The Useful Life
Read to move from chaos to clarity through decisive action? Subscribe to the weekly Useful Life newsletter and join a community of clever people sharpening their thinking, learning practical frameworks, and doing more of what truly matters.
The Useful Life No. 15 — Conversations and (Un)Certainty
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 15 Conversations and (Un)Certainty Hey there, This week we're discussing conversations and peace in the midst of uncertainty. Two things that dramatically impact our everyday lives. ↩ Looking Back I'm working my way through The Coach Model for Christian Leaders by Keith E. Webb. This line in the preface struck me: Conversations form the foundation of everything we do. Your ability to get things done, make changes, or help other people grow depends on the...
The Useful Life No. 14 — Funerals, Forty-Year Sandals, and Living For Others
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 14 Funerals, Forty-Year Sandals, and Living For Others Hey there, This week is focused on the long-haul and the daily decisions that sustain us on the way. ↩ Looking Back There's a classic Stephen Covey example that I think about often in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: In your mind's eye, see yourself going to the funeral of a loved one. Picture yourself driving to the funeral parlor or chapel, parking the car, and getting out. As you...
The Useful Life No. 13 — Commitment & Covenants
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 13 Commitment & Covenants Hey there, This week is centered on commitment—marital and otherwise. Let's dig in. ↩ Looking Back Today marks 14 years of marriage for me and my wife, and I continue to feel incredibly grateful for her and the life God has given us. I took some time this week to share a few lessons—what has strengthened our marriage, and what I’d say to people who are considering giving up on theirs. 1. Pray together. There are studies that say...
The Useful Life No. 12 — First Walk, Then Run
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 12 First Walk, Then Run Hey there, This week's post references board games, international treaties and out-of-date theories all within the first 20 words, so you know we're moving at light speed (even if we haven't calculated it correctly). ↩ Looking Back Every new thing I've ever learned has happened because I started. I wouldn't say I've mastered anything, but I keep moving forward in lots of areas that are important to me (faith, fitness, family). The...
The Useful Life No. 11 — Pros, Prep & Practice
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 11 Pros, Prep & Practice Hey there, This week we're talking pros (and why watching them work is amazing), prep (and how we can better prepare to live out of our identity with affirmations) and practice (combining the two and doing the work). ↩ Looking Back It's really fun to watch professionals who have mastered their craft work. Our friends are moving and we were talking about how impressive the movers were. How they pack the boxes. How quickly they...
The Useful Life No. 10 — Gut Reactions, Gut Health & Gutting It Out
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 10 Gut Reactions, Gut Health & Gutting It Out Hey there, This week we're talking about gut reactions, gut health, and the grit it takes to gut it out—whether you're following Jesus, improving your health, or just trying to get through a Tuesday without going off the rails. ↩ Looking Back I just finished listening to The Other Half of Church by Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks. The authors argue that since the Enlightenment, the Church has leaned too...
The Useful Life No. 9 — Ears, Eyes, and Mouths
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 9 Ears, Eyes, and Mouths Hey there, This week we're exploring what happens when we open our ears to God, open our eyes to actual constraints, and close our mouths to learn from others. ↩ Looking Back In this season, I've been trying to do a better job of listening to God. I've heard before that "The Bible is how God speaks to us and prayer is how we speak to God." I agree, but I don't think that's the only way God speaks. Scripture is our filter—anything...
The Useful Life No. 8 — Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 8 Sitting, Waiting, Wishing Hey there, We’re talking about dealing with uncertainty and hopping off particular treadmills, and how those two things might fit together. ↩ Looking Back Lately I’ve been thinking about how incredibly valuable it is to live well in uncertainty. There’s always something we’re waiting on. Test results. A phone call. Money that's been promised. An answer you haven't gotten. A prayer that's remained unanswered. And there’s also a...
The Useful Life No. 7 — Instantaneous, Incarnational, In The Crockpot
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 7 Instantaneous, Incarnational, In The Crockpot Hey there, We’re talking about hurrying up (for what?), why you should stop praying for people, and how to start moving forward slowly. ↩ Looking Back Last week I read A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson. The book was first published in 1980, but the wisdom rings even more true today: One aspect of the world that I have been able to identify as harmful to Christians is the assumption...
The Useful Life No. 6 — Reproducibility, Relationships, and Reaching Out
The Useful Life by Jordan Shirkman No. 6 Reproducibility, Relationships, and Reaching Out Hey there, We’re focusing on relationships this week—what we expect (and reproduce) in others, how friendships bring change, and why it’s worth reaching out to repair what’s broken before it’s too late. ↩ Looking Back Last week I listened to 4 Chair Discipling by Dann Spader, a book that illustrates the path of growing into a faithful disciple of Jesus as four chairs of increasing maturity. One simple...
Read to move from chaos to clarity through decisive action? Subscribe to the weekly Useful Life newsletter and join a community of clever people sharpening their thinking, learning practical frameworks, and doing more of what truly matters.