It’s been almost thirty-four years ago that a mentor of mine reintroduced me to a passage that would become central to my understanding of the Christian life and ministry. I’m talking about John 15, where Jesus calls himself the true vine and invites us, as the branches, to make ourselves at home in him. There are so many words and phrases in that passage that God has used as spiritual guidance in a lot of different seasons of my life. 

That’s why I’m glad to talk to Kyle Idleman about his new book When Your Way Isn’t Working. The whole of the book is a creative, thoughtful and very practical reflection on the wisdom of this gospel passage. Apart from Jesus, we can live very busy lives, but we won’t live very fruitful ones.

255: When Your Way Isn't Working (Alan with Kyle Idleman)

Many of us feel hurried, and hurry is costing us more than we realize. Unhurried Living provides resources and training to help people learn to live and lead from fullness rather than on empty. Great influence begins on the inside, in your soul. Learning healthy patterns of rest and work can transform your life—your daily influence. Built on more than twenty-five years of experience at the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership development, Unhurried Living seeks to inspire people around the world to rest deeper so they can live fuller and lead better.

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The cross is the heart of Scripture.

Everything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story―the axis upon which the biblical story turns. But it would be a mistake to think we could sum up the significance of the crucifixion in a tidy sentence or two. 

That kind of thinking only insulates us from the magnificence of what God has done. In our ongoing quest to make meaning of the cross, we need to recognize that this conversation will never conclude―that there is always something more to be said.

Welcome to the Unhurried Living podcast.

295: Love's Ultimate Sacrifice: Unveiling God's Heart in the Crucifixion (Alan & Gem with Brian Zahnd)

In the retelling of the Mary and Martha story, many inadvertently pit these sisters against each another. We are forced to make a choice: “I’m a Mary” or, more regularly I hear, “I’m a Martha.” As though these women were tropes or types on a personality test. 

This is unfortunate, because then we are drawn to take sides and defend one or the other. Our own identity becomes wrapped up in one woman or another.

Before I (Gem) unpack this further, I’ll give you the spoiler: This story isn’t about busy people and lazy people. We are ALL invited to follow the example of Mary and focus on the one thing of Jesus.

I’ll unpack this further today on the UL podcast.

294: Focus vs. Distraction: Unpacking the Mary & Martha Story (Gem)

What do we mean when we talk about the importance of prayer? What is prayer? Is it mainly the words we say to God about our concerns, our needs, our hopes, our desires? What is the difference, if any, between saying prayers and being prayerful? 

Today, I’m sharing a conversation with a wise Franciscan priest who has been practicing prayerfulness for over 50 years. 

Welcome to the Unhurried Living podcast.

293: The Art of Prayerfulness (Alan with Fr. Albert Haase)

God's face is always shining toward us. Our God is not asleep, nor indifferent. But we don't always experience this nearness or the depth of how beloved we truly are--especially if we have experienced neglect, betrayal, or indifference in our formative human relationships.

In her book, The Emmanuel Promise, Summer Joy Gross acts as a nurturing guide, as she helps us make our way to the transformative dynamics of presence, attachment and God’s love.

Together, we’ll discover the Security of a Life Held by God.

Welcome to the UL Podcast.

292: Discovering the Security of a Life Held by God (Gem w/ Summer Joy Gross)

I’ve written and said plenty about the problem of hurry in our lives and in our world. There is a condition called hurry sickness, which is the feeling of always being rushed as though you were lagging behind in some race. This raises our stress levels. A sense that we don’t have enough time for everything we have to do is a sign of hurry sickness. We can end up feeling increasing frustration with anyone or anything that gets in the way of what you have to do. Multitasking is one of our strategies to somehow boost productivity, at least in the short-term. But the long-term costs can be pretty high for our present hurry. 

In this episode and a couple of future ones this season, I’m going to talk about core drivers of hurry that I’ve been addressing in my own life since I wrote An Unhurried Life. Today, in the spirit of my new book A Non-Anxious Life, I’ll unpack how anxiety drives hurry in our lives. 

Welcome to the Unhurried Living podcast.

255: When Your Way Isn't Working (Alan with Kyle Idleman)

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