“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” ~John 10:10~
Soul care
In a world full of distractions, chaos and busyness, perhaps God is calling us to more… more rest, more joy, more peace, more stillness, more love… rhythms that lead us to more of Him. His love is calling out to us among the noise. How will we respond?
My prayer is that we will say ‘yes’ to the God that calls us by name and live the life of freedom and love He created us for. Caring for our souls is more than just taking time for ourselves:
it’s spending time with and walking in a continual growing relationship with our God
it’s living in our true-selves (the person God created us to be), versus our false-selves (the person we become to survive and adapt to this world)
it’s a life lived in balance and rhythms - rest, work, play, service, relationships and community
Video provided by Leadership Transformations
Caring for Souls Through:
Spiritual Direction
Journeying through spiritual formation
Exploring spiritual disciplines
Christlike Virtues Enneagram
re:generation - 12 Step Christian recovery from any stronghold
Soul care for individuals, families and groups.
Spiritual Formation
We are being transformed into the likeness of Christ - spiritual formation, sanctification… “For those He forknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son… (Romans 8:29) “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” ~1 John 2:6~
We first must learn who God is and His great love for us. Then we must rest in and walk in this Love. This is the life of freedom He calls us to - a life in His joy and His peace - a life resting in and reflecting Him. Part of growing into the likeness of Christ, is learning our True Self, who God created us to be, versus our False Self, who we have adapted to be to survive in this world and fit in. One helpful tool I recommend when studied in the Light of Jesus is the enneagram. Check out The Ennegram Institute to learn more. Better understanding our spiritual temperament also ushers in the freedom of worshipping and relating to God as He created us to. Check out What’s Your God Language by Dr. Myra Perrine for a great resource.
Creating a ‘Rule of Life’ also helps us explore God’s purpose for us through our uniqueness. When we live as the person and family God created us to be, we experience His amazing freedom and joy. Our lives can reflect our Creator through the sacred rhythms of life. Check out Crafting A Rule of Life by Stephen Macchia to learn more.
“Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are - face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of His face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him.”
Spiritual practices to explore
Together, we can explore how God is calling you into an ever deepening relationship with Him. This non-exhaustive list of Spiritual Practices is a great place to start caring for your soul. I highly recommend the book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. See other listed resources and recommendations or contact me for more information on Spiritual Formation, Soul Care or Spiritual Direction.
Worship
Celebration
Prayer
Gratitude
Sabbath - Rest
Daily/weekly and monthly Examens
Journaling
Retreats
Self-care
Simplicity, Detachment
Teachability
Confession
Discernment and Spiritual Direction
Silence and Solitude
Waiting and Submission
Community
Discipling/Mentoring
Hospitality
Bible Study and Scripture Memorization
Devotional Reading/Lectio and Viso Divina
Compassion
Forgiveness
Humility
Stewardship
“Any movement on our part toward God is an indicator that God has been seeking us. ”
All photography provided by Andy Bulgerin