Spiritual Life is Like Breathing In & Breathing Out

Last updated on: February 6, 2016 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

People ask me to help them recognize and appreciate spiritual life. Some people practice specific ways of strengthening spiritual life. Some people follow traditional practices they find helpful, some discover their own. It can be good to begin by exploring what practices have helped, and not helped, them already. They may feel stuck or trapped in a particular practice. They may want to adjust how they experience certain practices, or set them aside completely. Some people find it beneficial to set aside... Read more

Book Review: The Serving Leader

Last updated on: February 2, 2016 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

Finding a good book about service and leadership can be difficult for me. Much of what I read seems to be conceptual or theoretical. Some of what I read feels unrealistic or preachy. Leadership is not particularly soft or fluffy for me. I need some handles I can grasp to pull myself forward. The Serving Leader by Kenneth R. Jennings and John Stahl-Wert is a refreshing gift of a book. It gives tangible, real-world wisdom in an engaging story that connects with people.... Read more

Spiritual Life Makes Me Laugh

Last updated on: January 30, 2016 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

Lots of people take spiritual life very seriously. Some of us understand spiritual life as being all about theology or philosophy. Some of us believe spiritual life is about what we think or believe deeply. For some of us, spiritual life is built on rules and regulations, creeds and covenants. For some, spiritual life is suffering through a series of tests or sacrifices. Some people act as though spiritual life depends on our ability to remember the right answers. Spiritual life,... Read more

Book Review: Great Leaders Ask Questions

Last updated on: January 26, 2016 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

I believe in the power of asking good questions and listening to how people respond. There was a time when I thought the most important part of any question was the answer. As an attorney, I cross-examined witnesses. I knew what answers I wanted them to give, and hoped I could fit them together to build my case. My questions were my way of leading them to say what I wanted them to say. The cross-examination questions I asked are even... Read more

There is More

Last updated on: January 5, 2016 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

There are times when we feel we have done everything we have set out to do. We may have accomplished our goals. We may have completed a very good year. We may have followed good advice, exceeded expectations, gotten things under control. We may even have overcome opposition and outscored competitors. There are also times when we feel there is no real point to continuing. We may feel hopeless about making a difference. We may no longer believe in what... Read more

Spiritual Life Creates Sacred Space

Last updated on: December 19, 2015 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

We may not remember much of anything from the story of Christmas in Bethlehem. The one thing we know is that Jesus was born in a manger because there was no other room. That baby was born into a busy world. People had things to do, places to go, people to see, taxes to pay. Their lives were filled with other priorities. Very few people took time to notice the birth of one baby in a small town where his family was visiting. Many things have changed since... Read more

12 Things We Learned in 2015

Last updated on: December 16, 2015 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

So, what have we learned this year? 1. Back row leaders have probably taught me more than those up in front of the room. Back row leaders tend to be more open to the questions I ask. When do you lead from the back row? 2. Spiritual life has a way of breaking or transcending the rules. There is very little room for “always” or “never” in spiritual life. Who decides which rules are important and which are made to be broken? 3. Who we are in... Read more

Spiritual Life is Now

Last updated on: December 12, 2015 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

Some people think spiritual life has already happened in the past. They may feel spiritual life is like chivalry or falconry, a memory of some distant glory. Some people dispute and argue about arcane differences of interpretation. They work to understand ancient sacred texts or study the history of spiritual heroes. Some people look for enlightenment in books written hundreds, or thousands, of years ago. They celebrate the traditions of spiritual life. The focus of spiritual life, for them, is remembering what has gone... Read more

How Long Will This Take?

Last updated on: December 9, 2015 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

We want to do as much as we possibly can in the shortest amount of time. Our long term thinking goes into making annual plans for this year. We have quarterly goals, monthly objectives, weekly themes, the word of the day. It is as if we do not want to be distracted with where we are going, just tell us what to do right now. While we obsess about we are doing this minute, we lose track of our overall... Read more

Violence and Silence

Last updated on: December 5, 2015 at 4:40 am By Greg Richardson

We are immersed in a culture with a clear perspective on violence and force. Our nation was born through a violent revolution. While violence may not always be our first inclination, we often do not hesitate to rely on it. We believe it is possible to use force to resolve conflicts. We believe it is possible to defeat our problems by using violence. We are willing to act violently toward other countries, and toward each other. While our culture may encourage or reinforce... Read more