I Can Do That!
97 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 68 ratingsI Can Do That! is hosted by Gem Fadling, spiritual formation coach, author and founding partner of Unhurried Living. With 30 years’ experience in spiritual formation, Gem helps people grow by combining grounded optimism with practical spirituality. This effective dynamic will guide you onto the path of discernment so that you can transform your desires into habits. In each episode Gem will share one practical idea, with one simple takeaway. Together, we’ll grow at the pace of transformation, and you’ll move into your day, saying to yourself, “I can do that!”
http://unhurriedliving.com/gem
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Merging with Unhurried Living Podcast
January 29, 2024 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.8 MBGem is on the move... the move to the Unhurried Living Podcast. Have a listen as she explains the reasoning behind this move of podcasts. ______________________________________________________ Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community.
Your WAY Matters
January 22, 2024 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.44 MBI want what Jim has. This is the phrase 17-year-old Alan, my husband, uttered as he made one of his first moves into the Christian life. I have always loved hearing Alan share about the first time he went forward in a church to receive Christ. I’ve heard this story multiple times and I’m always struck by how simple and heartfelt Alan’s desire was. We’ll talk more about this today… ______________________________________________________ Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new...
5 Simple and Soulful Practices
January 08, 2024 08:00 - 8 minutes - 7.53 MBIt’s near the beginning of the calendar year and, for some, it feels like a fresh start. Most of us are long past making resolutions. We’ve come to see that they don’t last and are followed up by shame and guilt. I haven’t made resolutions for years. But I thought it might be good to share with you a few simple ways you could plan for some soul care in an ongoing way. These ideas are bottom shelf and that’s good. It’s always wise to begin small and build habits. I mention a couple re...
Breathe: A Spiritual Practice
December 18, 2023 08:00 - 5 minutes - 4.79 MBBreathing. It’s as natural as, well, breathing. We breathe all day long without giving it a thought. It’s just one of the many astounding aspects of our God-given bodies. I’m grateful for all the processes that continue to keep me healthy and alive, aren’t you? Today, using the word BREATHE, I’m going to guide you in a spiritual practice that you can use in the middle of any given day. We’ll make the unconscious, conscious and give our souls space to breathe. _______________________...
Engaging World Events Without Being Overwhelmed (Carmen LaBerge)
December 11, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBAlmost everyone I speak with these days is tired or stressed in troubling ways. Not only do we carry our regular burdens and concerns, but we also carry around our knowledge of what is going on in our country and around the globe. While it is true that we cannot psychologically bear up under the weight of all that we see and hear in the information age—we do want to have a basic knowledge of world events. But how do we hold all of this without becoming overwhelmed? How can we be a he...
Lectio Divina
December 04, 2023 08:00 - 8 minutes - 7.49 MBMany of you have likely heard of a way of engaging scripture called Lectio Divina. It is a kind of “Divine Reading.” What I love about Lectio Divina is that it is a slow and formational way of engaging the bible. It can help us move from our heads to our hearts. Lectio Divina is reflective, meditative, receptive and responsive. Let’s begin with a little Lectio 101, and then I will guide you in the practice as we experience Psalm 73:23-26 together. The four movements of Lectio Divina ar...
Women, Work and Calling (Joanna Meyer)
November 27, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBToday I’m talking with Joanna Meyer, the author of the recently released book Women, Work and Calling. No matter what title you have or don’t have, we are all working women. People, tasks, and schedules fill our days and we all have influence in these spheres. How do you respond to God’s calling? How does God grow our soul through our work? How do we tap into our vocational power? Joanna Meyer is director of public engagement at the Denver Institute for Faith & Work, where she...
Living on Two Levels
November 13, 2023 08:00 - 4 minutes - 4.55 MBA few years ago I read Thomas Kelly’s A Testament of Devotion. He put into eloquent prose a dynamic that I had experienced, but had not yet found words to describe. There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we may be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, meeting all the demands of external affairs. But deep within, behind the scenes, at a profounder level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship and a gentle receptivenes...
Moving Through Transitions
November 06, 2023 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.97 MBTransition. How do you feel when you hear this word? For some, transitions are welcome because it’s a movement from one place to another. For others, transitions are unwelcome for the same reason. Change can be disconcerting. But whatever you feel about transitions, that’s where we’re headed today in our conversation. ______________________________________________________ Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish...
Becoming a Mentor-Like Presence (Richella Parham)
October 30, 2023 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBToday we're talking about being a mentoring presence, or wise woman, in the lives of others. This really is an encouragement to any woman listening to think of herself as a wise woman in the life of another. The actress, Julia Louis Dreyfus, has a new podcast called “Wiser Than Me.” She is 62 and she interviews women who are older than her. She asks questions so that she can glean life wisdom from other women’s life experiences. So our question today is this: how am I living my life so th...
Traversing Rough Terrain
October 16, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.55 MBAre you now, or have you recently been, in a difficult situation? Most of us have at least one circumstance in our lives, at any given point, that isn’t going the way we had hoped. Today I’m sharing a personal story of climbing a mountain at high elevation. Together, we’ll look at it literally and metaphorically. ______________________________________________________ Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also join her in the Replenish Community.
Four Ways to Connect Soulfully to God
October 02, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.55 MBIn preparation for co-leading a pilgrimage for women to Italy last month, I spent some time getting to know St. Catherine of Siena and St. Clare of Assisi. These two female saints were quite formidable in their passion and love for God—and what that meant for their own souls and those around them. In Ilia Delio’s book, Clare of Assisi, I found a snippet Clare wrote in a letter to her sister, Agnes. “O most noble Queen, gaze upon [him]. consider [him]. contemplate [him]. as you d...
Pilgrimage as a Lifestyle
September 18, 2023 07:00 - 9 minutes - 8.69 MBThe day this episode releases, I will be in Italy with 15 wonderful women. We will be on a pilgrimage. People have been engaging pilgrimage for centuries. Yes, it is a physical journey but it's also an inward exploration of the soul. Pilgrimage is a chance to connect with your inner life, your deepest held beliefs, and your relationship with God in a focused and intentional way. So how can you embrace the idea of pilgrimage as an element of your lifestyle? _________________________...
The Problem with Being Discontent
September 04, 2023 07:00 - 8 minutes - 8.23 MBYou may have heard me announce here that we now take the month of July each year as a mini sabbatical. I engage no work, no work-related email, and no social media. It is a much-needed way of disengaging that allows body and soul to rest at a deeper level. One benefit of extended time like that is that I can get in touch with ideas, longings, dynamics and desires that typically stay buried underneath the flurry of activity in my day-to-day life. I’d like to share with you one such “get-...
A Factory Reset for Your Soul
August 21, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBA while back I had a conversation with a group of leaders. We were talking about spiritual practices and the need for refreshment and refilling. (As you can imagine, I talk about this a lot). One of the people mentioned that this was all fine and good but what about REAL life. I’ve heard this comment many times before, and I typically leave it alone. But more recently I’ve begun to pause the conversation (whether with an individual or a small group) to take a closer look at what “real” m...
Enjoying the Unexpected
August 07, 2023 07:00 - 5 minutes - 4.88 MBGrowing up on our small six-acre farm in Washington was wonderful. As a child, I enjoyed many hours and days of leisure. This was back in the day before the information age. One phone connected to a wall and five channels on the TV (and I was the remote control). I had a pogo stick, a skateboard, a bike and a horse. What else could you need? One of my favorite memories was rolling down a small hill in our front yard. It was probably only a four-foot incline, but for a young one like me i...
Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers (K.J. Ramsey)
July 17, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBToday I’m sharing a timely replay from the Unhurried Living Podcast. I interviewed K.J. Ramsey on her book This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers. The entire episode will play, including an introduction of K.J., so for now, I’ll leave you with this. You are not alone in your suffering and K.J. is an expert on this, having suffered physically for years. Listen and take heart. K.J. Ramsey is a trauma-informed licensed professional counselor and author whose work offers ...
Fruit That Lasts (Jodie Niznik)
July 03, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBI recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend with my friend, teacher and leader, Jodie Niznik. We talked about fruitfulness inspired by God, as compared to productivity inspired by me…which can sometimes lead to over-giving. We often think we need to accomplish things by direct action. But fruitfulness works a little differently. Jodie and I dig into that and I trust you’ll find some nuggets to tuck away as well as some new action steps. Jodie Niznik, a graduate of Dallas Theologic...
Sabbatical: Rest, Play, Relationship
June 26, 2023 07:00 - 6 minutes - 5.73 MBWhat is the purpose of a sabbatical and how is it even possible? Great questions that I answer today as Alan and I prepare for our 3rd annual monthly sabbatical in July. Listen in as I share how we plan for, engage in and promote this kind of soulful rest. Our categories of our engagement include: Rest. Play. Relationships. Reading. Prayer. Unplugging. Beauty. Refilling.
The Prime of Life
June 19, 2023 07:00 - 6 minutes - 6.18 MBA few months ago a semi-prominent newscaster made a flippant comment about women over 50 not being in their prime. He gave examples from a google search that said women in their twenties and thirties are in their prime. Of course, being a woman over 50, I had some very strong feelings about this dismissive statement. I wanted to say something via social media or email in real time about his comment, but decided not to enter the fray of reactive dialogue. But time passed, and I forgot...
What is the Quality of Your Life?
June 05, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 7.1 MBDuring 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...
Seven Central Paradigms
May 15, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.7 MBEvery 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 ...
Create a Clearing
May 01, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.74 MBIt is easy to carry the weight of the world on your 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 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...
PACE: Leadership and Soul Care
April 24, 2023 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MBWelcome to this bonus episode of ICDT. Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with my husband, Alan, on the UL Podcast. We are talking about PACE our new certificate in leadership and soul care. We’ll share our experience and passion with walking alongside leaders for many years. We care very much about the sustainability of our influence over time…spiritually, relationally and vocationally. I think you’ll find lots of encouragement and reminders within our dialogue. Of course, I’m invitin...
It's All About the Heart
April 17, 2023 07:00 - 10 minutes - 9.7 MBToday we are pondering the idea of the heart. And, for 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. This is an important idea and I’m so glad you are engaging with me today. I’m Gem Fadling and it’s time for ICDT. ___________________________________________________________ Follow Gem on Instagram and grab a copy of her new book Hold That Thought. You can also ...
Strong Like Water (Aundi Kolber)
April 10, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBWhen it comes to difficult circumstances, we’ve all heard the platitudes: “No pain, no gain.” “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But if we spend our lives trying to be “the strong one,” we become exhausted, burned-out, and disconnected from our truest selves. What if it were different? Could there be a different way to be strong? Could strength mean more than pushing on and pushing through pain, bearing every heavy burden on our own? What if, instead, true strength were more like t...
Be a Promoter of Peace
April 03, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 7.11 MBIf we were to only believe the 24-hour news cycle, we would think there is very little peace in the world. Yes, there are dramatic and traumatic things going on around the planet. But right in the middle of all that, many people are simply living their lives--loving their families, working hard and serving others. We can choose to be people of peace right in the middle of a contentious, distracted and overwhelmed culture. And I would argue this is absolutely necessary. Today we’re lo...
Warn, Encourage, Help
March 20, 2023 07:00 - 5 minutes - 5.41 MBWe begin with a reading from 1 Thes 5:14: “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thes. 5:14) It would be easy to simply gloss over this, ignoring the relational nuances or to turn it into some rigid formula for the control freak within. Rather than either of those, I like to think of this as wise counsel for truly seeing others and responding in ways that might actually help...
Bridled by Love
March 06, 2023 08:00 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MBAwhile back, during an overnight retreat, I chose to peruse the notes from my first spiritual direction training. I had two folders with worksheets, practices, and handwritten notes from multiple lectures. My plan was to read through everything, so I could remember and glean from the spiritual wisdom contained in those pages. I made it through only half of one handwritten notebook. I barely scratched the surface. Reading through my notes in a soulful way turned out to be a much slower ...
Journey of the Soul (Kristi Gaultiere)
February 13, 2023 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBToday I’m talking with Dr. Kristi Gaultiere and we’ll be discussing our journey toward emotional and spiritual growth. I’ve known Kristi for many years. She and her husband have a ministry called Soul Shepherding and their mission is similar to Unhurried Living. They care for and train Christian leaders with a focus on pastors and spiritual directors. Kristi and her husband are both therapists and authors and I’m delighted to share this conversation on transformation over a lifetime.
Taking a Break
January 30, 2023 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.13 MBGem shares lessons learned from taking a break from Podcast recording and what's in store for I Can Do That! Podcast.
Enneagram Wisdom for Relating with Others (Suzanne Stabile)
January 09, 2023 08:00 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBMost of us have no idea how others see or process their experiences. And that can make relationships difficult. Understanding the motivations and dynamics of our different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others―and in ourselves. Suzanne Stabile’s book, The Path Between Us looks at the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships. Today I’m sharing a portion of my Replenish conversation with Suzanne. We all d...
See the Day
December 26, 2022 08:00 - 4 minutes - 3.96 MBAs was typical of a season long ago, there was a pile of little boys in the back of my red minivan. We were driving down the street toward our home when I noticed some unusual dark grey storm clouds in the sky. Behind the clouds was a glowing blue sky, with splashes of pink and gold. It was the beginning of sunset, and, evidently, my then 4-year-old son had never seen a sky exactly like that before. “I never saw today!” he exclaimed as he peered out the van window, reacting to the sky. Th...
Altars of Remembrance
December 19, 2022 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.44 MBAs a part of my living room décor, I have two bowls of rocks. Of course this is lovelier than it sounds. The bowls are glass antiques from my Aunt Ruth’s collection and the rocks are all polished and colorful. But these aren’t just rocks. They represent a bowlful of treasured memories created with my dad. Markers of time spent together. I’m Gem Fadling and it’s time for ICDT. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenish Community. L...
Timely Silence
December 12, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.84 MBIn our book, What Does Your Soul Love?, I shared a few nuggets of wisdom from one of my mentors, Abbot David Geraets. But there’s one nugget I didn’t put into the book, and I’d like to offer it to you today. A nugget about silence. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website Learn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads
Spiritual Leadership as Everyday Influence (Alan Fadling)
December 05, 2022 08:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBToday I’m talking with my sweetheart and husband of 37 years, Alan Fadling, and we’ll be discussing unhurried spiritual leadership. This is Alan’s expertise and I want you to learn from the best. Alan’s message has been forming over decades. And I’m sure you’ll hear echoes of things I’ve shared with you before. That’s because we’ve taken this journey together, and I count this as a great grace. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and the Replenis...
The Power of a Good Mentor
November 28, 2022 08:00 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBI’ve enjoyed the treat of having many mentor-like people in my life who were ahead of me on the journey. They knew more than me and readily shared their knowledge and wisdom. They believed in me and my potential, and were willing to help draw me into the next season. Maya Angelou once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” It is certainly true that my mentors taught and trained me,...
A Helpful Practice for Decision Fatigue
November 21, 2022 08:00 - 7 minutes - 6.83 MBHere in the states, it’s Thanksgiving week. And it’s easy to become stressed or overwhelmed during the holidays. Every year we tell ourselves that we won’t get caught up in the scurry of the season, but difficult relationships and over-extended schedules press in. Then we find ourselves enduring the season rather than enjoying it. Wrapped up inside all this is another lovely dynamic: decision fatigue. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website Learn a...
The Best of You (Dr. Alison Cook)
November 14, 2022 08:00 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBToday I’m talking with Dr. Alison Cook and we’ll be discussing how to discover the BEST OF YOU (also the title of her latest book). Dr. Alison delivers life-changing strategies for helping women develop their voices, forge healthy relationships, and embrace the holy, sacred work of becoming their true selves in God. I’m sharing with you a portion of the conversation I had with Alison for our Replenish Community. She shares about the difference between selfishness and selfhood, which leads...
The God of All Comfort
November 07, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.84 MBHave you ever experienced a moment when scripture came to life? More than just words on a page or a passage that you memorized, I’m talking about a time when reality-wisdom bowled you over. Well, today I’m sharing a time when scripture leapt off the page and overwhelmed me with the felt reality of its truth. This week on I Can Do That! Podcast, I share how a reading in church changed how I view and receive scripture. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living w...
Choose the Narrative
October 24, 2022 07:00 - 8 minutes - 7.55 MBA few years ago I was reading a book by Mary Pipher, entitled, Women Rowing North. In it, a notable epiphany is had by a woman named Sylvia, whose life took some unexpected turns. Pipher writes, “Sylvia in Austin has learned that she is in control not of life, but of the story about her life.“ The same time I was reading this book, I ran into some very unexpected and unwelcome travel issues. And I had to chance to try on this new insight. I have my own story to tell today, one about crafti...
Taming the Voice of the Inner Critic
October 17, 2022 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBThe voice of the inner critic is another voice from my new book Hold That Thought. The inner critic has an opinion about everything and she will be sure to tell you. The inner chatter produced by this voice leads to thoughts that can feel judgmental and can even lead to resentment. Here are a few of her choice thoughts: Why can’t you get this right? Couldn’t you have done better than that? Why do you always keep me waiting? Things could be so much better than this. You don’t look-sound-smell...
Taming the Voice of the Stressed Achiever
October 10, 2022 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBThe voice of the stressed achiever has much to do. She likes to focus on accomplishments and she cares about the opinions of others. Never allowing a break, the stressed achiever keeps you driving forward. She’ll have nothing to do with laziness. But what hums underneath is a fear that she doesn’t exist apart from her accomplishments. These are her mantras: Staying busy proves my worth. The more I produce, the more I am. Someone must push this thing up the hill. Let’s get going! Today, I...
Attuning to Your Body (with Sarah Jackson)
October 03, 2022 07:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBMost of the women I connect with have an interesting connection with their bodies. And that’s putting it mildly. It seems we either love her, hate her or ignore her. (Notice I didn’t call my body an it, but rather her). I know I’m playing around with semantics, but personalizing my body helps me not keep her at arms distance…like an object. Our bodies are God-created and given. Many of us have suffered various forms of trauma over the course of our lives. And our bodies store the memory ...
A Necessary Choice
September 26, 2022 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.65 MBToday I’m sharing with you a very special story. It’s actually an excerpt from my new book, Hold That Thought. It’s my description of a pivotal scene from the movie Wonder Woman. I know…what can you learn from a superhero movie, right? Well, it turns out you can learn a lot. When you are open, aware and willing, there is no telling from where your next life lesson might emerge. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website Learn about and pre-order her new...
Seven Unhelpful Voices
September 19, 2022 07:00 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBOn today’s podcast episode I’m sharing a little bit about each of the seven unhelpful voices that sometimes take the steering while of our lives. At its core, each voice does not believe it already has what it needs. So, it finds a way to whisper (or yell) in your ear to get your attention. When they feel backed into a corner these voices may lash out. Here’s an example from each voice. See if you recognize any of these: Stressed Achiever - You haven’t achieved enough yet. You haven’t prov...
Growing Slow (Jennifer Dukes Lee)
September 12, 2022 07:00 - 8 minutes - 8.13 MBToday, my guest is Jennifer Dukes Lee. Jennifer’s most recent book is entitled, Growing Slow. I placed her here right up front on purpose. Her message is one I deeply believe in. How could I not? We are Unhurried Living after all. The excerpt I chose for you this month is about wintering. If you think about the seasons of the year, most people don’t appreciate the view of a leafless tree, standing alone in the frozen tundra. But as you hear Jennifer describe what happens to farmland in wint...
Central Paradigms for a Formational Life
September 05, 2022 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBToday, I’m sharing with you one of the mentor conversations from the first month of Replenish. You’ll get to hear from me, Brenda Renderos and Larissa Marks as we talk about some of the central paradigms of the formational life. This is the kind of content you can expect each month in Replenish. Real life conversations about important and profound matters. Brenda Renderos is a soul care coach, and Larissa is a spiritual director and formation coach. They are both quite wise and gracious and...
What Does It Mean to Replenish?
August 29, 2022 07:00 - 8 minutes - 7.4 MBI first want to talk to you about the word Replenish and why I love it so much. There are a lot of “R” words that I could have chosen: Rest, receive, recover, refill, or restore. Replenish stands out because within it is the connotation of refilling that which was poured out. It assumes you are giving, serving and working. It is important for us to remember that these dynamics are concurrent. We keep ourselves fresh and replenished as we continue to serve and give. No matter what your age ...
Notice, Discern, Respond (A Journal Exercise)
August 22, 2022 07:00 - 9 minutes - 9.02 MBNotice, discern and respond (NDR). Three simple words. And yet they take time and intention. Today’s I Can Do That! episode is like a mini-workshop. I’m not just going to chatter away at you. Instead, you can take action on a thought right now, as we move through this together. This is about telling ourselves the truth. Critical, shaming or numbing thoughts do not help us mature the way we desire. We are simply becoming more aware of our thoughts so that they don’t run the show and keep ...