Creating a Rule of Life: Embodying Faithful Wholeness in Every Season Course

The invitation to create and live into a rule of life is, at its heart, an invitation to join God in the work of redeeming chaos by creating cosmos. To welcome beauty, order, and wholeness. To name the priorities, postures, practices, and rhythms you want to form—and be formed by. Because, whether you're aware of it or not, you are being formed by the forces and expectations around you. In creating a rule of life, you become intentional about the values and dynamics that shape who you are becoming.

This is our most-asked-for resource—the one we've been dreaming and planning from the very beginning and now refining since 2021. Since then hundreds of people have been through it and we’ve refined our offering for impact, ease, enjoyment, and transformation all along the way.

Through our time together, you’ll learn how to discern and live into healthy rhythms, postures, and practices that will guide you as you grow in Christ-likeness. You’ll learn more about what a rule of life is—and what it isn’t. (Hint: it isn’t a list of resolutions or ambitions for self-improvement.) You’ll release what isn’t serving you to make more room for God's presence in your life and begin reshaping and renewing your world under God’s guidance. You’ll chart action steps to integrate your domestic, faith, and work households more fully and weave prayer into your everyday rhythms and routines. You’ll finish the course with your own, unique rule of life that fits your current season a prayerful resource meant to keep you moving toward wholeness, freedom, and love through a life with God.

Specifically, we hope that in working through this course you will:

• Become more attentive to God’s invitation to shape your life according to God's love

• Practice transforming your daily work into “prayer without ceasing”

• Receive guidance from the Spirit through re-imagined time in holy scripture

• Enjoy God’s goodness through rich daily practices and gentle rhythms

• Interact with a vibrant, global, ecumenical community of fellow Christians and gather in a small formation group led by a minister or spiritual director where you'll have time to ask questions, celebrate milestones, and workshop the course material together

Frequently asked questions:

• How does this course work? How do I get my materials?
  I’m so glad you’re curious about the course! Once you register, you’ll receive full access to the course, so you can start immediately. You will also be given the opportunity to sign up for formation groups, and during the time of your formation group, you’ll receive weekly emails so you are prepared for that week’s module focus and meeting.
  

• How much time should I allow for the course? I'm really interested but want to be sure I can fully commit.
  Thank you for taking such a thoughtful and thorough approach to your commitments! You can plan to spend up to four very flexible hours on each course module, depending on your schedule, priorities, and preferences. You can spend those hours in a big chunk if that works for you, or work them in by smaller snippets here and there. You may spend an hour or so on each of the following:
  

• watching course videos or listening to course audio

• reading through module in the course guidebook

• reflecting on and responding to the materials

• engaging with your small formation group via Zoom meeting
  
  

• I’m not much of an online group person. Is there any way I can do this in person?
  Yes! Soon we'll be offering this exact course, but with the option for quarterly in-person retreats at Cedarbrake Renewal Center in Belton, Texas with your formation group, as opposed to weekly meetings on Zoom. Stay tuned for details as we prepare to launch this opportunity! 
  
  

• I’ve never heard of a rule of life. Can you tell me more about what it is, exactly?
  A rule of life is a commitment to live in a certain way. Once written, your rule of life serves as a tool to help you make decisions for your life and determine how best to order your days. The idea of a rule of life stretches back thousands of years, to the sixth century, when Benedict of Nursia created his Rule to help the community he led translate their faith into the habits and rhythms of daily life. Benedict’s text was widely adopted and has become a key text for Christian monastic life in the 1500 years since he first wrote it.
  
  

• This course sounds incredible! I am very new to spiritual practices in general, would this course be appropriate for me?
  Absolutely! One of our hopes is to come alongside you with both guidance and companionship as you seek to imagine, discern, and integrate spiritual practices into your everyday life. The intentional space of community built through formation groups is the perfect place to take these questions and wonderings!
  
  

• Is this course specific to a particular denomination or faith tradition?
  The course was written for and has already been appreciated by an ecumenical body of participants. It’s applicable to anyone who desires to embody a faithful wholeness and grow in Christ-likeness. We highly value the distinct contributions and unitive communion of the various denominations and experiences within the Christian tradition, as well as of our brothers and sisters outside the formal walls of the church. We expect the course (as our community) to be full of a variety of theological perspectives on all the things—but sharing our experiences, stories, and faith is part of the point! Our interactions will be guided by our community values and conversation guide, which are focused on hospitality, curiosity, and humility.
  
  

• Is there a payment plan so I can spread the cost out over a few weeks or months?
  Yep, we've got monthly payment options for each formation group time! Just scroll back up and click the button that says "View Payment Options" to select the meeting time that works best for you.
  
  

• Is there a chance this course might be accessible by sliding scale or scholarship?
  We've been able to offer several, so far, and hope to continue. Email us at hello@sacredordinarydays.com with your specific request. Or, if you’d like to give toward this fund, please let us know.
  
  

Course Material: 8 online modules, including corresponding teaching which you can enjoy via video or audio , and an interactive/printable PDF guidebook Each module includes a named outcome, an opening prayer, scripture, prompts for reflection, space to name your prayer + action moving forward, a rubric for discernment, a quote, and (almost all include) a corresponding piece of art.

Community Experience: Journey alongside others tending to their own intentional formation. Simply choose the meeting day and time that works best for your rhythms. Each cohort will be led by a spiritual director or minister. Once you register, you’ll be given the link to sign up. If at first you don’t see anything that works for you – do not fear! We will be consistently adding new formation group offerings, to accommodate different schedules. (We’ve already got dates and time mapped out for the next few months!)

COHORT OPTIONS

8-Week Offerings Scheduled Now

June & August 2024 Cohorts:
Thursday at 11am starting June 13
Thursday at 1pm starting June 13
Friday at 9am starting June 14

August & September 2024 Cohorts:
Tuesday at 9am starting August 6
Tuesday at 1pm starting August 6

September & October 2024 Cohorts:
Thursday at 11am starting September 30
Thursday at 1pm starting September 30

(Please note: Join anytime & get access to the materials, then join a cohort when you're ready. We will continue to offer new cohort opportunities throughout the year!)