Living Well... More than "Getting By"

First… a Scriptural Inspiration. “Looking at it one way, you could say, ‘Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.’ But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. “1 Corinthians 10:23-4 (The Message)

So, what do I mean by supporting lives of faith, intention and service?

SUPPORTING… We all find ourselves at times or places in life when we need extra tools, information, encouragement or companionship for living well. LWM classes and retreats are safe, respectful places for your exploration of the spiritual growth topics that draw you here. Short-term spiritual coaching supports you by uniquely combining respect for your faith, heart-centered goal-setting and non-judgmental accountability. LWM supports wider work by partnering with those who work for social wellbeing and justice through co-sponsored events and projects.

LIVES… Our lives are precious, unique and short. LWM topics are inspired by my own journey toward living well. One particular thread in this journey has been a deepening gratitude for the sacred finitude of my life. Inspired by a story from the Talmud, I am not called to be Moses (or Mary, or Dr. King or my mom). I will be held accountable for being me; you, for being you.

Through education, coaching, ceremonies and consulting, LWM will support your precious, particular life as you explore what living well means – and does not mean – for you and/or your community.

FAITH… Faith is a verb, not a noun. Faith is not intellectual assertions or dogma, but the resilient, trusting act of letting go of our attachments to certainty and control. Many today turn from the church of their upbringing to seek support for a spiritual life which is affirming, vital and freeing. Too many have been wounded or neglected by the churches we’ve encountered. My own experiences of coming out and working within the Welcoming and Affirming Churches movement teach me that our stories are sacred. Our longings for peace, community and purpose are the work of the Spirit. Supporting faith happens as we listen respectfully to our own and others’ stories, deepen our biblical understanding, and cultivate the prayer/meditation lifestyle appropriate to our current season of life.

Whether you’re seeking to “befriend the Bible,” to nourish your faith in a time of pain or loss, or embrace a challenging faith transition, LWM will support your development and discernment. Some class/retreat themes many will find relevant include: Being a Progressive Christian, Making Peace with the Bible (programs for LGBT and straight Christians), and Creating Integrated Spiritual Practices. You may be led to attend upcoming one-day Bible study retreats, immersing yourself in biblical books or topics. Short-term spiritual coaching is designed to bless your particular needs with compassion, encouragement, brainstorming and accountability, whatever the issues that you face.

INTENTION… A favorite plaque of mine says “Discipline is remembering what you want.” Sometimes we need help figuring out “what we want,” or whether that, in fact, is for our highest good. Sometimes we know all too well what the Spirit’s leading is but lack the will, hope or support we need to live in holy intention. Whether you want to break habits that aren’t serving “living well” or build new ones that do, I believe the Spirit works through compassion and companions to accomplish God’s work in/with you. My own life experiences of striving to “live well,” along with my work in the Faith and Health movement, have convicted me of the connections between our health (relational, physical, spiritual, emotional and beyond) and our alignment with intention. I believe that supporting this connection between health and intention is the path to avoid legalism or “works” on the one hand and an “anything goes” passivity on the other.

LWM class/retreat themes proven to resonate widely include: Living the Serenity Prayer, Freedom through Forgiveness, A Spirituality of Self-Care, Excellence vs. Perfection, and others. And, short-term spiritual coaching, as inferred above, is all about living in intention!

SERVICE… A friend lovingly challenged this part of LWM’s mission. “Why wouldn’t you say justice instead of service,” she wondered? She made a strong case for what I know to be true; there are some who labor for social justice among communities to which I am also deeply committed who may see “service” as a limiting, even patronizing word. As I reflected deeply on her challenge, I wondered: Is LWM’s call to support service at odds with my/our pursuit of justice? I have the seeds for a more substantial post on this next week.

Put simply, I believe “living well” is accomplished when we live in intentional connection and solidarity with others like and unlike ourselves, for the sake of expanding justice. I hope LWM programs and coaching will play a particular role in supporting individuals’ growing wisdom and engagement as justice-seekers in this world. My call, though, is to play just one specific role in this greater work. That role can best be understood as “connector.” Supporting “lives of service” means supporting the connections between “living well” and your own leadings to deeper discipleship. That might mean a vocational (paid or unpaid!) shift for you, as you name discontent with your disconnections from justice-making. Or maybe you need a place to reflect on the connections between the local church or social service work you already do, and God’s lessons and greater picture for your life. Maybe you need a renewing prayer retreat to sustain a humble, service-oriented mindset as you undertake the demanding, long-haul work for justice. I care about helping you find AND SUSTAIN your place (not someone else’s) in the bigger picture.

Upcoming Bible and book/film classes and retreats, as well as co-sponsored events, will often teach about injustice and justice in accessible, convicting and empowering ways. Whether in educational settings or spiritual coaching, you will encounter an encouraging, creative spirit. If this is your purpose for joining Living Well Ministries, you’ll find support for follow-up choices that result in your unique contributions ---- and transformations – in relation to justice.

Living Well, Together

Friends of Living Well,

This is the week that Living Well Ministries (LWM) bubbles up and out onto the web and blogosphere. Thanks to Steve Starr (web designer) and Rob Cose (web host) for getting me this far!

Friends, I look forward to deepening our existing relationships and building new ones, whether through this space or LWM events/services or both. These initial posts will introduce you to LWM’s background, vision (supporting lives of faith, intention and service) and opportunities (spiritual coaching, weekly classes, retreats, ceremonies and consulting). Later in 2008, these will be incorporated into a fully functioning website.

In the winter of 2007, the waves of imagination stirred up my heart with the glimpses of what this new space of ministry might be. At the time, I served as pastor of a magnificent community of disciples, Grace Baptist Church in Chicago. I’d been a member for ten years and then pastor for nearly seven, my entire post-college adult life. What a rare joy these days to have shared in a community’s pilgrimage for seventeen years, especially in an urban environment. More on my faith background and adult formation in a future post.


During my last years at Grace, I’d grown personally and professionally in ways that bore the seeds for this new project. With tenderness and thanksgiving, I acknowledge Grace’s supportive impact on my faith, my call to ministry, and discernment of call and season. In fact, what I know of “living well” cannot be separated from the joy of an adult faith journey lived in the midst of a welcoming and affirming Christian community like Grace. It’s why I know that Living Well is both an individual, solitary journey and one that we can’t do alone. It’s why I care about supporting lives of faith, intention and service. More on supporting lives of faith, intention and service later this week…



After many weeks of prayer, study and conversation, the call to establish Living Well Ministries was unmistakable. Some have known the Spirit to be like a dove, some like a flame, some like a wind, some like sheer silence. For me, the Spirit moved like waves of cleansing water, tides of invitation and promise. The waves came with increasing fullness, higher crests, and yet increasingly gentle urges. When “Living Well Ministries” emerged as the name of this new call, the Spirit seemed to christen each of these: the weaving together of my previous and future ministries, my resignation and parting from a beloved community, a time of Sabbath rest last summer, and the spirit, focus and pace of this ministry.

The Spirit also indirectly christens this blog, entitled “An Undivided Life,” as I go deeper into the ordination vows I made in 1999. I vow to care for my own wellness of heart, body, mind/spirit and relationships so that I can journey with you in freedom, authenticity and joy. We may meet in a coaching session or support group or in plans for your wedding; it may be in a class or retreat or a visioning workshop at your church. Perhaps we’ll labor together in a co-sponsored project. Wherever it is, I look forward to supporting you… let’s do some Living Well, together.



Peace and love,

Jacki

… I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Moving Forward from Sabbatical -- Holiday Reflections 2007 --

December 28, 2007

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! As I write this, I am filled with gratitude for a year of graced Presence, for the Lord of Love incarnate, and for all of you who share this journey with me. Thank you for your presence in my life, and for your thoughts and prayers as I embraced the summer months of sabbatical rest and the fall months of “emerging.”

One dear colleague urged me many months ago to write about my sabbatical this past summer. While there’s no finished article or presentation yet about that, I can write a few things briefly:

It was all I hoped for and so desperately needed.

I spent a lot of time outside and enjoyed inhabiting this wonderful city.

I read much about local church ministry AND delighted in reading fiction and poetry. (The biggest success was not taking notes on any of it!)

I often noticed I was doing things slowly just because I could.

Now, I catch myself thinking, sometimes, about just one thing at a time!

I’ve felt a marked shift from being future-focused to past/present reflective. (For example, savoring and reflecting upon what’s already been completed, vs. ALWAYS moving ahead to what’s due next).

I have never felt so rested.

I feel what biblical Sabbath promises -- a uniquely worshipful energy and creativity.

While I’m no longer in the uniquely restful time of complete sabbatical, I’m intentionally trying to remain in this qualitative shift as I set goals and pace the development of a new ministry.

In October, I began the programming of Living Well Ministries, a parachurch ministry committed to “supporting lives of faith, intention and service.“ In November, I moved into an office at St. James Presbyterian Church in West Rogers Park, where I will be able to hold many of LWM’s events. I’m also interested in other venues, particularly those more physically accessible.

Through LWM, I will continue to lead retreats, seminars and support groups, as well as begin a new spiritual coaching ministry for individuals and congregations. I’ll also continue to do the small event organizing that I enjoy, as LWM hosts or co-sponsors events with guest leadership.

In short, I am rested, filled with gratitude and creative stirrings. I’m prayerfully building this ministry slowly, with a passionate conviction about my own “living well” as I support others in doing so. I ask for your continued support in prayer and in whatever co-labors the Spirit might prompt.

If you’d like more information, or to discuss how I might serve you or your church in 2008, contact me at 773-655-4357 or livingwell@rcn.com. I’d be delighted to explore educational events, retreats, consulting or pulpit supply. Wherever you are in the seasons of your life’s journey, know that I think of you often and hold you in prayer. I pray that your worship, study and contemplation this Christmas season remind you of the simplicity of all Emmanuel proclaims and promises.

Peace and love,

Jacki Belile
Living Well Ministries
6554 N. Rockwell Street
Chicago, IL 60645
773-655-4357
livingwell@rcn.com