Face your life in 40 days
Prepare for your second half of life!
Project 40+ is a weekly online meetup during Lent’22 for people who are in the midst of or approaching big mid-life (anywhere between 35ish - 50’s+) changes exemplified by personal faith deconstruction, marriage and close relationships disruptions, career dissatisfaction. It’s also for empty nesters or those dealing for some time with infertility challenges, singles and married going through family crisis (death, divorce, sickness), and those who feel general dissatisfaction with life that generates rising existential questions.
We will look through the life of Moses to find out how did he handle big changes that catapulted him to the second half of life and how the transition changed his outlook on life, God, family life, power and leadership, discernment, hearing God’s voice, personal freedom, and responsibility.
Sign up for meetups online with a short talk, testimonies of people who gained post mid-life crisis wisdom, sharing, and prayer in groups (prayer for physical, emotional or spiritual healing and prophetic encouragement included):
Thursdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 at 6:30pm - 7:45pm PST
If you feel led to participate but the only obstacle is finances, contact iwona@stonetoflesh.org for discount
“Until a man has reached his forthieth year, he will never attain lasting peace, never be truly formed to God, try as he may. Up to that time he is occupied by so many things, driven this way and that by his own natural impulses; he is goverend by them, although he may imagine that he is governed by God. Before the proper time has arrived, he can not achieve true and perfect peace, not can he enter into a God seeing life. After that he shall wait another ten years before the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, the Spirit Who teaches all things, be truly His. ”
You are between 35ish and 50’s and your mood is: IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS?
It feels like free-falling from a plane and wondering if the parachute will open or if you even have one. It’s confusing and might show up uninvited.
Is mid-life crisis real or is it yet another modern invention? You would be surprised that a very known Dominican mystic, preacher and spiritual director to clergy, religious and laity, Johannes Tauler, observed and was addressing this issue already in the 14th century, seeing the midlife crisis as an opportunity for growth in faith.
Modern mid life crisis responses are no longer red corvettes and harleys but divorces, intense yoga and spirituality classes, sudden career changes, social media recorded extensive travels. Unrealized potential is blamed on spouses or toxic bosses, and we are continually encouraged to free ourselves and to become the best versions of our selves, continually comparing our lifestyles to popular influencers of fashion, sports, Hollywood or even religion.
But there is more. There is more to the second half of life than this. It feels different inwardly and looks different outwardly. It addresses the core issues of life, death, purpose, love, legacy and last things. Men want to transition from wildmen to wisemen. For women that transition can be multifaceted, from the nurturer of the immediate family to expanding into new career or ministry.
We would like to invite you to share your journey with us in a safe and supportive environment where you will be encouraged by those who passed through the valley of tears and learned how to be led, how to trust anew and how to live in the Presence of God.
who is it for?
It’s mainly but not restricted to people who are 40 and older or for those who are absolutely sure that they have crossed the threshold of idealism and are ready to become fools for Christ.
It is for those who are not afraid to leave the old selves behind and cultivate the new selves moment by moment. It is for those who are experiencing midlife crisis now or feel it is approaching soon.
Iwona Bednarz-Major, mom of three grown and mostly homeschooled kids, missionary in Eastern Europe, Middle East and USA since her early 20’s, founder of Stone to Flesh, School of the Heart and FLOW, will share on how to move through and beyond necessary or unwanted faith deconstruction without losing your mind, faith or friends.
Deacon Tom Mohan, husband and father, serving at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Waterford MI, an alumnus of School of the Heart Online’21, will share how he recognized he had entered into a midlife crisis and how God led him through and out of the storm.
Barbara Heil, mom of four grown kids and remarried widow, missionary, evangelist and preacher, the founder of From His Heart Ministries in Iowa, will share about a family crisis and how the Holy Spirit led her through faith challenges, the death of a spouse, and finding human and Divine love in surprising places while leading nation-wide ministry.
Kathleen Balassi, wife, artist, and homeschooling mom of five grown kids and alumnus of School of the Heart Online’21 will share about shifts in personal and family life while meeting God in the midst of loss and empty nest. She will describe the ongoing challenges in caring for elderly parents and a new hope in God and ministry of worship and ecumenism.
James Shackelford, husband, drummer and evangelist, an alumnus of School of the Heart Online’21, will share from the midst of an ongoing life’s transition impacting his career, wellbeing and relationships. He will share about cultivating life in the Spirit in the midst of unforeseen challanges.
Format: Weekly video meetup: 20 min teaching, 20 min testimony from one of our guests, 30 min in women/men small groups for sharing, prayer and ministry time. Should you miss one session, you will receive access to video the next day (Friday).
What do you need: Bible (we will be reading about the life of Moses), pen, ZOOM app on your device.
What’s on the other side?
When during your free fall you deploy a parachute, and you are transitioning to the second half of your life, your vision changes and you might identify with some of the following statements:
You regret so many things but you found a way to deal with it. Not on your terms but God’s.
You still believe but faith is now more about submission that flows than a defense that strives.
You don’t give a hoot about the latest something that is totally irrelevant to how you go about your days.
You laugh at people who are still go-after ambitious and all youngsters who are still chasing after the wind of the culture.
You got smarter, perhaps more cynical, less stubborn and you are misunderstood more often. Your core SELF became more stable.
You know by now you can’t save almost anything and anyone. You exchange white picket fences for shacks on the shores of Wisdom.
You gave up your dreams and you wonder if that’s a sign of depression, aging or inner-growth. And then your dreams aligned with Kingdom’s purposes.
Deconstruction is old news. Of anything, really. Because you realize, you can not ‘trust yourself’.
You know that poetry is subversive and changes your heart more than prose.
You sense another path coming. And you feel that freedom is in running on it without any shame.
You suffer better because you understand redemption.
You know doubt is healthy as air in Alaska and there are no answers to the most important questions, only better, more holy questions.
You realize that humility conquered your optimism, and you are not confident in anything other than what the next moment is gonna bring.
Your goodness gently floating in Presence is remarkably healthy.
This is not the end. This is the beginning of paradoxes that become new normal. Walking in the Spirit and gaining wisdom from our journey is the task that no one else can do for you.
“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.”