Hello and welcome to the first of a 2-part introduction to Living Well. As we get going, I wanted to take some time to unpack some of the story behind how the Living Well adventure began as well as explore the underlying values of the core themes. So here we go!

In John 10:10 Jesus says that the reason He has come is to bring life in all its fulness. If we are honest with ourselves, often, most of us are not Living Well and experiencing that fulness of life that Jesus talked about – and we are increasingly aware of that. Perhaps it’s because living through a pandemic has taken its toll on us and our emotional well-being is now in such crisis it can no longer be ignored. Or perhaps it’s because, for some of us, lockdown meant a stripping back of life – less activity, less busyness and it shone a light on how frenetically we had been living before. Whatever the reason, many of us are becoming increasingly aware of the need and desire to live differently – to Live Well.

‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’

John 10:10

As I look back through my journals, I can see how God has been weaving threads of ‘Living Well’ into my story for many years. However, it first came to my attention in 2017 when, as a family, we moved from West Sussex to Lancashire. I had left behind my role as a Special Educational Needs Coordinator in a large secondary school with the intention of taking a 2 month break to help settle our children (then 9 and 12) into their new schools and look for a new job. God had other plans and the 2 months turned into a challenging 6 months as God slowly, lovingly, graciously dusted me down and shone a light on areas of my life I had long ignored or over-looked.

I was aware, on some level, that I was not arriving in Lancashire in the best and most healthy of spaces. The school I had been working in had been a toxic work environment. Due to the numbers of students we were supporting, resources were beyond over-stretched and I had become disillusioned with the ‘system’ and overwhelmed by the awareness that the children and families in my care were not getting the support that they deserved. Alongside this, Ali, my lovely husband, had been through a messy redundancy from a ministry post and was in the first years of setting up a consultancy practice for youth, families and children’s ministry so we were still settling into what it looks like to trust that God will bring the right work in his path each month. In the midst of all of that, as a family, we had been leading a small church plant on the estate we were living on, journeying with families who had not previously been part of a church community. We were worn out! 

I was in full survival mode – curled up like a hedgehog, rolling through as best I could with my head down – running on the fumes of my own reserves.

At the time, I was reading a book called ‘The little book of Hygge’. Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah, I am reliably informed) is a Danish concept of happiness/well-being. It’s about being present in the moment – noticing and celebrating the beauty that surrounds us. In a place, like Denmark, with long, cold, wet winters, its about cosy, candle-lit family games nights or hot chocolate in front of the fire in warm, fluffy socks, or walks in the winter sunshine wrapped up in woolly jumpers, hats and scarves. It’s about thankfulness and appreciating what you have. I mean – what is not to love about that!! And having just moved to Clitheroe – a place known affectionately by the locals as the dRibble Valley – it had fully captured my attention.

Hygge noun UK /ˈhʊɡ.ə/ 

A Danish word for a quality of cosiness (= feeling warm, comfortable and safe) that comes from doing simple things such as lighting candles, baking, or spending time at home with your family.

It occurred to me that much of what I was reading about Hygge was nothing new – it was wisdom pulled straight from scripture – thankfulness, stillness, fullness of life … it was God’s idea first!! Living like this was His plan for us all along – but I recognised that I had moved quite far from this in my own busy and stress-filled life.

A few months after reading The Little Book of Hygge, someone preached at our church about Sabbath. It spoke right into everything I had been reflecting on and exploring as I had been reading about Hygge and awaked something deep within me.

In the Message Translation of Matthew 11:28-30, Eugene Peterson beautifully writes,

‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’

I was hungry to know more of those unforced rhythms of grace in my life … to take a real rest – and so my journey with Sabbath began.

And then, a few years ago, I read a book by John Mark Comer called ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’ which had a huge impact on me. It pressed further into what God had been stirring in my heart and bringing to my attention – adding structure and context. (If you haven’t read it, then I hugely recommend it as a brilliant introduction to Sabbath and Stillness.)

‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’

Matthew 11:20-30 MSG

What has followed since is a journey of discovery and encounter as I have pressed further into what it means to walk in step with the Father’s unforced rhythms of Grace – in my family life, in my own personal relationship with Jesus, in my work, in my rest, in my relationships. The more I learn, the more I realise there is to learn and I am a long way from nailing it in any way shape or form – but what I have experienced so far is a richness that has breathed life and transformed my faith.

And I am not alone! I have had countless conversations with friends and colleagues who have shared similar stories, particularly through the Covid lockdown, of a desire to live differently – to re-examine our rhythms and patterns of life – to break free from the continual urge to do more, to have more, to be more. To step out of the rat race and live differently … to live well.

But what does that actually look like? Where do we begin? How do we put that into practice? 

Living Well is a space for anyone who wants to explore this further. To walk in step to a different drum than the one that the world beats. To bring a more holistic approach to life that values spiritual, emotional, mental and physical well-being and how those interact with each other.

Together we will explore 4 rhythms of Living Well – Sabbath, Stillness, Wonder and Submission. I’ve called them rhythms because, for me, they are approaches that I am practising putting in to place in my life that bring shape and rhythm to each day and week. They don’t replace what some people refer to as the ‘Spiritual Disciplines’ – such as prayer and reading the bible – it’s more that they bring a shape and rhythm to what that looks like that helps us embed those life giving practices. I most certainly do NOT get it right all the time – far from it – but I am going to keep practising because I recognise that they are rhythms that bring life. 

There is no real order to these 4 rhythms and as we dig in – we’ll see how they overlap and link with each other.

The first 3 in the list may seem recognisable in popular culture – Sabbath, Stillness, Wonder– though rather than using the word Sabbath, the language of Work/Life Balance may be more familiar. 

But, for me, they all hold together in the fourth practice in that list – Submission – putting Jesus first. 

We can try to practice a better work/life balance, but it is in following the unforced rhythms of the grace of Jesus that we learn to take a real rest.

We can be still and practice mindfulness – but only Jesus can renew our minds as we spend time in His presence in prayer.

We can write a gratitude journal – but it’s when we remember who it is we are thanking, that we appreciate the goodness of God in our lives. 

We can walk in nature and wonder at the beauty that surrounds us but we find a peace that passes understanding when we also encounter its Creator.

Living Well is a space to explore each of those 4 rhythms – reflecting on what they are as well as creating space to consider what they might look like in our lives. How we press in to each may look different for different people, in different seasons of life – it is in practising that we explore what works for us. And so, my prayer for this space is that it will help you to be curious about what it looks like for you to Live Well, give you some ideas to kick start your own journey if you haven’t started it already and create a community where we can each be sharpened and encouraged by each other along the way!!

We can try to practice a better work/life balance, but it is in following the unforced rhythms of the grace of Jesus that we learn to take a real rest.

We can be still and practice mindfulness – but only Jesus can renew our minds as we spend time in His presence in prayer.

We can write a gratitude journal – but it’s when we remember who it is we are thanking, that we appreciate the goodness of God in our lives. 

We can walk in nature and wonder at the beauty that surrounds us but we find a peace that passes understanding when we also encounter its Creator.

Am I Living Well? 

In Mark 12:30, Jesus encourages us to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’. 

Am I caring for my whole self –emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically?