does SOUL require suffering

A profound question:

Does soul require suffering to make itself known?  Ortberg asks.

My whole life I've heard hell-fire and brimstone threatening sermons about the devil taking my soul  (except at Crossroads!), a faith driven by guilt (my parents had complete control of me playing on my sympathies and guilt).

I grew up honestly believing that until you suffer, really suffer - you may never be close to the Lord.

So I ask you - is that true?

The other things I heard as a child into young adulthood, were glowing testimonies of these amazing people that withstood torture and rose above unbelievable odds to lead many to the Lord.  Deep in my soul even then I wondered if I could ever live up to this and be that kind of Christian.

Even the flannel graph was creepy!

Still I knew there was more to each of us than just our outer shell and mind - a soul - that's what sets us apart in God's creation!

Ortberg says, "We speak of the soul as a source of strength, and yet we speak of it as fragile."

So confusing!  Are we supposed to understand it, or doesn't it matter?  We just somehow know there's more to us then just flesh and bone because the Bible talks about it a whole lot!  So it must be important.

I seem to re-discover my soul when I'm on vacation, especially if water is involved.  The obligations melt away, the to do's are postponed and I remember again, what I accomplish is NOT who I am.

In times alone or away from distractions my mind, heart, body and soul function perhaps closer to what God intended.

Vacation was great and I intend to hold it close and yet move forward into this new season that requires our very best, both externally and for us to closely guard and nurture our souls so we are ready for God's next things.

Are you?

it's been a while

As some of you may know, we just got home from vacation.

It was the first traveling vacation my husband and I have taken for quite a while.  It was glorious!

Although we had a group of us on the trip - each day everyone did exactly as they pleased and if anyone got bored - there was always a rousing game of euchre or 'oh heck' going on.  I won in euchre but was a disaster in the other.

All that to say, the Lord knew exactly what I needed and He graciously gave it to me.

It's easy to be so busy that you miss your life, your God opportunities, being fully engaged and getting proper rest.  That was the cycle I've been caught in for a while now.  I'm not a victim, I allow it and quite frankly love it.  I love to work and communicate and to see what I can help to create.  But this cycle breeds stress and tiredness.

So as I packed for vacation I knew I had a powerful book or two to take - reading is how I unwind, and I was able to read as much as I wanted to on this trip - couldn't put them down and God used them in a mighty way!  Ortberg is officially one of my favorite authors now!

I want to spend this week writing a little about what I learned each day - I'm still trying to process it all.  As I read I realized I was nearly empty - my soul was weary and begging for focused renewal.

Let me explain this important fact I learned, the difference between busy and hurry from John Ortberg's book.

Being busy is an outward condition - it occurs when we have many things to do.

Being hurried is an inner condition - a condition of the soul.  It means to be so preoccupied with my life that I'm unable to be fully present - unable to occupy this present moment.  I cannot abide in God with a hurried soul.

And I realize I've been hurried for a very long time.  The beginning of the end to hurry started this week - I engaged with my Savior like I haven't for a very long time.  The longing in my heart can only be filled by Him and NOTHING else.  I know all of these things in my head - but my heart, my soul was not satisfied with all the hurry so I really want to continue taking steps in abiding...

For a number of years I've claimed I Corinthians 9:26 & 27 as my life verses and one of the books I read on vacation talked about how important having a life verse is - so here are mine.

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way as not to beat the air;
but, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Who would have thought that one of the greatest lack of disciplines we could have is to hurry? 

a good cleaning

We are giving everything in our home a good cleaning. Everyone is helping and we are making slow but steady progress. The problem is I have been so busy I am beginning to feel the wear of less quality time with God.

It is always a choice of course. Nothing to blame but the way we prioritize our day. This determines how that one and only day is spent - and it shows what we valued most that day.

My body is very physically tired from a combination of working out and working at home, but it is surprising what a toll my soul takes when I don't care for it. It is a far more painful ache I feel spiritually.

If God gives me tomorrow I will try to prioritize more carefully - beginning with Him. Tomorrow I'll focus the cleaning on my eternal self instead of my stuff.