Sacred Pace – Olive Tree Blog

Terry Looper was thirty-six, a Christian, and a very successful businessman. He thought he had it all. But the way he pursued his dreams became his demise. After a serious burnout, months of counseling, and surrendering his life to God, Terry began to see real change. He learned how to align himself with God’s will—and it brought about a radical transformation.

This book is not another example of name-it-and-claim-it materialism in disguise. Instead, it walks readers through the sometimes-painful process of “dying to self” in their decisions, both big and small, so that they desire God’s will more than their own. And it can be narrowed down into an easy-to-remember, four-step process.

You can add Sacred Pace to your Olive Tree library as either an ebook or audiobook. Below, we’ve provided both text and audio excerpts. We think this book can encourage you in your walk with the Lord, and are excited to offer it in the app. It can be a great tool for learning to discover how to clearly and confidently discern God’s Will in your toughest decisions.

God most often reveals Himself when we are listening to Him, and hearing Him is easiest when we're proceeding at His pace

READ AN EXCERPT

Below is an excerpt taken from the introduction. We loved reading about Terry’s passion for this book, and thought it would be good for you to read it, too.

Thirty-five years ago, my life in the fast lane came to a screeching halt. Everything I thought I knew about who I was and what mattered most came crashing down around me. That season was the worst thing I’d ever experienced—and the best thing that could have happened for my future.

As I began to put the pieces of my life back together, I finally acknowledged that God was in control, not me. And I worked to submit myself to His will in all things.

Because of my newfound desire to know and follow God’s will, I began to practice a series of disciplines that allowed me to slow down my way of doing things so I could hear God’s voice and obey. As the decades have passed, those disciplines have solidified into a four-step process I refer to as a “sacred pace.” Essentially, the four steps help me to wait on God for both His timing and His will in my decisions.

I’m thankful to say the results have been better than I could have imagined, not only for myself spiritually, but for my family, my relationships, and my work as an entrepreneur and CEO in a fiercely competitive, high-stakes industry. Now I’m thirty-five years past that life-altering crisis, with almost as many years practicing this spiritual slowing-down process, and I can confidently say three things:

Working through the four steps first, before I act on any meaningful decision at home or at work, has become my pathway to receiving clarity and complete peace from the Lord.
The concepts behind this sacred pace are grounded in biblical principles, proven spiritual-formation methods, and practical skills that anyone can learn.
In three decades of using this approach in everything from the boardroom to intense negotiations to my closest relationships, I have never been disappointed by the outcome. Not once.”