Alan Fadling's Blog, page 28

Create a Clearing

Blog by Gem Fadling

I’m enamored by people who can speak and write poetically. I’m more of a practical, matter-of-fact kind of speaker and writer, which I suppose has its own kind of charm. But a part of me wishes I were a poet.

 

A couple months ago my spiritual director opened our time together with a poem by Martha Postlethwaite from her book Addiction and Recovery. Her poetry is truly beautiful, but even more beautiful is the way of life she describes:

 

“Do not try and save the whole world or anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there, patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it. Only then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worthy of rescue.”

 

I want to figure out how to live like that. It is easy to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders these days because we can see and hear what is going on in most corners of our planet. Psychologically, emotionally, relationally, and even physically this is too much for us to bear.

 

Postlethwaite’s poetic invitation is to create a clearing inside our own dense forest, and…wait. Wait as a song is given to us (I would add “by God”). Then we will know how to serve.

 

This is an unhurried invitation, isn’t it? The temptation is always to keep moving forward, mostly at breakneck pace. There is so much to do! There are so many needs! How will it all ever get done?

 

But unhurried leadership takes a different view. Unhurried leadership knows that we must fill up with what we would pour out.

 

Practically speaking, what would it look like to clear a space in the dense forest of your life?

 

This isn’t another speech about not having enough quiet time. This is an honest question about making the space to listen to and receive from God. And it’s a reminder that replenishing spiritual practices lead to wisdom to know where and how to pour.

 

We have only so much energy and time. Especially as we age, we have to honor what our bodies are telling us about our capacity. That is why it is so important to know who you are and what you have to offer.

 

You have God-given abilities, desires, and passions. How will that goodness move in and through you to others?

 

I am often reassessing my energy and capacity, which leads me to readjust my engagements and calendar.

 

Becoming scattered and overwhelmed is truly unhelpful. No one would argue with that. Our culture is crying out for wise, experienced leaders—people who know the way, the truth, and the life: Jesus. And not by mere knowledge but by experience.

 

This “clearing in the dense forest of your life” is where we receive from God in unique and necessary ways. And the first, and repeated, thing we hear is that we are loved without question. It is impossible for God to not love us, for God is love (1 John 4:16).

 

There are a couple of things to say about the waiting place spoken of in Postlethwaite’s poem.

 

First, there’s a kind of waiting place that might be bound by time and location. Set aside times where you can listen to God through scripture, prayer, or journaling. Unhurried time with God in the form of silence and solitude is another beautiful way to receive rest and peace. These are certainly clearing-type practices.

 

Second, there’s a kind of waiting place located in your heart, and you always carry it with you, like a low hum in the background. Inspiration typically comes when we aren’t looking, so holding a space and turning an inward ear to the Spirit can yield wonderful fruit over time.

 

Finally, Postlethwaite’s image of our cupped hands conveys the idea of waiting with hope. Our hands are outstretched, trusting that God will fill and guide.

 

So let’s swing back to the quote once more and ask ourselves a few questions:

 

“Do not try and save the whole world or anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there, patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it. Only then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worthy of rescue.”

 

In what ways does your life feel like a dense forest?
How might you create a clearing where you can patiently wait?
What does trust (cupped hands) look like for you right now?
What focus from God do you long for in your current season?

 

Remember, we can usually find our way into discernment by asking solid, open-ended questions. This is another way to learn to wait in trust.

 

Blessings to you as you make your way.

Read Lamentations 3:25-26 and let it rise as a prayer from within:

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
    to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
    quietly hope for help from God.

 

Photo by Dale Nibbe on Unsplash

UL Podcast #256: Retreat as a Leadership Strategy

 

We’re living in a time when Christian leaders have perhaps never been more in danger of fatigue, exhaustion, even burnout. Earlier this year, I hit my forty-year anniversary in vocational ministry in church or nonprofit settings. The problem of burnout seems at its greatest level in my memory.  

But there is a spiritual practice that has been both a preventative and a remedy for burnout in my own spiritual experience. It is the practice of spiritual retreat. I’m looking forward to sharing more about this practice. I’ve talked about this practice often, but I’d like to take a deeper dive into my experience of it.  

I’m looking forward to sharing my experience with spiritual retreat as a strategic leadership rhythm.  

 

ICDT #74: What is the Quality of Your Life?

 

 

During the first few months of this year I was in a season that one of my pastor’s helped me to name as “reset.” Prior to that I was rumbling along at an accelerated pace and I came to realize it was too much for me. My body and soul spoke loudly at the same time and said, “Enough!”

 

A while back I was sharing with my spiritual director about this reset, a big shift I feel occurring in this, my 59th year of my life. The big 6-0 is looming ahead of me in early 2024 and it's giving me pause. 

 

I still feel young and vibrant inside, and I know that age is just a number, and yet there is no doubt about it--I will be entering the final third of my life.

 

So this week we are talking about the quality of our life. Have we lived how we want to live - both for ourselves and for God.

Turning Toward Rest

Blog by Alan Fadling

Repentance is receptivity to the refining work of Jesus (Matthew 3:11-12). John the Baptist said that Jesus came to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Through our repentance, Jesus can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. In his Gospel account, Mark summarizes the message of Jesus: 

 

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)

 

Jesus puts it simply: “The time is now. God’s kingdom is near. Repent. Believe in this good news.” The time is now and the kingdom is near because Jesus came into the world at a specific time and in a specific place. The kingdom is near in him. The good news is personal in him. Repentance is turning to face Jesus. Repentance is turning back to communion with God in Christ.

 

Jesus is close to us and we are close to him when we are following him and heeding his counsel, abiding in him in loving and humble obedience, and resisting impulses that take us away from him in empty activity. This is the spirit of his invitation to repent. It is both a turning away and a turning toward. It’s not just a matter of morality but of loving allegiance to Jesus.

 

The good news for us today is that God’s good reign is near us in Jesus. We can allow the good, pleasing, and perfect reign of God to hold sway in our lives now. There is no better life for us than this. The unbridled impulses and desires that reign in so many people’s lives don’t lead to real goodness. The reign of God in our lives enriches and blesses us. The reign of unholy impulses and desires drains and damages us. The way of Jesus’ reign in our lives really is good news. (See A Year of Slowing Down, Day 200)

 

Repentance is a continual posture of welcoming the many ways that Jesus wishes to transform us by the renewing of our minds, by the simplifying of our hearts to rest at home in him. Repentance doesn’t so much transform us as it puts us in the place where we can be transformed by the mighty hand of God in Christ.

 

And one of the beautiful fruits of repentance is peace. I’ve found a lot of help in this way in Psalm 116. Read these lines slowly and let them sink in:

 

Gracious is the Lord and righteous;

              indeed, our God is full of compassion.

The Lord preserves the simple;

              I was in misery, and he helped me.

Turn again to your rest, O my soul,

              for the Lord has rewarded you.

(Ps. 116:5-7 BCP 2019)

 

“Turn again to your rest, O my soul.” Repentance is a return to rest.

 

We turn to a gracious, righteous Lord.

We turn to a God full of compassion.

We turn to a God who preserves the simple.

We turn to a God who helps us in our misery.

We turn to the God who himself is our rest and our reward.

 

The same prophet Isaiah who foretold the message and ministry of John the Baptist reminds us of this reality:

 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isa. 30:15)

 

Repentance enables us to find ourselves at home in rest, quietness, and trust.

 

Let’s allow the Spirit of God into which Jesus has baptized us to continue guiding us away from everything that drains us of life and toward all that would root us deeper into the abundant life we find in him. 

 

For Reflection:

In what ways do you see rest as a fruit of repentance? What restlessness in your life so far has repentance helped you overcome?

 

 

Photo by Leio McLaren on Unsplash

UL Podcast #255: When Your Way Isn't Working (Kyle Idleman)

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. 

 

Our guest ,Kyle Idleman, is a senior pastor at Southeast Christian Church, one of the largest churches in America, and a bestselling author of several books including One at a Time, Gods at War, and End of Me. Not A Fan, his award-winning book, sold over 1.3 million copies and sparked a movement among believers.

 

Connect with Kyle on Instagram.

Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about the programs of Unhurried Living on their website.

Lead From the Heart

Blog by Gem Fadling

Today we are pondering the idea of the heart. And for the purposes of this conversation, I’m defining the heart as the inner person, that deepest place within ourselves where we interact on the central aspects of life in connection to God.

 

A few years ago, we visited the African nations of Uganda and Rwanda. The Christian leaders there are so warm and lovely. They care so much about community, people, and story. We also have some friends from Nigeria, and I have consistently been struck by their love for God and the importance they place on relationships.

 

When we were in Uganda, we were able to spend time with the Archbishop and the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda. I will never forget the amazing countenance and spirit of this engaging, warm, godly group of leaders.

 

While in Kampala, the nation’s capital, we had the opportunity to visit an old palace. On its grounds was one of the torture chambers used by an infamous dictator. Part of me did not want to visit this site, but I felt compelled to learn more of the history as a way of honoring the memory of those who had been murdered.

 

CONTENT WARNING: In the next three paragraphs I am going to describe what I saw and experienced. It is disturbing. If you prefer, you can skip down to the paragraph that begins “RESUME HERE.”

 

The chamber was originally an ammunition bunker, so it was built into the ground like a concrete tunnel. Inside and to the left were large, square, open rooms where prisoners were held. The rooms were raised off the ground about five feet or so. Muddy handprints were still visible on the walls.

 

From where we stood at floor level, we observed a water line six inches up the wall. The guards would flood the floor and run electric current through the water so that anyone who tried to escape would be electrocuted. They would run electric current through the water so anyone who tried to escape would be electrocuted.

 

Prior to entering the chamber, we noticed bullet holes in the concrete walls on our left. We were told that the guards would prop people up against the walls and use them for target practice. The bullet holes were evidence of these further atrocities.

 

RESUME HERE: As we continued to move closer to the entrance, I felt the heavy weight of evil and death. I glanced to my right, where a few green bushes and vines spilled out of crumbling concrete. As I looked at the wild greenery amidst the oppressive scene, this thought came to mind:

 

This is why Jesus taught about the heart.

 

Phrases from the Sermon on the Mount came flooding in:

 

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22)

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44)

 

What strikes me about these verses is the pattern: “You have heard that it was said…” contrasted with Jesus’ new way, “But I tell you…”

 

Jesus’ new way is one that begins in the heart. 

“Don’t murder” becomes “Don’t be angry.”
“Eye for eye” becomes “Walk two miles.”
“Hate your enemies” becomes “Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors.”

 

This is not lightweight counsel. To choose the Jesus Way involves our thoughts and intentions. It’s about the heart, the inner person, not just the bad behavior.

 

And notice that right up front in this passage Jesus addresses relationships. He talks about murder, adultery, revenge, and enemies. This holy check-in is about how we hold others in our hearts and how that moves out into our actions.

 

Why did all this come up as I was walking toward the entrance of the torture chamber? Because tortures chambers likely wouldn’t exist in a world where people addressed their heart issues before they escalated to evil action.

 

I must insert here that the way in which I received the reminder was soft, quiet. This is why I talk about the heart. A gentle reminder from Jesus to keep attuned to him. Our actions flow from within. “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34).

 

I know this is a large and complicated conversation, and I am not even beginning to tackle the various angles and ideas of what it raises.

 

Today, I am simply sharing snippets of a story from my own journey. A peek into the invitations of God as they occur out in the wild of my own life. It’s been four years since that encounter, and I can still remember the moment scripture and my experience met in a very tangible way.

 

It strengthened my resolve to continue caring for my own soul and the souls of others. All of our prayer practices and inner work matters—spiritually, psychologically, and emotionally. We attune to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit by being receptive and open to God’s invitations.

 

We must attend to our hearts in the gracious presence of God.

 

Your heart matters. My heart matters. It’s good to bring focus to our thoughts, feelings, and intentions. It is from our hearts that our words and actions spring.

 

Reflection 

Let’s get practical: Pause for just a moment. Check in with your heart.
Are you harboring anything in your heart that, if it continued its course, would lead to an undesired end?
Share it with God. There is no need for shame here. In God’s presence there is great grace.
What is God inviting you to as you offer your heart to God?

 

Simply see what is there and let the light shine on it…and you. Continue to break unhealthy patterns before they become unwanted actions.

 

 

Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

UL Podcast #254: The Language of the Soul (Jeff Crosby)

 

Ronald Rolheiser has said that spirituality has to do with what we do with our longings. How does that line strike you? What are some of your longings these days? Where do you take them? And how do you connect the deep longings of your heart with the real and gracious presence of God with you. 

This is what we’re going to talk about today as I discuss with my friend, Jeff Crosby, his new book The Language of the Soul. You’re going to find this episode especially timely, I think. 

Jeff Crosby is an organizational leader in the world of words, ideas, and book publishing. Currently president and CEO of a trade association of publishers, he has served in various executive roles, including as vice president at Ingram Book Company, and at IVP, a publisher in the Chicago area. He combines a background in journalism, leadership studies, and business with a love of language and insight from several fields in exploring faith and spirituality in light of applied practice. He and his wife of more than forty years, Cindy, have two grown children and six grandchildren.

Repentance as Receptivity

Blog by Alan Fadling

John the Baptist came to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. His primary strategy was to proclaim a message of repentance. The prophet Isaiah had spoken about the coming of John centuries before his arrival. He said that John would be

 

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

              make straight paths for him.’” (Matthew 3:3)

 

John spoke from the wild perimeter rather than the domestic center of the world in which he lived. He was an unconventional person proclaiming a counterintuitive message. He fully embraced the radical nature of the gospel he proclaimed. He fully turned his life toward God, seeking to prepare himself and his hearers for the mighty coming of Messiah.

 

Our repentance isn’t so much about making something happen but readying ourselves to receive what God wishes to make happen. Repentance readies us for the grace, the mercy, and the kindness of God toward us. Repentance is about receptivity.

 

We see this in John the Baptist’s challenges to the Sadducees and Pharisees who came out to the wilderness to investigate his ministry and message. Repentance is a posture of the soul toward Jesus, but this wasn’t the posture of the Jewish leaders. They held John in contempt. He hadn’t trained in their schools. He wasn’t an authorized leader in the Jewish community. They were suspicious of his message.

 

Remember John’s strong words for them? “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-8).

 

John invites these Jewish leaders to embrace the reign of God in their lives. They couldn’t hear this message because they were certain they were already righteous. They felt no need to turn away from anything. They expected everyone to turn to them. They weren’t receptive to John’s message or to Jesus.

 

Repentance is not a special message for a few especially messy people. It is an invitation to every Christ follower, from the first step of our journey to our last. The Jewish leaders had formalized and externalized faith so that there was no longer any life in it. But the life of faith is found in turning to the One who is Life. John was challenging them to turn their hearts toward the God they claimed to represent.

 

Repentance is not just a message for us at the beginning of our journey with God. It is a continual posture we cultivate as we learn to keep turning away from that which does us (and others) harm and to keep turning toward the life God invites us to.

 

For Reflection:

What might be God’s invitation to repentance in your life during this season? What might you turn from that is draining life from you? In what way might you turn toward God and find your life more rooted in him?

 

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

UL Podcast #253: Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools (Tyler Staton)

 

I talk with a lot of leaders, and one of the issues that a lot of them wrestle with is their life of prayer. It often feels a lot easier to do something for God rather than talking with God. But God, as the good Father that he is, wants us to enjoy his presence first, and then join him in his good work in the world. We were made for friendship, and staying relationally present is how that grows. 

 

So I’m especially glad to share my this conversation with Tyler Staton about his book Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools. 

Tyler Staton is the Lead Pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, OR, and the National Director of 24-7 Prayer USA. He is passionate about pursuing prayer in the honest realities of day-to-day life. Tyler is also the author of Searching for Enough: The High Wire Walk Between Doubt and Faith. He lives in Portland with his wife Kirsten and their three sons.

 

You can connect with Tyler on Instagram.

ICDT #73: Seven Central Paradigms

 

Every once in a while, I like to reflect on all God has taught me over the previous few months or years. In many ways, that‘s what both my books, What Does Your Soul Love? and Hold That Thought are—a gathering of life lessons learned at the feet of Jesus.

 

Recently I journaled my current, central paradigms. I am grateful for the grace of God shining a light on these important areas. Each of these informs how I view God, myself and others. Over time, I long to grow in love in all three of these relationships.