For most of my life until about age 40 I struggled with anxiety. Almost nobody knew it because I hid it and because much of the time I was listening to them talk. But, inside my mind circled with worries, my stomach churned, and my bowels were irritated. Others did notice that I was really serious…
If you were asked, “What is love?” How would you answer? Many people think love is a desire or a feeling and that’s why we say, “I love chocolate cake!” But really we just want to eat it! When love is degraded into mere desire it’s no wonder people “fall” in and out of love…
I love adrenaline and how it makes me feel energetic, confident, important, even elated. And I get more work done in less time! Adrenaline is one of the body’s natural antidepressants and anti-anxiety agents. It’s truly a wonder drug! Just writing this sentence I’d like to get a hit of that stuff now! It’s difficult…
As Christmas approaches it seems we have to go faster and faster! How can we be unhurried? The traffic keeps getting worse. The lines in the stores keep getting longer. We don’t want to miss out on special events, parties, and gathering with family and friends. We have presents to wrap and food to prepare.…
Like me, maybe you set aside much of your normal work for the Christmas break and this week you have a lot to do! There’s a gravitational pull to “Hurry and catch up!” But that’s not the best way. “Breathe. Walk it out in Jesus’ easy yoke.” That’s much better. So today, as I often…
Let me tell you about a man I’ll call Eddie. Over the years I’ve talked with lots of people like him. Many of the pastors and leaders we help are like him. I used to be a lot like him myself! Eddie is a pastor with a doctorate degree in ministry. He’s a dynamic preacher…
Often in our leadership roles we’re impatient to act. But to be a good pastor requires waiting to move forward on plans until you hear the wind of the Spirit marching in the tops of the trees (1 Chronicles 14:15). Loving parents and caregivers are “slow to speak and quick to listen” in order to offer…
Readers of our Soul Shepherding Devotionals will know that being unhurried with Jesus is a theme I often write about. That’s because hurry is such a problem for many of us. So I was thankful to have Alan Fadling, a friend and colleague of mine, give a talk for a group of pastors and leaders on his new book, An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Work and Rest. Here are my notes.
“I’m a recovering speed addict — and I don’t mean the drug,” writes Alan Fadling in his new book, An Unhurried Life. “I’m talking about the inner pace of my life. I always seemed to be in a hurry. I was the guy who looked for the fastest-moving lane on the freeway, the shortest checkout…
TLC1: VIM Plan Years ago God gave me a corrective word about my teaching and preaching ministry: “Less is more.” I was inspired to begin learning to be more like Jesus in the way that I taught in seminars and groups. First I learned to speak slower, using more stories and pauses. I also practiced…