the REALIFE Practice Podcast

Thomas A'Kempis wisely stated that 'an unexamined life is destined to repeat itself.' What does that mean and what can we learn from the act of examining ourselves and our life stories? Join Host Sharon Swing as she talks it thru with Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley. If you have engaged in 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story' visual life mapping, you'll see that...

Self-Awareness proceeds God-Awareness in the spiritual life. We may have picked up the idea that self-awareness is somehow not considered spiritual. Listen in as Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley join host, Sharon Swing to discuss the importance of self-awareness in the spiritual life. If you have engaged in 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story' visual life mapping...

oneLife Maps is, at its core, interested in helping people to recognize and respond to God in their stories. If you have engaged in 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story' visual life mapping, you'll see that this conversation relates directly to the bottom line on the 'My Life Story' map, where you are asked to consider how you have noticed God, or viewed who G...

Host, Sharon Swing, welcomes Keith Anderson to the podcast to discuss his book: Reading Your Life’s Story: An Invitation to Spiritual Mentoring: Spiritual mentoring is a particular kind of friendship in which, according to Keith R. Anderson, "two or more people walk together in heightened awareness of the presence of yet Another"―the Holy Spirit. "Spiritual mentoring is not a complicated process t...

Louis Dooley was a young man who found himself imprisoned with a life sentence for theft and attempted murder. Through a miraculous turn of events, Louis received Jesus Christ in prison and recognized he had new life in Christ.   Today, Louis is a free man providing pastoral counsel to current inmates, in hopes of the gospel setting them free. He is the Author of 'Prison Saved My Life: I Recommend...

Jason Feffer and I had a fantastic conversation about the role of imagination in spiritual practices -- and it drifted into many more interesting topics and stories. You won't want to miss this delightful, thought-provoking conversation with a good human who knows Jesus in ways many long for -- yet is very possible. God wants to show up for you in ways that are tailor-made for you, too. Jason Feff...

We love Cheri Hudspith, and so will you. She lives in rhythms of grace that keep her grounded, listening and delighted in experiencing God's life-changing grace herself and sharing it with others. Our conversation meanders thru topics of Spiritual Direction, Life-Mapping and experiencing God first-hand. Here's her Bio: Cheri served on the staff of her church experiencing first hand the rhythms and...

Listen into Sharon Swing's conversation with Chrystal Evans Hurst. We'll talk about getting into a regular rhythm of prayer, her new book, '28-Day Prayer Journey,' and her experience with life-mapping using 'Listen to My Life.' Like me, you'll be hoping to meet Chrystal for a cup of coffee and a great conversation on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Here's a li...

When we gather people for a workshop or a class, we often ask people to participate in a 'one-word checkin' to help people connect with themselves and others. It helps us become more self-aware, God-aware, and other-aware. You may want to use it by yourself, with or around the dining room table sometime soon! oneLife Maps is, at its core, interested in helping people to recognize and respond to Go...

What is breath prayer, and why would you want to know? Calming, connecting, and centering, this way of praying breathes life into any collection of practices. oneLife Maps is, at its core, interested in helping people to recognize and respond to God in their stories. The seven lies Darrell talks about invitations to consider how a few shifts in perspective on how we think about God and faith effec...

Forget being productive and do what matters! Teresa loves to help people see the bigger picture and learn to feel fulfilled in all areas of life. As a Certified Coach, Speaker and Enneagram Professional, she guides clients through a step-by-step application of a customized "REALIFE Process," helping real people change their lives by discovering their REALSELF, and doing their REALWORK in the proce...

I love Steve Carter. He's a great conversationalist and a good human being. Listen in as Steve and I (Sharon Swing) talk about spiritual formation and life story. He gave plenty of sermons that included encouraging people to dive into their own life stories while he was preaching at Willow Creek Community Church while I was there. I cheered him on from the cheap seats. Life took quite a turn for S...

Are you responsible TO others or responsible FOR them? It's a very useful distinction for all of our relationships. It may keep you out of trouble, improve your relationships, and put words to why having kids grow up messes with us as parents! We have used this important piece of work from the book, 'Listen For Heaven's Sake' in many of our 'Listen to My Life' workshops as we teach listening skill...

Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley join Sharon Swing to discuss Mama Maggie Gobran's wisdom on silence. “I learned that silence is the secret. Silence your body - to listen to your words. Silence your tongue - to listen to your thoughts. Silence your thoughts - to listen to your heart. Silence your heart - to listen to your spirit. Silence your spirit - to listen to his spirit.”  MAMA MAGGIE GOBRAN, Fou...

Is all of life prayer? Sharon Swing talks with Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley about this intriguing idea that may have you thinking about your prayer life in a new and intriguing way. oneLife Maps is, at its core, interested in helping people to recognize and respond to God in their stories. The seven lies Darrell talks about invitations to consider how a few shifts in perspective on how we think ab...

One way to help you find your way forward is to do more of what connects you deeply to God-given design. Peak Experiences is the name of the 3rd visual map in the 'Listen to My Life' portfolio. Host of the oneLife Maps Podcast and Co-Author or 'Listen to My Life,' Sharon Swing, discusses the power of mapping and finding themes shared by peak experiences in our lives with Co-Author Sibyl Towner and...

How might you go about selecting spiritual practices that fit for this season of your life? How might you expand the number of possibilities? Sharon Swing hosts a conversation with Co-Author of 'Listen to My Life: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story,' Sibyl Towner and Joan Kelley, Director of Facilitator Development for oneLife Maps, about the 'Life-Giving Rhythms' visual map fr...

Jon Peacock has come to love his daily time of solitude. He says he's become a better man because of it. He loves his dog, Jack, too. Jack is a big part of making this spiritual practice a part of his life. Jon is a Founding Pastor of Mission Church in Bloomingdale, IL. He is husband to Kelly and dad to his two beautiful, growing daughters. He's good at what he does. He's another fine human we wan...

I love this conversation with Ashlee Eiland. I love Ashlee. You will, too. Please listen to a piece of her story here, and then also read her book, "Human(Kind): How Reclaiming Human Worth and Embracing Radical Kindness Will Bring Us Back Together." Her memoir in short essays recounts events in her life that shaped her view of herself, of God and the world around her. Finding yourself in the midst...

Liz Lassa, Creator of the 'Spiritual Circle Journal' joins us for a conversation on how journaling helps us become God-aware and self-aware. The specifics of the journaling prompts will help you get started on this very useful tool for spiritual growth. You can purchase the 'Spiritual Circle Journal' at https://spiritualcirclejournal.com and find out more about the May 2020 'Coping Well Together'...

Adele Calhoun joins Sharon Swing for a conversation about Adele's book, 'Invitations from God.' Here's a description of her book: Some invitations we desperately want: "Will you marry me?" "Would you consider a promotion?" Other invitations we never want to receive but must respond to all the same: "What treatment do you want for your tumor?" Invitations pound away at the coastlines of the soul wi...

In uncertain times, or times of difficulty, this question of, 'what does this allow?' becomes a challenge to be at our best for the benefit of others. So, today, in the midst of the uncertainty of the corona virus pandemic, what does this question stir in you? What attitude will you choose and actions might you take? Journey thru 'Listen to My Life' with the authors, in community from wherever you...

My story, (Sharon Swing) has been blessed by effective leaders and harmed by unhealthy leaders. All of our stories contain chapters where people have influenced us in ways that shape us. Sometimes we have a choice over who leads us, and sometimes we have not had not. Leaders have a way of intentionally or unintentionally influencing our behavior, our perceptions of ourselves, of how the world work...

Sharon Swing and Sibyl Towner have a conversation prompted by a quote from Parker Palmer's book, 'Let Your Life Speak.' Here's a description of the book from Amazon: With wisdom, compassion, and gentle humor, Parker J. Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have ma...

Sibyl Towner was prepared to teach on a Roadmap for Spiritual Formation the evening we recorded this episode. She had Robert Mulholland's book, 'An Invitation to a Journey: A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation' on her mind. We hope you enjoy this episode of Sharon Swing and Joan Kelley enjoying a good conversation with Sibyl. You can purchase the book from amazon here. oneLife Maps is, at its core, i...