Leadership matters to God. The way leaders lead matters perhaps more to God. We who would serve the people of God as leaders are invited to do so in the way of Jesus—the Spirit of Jesus. We often say that you do not need a position of leadership to be a person of influence. Today, I’m pleased to have as my guest Rich Stearns, President Emeritus of World Vision and author of the new book Lead Like It Matters to God. We’ll talk about some of the core values that have guided his leadership over the...
Apr 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 169
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 l...
Mar 29, 2021•58 min•Ep. 168
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 fell...
Mar 22, 2021•31 min•Ep. 167
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 at...
Mar 15, 2021•43 min•Ep. 166
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 ...
Mar 08, 2021•29 min•Ep. 165
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 o...
Mar 01, 2021•32 min•Ep. 164
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 perso...
Feb 22, 2021•41 min•Ep. 163
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 w...
Feb 15, 2021•42 min•Ep. 162
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...
Feb 08, 2021•41 min•Ep. 161
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 lif...
Feb 01, 2021•37 min•Ep. 160
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 War...
Jan 25, 2021•44 min•Ep. 159
My guest today is Nikole Lim and she’s written a book entitled, Liberation is Here . Nikole weaves together a narrative of God’s grace and healing amid fear and trauma. Her journey proves that liberation is not just near, but it is here―in the eyes of the broken, the hearts of the oppressed, and the untold stories of our global community. Because of today’s subject matter, I want to extend a trigger warning for those of you who have or are experiencing capital T trauma right now. Nikole’s book i...
Jan 18, 2021•40 min•Ep. 158
Creation is a living masterpiece of God. It is full of life, beauty and vitality. And maybe one of God’s greatest creative expressions is a tree. They are the longest-lived of God’s creations. They are the lungs of the planet. They are a wonderous reminder that the good God does develops over decades, even centuries. Trees remind us of God’s unhurried way. Recently, Gem and I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Dr. Matthew Sleeth about his book Reforesting Faith . In it, he shares hi...
Jan 11, 2021•43 min•Ep. 157
Today, we are going to talk about easing into the new year with gentleness and grace. This is much needed after making it through 2020. What does 2021 hold for us? We don’t know what circumstances will arise, but, as always, we have a choice about what we think and how we act within every situation. So, let’s lean into some gentleness and grace. For all of the complaining we can do (and rightfully so) about social media, I have met some genuine, lovely, heart-forward women on Instagram. Like any...
Jan 04, 2021•45 min•Ep. 156
This episode is airing on the last Monday of 2020. I know that many can’t wait to put this year behind us and hope for a better 2021. But just as true as it is that 2020 was a hard year full of troubles, it was also a year in which God was doing very good work in his people and through his people. It is a gift to turn back and look for evidences of God’s measureless grace at work, especially in the midst of a very hard season. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about a...
Dec 28, 2020•28 min•Ep. 155
Last December Alan interviewed John Mark Comer. His episode has remained near the top of our 10 most downloaded shows. So we thought we’d replay it for you today. I think it’s because John Mark is singing the same song as Unhurried Living and Alan’s book, An Unhurried Life. John Mark wrote The Relentless Elimination of Hurry and we are delighted to share the replay of Alan’s conversation with him now. John Mark Comer lives, works, and writes in the urban core of Portland, Oregon, with his wife, ...
Dec 21, 2020•44 min•Ep. 154
We live in a profoundly wordy world. I sometimes feel utterly surrounded by words: social media, emails, text messages, news feeds, websites, television, radio. And it seems rare that words are being used to simply tell the truth and describe reality. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus had some profoundly powerful words to say about how we speak. Alan Fadling, (MDiv),serves as a frequent speaker and consultant with local churches, national organizations and leaders internationally. His content is...
Dec 14, 2020•26 min•Ep. 153
We live in a visual culture. Just a few years ago the Internet Trends Report shared that an average of 1.8 billion images were uploaded to the internet daily. That adds up to 657 billion photos in one year. Every two minutes, people take more photos than existed in total 150 years ago. With all of that imagery floating through our consciousness every day, how might we use intentional imagery to grow closer to God? If a picture is worth a thousand words, is it also conducive to prayer? I’m welcom...
Dec 07, 2020•42 min•Ep. 152
Author, Greg Holder , in his book Never Settle , suggests that “while we don’t consciously choose a less-than-life, it happens. Little by little, we start putting down roots in a land of less than: less than satisfying, less than interesting, less than helpful, and certainly less than hopeful. Before we know it our faith is lukewarm, apathetic, bland. Never Settle is a tangible reminder that every choice in your day is crackling with God’s redemptive power –God is calling us—you and me—to partic...
Nov 30, 2020•39 min•Ep. 151
Can you believe that What Does Your Soul Love? released just a little over a year ago? With 2020 being what it is, that seems like an entire lifetime ago. Today, I’m sharing with you a bonus episode and it’s a bit different than usual. It’s different because I’m on the other side of the microphone in this conversation. And I loved this interview so much that I wanted to share it with you, here, on the Unhurried Living Podcast. Enjoy other episodes of Girls Talking Life podcast with Yohonna Smith...
Nov 23, 2020•43 min•Ep. 150
Most of us would agree that 2020 continues to be one of the most trying years in our adult lives. So much change. So much pain. So much conflict. I’m talking to a lot of leaders these days who are just plain tired. They are struggling to be hopeful. We need a vision of how this year could actually be an opportunity and not just a challenge. That’s why I’m especially glad to be sharing my recent conversation with Tod Bolsinger about his book, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Cru...
Nov 16, 2020•35 min•Ep. 149
The Enneagram has been more widely circulating for a few years now and most of us have a basic understanding of the types. But once you learn the types, the real question is, so what? What do I now do with all of this great information? What difference can the Enneagram make in my life? My dear friend, Mary Linam, is a trained and highly skilled Enneagram coach. I’m sharing her with you today because I want you to glean from her wisdom and to be in touch with her if you want to dig into the Enne...
Nov 09, 2020•55 min•Ep. 148
In the book Longing For Revival , authors James Choung and Ryan Pfeiffer remind us of a simple and encouraging reality: Revival begins with God. It happens in our lives and we cooperate with what God is doing, but God is the reviver of our souls, our communities, our world. In this season that feels so straining and wearying, God wants to refresh, renew and revitalize our lives so we can join God in the good work of the kingdom. Gem and I have been grateful to have been given moments of encounte...
Nov 02, 2020•34 min•Ep. 147
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...
Oct 26, 2020•10 min•Ep. 146
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 S...
Oct 19, 2020•38 min•Ep. 145
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 bod...
Oct 12, 2020•46 min•Ep. 144
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 oppor...
Oct 05, 2020•37 min•Ep. 143
“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...
Sep 28, 2020•44 min•Ep. 142
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 hospi...
Sep 21, 2020•23 min•Ep. 141
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 bo...
Sep 14, 2020•53 min•Ep. 140
