The Prescription for our Dis-ease

prescriptionIn today’s fast moving world, there is a “dis-ease” within us: hurry sickness, being always on and always available; competing demands and being over-committed. We’re tired, worn out and burned out on religion. We struggle to care for others and while abandoning our own health.[tweetthis]The antidote to our “dis-ease”—is soul care. We are not without hope—no matter how fragile the ice is that we are dancing upon at the present moment.[/tweetthis] Learning to care for our soul is not only our cure but it is our hope. The English word, “care” gets its meaning from the Latin word “cura” which means—cure. As we care for our souls, we find the cure—the healing, balm and salve our souls so need. The pressure we live under; the cult of speed, our busyness and inability to really know how to rest all converge in a crisis that is now rampant both in the church and outside the walls of the church in the marketplace. To realize that there is hope--is to realize that each of us have an opportunity to re-do our lives and to live the soul in mind.Soul Care requires a paradigm shift of how we look at life; what we believe really matters in life; and how to care for what really matters. Earlier in our lives, many of us were intoxicated with the belief that what mattered in this life was: power, position, significance and success. This dangerous cocktail became the drink of choice for many—including myself. We lived in a stupor trying to make sense of a life marked by striving, fast-paced living and busyness. When I look back upon my 30’s and early 40’s, I see I was intoxicated—drunk on this way of looking at life. We raise our children; do our lives in a culture shaped by a shallow way of life. The ripple effect of living in a stupor is huge! But in my case and in the case of so many others, God has a way of waking us up through some sort of crisis—some form of the rug being pulled out from under us: health crisis; being fired, a child in crisis, marriage woes, an affair or sweating at 3am and not knowing what our inner panic is all about. We awake from our stupor and the find that the tectonic plates of our world have shifted.What begins to matter is our soul…our meaning of life—our purpose—our well-being. In addition to our own wake up and soul care challenge, we begin to really WANT this for those around us. This awakening is a growing awareness that our souls really do matter. The soul of our marriage; the soul of our children; the soul of our friends begins to take on new meaning. This, my friends is a Divine Invitation to begin to care for what really matters in life—to care for our souls. As we begin to care for our souls, we begin to live the healing. Read that sentence again: As we begin to care for our souls, we begin to live the healing. That’s right—we live our own healing. We begin to participate in our own transformation.We live the healing and cure our “dis-ease” when we embrace our souls and understand our souls. I was late to this realization. Earlier in my work, life was about my work; accomplishments, growth and so much more. Now, I am asking myself: Where did all that inner drive really come from? From a good place—or an unhealthy place? In my case, much of my drive was unharnessed—unredeemed—full out unbridled passion which resulted in way too much space in my marriage; what too much disconnect in my body—because I drove my body rather than cared for the physical address of my soul—which is what our bodies actually are.Soul Care begins with what I call a “dip stick” test. When you check the oil levels in your car, we pull out the dip stick and that stick actually reveals what is happening inside. My problem, like so many of you may be, that I never really knew I could do a “dip-stick” test on my soul. I had to learn to ask this one question: How am I doing WITH WHAT I am doing? I could quickly tell people what I was up to, but I did not have the self awareness to reflect on what was happening inside of me as I was going about my 90 mile an hour life. Soul Care begins with this question. Ask yourself, “How am I doing with what I am doing?” and you’ll find yourself slowing waking from a sleepy existence—an intoxication—that many of us have to go through some form or de-tox in order to re-gain what we have lost—our souls.I hope you'll consider joining Gwen and I in a way to care for our souls. We've just completed a brand neFB Ad-Promo Soul Care 101w way to learn about soul care. It's called: Soul Care 101. It's a series of 8 conversations that we filmed at our retreat in Colorado. We're providing the notes to our talks and a study guide where you can dig in and learn more about what we call the great themes of caring for your soul. Soul Care 101 will be available in three exciting ways: 1) DVD's where you can watch as you can; when you can, wherever you are and learn. 2) Streaming from the Web--from anywhere in the world 3) An online class which will be limited to 25 people beginning in September 2016. Stay tuned for more information and the actual release of this new and exciting way to learn. 

Spiritual Tourism and the Care of the Soul

   Soul Care is NOT spiritual tourism! We've all probably said these things:I got the book—but I never read it.I did a retreat once—but that was a long time ago.I heard about solitude—but I am too busy to do it.I’m too busy—I can’t find any time for myself.I tried silence—but didn’t like what I heard in my own head. So I quit.I keep going—because I don’t want to look inside—it’s too scary.I always wear ear buds—I don’t like to be quiet.I’m tired and worn out but have not stopped to consider what my weariness is doing to those I love; live with and work with.Most people know the joy of being a tourist for a few days. We work hard all year so the anticipation of taking some time off to go visit the beach; do an overnight in the mountains; swim in a stream; linger in a chair under a tree or sleep in late…finally. We like to visit places that give us the chance to have a break from the routine—to mix life up a little. We like to visit different places hoping that by a visit—by being a sort of tourist there will be some reward. What could be wrong with that? There's nothing wrong with get-a-ways and taking trips. But...I know people that say when coming back from a 7 day trip to somewhere, “I ‘did’ Europe.” Or “We did Italy.” They are saying to us, they visited a few places, drank a bottle of wine; walked into too many smelly museums and perhaps enjoyed a pizza under some multi-colored umbrella in a sidewalk cafe. But ask any Italian if they “did” Italy. They’d laugh you off your chair.Spiritual Tourism works much the same way as “doing” a national park; another country such as Cuba—the new, hot destination of all destinations or eating at a new, trendy restaurant. We think we’ve “done” it simply because we crossed a border or spent the night in a small hotel. You may stick your toe into a new place but does that mean you’ve actually experienced the beauty; witnessed the culture and tasted something so different you feel as if you’ll never be the same again? Spiritual Tourism is akin to church hopping; hearing speakers as a fetish; doing the latest fads and applying all the latest tips and techniques offered by so many these days. It's like listening to lots of podcasts and flipping through a whole lot of books without every really digesting what is being shared. It's skimming. It's doing Europe in 7 days and believing that you've actually "been there and done that!"The more I hear people catching on to the phrase “soul care”—the more I see a tendency to witness people treating caring for their soul like a place you visit once or twice—if you’re lucky---but you certainly can’t stay there too long. After all, there is work to be done; tasked to be checked off; quotas to be met; benchmarks to be realized. Whose got time to care for their soul when the ship is going down; people are suffering and there’s money to be made? Here's the deal: [tweetthis] Soul Care is NOT spiritual tourism![/tweetthis]Soul Care is not a box you check. Soul Care is not an event you attend. It is not a message you hear about and assume you’ve “got it.” Soul Care is not a place you visit.Caring for your soul is altering the entire way you look at life—live your life—and find contentment within you never knew was possible. Soul Care is a whole “other” way to view life and faith. It is integrating all of life into one whole life—not trying to spin the plates to keep everything in life afloat. I'd highly recommend you get and read one of my books to help you explore what Soul Care is and what Soul Care is NOT. Soul Custody At Potter’s Inn, we expose people to this whole other way of doing life and we train they how to practice the care of their soul with tools and practices that are not modern, new or rocket science. People learn that soul care is not a place you tour. It is not a book you read once and then move on to the next exciting thing. It is a way of life that fosters life within and resilience without.Soul Care is not an “add on” to one’s faith. It is not a pill you swallow. It is not a luxury that only a few people can experience. It is not tied to geography of the mountains or the beach. It is practiced in urban and crowded settings as well as vast, barren landscapes. The place that matters is within—the heart that the wisest of all human beings said, “Guard your heart for within flows the wellspring of life (Prov. 4:23). Where there is desert within and no wellspring…there is need for soul care. Soul Care is learning to guard your heart; keep your soul and strengthen your soul. Caring for your soul is requires a waking up—an awakening to this simple truth: there is something more to life than making more bricks with less straw. All of us feel the tyranny of the urgent to do more with less. But caring for your soul is most often about doing less than doing more—that’s the paradigm shift you embrace when caring for your soul.I'll be expanding on these thoughts in upcoming blogs! 

 FB Ad-Promo Soul Care 101Soul Care 101: Spiritual Conversations by the Crackling Fire A Unique new learning experience is coming soon! In today’s fast moving world, there is a “dis-ease” within us: hurry sickness, being always on and always available; competing demands and being over-committed. We’re tired, worn out and burned out on religion. We struggle to care for others and while abandoning our own health.Soul Care establishes care for one’s soul so that we can then care for others. Caring for your soul is never a selfish act. As we care for our own soul, we find that we are then able to give, serve and extend ourselves without burning out or living with a perpetual state of exhaustion. Soul Care is a practice we can enjoy that helps us foster a sense of vitality, resiliency; and a deeper spiritual journey.Soul Care 101: Spiritual Conversations by the Crackling Fire is an easy to use; go at your own pace, learn individually or in a group resource led by Stephen and Gwen Smith of Potter’s Inn Ministry. Stephen and Gwen lead us in eight engaging conversations about soul care. Set in the beautiful retreat called Potter’s Inn at Aspen Ridge in Colorado, the fireplace conversations provide a place for us to explore some of the great foundational themes of caring for our souls. Each session includes a 15 minute video talk by Steve and Gwen Smith; notes for you to use of the actual talk itself and a study guide with questions to help you explore the subject. Soul Care 101 will require the use of Embracing Soul Care; The Jesus Life, Soul Custody and Inside Job all by Stephen W. Smith. All these books are available as E books or you can purchase them when you order Soul Care 101.Here’s an overview of the sessions:Soul Care 101: Spiritual Conversations by the Crackling FireSession 1: Understanding Soul CareSession 2: The Anatomy of the SoulSession 3: Rhythm and Caring for your SoulSession 4: Jesus’ Model for RhythmSession 5: Core Questions: Am I Loved?Session 6: Core Questions: Am I Safe? Do I Belong?Session 7: God’s Design for our DilemmaSession 8: Four Pillars of Sabbath Keeping Soul Care 101 will be available in three options: 
  1. An on line webinar with homework and group discussion. Individual Spiritual Direction with Steve or Gwen. LIMITED to 20 people.
  2. DVD's. You'll be able to purchase DVDs and have the entire series along with the notes and study guides.
  3. Streaming. You'll be able to stream wherever you are/as you can and work through Soul Care 101.

Keep watching for the release-- July 1 is our goal!