quite frustrated when Jesus keeps stopping to talk with or to help one individual along the way. They seem to think that all this stopping is getting in the way of arriving where they are going.   They feel like they are going to serve a whole village and Jesus keeps stopping to help one person. Why does he do this? Because, better than any of us, Jesus lives at the pace of perfect love.   His disciples feel like like Jesus is inefficient. But love often feels inefficient to us.  Let's hear more on today's episode of The Unhurried Living Podcast.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This is the first week of Advent and for the next few weeks, we’ll walk together toward the birth of Christ, culminating on Christmas Day.For this season of Advent, I thought it would be good to share a few helpful spiritual practices. So we’ll engage hope, peace, joy and love in this way for the next four weeks. More than teaching these practices, we will experience them together. On today’s episode we’ll experience the Practice of Unpacking.Enjoy this and the entire Advent series.  I also invite you to connect with me via social on Instagram and at the Unhurried Living website. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, on the I Can Do That Podcast, we’re talking about the symptoms of exhaustion.It’s easy to miss hints that you might need to ease up and rest. So today I wanted to briefly list a few symptoms that may reveal your level of tiredness.You find yourself complaining a lot. You’re bugged by everything.You have a decreased ability to concentrate. Brain fog is diminishing your focus.You have a shorter fuse. You notice your angry outbursts are increasing or intensifying.You find that your creativity is waning. The well feels dried up.You find that your numbing habits are increasing (eating, drinking, shopping, media).This is not an exhaustive list and these ideas are merely anecdotal and are not prescriptive. Even though there may be a cluster of reasons why you are experiencing these dynamics, tiredness is usually one of them.Listen to today’s episode which includes 11 very practical ideas for bringing a bit of rest or refreshment into your days.  You can connect with Gem at unhurriedliving.com/gem and on Insta

Welcome Sister Joan Chittister to the Unhurried Living Podcast where we are talking about her latest book, "The Monastic Heart" where she offers simple, practical, deep wisdom. You know when someone has lived truth well when they can make things so very easily understandable. Sr. Joan Chittister is an internationally known author and lecturer, and the executive director of Benetvision, a resource and research center for contemporary spirituality. She is past president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Her books include:The Gift of Years The Breath of the SoulCalled to Question Following the Path She is also a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sometimes we imagine that the in between parts are unimportant. We only live for the big and notable moments. And, typically, these are the moments we post on social media. Social media can be a place where we curate our own version of quick transitions, showing the best and moving our story along.But most of our life is in the in-between. That’s why presence and being in the moment matters. It can be easy to waste time or numb ourselves in those moments if we think they are just filler.Rather than doing quick transitions through life, remind yourself that every moment matters because every moment is a moment with God. The in-between matters. The in between is where the people are and it’s where life happens. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Unhurried is about making time in our lives for what matters most. The irony is that when we are frantically busy, we often run past what (and who) matters most in our lives. We can learn to slow down to remember and do what matters most to us and to God. Today I talk with dear friends John Freeman and Jeb Shore on how we take this simple idea and live into it's reality for our living and leading. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This is a continuation of the conversation we began last week. So, let’s return to the word I mentioned in the last episode…receptivity. Receptivity isn’t discussed much these days. We are typically more concerned with activity -  what we’re producing or how much we’re achieving more often rises to the surface of our conversations. But receptivity is critical for the work of the soul. Openness, listening, letting go, embracing, presence: these are all more accessible in unhurried time with God. For me, this looks like setting aside time and going somewhere conducive. I prefer to walk or sit in nature. Nature helps me naturally slide into receptive mode as I enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the ocean, or the tree covered paths of a local park. Then I drop my agenda and move through the time with open heart and open hands.Let’s make our way through planning and engaging Unhurried Time with God. These ideas are as practical as it gets. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire abo

Today, I’m sharing a great conversation I had recently with Stephen Arterburn about a book he and David Stoop have written: The Soul of a Hero. This theme is so prevalent in our culture. So many of our most popular movies are rooted in the hero’s journey. There is something noble and beautiful that we can aspire to in the heroic way of Jesus himself. Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries, the nation’s largest faith-based broadcast, counseling, and treatment ministry. He is also host of the New Life Live! radio program that airs on more than 180 radio stations, SiriusXM radio, and television. Steve is a nationally known public speaker and has been featured in media such as Oprah and Good Morning America. He is a teaching pastor at Northview Church in Indianapolis and resides with his family in Indiana. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, I’m sharing a great conversation I had recently with my friends, Darrell Warner and Matt Fogle about how we make space to notice and respond to God’s presence in our busy lives. So often as leaders, we fill every minute with activity—really good activities. But a leader needs to cultivate moments for receptivity in the midst of our many good activities. We talk about questions like: What challenges do you face in arranging space to simply be in the presence of God in your busy life? What are some of the rhythms or practices have been helping you along the way? When you do well making this sort of space for God, what good fruit does this produce? What words of encouragement would you share with a very busy listener who feels like they don’t have time for this? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Without question, there is one spiritual practice that has been the most central to my soul’s formation. In fact, I have been engaging this practice for over half my life and I have not experienced it the same way twice.  Here at Unhurried Living we call it Unhurried Time with God. But it is classically known as solitude and silence. I realize the term solitude and silence might sound a little daunting or intimidating. But really, it’s simply a matter of setting aside some extended time (one or more hours) to place yourself into attentive, receptive mode in God’s presence. It's a time to remind yourself you are a human being and not a human doing. But mostly it’s a time to be open to God’s love.  Next week I’ll offer part two of this conversation so I can share with you the nuts and bolts of how you might engage Unhurried Time with God. But today I just want to share a personal story of one encounter I experienced, how it unfolded, and the insights I gained. It’s good to remember that no two Unhurried Time’s

In today’s episode, Alan speaks with Ashley Hales about her new book A Spacious Life. You’ll hear a lot of intersections between her good thoughts here and Alan’s first book, An Unhurried Life. Alan’s book had a title focused on time. Ashley’s book has a title focused on space. But they are both talking about the great challenge and cost of hurry, and God’s invitation to live our lives at the slower and more fruitful pace of God’s kingdom.  Ashley Hales is a writer, speaker, and host of the Finding Holy podcast. She is the author of Finding Holy in the Suburbs and her writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Books & Culture, and The Gospel Coalition. Ashley is married to a pastor and the mother to four children.To learn more about Ashley and connect with her regularly, follow her on FB, IG or Twitter. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today I’m introducing the process of Notice, Discern, & Respond (or NDR). NDR is a supremely helpful progression for change, especially in terms of our thoughts. Once you become familiar with this simple idea, it can be an underlying way of life as you engage your own thoughts and feelings as well as your transformational journey.  The beauty of NDR is that it helps you make the move away from reacting and into the more helpful mode of responding. Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, says it this way: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” I’m suggesting that NDR is one process you can engage in that space. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Hope is a deep and strong dynamic. I believe that deep down, we all have access to this gift. However, for many of us, it gets buried underneath the hard knocks of life. And yet hope gets uncovered, over time, as we make our way through our circumstances. Hope is that beautiful combination of two more life-giving dynamics: with and through. And, more importantly, it’s with and through with God. Today, on the I Can Do That Podcast, I’ll be sharing some of my personal stories of loss and how I made my way to hope THROUGH the circumstances.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, I’m sharing a great conversation I had recently with my friends, Jeb Shore and John Freeman about how our obsession with productivity impacts the level of hurry in our souls. In An Unhurried Life, I wrote a chapter titled “Productivity: Unhurried Isn’t Lazy,” in part, to speak to this tendency to make assumptions about what makes our lives productive. The irony is that my over-busyness is more often a sign of a lazy soul that it is of a productive day.  The title, “Productivity and Our Hurried Souls” refer to something from An Unhurried Life, where Alan asked a question along these lines: “How productive is overwork anyway?” The point was that sometimes busy does not equate with productivity. We share some examples about how busy doesn’t always end up being as fruitful as we hope it will be?  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today’s episode, Alan talks with fellow author, A. J. Sherrill about contemplative prayer. It’s such a timely practice for our frantic, hurried world today. We really do need wise mentor and coaches like A. J. to help us actually live the invitation to “Be still and know that God is…God is with us…God is at home in us through Christ by the Spirit.” We so need to learn how to be comfortable in solitude, silence and stillness.  AJ Sherrill has more than twenty years of experience as a pastor, including as lead pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is now lead pastor at St. Peter's Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches popular courses on transformational preaching and the Enneagram. A. J. receives many speaking requests to lead Enneagram workshops across the country and is the author of The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation and a forthcoming book titled "Being with God: The Absurdity, Necessity, and Neurol

Today, on the I Can Do That Podcast, we are talking about love. I realize it’s pretty audacious to think I can discuss this subject in a 10-minute podcast. Let me assure you, I am in no way covering the depths of God’s love or what it means to give and receive love. I am simply layering another part of our foundation. But I’m not going to talk about a prancing through the daffodils kind of love. I told you that we’re combining grounded optimism with practical spirituality and I meant it. This means, in part, that we try to explore as best we can (even large topics like love) and then take appropriate action based on our current understanding. Is this a perfect science? No. Is this a work in progress? Definitely yes. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Alan  and friends, Darrell Warner and Matt Fogle, share a great conversation about the issue of identity. In his book, "An Unhurried Leader", Alan wrote about how doing our work to prove our worth is a very common temptation for leaders. It can be surprising just how often insecurity is driving us to frenetic activity.   We too often imagine that our value or worth is hanging in the balance of how well we perform. But what if our value is already decided in our favor. What if our identity is a gift we’ve already received rather than a paycheck we still have to earn?  Welcome to the Unhurried Living Podcast. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I’d like to propose an idea right up front here. Can we acknowledge that 100% of the time we do not know 100% of the story? I know this may be jarring to some of us. I, personally, like to think that I always know what’s going on. I’m an excellent mind-reader and an astounding predictor of outcomes. I hope you can tell that my tongue is firmly planted in cheek. We don’t actually know 100% of any situation, do we? After we settle into that level of humility, a beautiful dynamic can emerge: curiosity. Curiosity then leads to asking good questions, broadening our view and deepening our understanding. Today, on the I Can Do That Podcast, we’re talking about curiosity.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, Alan talks with Dr. Matthew Sleeth about his latest book, Hope Always: How to Be A Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide. It’s a difficult but timely theme. We’ve been living through a season that has stretched many of us to what feel like our very limits.  By the way, this episode is airing at the end of September, which has been Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It seemed to be a very good time to have this conversation about a reality that is just the opposite of God’s great desire that we would live, and live abundantly and joyfully.  Dr. Matthew Sleeth is a former emergency room physician and chief of the hospital medical staff who resigned from his position to teach, preach, and write about faith and health. Dr. Sleeth has spoken at more than one thousand churches, campuses, and events, including serving as a monthly guest preacher at the Washington National Cathedral. Recognized by Newsweek as one of the nation’s most influential Christian leaders, Dr. Sleeth is the executive director of Bles