Much of our lives are lived by habits. Some of them are bad ones and tend to be life-draining. Some of them are good and help us really live. In today’s episode, Alan will share a recent conversation with Justin Whitmel Earley, author of the recently-released InterVarsity Press book, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction.

A rule of life provides a structure of practices that enable us to live and work rooted in the life of God’s kingdom. It helps us enter...

I have been living in my home for about 20 years, and, I am embarrassed to say, I have been disgruntled with it for most of that time. My complaints have been many. It has always felt too small. The style is that of a lifeless 70s tract home. When we first moved in, it had white walls and gray carpet. Boring. I disliked the walls, the carpet, the finishes, everything. There was no charm and no personality.

At times, I will sit on the deck outside of our upstairs master bedroom....

What is your heart’s image of God? Do you imagine God distant or near, skimping or lavish, aloof or intimate?

I read these lines from the psalms recently and they helped shape my imagination of the God who is always with me:

They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Psalm 36:8-9

“They” is simply all people who seek God. God is at home with abundance. We are...

Over the course of the last year and a half, as we’ve been writing What Does Your Soul Love?, we have set aside times to get away to focus on the writing. Thanks to generous friends with homes near Duck Creek, UT and Avila Beach, CA, these getaways were fruitful times of thinking and composing. We were really able to sink down into the work and focus.

After our second writing getaway I began to ask the question, “Why can’t I focus like this at home (in my home...

I tend to be hypervigilant when it comes to trying to stay safe or making sure I have what I need. I tend to think ahead about possible bad scenarios that might arise, and what I’ll do if they do arise. I’m probably not the only one who does this.

So when I read the first three words of this little passage from Paul, it struck that place in me:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are...

Have you noticed that there is a lot of anxiety out there these days? Whether explicit and obvious, or implicit and underlying, many of us are feeling anxious or stressed. But we follow Someone who is called the Prince of Peace. Maybe that could make a difference in how we deal with challenges, troubles, hardships that cross our path. Maybe peace could actually become our operating system.

When we talk about an operating system, we mean the basic underlying software that helps a...

Transformation. I’m not sure why, but I am completely enamored with this topic. There is just something about process and the ability to change over time. Especially intriguing is the mystery of how God is the one who initiates and we cooperate with it all.

I facilitated an Enneagram workshop last week and I mentioned that even if you walked away from the Enneagram today and never looked at it again, you would be ok. But, I said, there’s a bit if here. IF you continued to be a...

On my desk is a little woodcarving of a single, simple word. It’s a biblical word, but it isn’t a word we use much in everyday language. It isn’t even a word that most modern Bible translations use anymore. The word? Abide.

In modern versions of John 15, the word that used to be translated “abide” is usually now simply “remain.” That’s perfectly fine, but my heart still loves the word “abide,” as in:

Abide in me as I abide in you....

Turn on social media and Marie Kondo is everywhere teaching people how to "declutter" to simplify their lives.

We can’t help ourselves. We are going to join the conversation on Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. If you haven’t seen the Netflix show or read the book, that’s ok. We’re going pass through the subject on our way to a deeper dive into why we’re tempted to cling to things and how letting go can help our souls.

Marie isn’t teaching this directly, but...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your life? Do you ever feel like you’re under a pile and there is no way to dig out? Most of us feel that way at one point or another.

I’ve noticed that my own negative thoughts and expectations can add another layer of weight when things aren’t going well. I burden my already heavy heart with should’s and self-judgments. It makes for a wicked brew of emotions and circumstances.

This is easier to do when we are sick or when life throws a...