Unhurried Living | Helping Christians Rest Deeper & Lead Better

2020 has been a rough year. And that is an understatement. It may seem counterintuitive to at least some of us, but one thing that can help us is to see this year up against the expansive backdrop of God’s eternal presence. Christ crucified is a witness to everything we are seeing. Christ crucified is present in our pain, our outrage, our anxiety, our fears. Let’s dig into a practice that can help us envision God’s presence and expanse now. Before we dive in here, I want to be sure you know that I’m not trying to paint a rosy picture or act like nothing is wrong. I am living in this culture and watching the news, just like you. I see what is going on and I feel it. The anger, the injustice, the contempt. It’s all right there for us to see. The word “but” is not coming next. Instead of the word “but” I want to use the word “and.” AND, in the midst of the difficulty and overwhelm, we can stand firmly on the realities of the kingdom of God. It is not impossible. I know this because God’s people did it all throughout scripture and Jesus consistently modeled this for us. There is a phrase of scripture in the Old Testament that says, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?” This was in the context of God making a way for his people yet again. And now is just as good a time as any to bring that phrase to the front of our minds: Is the Lord’s arm too short?You can follow Gem on social:Facebook @gemfadlingInstagram @gemfadlingUnhurriedLiving.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There are so many reasons we might feel that cultivating a deep life of prayer is just impossible. We feel too busy. We feel we don’t deserve such a life. We imagine that kind of prayer is for someone more spiritual than me. But today, John Starke, author of The Possibility of Prayer, will remind us that prayer is always possible because prayer is a gift we receive more than a life we achieve. A mentor of mine, Chuck Miller, often reminded us that prayer isn’t so much something I do as it is Someone I’m with. Prayer is more about a Person than it is about a practice. We listen. We pour out whatever it is that fills our hearts and minds. And God listens. We are cultivating a conversational relationship with God. But it’s a gift and not an achievement. These are just a few of the themes John and I touched in our conversation about his book The Possibility of Prayer. Let me take a moment to tell you a little more about John Starke. He grew up in the Midwest but has lived in Arizona, South Carolina, Kentucky, and now lives in New York City with his wife Jena and their four children. He pastors Apostles Church Uptown in Manhattan. In addition to The Possibility of Prayer, John has written for for Christianity Today, Books & Culture, Comment Magazine, and others. Connect with John on social media:Facebook @jbstarkeInstagram @john_starkeTwitter @john_starke Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The subtitle of Aundi Kolber’s book, Try Softer, is “a fresh approach to move us out of anxiety, stress, and survival mode—and into a life of connection and joy.” Now, who doesn’t need that?! Aundi is a trauma informed therapist and she is going to help us learn what “try softer” really means, today, on the Unhurried Living Podcast. Aundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer, she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. This is the “try softer” life.  Aundi Kolber is a Licensed Professional Counselor, writer, and speaker in Castle Rock, Colorado. She specializes in trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. She has written for Relevant, CT Women, and (in) courage. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard won knowledge around the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain. Connect with Aundi on social media at:Facebook @aundikolberwritesInstagram @aundikolber Twitter @aundikolber Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What is the purpose of the church? Why does it exist and what is on God’s heart as far as its aims? As of the airing of this episode, I have not been part of an in-person gathering of church for more than six months. And then many of the portrayals of church in contemporary media are less than encouraging. The emerging generation has been opting out of the church in large numbers as it is.My guest today, Tim Soerens, has written a book called Everywhere You Look to highlight the gracious opportunity that the times we find ourselves in presents us. In my conversation with Tim today, he shares that the church is on the edge of a new possibility at the very moment so much of it feels like it's falling apart. In his extensive travels in all kinds of neighborhoods, Soerens has seen the beginnings of this movement firsthand. In Everywhere You Look, he lays out practical, actionable steps for building collaborative communities in any neighborhood.He is a pastor, social entrepreneur, and co-founding director of the Parish Collective. In addition to Everywhere You Look, he is also the coauthor of "The New Parish".Connect with Tim on social at:Tim Soerens websiteInstagram @timsoerensTwitter @timsoerensFacebook @tim.soerens Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

“Anything that alienates and divides us leaves us weak and exposed to disaster. Simple human compassion is more essential to our national resilience and strength than most of us recognize.” Today, I’m talking with my long time friend, Diane Cox. She is a business owner, a beautiful writer, and an even more glorious human being. And she actually makes resilience something fun and intriguing to talk about. With anecdotes and unexpected stories about growing up during the 60s and 70s in Los Angeles, and from her work in disaster recovery, Diane Burden Cox illustrates the importance of our relationship with each other to our national resilience in her book, Resilient Americans. If we want a resilient infrastructure as a nation- clean water supply, buildings, bridges, roads, energy grids, health and education systems- we need to recognize it rests on the strength of our interactions with each other. Resilience isn't just one more thing to put on our national to-do list, it's something we can actually enjoy and have fun cultivating together. Diane Burden Cox is the CEO of Disaster Scope, Inc., an Emergency Management consulting firm based in Southern California. She and her husband, Graeme, have lived across the United States, working together on recovery efforts after major disasters. In Resilient Americans, Diane shines a light on the foundations of resilience with hopeful and compelling stories of simple ways we can move forward as individuals, communities and as a nation. Connect with Diane socially:Twitter @BurdenCoxFacebook @DianeBurdenCox, AuthorInstagram @DianeBurdenCox Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The theme of today’s episode is grief, and especially grief related to traumatic loss. As a culture, we’re not very comfortable with or even very good at grieving. But we are facing a great deal of loss, maybe more chronic than traumatic, but loss nonetheless. I think today’s conversation may help you in ways you didn’t expect.About three years ago, our guest, author Mel Lawrenz, got a text from his wife that their thirty-year-old daughter, Eva, wasn’t breathing and was being taken to the hospital. That day, Mel and his wife experienced the death of that adult daughter. As Mel tried to find his way through this unimaginable loss, he began to share his experiences and thoughts with a circle of friends. They began to tell him that what he was sharing was really helping them, so here three years later those thoughts have become a book, A Chronicle of Grief.I’ve really appreciated what I’ve read so far. It has especially helped me realize that I am grieving losses related to COVID19 quarantining, political instability, and the generations-old grief of my brothers and sisters of color. What Mel has written about is for us today. Mel Lawrenz trains an international network of Christian leaders, ministry pioneers, and thought leaders through the Brook Network. He served as senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, for ten years and now serves as Elmbrook's minister at large, teaching in North America, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He holds a PhD in the history of Christian thought from Marquette University. His books include Spiritual Leadership Today and Life After Grief.Connect with Mel on social at:Instagram @mellawrenzFacebook @mel.lawrenz.7Twitter @MelLawrenz Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sungshim came to America from Korea at the age of 29. Being an immigrant and struggling with emotional deficits from her childhood left her isolated and insecure. Her search for God and her self-discovery process in her training and relationships opened her to God’s love in new and deeper ways till she was overwhelmed with the beauty and abundance of life in God’s kingdom. Along the way she developed a way of interacting with God called “Immanuel Journaling”. This tool was introduced in the book Joyful Journey and has helped many people into a profound experience with the God’s love. Sungshim and her husband John, also an MFT and a pastor, minister together. She offers bi-lingual psychotherapy and spiritual friendship to pastors and others with a special focus on Korean Americans.Connect with Sumgshim:Twitter @LoppnowRelateInstagram @loppnow.relationshipcenterLoppnow Relationship Center  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Way of Presence: The Empowering Reality of God-With-Us launches September 8. Today, I'm sharing here a conversation with my friend and fellow author, Casey Tygrett, about the book and its life-giving message. Casey Tygrett is author of the recent Christianity Today award-winning book As I Recall, was able and willing to join me in a conversation about my new book.  I know you'l appreciate how Casey helps get at the heart of what I’ve sought to say through this new book project. Jesus being the way, the truth, and the life is more than just a theological fact about him. It is a vital and organic reality. I walk with Jesus as the way. I see myself through the eyes of Jesus as the truth. I live my every moment in communion with Jesus as the life. The Way of Presence will help you enter more deeply into this living reality.Check out another Unhurried Living podcast with Casey Tygrett on his book "Becoming Curious".Connect with Casey on social at:Instagram @cktygrettFacebook @cktyrgettauthorwww.caseytygrett.com Connect with Alan on social at:Instagram @AlanFadlingFacebook @AlanFadlingwww.unhurriedliving.com  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Our guest today is Marlena Graves, author of The Way Up Is Down. In her own words: “…we’ll explore ways in which God is calling you and me to surrender continually to being emptied and then filled with his abounding grace. We’ll soon discover that this is the process whereby saints are made. This is the selfless-way, the God-shaped life.”For writer, pastor, and activist Marlena Graves, formation and justice always intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and contemplation. Marlena is a writer and adjunct professor. She has also worked at Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). She holds an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute. She has been a bylined writer for Christianity Today, (in)courage, womenleaders.com, and Our Daily Bread.  She also authored A Beautiful Disaster: Finding Hope in the Midst of Brokenness. She's married to her best and three daughters.Learn more about Marlena and follow her on social at:http://marlenagraves.com/Facebook @marlena.gravesInstaGram @marlena.gravesTwitter @MarlenaGraves Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Many of you who listen to this podcast are leaders in business, church, nonprofit and other organizational settings. Others of you may not have a leadership title, but you live a leadership life…a life of influence. Today’s episode is going to help a lot. I’m talking with Jerome Daley, author of the book Gravitas: The Monastic Rhythms of Healthy Leadership about where spiritual depth and authority in leadership come.These continue to be challenging days for Christian leaders. Gem and I have had to be quite nimble in our own work as our travel and speaking calendar evaporated in one week back in March. Your life and work have probably changed pretty dramatically as well. In today’s episode, I’ll be exploring how the classic commitments and disciplines of monastic spirituality can especially serve us in these times. I’m not talking about something detached from the hard realities of life. I’m talking about a way to lean into Reality (capital “R”) in the midst of what’s happening around us. Let me tell you a bit about Jerome Daley before I share our recent conversation: He is an executive coach, retreat leader, and spiritual trainer who is passionate about helping men and women thrive, in their inner life and outer leadership. With 30 years in people development, Jerome strengthens leaders in the journey toward true identity and vocational calling. Making his home in the mountains of North Carolina, he and his wife Kellie are parents of three grown children. His great delights are taking spiritual retreats, drinking good wine, backpacking in the mountains, and playing with his grandson.Connect with Jerome at:Website: www.thrive9solutions.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/iThrive9Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeromedaley/Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jerome-Daley/e/B001K8AU3SSide note, to connect with Jerome for an appointment, you have the pleasure of talking directly to him.  He uses the phone to connect / schedule interviews versus email! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.