With the overwhelming pace of life, many of us struggle to stop long enough to be present. Too often we live our lives more at the pace of the culture in self-interest, drivenness, empty excitement and anxiety. Alan Fadling has spent years coaching leaders and communities how to live an unhurried life, teaching that productivity and success are not our chief end, but rather living at the pace that our true self longs to live. So, he and Stephanie discuss how to follow the pace of Jesus Christ. Jesus never hurried, yet He accomplished everything He needed. How can we run counterculture and embrace rest as part of our spiritual roots? Alan invites us to ponder the essential nature of slowing down in a culture that tells us that productivity is the measure of our worth.

Brew yourself a cup of your favorite hot drink, curl up with a blanket and join this slow, purposeful conversation about worshipping Jesus Christ through rest. As part of our “Pathways to God’s presence” series, Stephanie and Alan invite you to slow down enough to hear the whisper of God’s presence in your day.

You are invited to watch Alan and Stephanie on video at 

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MEET ALAN FADLING

Alan Fadling is president and founder of Unhurried Living, Inc. in California. He speaks and consults internationally with organizations such as Saddleback Church, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Cru, Halftime Institute, Apprentice Institute, and Open Doors International.

He is the award-winning author of An Unhurried Leader and An Unhurried Life, which was honored with a Christianity Today Award of Merit in spirituality. He is also coauthor (with Gem Fadling) of What Does Your Soul Love? Alan speaks from his award-winning book, An Unhurried Life, about unhurried life with God, in community, in leadership development, in solitude, silence and prayer, and in doing the hard work of continued growth. From his book, An Unhurried Leader, he speaks on leading from overflow, working and leading with God, grace-empowered leadership, and leadership vision. He addresses the intersection between personal spiritual formation and fruitful leadership engagement. People leave these gatherings inspired, encouraged and energized for their life and work with God.

Alan consults with groups of leaders to provide training in a way of planning, strategizing and leading that is well-rooted in deep intimacy with God. Incorporate a “seek the kingdom first” approach to leadership. Learn to plan events from a center of listening to God and seeing people through His eyes. Learning these patterns contributes to the sustainability of your leadership, and can produce “much fruit that lasts (Jn 15:16).”

Alan offers coaching to focus individual attention on issues of personal spiritual and leadership formation. He has served as a sabbatical coach to many. He brings decades of leadership experience to those he coaches. His coaching combines the essence of a spiritual director and the practicality of a leadership formation coach. Alan can help you get unstuck and find your unhurried and fruitful way forward in leadership and ministry.

GO TO https://www.unhurriedliving.com/ for more. Buy Alan’s new book at https://www.unhurriedliving.com/ayearofslowingdown 

Alan says, “These devotionals had their beginnings in my personal journal. I began to practice the regular discipline of spiritual journaling in my twenties. Since then, I’ve journaled thousands of pages and millions of words. My journal is a place where I wrestle, meditate, reflect, create, and, in it all, pray. It’s a place where I acknowledge the presence of God with me. I trust that the Spirit of God with me along the way will be with you as you read.”

Endorsements for “A year of slowing down”:

"The brilliance in this book cannot be overstated. Resting takes time. Lord knows, it takes great grace as well. When Israel came out of Egypt, it took a long time to learn the new rhythms of God under the lordship of Yahweh. This book invites us to a conversion of rhythm. And if you are like any of us, it may take a whole year. Highly recommended." - A. J. Swoboda, assistant professor of Bible, theology, and world Christianity at Bushnell University, author of After Doubt

"I can't think of anyone better than Alan Fadling to lead us on these five-minute daily retreats that he has provided. Far from being escape moments, these times will help us sink more deeply into reality." - Jan Johnson, president of Dallas Willard Ministries and author of Abundant Simplicity

"Don't be fooled by the title of this book into thinking it's about slowing down the pace of your life so you can 'smell the flowers' or somehow break away from the world. It's about adopting a pace of life that allows you to listen to the Scripture more fully, with your mind as well as your heart. That is what Alan has done in the writing of this book. He models it for us on every page. If this is the result of a deliberately unhurried pace, then I'm in!" - Michael Card, musician and author of Scribbling in the Sand.

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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