Soul

“It’s Why I Keep Coming Back”

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Had a little “aha” moment this afternoon during a conversation.

I was answering this question: “Between all the areas of your life we’ve been discussing, where is your soul being nourished?”

Part of my answer was to say the very space I was in. And then I followed it with, “That’s why I keep coming back.”

Seemed significant. The question and the answer.

The question because I was being asked to identify/name where my soul nourishment is coming from right now. Not in the past. Right now. You might want to sit in that question right now also.

The answer was significant for more than the obvious identified by my coming back. But I also admitted my soul’s nourishment was not coming from any of the suggested places. And that was okay. It was more than okay.

It made me carry the thought further.

  • Where do I keep coming back?
  • Is it soul nourishing?
  • If so, how would I like to attend to that in my routine?
  • If not, how can I eliminate it from my routine?

I encourage you sit with the question and your answer. You might be surprised where you keep coming back.

Photo by Margit Bantowsky on Unsplash

The “Right” Quest

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I just finished reading Boundaries For Your Soul by Kimberly Miller and Alison Cook. Chances are, since you’re human and created with a soul, you will glean help for your life when you read this book.

Questions you could ask yourself that would indicate so:

  • Are there emotional parts of me that I don’t like?
  • Are there emotional responses I have that I don’t understand?
  • Is there something I’m burdened with that needs resolution?
  • Do my prayers about these things seem unheard or useless and have left me wondering if God cares?

We’ve all had these questions. These ladies have some help for us in their work.

An example from the last chapter entitled “Boundaries With Challenging Parts of Others” involves some insight based on brain science. They discuss the difference between the “thinking” brain and the “emotional” brain. In their discussion they show how important it is to know the difference and to achieve the balance possible when both brains work together. The quote I found intriguing was actually from another Christian psychiatrist’s, Curt Thompson, book Anatomy of the Soul.

We are more interested in knowing right from wrong (a dominantly left-brain hemisphere function used to cope with fear and shame) than knowing God, which requires the integration of all parts of the brain. Our quest to be “right” – a cognitive activity – can actually keep us from deep connection and a holistic knowledge of God and others.

Oh, how many Christians need to be done with the “right” quest, including me.

See what I mean now? Get your hands on this book and see what other insights await you.