Several years ago, while I was attending seminary, I took a class that focused on contemplative spirituality. It was a refreshing departure from the constant activity and achievement that often characterize both ministry and modern life. During that course, I was introduced to Stephen Macchia’s book, Crafting a Rule of Life, and as part of a class project, I developed my own Rule of Life.
If I’m being completely honest, I haven’t faithfully followed the document I created all those years ago.
The binder isn’t sitting open on my desk. I haven’t reviewed it regularly. I certainly haven’t checked off every commitment and discipline I outlined. Yet something much deeper than the document itself remained with me. The spirit of the assignment settled into my heart and never truly left.
Now, as I find myself in my sixties, with grandchildren filling my life with joy and my husband and I beginning to think about retirement, the lessons from that book seem more relevant than ever. The older I get, the less interested I am in keeping up with the frantic pace of American culture and the more interested I become in living intentionally.
Perhaps that’s why I recently found myself returning to the introduction of Crafting a Rule of Life.
Macchia writes:
“A rule of life allows us to clarify our deepest value, our most important relationships, our most authentic hopes and dreams, our most meaningful work, our highest priorities. It allows us to live with intention and purpose in the present moment.”
When I first read those words years ago, they sounded inspiring. Today, they feel necessary.
What Is a Rule of Life?
The phrase “Rule of Life” can sound restrictive at first. It sounds like a list of regulations or spiritual requirements. In reality, the word “rule” comes from the Latin word regula, meaning a trellis.
A trellis doesn’t constrain a vine; it supports its growth.
Without a trellis, a vine sprawls aimlessly across the ground. With one, it grows upward, flourishes, and bears fruit.
A Rule of Life serves the same purpose. It provides a framework for how we want to live before God. It helps us identify the habits, rhythms, priorities, and relationships that support our spiritual growth.
In a culture that celebrates busyness, productivity, and endless striving, this idea feels almost revolutionary.
We are constantly encouraged to do more, buy more, achieve more, and schedule more. Yet many of us are exhausted. We feel disconnected from God, distracted from our families, and uncertain about what truly matters.
A Rule of Life asks a different question:
How do I want to live?
Not simply what do I want to accomplish, but who do I want to become?
A Lesson That Changed My Ministry
The influence of this book extended beyond a seminary assignment.
At the time, I was involved in ministry leadership and worship planning. Reading Crafting a Rule of Life changed the way I thought about worship.
I began to see worship not as a single event that happened on Sunday morning but as a rhythm of life. Worship became less about producing a service and more about creating space for people to encounter God.
The contemplative practices I was learning encouraged me to slow down, listen, and pay attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit. They reminded me that God often speaks in stillness rather than noise.
Those lessons remain valuable today.
A Biblical Invitation to Slow Down
The idea of intentional living is woven throughout Scripture.
Psalm 90:12 says:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Wisdom is not simply knowledge. Wisdom is knowing how to live.
Jesus Himself modeled a Rule of Life. Throughout the Gospels, we see Him regularly withdrawing to pray, spending time in solitude, investing deeply in relationships, observing rhythms of rest, and remaining focused on His Father’s purposes.
In John 15:5, Jesus says:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”
Notice that Jesus does not command frantic activity. He calls us to abide.
The fruit comes from connection.
The American dream often tells us that our worth comes from our accomplishments. Scripture tells us that our identity comes from our relationship with Christ.
Those are very different foundations for a life.
Hygge, Lagom, Lykke, and Jeong
As I’ve explored the concepts behind Chicks on the Road, I’ve become fascinated by cultural philosophies that encourage a slower and more meaningful life.
The Danish concept of hygge celebrates warmth, comfort, connection, and presence.
Lagom reminds us that enough is enough—not too much and not too little.
Lykke focuses on cultivating everyday happiness through relationships and gratitude.
Jeong, a Korean concept, emphasizes deep bonds, loyalty, and enduring relationships.
What strikes me is how closely these ideas align with the spirit of a Rule of Life.
Each encourages intentionality.
Each values people over possessions.
Each prioritizes relationships over achievement.
Each invites us to slow down enough to notice the gifts already present in our lives.
In many ways, a Christian Rule of Life provides a spiritual framework that supports these same values while keeping Christ at the center.
Creating a Different Kind of Future
As retirement slowly appears on the horizon, I find myself asking different questions than I did in my thirties or forties.
I am less concerned about climbing ladders and more concerned about building a meaningful life.
I want to create space for family dinners, conversations with grandchildren, quiet mornings with coffee and Scripture, meaningful friendships, creative projects, and opportunities to serve others.
Those things don’t happen accidentally.
They require intention.
A Rule of Life doesn’t guarantee perfection. I can certainly testify to that. Mine spent plenty of years collecting dust.
But even when we fail to follow every detail, the exercise of crafting one helps clarify what matters most.
It gives us a vision for the life we want to cultivate.
And perhaps that is the real gift Macchia offers in the introduction to his book: permission to stop drifting and start living with purpose.
A Question for the Road
If you were to create your own Rule of Life today, what would it include?
What relationships, values, practices, and priorities would make the list?
As I revisit this journey, I invite you to join me. Together, perhaps we can build lives that are less hurried, more intentional, and more deeply rooted in the things that matter most.
*Note: Stephen Macchia’s Crafting a Rule of Life, is available on Amazon and other booksellers.
About the Author
Sherri holds an AA in Anthropology, a BA in History and Religious Studies from Albright College, and an MA in Ministry Leadership from Capital Seminary & Graduate School. She is the founder of Chicks on the Road Publishing, where she creates faith-filled resources designed to encourage women in their walk with Christ, their homes, and their family legacy.
Through storytelling, Bible studies, journals, devotionals, and memory-keeping projects, Sherri hopes to inspire others to live intentionally, preserve what matters most, and pass their faith to the next generation.
Creating from anywhere. Encouraging everywhere.
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