By Bill Gaultiere © 2012

My heart goes out to people who get overcome by worry. It’s a temptation we all face. It used to be a way of life for me till I was renewed spiritually and deepened by trust in God’s Word.

As a Psychologist I help people with worry in therapy. I also provide spiritual care and mentoring for groups of people in homes, churches, and retreat centers. For instance, last night I was blessed to lead a group of friends in a time of Lectio Divina (an ancient way of praying Scripture) on Jesus’ beautiful words Matthew 6:25-34: “Do not worry… Look at the birds… See how the lilies grow… Seek first the kingdom of God…” Everyone drew closer to Jesus. Each person shared their heart with the Lord and their friends and each heard Jesus’ words of peace applied to their personal life.

God Will Clothe You

I’d like to give you a taste of our “Intimacy with Jesus” group by sharing my experience. For the first reading of the Bible passage the phrase that God drew my attention to was, “He will clothe you.” After the second reading I prayed in silence and then with a cluster of friends concerning my temptation to worry about the sermon I’ll be giving this Sunday, my first at Voyagers’ Bible Church, our new home church.

Our third and final reading of the Bible passage was focused on listening for a personal invitation from the Lord. We listened in silence and then each of us shared in our cluster a prayer of thanks for what we sensed God was saying to us. Here’s how I heard the Lord speak to my heart:

Do not worry. As you preach concern yourself with one thing: me in the midst of the congregation. I am present. I am Fathering the people as you speak. Just as I care for the birds so I care for my people. Trust me as the one who is sowing and reaping, the one who stores away treasure in the heavens. Then for you and the congregation your sowing and reaping will be an easy yoke and you’ll enjoy a treasure store in my kingdom.

I am growing the flowers as you speak, clothing them in my sunshine. I am the one who clothes you. Be clothed in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Be clothed in the words of Jesus — embody them. I will speak through you, not just your words, but your spirit clothed in my Spirit. I will glorify Jesus through you and he will minister peace to the congregation.

Just as I sing over the birds and they sing back to me so it is with my people. Imagine yourself preaching in a field of wildflowers with the sun shining and birds singing. Imagine yourself standing with Jesus in the kingdom of the heavens and all eyes are on him. Make this your prayer then you and the congregation will be at peace as the sunshine and music of my glory spreads in them and through them to the people they touch in their daily lives.

Feed off the Fruit of My Meditation

What challenge are you facing in your life? What stress is troubling you? Re-read my invitation from Jesus, receiving it for you in your situation. The ancient masters of devotion to Jesus call this “Feeding off the fruit of another’s meditation”…

More Soul Shepherding

The best way to hear God speak into your own life is to take the time to do your own meditation on Scripture. I invite you to listen to God speak from Matthew 6:25-34. Here’s the Lectio Divina handout on “Do Not Worry: Matthew 6:25-34” that we used last night.

My article on Lectio Divina introduces the history, Biblical background, rhythms, and steps to practice of this ancient discipline.

If you live in Southern California I invite you to come to one of our upcoming Soul Shepherding events, including this Sunday when I preach on “Be God’s Wildflower — Be Worry Free!” Or perhaps we can do an event for you and your friends at your home or church.

“Soul Shepherding is for you and your ministry” ~ Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D.

Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

“You brought me out into a spacious place” the Psalmist marveled with thanks to the Lord (Psalm 18:19, 31:8). We want to help you step into the spaciousness that the Good Shepherd has for you and your ministry. We do that by facilitating your intimacy with Jesus.

Soul Shepherding from the Lord Jesus Christ is what enables you to enjoy lasting spiritual renewal and fruitful ministry to others.

But there are obstacles that get in the way. Hurts and worries may burden you. Conflicts can cripple. Ministry stress may overwhelm. More church attendance, Bible study, and hard work are not enough for you to experience the healing and growth you need to be joyful and effective in God’s kingdom. So we are trained to provide psychotherapy and spiritual direction, along with showing you how to use the particular spiritual disciplines you need to be free to be who God has designed you to be.

Contact us if we can help you or someone you’re concerned about.

Bill & Kristi

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

“Days pass, years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles.”

These words of warning from a Jewish sabbath prayer are true of most of us most of the time. How easily we become preoccupied with work or burdened with worry. We neglect to pay attention to the beauty and goodness of God all around us.

We miss out on God’s miracles.

Come to Jesus

But Jesus still opens the eyes of the blind. How? With his touch. With the most wonderful invitation, “Come to me… and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Rest for the soul. Peace. It’s in the embrace of Jesus. It’s in the breath of the Spirit. It’s for now. It’s for you. It’s for me.

Do it. Pause. Take a deep breath. Meditate on a Scripture like, ‘There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Make every effort to enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:9-11, NIV 1984).

With the Word of God in your heart look up to heaven and say a prayer…

You’ll experience miracles. Your heart will open to the beauty of flowers, laughter, a cup of hot tea, a good book, a nap, a relaxed conversation. You’ll experience Jesus Christ and be filled with his love, ready to overflow to the people near you.

More Soul Shepherding

“Six Unhurried Words” will help you to rest in God.

For those who live in OC we’re offering a seminar and a morning retreat as special opportunities to rest in God and his Word. Check out our calendar.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ SoulShepherding.org

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

God says to us, “Sit down,” but a lot of us have trouble doing this!

It’s especially difficult for those of us who are leaders, pastors, or care-givers. We race ahead to get things done. We stand up to take charge or to help people. But we don’t like to sit down and wait! We’re not good at listening patiently.

It’s hard for active personalities to believe, but we’ll accomplish more of what’s really important if we first sit down before the Lord—delighting ourselves in him, waiting to see what he’s doing, listening to what he’s saying, and depending on him as we follow his lead.

David Sat Down—But Then he Didn’t

Psalm 110 begins with David saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (Psalm 110:1).

Indeed, it was said of the king, “David sat” (1 Chronicles 17:16). He was a good leader when he sat before the Lord. Earlier in his life (when so many of his Psalms were written) we read seven times in Samuel’s account that David “inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 22:10, 23:2,4,12; 30:8; 2 Samuel 5:19, 23). One time God told him to wait to go out and meet his enemy in battle until he heard the sound of the Lord and his angel armies marching ahead of him in the tops of the balsam trees (2 Samuel 5:22-25). David was successful because he listened to and obeyed the Lord.

But then king David got overconfident and self-reliant. He got restless. No longer was his soul satisfied in God. He stopped sitting before the Lord. He stopped inquiring of him. Then he had his moral blow out and his family and his kingdom fell apart. Later he returned to relying on God.

We see the same story played out over and over again among Christian leaders and caregivers in our day: those who don’t enjoy sitting before the Lord are likely candidates for a moral blow out or a stress burn out that hurts them and all the people in their circle of influence.

Jesus Sat Down

Psalm 100 is prophetic of Christ. The perfect Leader fulfilled these words, living in a posture of sitting before the Father. He waited eighteen years to begin his public ministry. In all things Jesus submitted to the Father and waited to follow his lead (John 5:19, 12:49). This was the source of his love and power.

Is your posture one of sitting down before the Lord? Are you listening to his voice, following him?

You’ll be a better leader. You’ll accomplish more.

More Soul Shepherding

“Ministry Begins with Rest” will encourage you to offer your service for God in the right way so you don’t burn out or blow out.

What if church and parachurch planning meetings were done in the Spirit of Psalm 110 rather than like a secular business? Why do we set aside prayer and dependency on Christ when it’s time to “get down to business”? “Facilitating Spirit-Led Meetings” explains the Soul Shepherding way for leading meetings and groups as a Christ-follower, depending on the Holy Spirit in the process. This is what we teach to pastors, elders, nonprofit presidents, and others.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Do you ever become jealous? Or get competitive? Most people do.

These are problems of insecurity that come from trying to find our value in the things we have, the way we look, or what we do. This is the way of our culture which says, “Blessed are the rich, the good looking, and the successful because they have what the best that the world has to offer.”

Who is Really Well Off?

But Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor and the shy because the kingdom of the heavens is open to them.” But don’t stop there. He would also say, “Blessed are the rich, the good looking, and the successful because the kingdom of the heavens is open to them.” In other words, the great opportunity of anyone’s life is to be alive in God’s kingdom—whatever circumstance they might find themselves in. (See Matthew 5:3-10 and Luke 6:20-23).

If you’re rejoicing in the smile of Christ the King then you won’t be overcome by jealousy or selfish ambition when you see someone who looks to be fortunate. Instead you’ll want to share the blessings of Christ that you’re enjoying. You’ll naturally and routinely “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

Be a Friend of the Bridegroom

John the Baptist’s disciples became jealous and competitive when they saw that Jesus’ disciples were baptizing more people than them. John replied along these lines, “Jesus is the Bridegroom and the people are his bride so of course they want to go to him! I am the friend of the Bridegroom and it’s my great joy to stand at his side, give him praise, and encourage everyone to go to him. Jesus must increase and I must decrease!” (John 3:29-30, paraphrase).

Oh to be a friend of the Bridegroom! There is no greater joy than to draw people closer to Jesus! That’s why we need to eliminate selfish ambition and the insecurity that underlies it by discovering the treasure of God’s kingdom.

A Breath Prayer Exercise

Here’s a Breath Prayer to help us cultivate the faith, humility, and generosity of John the Baptist: “More of Jesus… Less of me” (based on John 3:30).

As you breathe in appreciate Jesus… As you breathe out let go of the sin, striving, stress, or whatever it is that distracts you from Jesus…

It helps to name whatever it is in your life that crowds out Jesus, even to imagine that struggle as you pray: “More of Jesus… Less of me…”

Breathing in, “More of Jesus…” Breathing out, “Less of my striving…” (or worrying or trying to please people or…)

More Soul Shepherding

Here are some of wonderful promises of the blessing for those who open their heart to God and find their true Identity in Christ.

Here are my favorite Breath Prayers from the Bible. So easy to memorize and carry with you as you go about your day. So delightful and transformational to pray from your heart.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Discipleship to Jesus changes how we live. We gain a new perspective and new resources—a new life takes over our life. We learn to do whatever we’re doing from within God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).

What does this look like? Dallas Willard says it’s like becoming an apprentice to Jesus. It’s not about being religious—it’s about being with Jesus to become like him, holding his hand and learning from him continually.

Learning from Jesus, the Master, changes everything about our lives because it changes us on the inside. What difference does discipleship to Jesus make in our daily lives? It’s huge!

A Plumber’s Story

I love the way Dallas Willard, my personal mentor, explains the practical life transformation that takes place when we apprentice ourselves to Jesus:

Let’s say I’m a plumber and I’m going to clean out someone’s sewer. How will I do this as Jesus would do it? If you encounter difficulties with the people you’re serving or with the pipe or the machinery, you never fight that battle alone. You invoke the presence of God. You expect to see something happen that is not the result of you.

If you train yourself to thank God when those ‘coincidences’ happen, you’ll see them as patterns in your life. The crucial thing is to be attentive to God’s hand, not to get locked into one-on-one thinking: It’s me and this pipe! Never do that. A person has to train himself to think, Now is the time to rely on God and to praise him for the solution that will come to me. That’s called ‘life in God.’ Training brings you to the point where you don’t have to say, “I have to pay attention!” You routinely think, This is an occasion when God is present. This is a time to pray, to praise. (Quoted in When the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson, p. 145.)

It’s Not Just Me and this Pipe!

What has happened for this plumber? God has a solved his problem with the pipe. Yes, but what is far more important is that the plumber has become the kind of person who prays and praises God as he works on broken pipes. That is a miracle because plumbing problems can lead even an expert plumber to become grumpy and irritable! In all the circumstances of his life he knows that the living Christ is with him and so he remains at peace and he is more effective in whatever he is doing because he relies on God’s wisdom and power to help him.

Imagine you being a person like that plumber. Imagine doing your job as Jesus’ apprentice. Imagine doing whatever you’re doing in Jesus’ easy yoke: cooking, caring for your kids, going through your e-mail, driving in traffic, listening to someone who is angry with you, waiting in line at the bank. Doing it all with a smile because Jesus is with you and the two of you are in partnership.

You can learn to live for Jesus. You can be like the man who discovered hidden treasure in a field and joyfully sold everything he had to buy that field. The treasure is knowing Jesus intimately. The field is your life (Matthew 13:44).

More Soul Shepherding

What have a learned from Dallas Willard? A lot! Here are my “Reflections on Dallas Willard’s Ministry to Me.”

How important is it to you to learn to devote your whole life to Jesus? It’s the best life and the easiest life! I my book You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke I show you how living as Jesus’ apprentice can give you peace in any situation of stress.

Through counseling and spiritual mentoring, seminars and retreats we help pastors, ministry leaders, and other servants of the Lord to live in Jesus’ easy yoke.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

“It’s no sweat!” we say when something is easy for us. What if we lived life without sweating? Without straining, hurrying, or worrying?

That’s how Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden—till they separated themselves from God. Ever since people have been working by the sweat of their brow. But we misunderstand this and think that work is the curse. No! We were created by God to rule and reign with him (Genesis 1:28). Work is not the curse—sweat work is the curse.

How do you do your Work?

I talk with a lot of pastors and many other kinds of ministry leaders from presidents to parents and so many of them tend to live by the sweat of their brow. They’re straining to serve God, help people, and accomplish their work for God. Often they’re rushing from thing to thing, running late.

I understand. Most of my life that’s how I lived—till I discovered Jesus’ way.

How about you? Are “sweating it out” as you do your work and face the challenges of your life?

Jesus’ “No Sweat” Way

Jesus redeemed us form the curse, setting us free from sin and sweat too. Often sin and sweat go together. Sweat work—continually straining to do more, faster, and better—is likely to be a manifestation of our pride, relying on ourselves rather than the Spirit of Christ with us. It’s said, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” Well, it’s just as likely to be true that “Busy hands are the devil’s workshop.”

The issue is how we do our work—how we serve customers, teach students, parent our kids, clean our house, run errands, and minister to the people in our church. Jesus invites us to do our work in his “easy yoke” (Matthew 11:30). He did his work with a relaxed attitude and a smile on his face—that’s Jesus’ way.

How about stepping into Jesus’ easy yoke today as you do your work? Remember, ”The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

More Soul Shepherding

Recently a Soul Shepherding reader wrote: “I was highly encouraged as I read this blog on hurry. The connection between my own hurried agenda and the sin of pride is an excellent reminder to live in the present moment and celebrate the moments we have been given as a gift from God. This was a great reminder to live in the present grace of God.” If you go to our page on “Overcoming Problems” you’ll find this and other similar articles under the category “Hurry Sickness.”

In my book, “You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke” you’ll find uncommon insights on dealing with stress, creative and refreshing ways of praying Scripture, and an opening to walk the path of life with the Prince of Peace.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Jesus knocks on the door of your heart

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

What if Jesus asked you to lunch? I think you’d be excited!

Actually, Jesus has already asked you. Remember he said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

Lunch with Jesus. It’s a simple concept, but it’s powerful. Let me illustrate.

Recently Kristi and I helped the staff members of Baja Christian Ministries (BCM) have a private lunch with Jesus on the beach as part of a three-day spiritual formation retreat. These pastors and missionaries serve the Lord in Mexico. They care for the poor and prisoners. They share the gospel and make disciples to Jesus. They work so hard and give so much to others—they need to be cared for and encouraged too!

Look what Happens when you Make Time for Jesus!

What effect does it have when Christ’s servants set aside a few days for intimacy with Jesus in community? To be guided and encouraged in Scripture, prayer, and soul talk? I wish you could’ve seen the glowing face of Bob Sanders, the President of BCM. He was radiating with the love, joy, and peace of Christ.

There were many testimonies from the retreat that told the same story as Bob’s face. A pastor who was ready to quit her ministry was rejuvenated. Two pastor’s wives who had a falling out were reconciled. Missionaries shared stories of deep wounds and received comfort. Pastors who were serving alone in the frontier open up to a safe community and received the embrace of Christ.

We’ve seen it time and again: When we are helped to de-stress and open our hearts to Jesus his life flows into us—then it can readily flow through us to other people. “Abide in me and you will bear much fruit,” Jesus promised (John 15:5).

For Bob and his team it all began with having lunch with Jesus in quiet solitude. It can be that simple for you too. Just you and Jesus in a quiet place, perhaps a beautiful nature setting, sharing a meal and sharing hearts, enjoying being together, perhaps for a few hours or more.

More Soul Shepherding

Your face can glow like Bob’s. You can grow in your intimacy with Jesus. Bob’s testimony in the form of a prayer poem will get you started: “Lunch with Jesus.”

We were able to provide this retreat for the missionaries at no cost to them. That’s because of the generosity of our ministry partners who have caught the Soul Shepherding vision: invest in the care of pastors and you help to advance God’s kingdom in the hundreds of lives that they touch. It’s easy to make a tax-deductible donation to Soul Shepherding.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

When was the last time you sat by the ocean, a lake, or a stream? It’s a great place to meet God and breathe in deep as you appreciate his beauty and goodness that restores your soul.

Kristi and will be leading 30 missionaries in a 3-day retreat at the ocean at a private hotel in Mexico. What joy it brings us to assist Jesus’ ministry of renewing people who work so hard to share his gospel!

Our personal retreats and the ones like this that we lead for others are all about intimacy with Jesus. Through Scripture meditation, soul talk, solitude, and listening prayer we’ll be drawing closer to our Lord. In so doing we’re helping to prevent missionary burnout which is so common. Did you know that the average pastor quits after five years of ministry? The stress becomes too much.

Perhaps you can relate even if you’re not a ministry leader? We all have stress and need to be able to say with David, “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3).

Try this Little, Refreshing Prayer

Psalm 42 is one of my favorite soul restoring prayers. I especially have benefited from using it by a body of water. Do you know this Psalm? One of the lines is: “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me” (verse 7).

Years ago I paraphrased this verse:

The Deep calls to my deep

Wave after wave washes

Over me… In me… Through me…

I invite you to take a breather now…

Imagine yourself before the ocean of God’s love and pray Psalm 42:7. Try to be like a seashell in which the ocean so lives in your soul that you keep echoing with the waves of God’s love!

More Soul Shepherding

“Waves of Love” paraphrases all of Psalm 42—it is one of my prayer poems that people appreciate the most. It’s especially helpful when you’re going through distress or God seems distant.

The 3-day retreat we are doing for the Mexican missionaries and their spouses is free for them. They’ve never experienced anything like this! We are able to do this, along with low cost counseling for pastors, because of our ministry partners. Perhaps you’d like to invest in the counseling and care of pastors and missionaries? Here’s how you can make a tax-deductible donation to Soul Shepherding.

Do you live in Orange County, CA? We invite you to join us for “Thirst,” a new ministry we’re offering.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

It happens to most of us every day: we don’t finish all that we set out to accomplish for that day.

Often we have more work, projects, errands, people to meet, or ministry to do then there is time. Or we schedule our day without margin. So we hurry! hurry!! hurry!!!

Hurry!

Hurry is not just moving fast, it’s also an attitude of pressuring yourself to do more in less time. When you’re rushing you’re believing that what you are trying to accomplish is more important than anything else — including the people around you and the Lord in your midst.

Hurry is rooted in pride.

Did you ever notice that Jesus was never in a hurry?

Hurry Hurts

Hurry is the enemy of our souls. When we hurry we’re not enjoying the moment, we’re not likely to be patient and kind with people, and we rarely hear God’s voice.

Furthermore, hurry damages our bodies. Have you ever heard of “hurry sickness”? Doctors have found it relates to heart disease and other diseases. People who live in a hurry are likely to develop adrenaline dependence and although it feels great to be keyed up all the time it is also is very damaging to our health.

A Prayer from Psalm 37

Praying my “Do Not Hurry Prayer” from Psalm 37 has helped me to slow down, refocus on the Lord with me, and adjust my attitude. The mindset of David in this prayer is the antidote for hurry! (To learn more about this read my short article, ”Negative Emotions.”)

So I’ve memorized this prayer.  I’ve spent hours meditating on it. It’s one of the things that has helped me, little-by-little, over time, to live at a more relaxed pace, stay within my limitations, and submit to my Sovereign Lord in all things. (Being “Type A” by nature I’m still learning!)

What peace it brings to feed on the heavenly manna in Psalm 37! I invite you to pray with me:

Do not hurry…

Trust in the Lord and do good;

Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

Trust in him and he will do this: he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

Do not hurry… Do not hurry.

(Psalm 37:1-8, NIV 1984; I replaced “fret” with “hurry”).

Were you able to pray from your heart? I hope you didn’t hurry through the prayer —- that’s easy to do when you’re on your computer or smart phone. Perhaps you need to take this prayer with you to a quiet place for awhile?

More Soul Shepherding

Praying Psalm 37 can be powerfully transformational to help you overcome hurry or other emotional struggles. I explain this in “Negative Emotions,” one of my most requested articles which I have freshly updated.

Are you relying too much on adrenaline? Find out by reading “Hurry Up and Be Still! Freedom from Adrenaline Dependence.”

My new book, You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke, is all about helping you to live in the peace of Christ. It is full of insights and simple, refreshing prayers from Scripture.

Pastors and other ministry leaders are especially prone to hurry. The ministry never ends. There are more and more people to help, programs to plan and lead, events to attend, funds to raise. Through counseling and spiritual direction we help pastors with stress-related problems. And we facilitate the intimacy with Jesus and rest of soul that they long for.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org