Soul Care: Part 1

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

He leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

Psalm 23:1-3

We cannot give what we do not possess.

Our little one has had a hard day, yet we cannot seem to find meaningful words to say. Out of our own exasperation from the day's events, and our ever-present anxiety over all of the things that still need to be done before bedtime as we rush from one thing to the next, we attempt to provide perspective to our child regarding whatever transpired during Centers that has them so upset, making the point that it really isn't that devastating.

And they deflate. Not because the perspective shift wasn't accurate or needed...but because it wasn't what was needed most right then.

Compassion, empathy and a safe place to land with all of their big emotions is what their soul needed.

Then after getting through the evening of practices, dinner, homework, laundry et al and stumbling to the bed from the shower, your spouse reaches over feeling all kinds of ways that you absolutely are not at that moment. You tense up, sending the not-so-discreet vibe that you 100% are not interested in this.

And they sigh...again. Because though they're exhausted too and really need to get a good night's sleep in preparation for all that tomorrow demands, sleep isn't what they need most right then.

Reconnection--physically, emotionally and spiritually--with the one they share life with is what their heart is longing for.

Listen, if either of these sound familiar to you because maybe I just described a typical Tuesday night in your home, no judgement here! The only reason I'm able to write about this is because I've lived it.

Yall, this is where I found myself time and time again. I was pouring from an empty cup and though I was running on fumes, the demands never diminished. No, they only continued to grow. Our pace --my pace--had me on autopilot, going through the motions like a robot.

My family needed me; they needed my attention, my touch, my love. They needed me showing up with intentionality--and not just regarding the To Do list. As a matter of fact, the more I served out of my busyness (which always lacks sincere connection), the less they received it. Maybe their bellies were full but their hearts were empty.

Perhaps you know what I'm talking about. Maybe--just like your loved ones-- your soul is aching too but the calendar alerts keep going off and if you don't handle it all, who will? So you keep pushing with all the best intentions...but never feel like you're winning.

When we're living at this pace, there's a subtle shift that occurs; we slip from being (insert role) to doing. And when that occurs, we may be dutifully checking the boxes of that particular "job description", but we begin to miss the most beautiful part: connection.

See, doing without being always lives on the surface. It doesn't have the ability to go deeper and commune at the heart level. The capacity simply isn't there. Because every bit of energy is being poured into juggling and maintaining. And let's be clear: we're talking about good things here; necessary things. Like earning a living, feeding your people, ensuring they have clean clothes etc. This stuff matters and yes, it all needs to be done.

But our lives were never meant to be lived out in our own strength.

Maybe you've noticed by now, as I sure did, that as capable as you are, you simply do not have what it takes to be all the things for everyone all the time. And praise God, you weren't meant to. But herein lies the problem. Though we are not called, nor are we designed, to carry that weight, we still try to. And our frenetic pace, exhausted selves and relational struggles show it.

But what if there's a better way? What if God's invitation for rest and renewal isn't meant for all of those other people, but for us, too? And what if "rest" goes so much deeper than catching up on a little sleep, and actually aims to heal the tattered places of our souls? The places where our hopes and dreams reside, as well as where past hurts begin to open themselves to God's touch and heart-hardening lies we've believed become known and are replaced with His truth?

That's exactly where God was calling me and maybe you've felt that same tug in your spirit. If so, let's journey together as we lean into God and seek to learn how to trade our anxious striving for wholly

abiding.