It’s a grind to give a sermon every week. It can be similar for Bible study teachers, bloggers, podcasters, and other spokespersons for Christ. It can drain your soul. I feel compassion for pastors who stand up every week to preach but secretly the well of their own soul is dry. To be expected to…
Adapted from Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke by Bill Gaultiere. Often we hurry to be successful in ministry or just get through our responsibilities for the day. But the Bible’s great chapter on love begins with, “Love is unhurried…” (1 Corinthians 13:4, paraphrased). Putting unhurried margin (or soul space) in our schedule and…
If you keep negating your emotions you’ll hurt yourself and people you love. Eventually you’ll burnout. This is true for pastors and other workers seeking to serve God. It may seem like your feelings, desires, and needs diminish your productivity. But research on emotional intelligence proves the opposite to be the truth. Caring for your…
“The reason I share my junk with you,” a pastor disclosed. “Is because you’re not a monkish spiritual formation guy. I can’t relate to the contemplative spiritual direction types.” I get Type A leaders. I understand being intense and driven to reach the goal. That’s putting it mildly — I’m a workaholic. I’ve been in…
“I feel so distant from God,” Rev. Howard-John Wesley admitted recently. “One of the greatest mistakes of pastoring is to think that because you work for God, you’re close to God.” If you’re a pastor or ministry leader I’m especially writing to you. But whatever your work is and however you serve God, you too…
“I was burned out and didn’t know it,” lead pastor Ken Baugh recalls. It happens to so many pastors and other leaders and caregivers—but it doesn’t have to be your story. “I was so depleted of my own energy that I had just enough to get from weekend to weekend… I came to the point…
Listen to this episode of Soul Talks: In this episode, Bill and Kristi share from the heart about what life in Jesus’ easy yoke has looked like for them this week. Listening and sharing with one another are critical pieces of our journey with Christ. May your soul be touched by this conversation!
Lectio Divina is a delightful way to pray through a Bible passage. In our Soul Shepherding ministry, we use an especially refreshing and encouraging approach to this ancient discipline. The best way to understand Lectio Divina (Latin for “Divine Reading”) is to experience it personally, especially with someone who is experienced with this quiet, reflective,…
Listen to this episode of Soul Talks: In this episode, Bill opens up about his personal challenges during a recent Sabbath. Rest is difficult for many of us and can often times stir things up in our hearts that we have pushed away. Bill honestly shares his journey with rest and how the practice of…
When we try to rest, it is so easy to be overwhelmed with the things in our life that feel undone! We begin to judge ourselves and feel guilty for even trying to rest, and are tempted to get busy to make ourselves feel better. Join Bill and Kristi in a honesty conversation on the challenges we all face when learning to enter into real rest.