Volume 1

lisadela y.com

Soul Care for

Creators and Communicators

Are you weary? If youre not, you will be. All human beings need encouragement. Creators and Communicators need a special kind of encouragement. This resource is meant for writers, musicians, artists, speakers, preachers, teachers, and even bloggers. If other folks enjoy it, Ill think of it as the sprinkles on the frosting of the cake of Soul Care for Creators and Communicators. If it could be a cake. Thats because I am you. I get you. Ive been there. And sometimes there sucks. Burnout can come quickly. Culture is not conducive to nurturing our kind. In short: We Need Soul Care!

We need what--what? As I showed in my 110 second video promo (that you hopefully saw), its important to realize that you dont just have a soul... you are a Soul. Soul Care takes you, as a whole person, into account. So, now Im a soul, and I need care? Are you like a nurse for my guts or something? Easy now, lets back this up a bit, shall we? The Old Soul A more ancient understanding of Soul helps us out, a lot. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for soul is nephesh. We might 0 use it this way, 1,517 souls were lost in the Titanic disaster. The
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souls mentioned here wouldnt be ghosty things. The lost wouldnt refer to damned spirits. The phrase refers to the gravity and totality of human life extinguished. The Soul also includes the parts of ourselves overlooked by many people who claim to have the answers. The Soul includes who we really and truly arecomplete with longings, failings, passions, emotions, and social relationships. Dallas Willard is a pretty amazing guy, and not just because his first name sounds important. He defines the soul this way: Soul is the hidden or spiritual side of the person. It includes an individual's thoughts and feelings, along with heart or will, with its intents and choices. It also includes an individual's bodily life and social relations, which, in their inner meaning and nature, are just as hidden as the thoughts and feelings.

Thats a little bit long-winded, but Dallas is clearly on to something. His diagram (see fig. 1), while being 0too segmented to be practical, gives us useful broad strokes to see how The Soul involves all of who we are. Modern Model

by Dallas Willard (g. 1)

Mind

Soul

Body (g. 2)

Its a modern notion to segment our lives into separate categories that sometimes overlap (fig. 2). Spirit The prowess and influence of Enlightenment Age scientific methods gave us the idea that everything was dissectible. Areas such as our social relationships, work life, spiritual life, and so on could be thought of as
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truly distinct and classifiable. Despite common acceptance of these models, our lives dont truly function that way. If they do, they shouldntbecause a fractured life consisting of isolated spheres signals dysfunction. Integration of values and actions are the mark of maturity and over 0all health. For example, if a man says, I only lie to my wife. At work, Im completely honest, this indicates a problem, right? It shows duplicity for starters. Or, if a woman said, Even my closest friends dont know me at all. They dont know what I value or what believe in either, again, not a great situation. We might want to be cautious with Ms. Two-Faces.
(fig 3) body spirit/will whole person SOUL intellect emotions

The Gem Model It might help to understand the human experience by using a gem stone model (fig 3).
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social relationships

Though we may try to 0appraise a gem through one cut or facet, all the facets make up the whole gem0 stone. Seeing the perspective from each facet as it relates to the whole gem integrates our understanding of the jewel0 as it truly is. Plus, it gives us the chance to say, Ooo, shiny! right? Soul Care is... In his book Care of Souls, David Benner writes, We can define soul care as the support and restoration of the well-being of persons in their depth and totality, with particular concern for their inner life. Soul care is done in the context of community. So, caring for your soul involves caring for the total you, and you need others for this. It probably wont come as a shock when I tell you: we are vulnerable as Creators and Communicators. Like it, or not, our guts are out there for public consumption. It can be painful. Not just that, but
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doing what we do brings our inner junk to the surface. Old hurts, frustrations, and frailties get lanced as we put ourselves out there. Were a lot like cracked pots. Earthy. Fragile. Sometimes more broken than wed like to admit. A Bit About Cracked Pots In Greek the word for "earthen vessels" (clay storage containers) is ostrikinos.As you would guess these items were made from earth. Like us. They were ordinary and utilitarian. The treasure was not the pot, but whatever it held. As human beings, we are also clay pots with valuable treasure. Theres Bible verses about it and everything. 0 Our Creator, the Divine, a.k.a. God, is the Goodness and Light that 0 shine0 through those broken pieces put back together by Grace. And

to me, the pot would not show light as beautifully without the gaps and spaces. This is pretty tricky to believe if youre in the middle of loss, pain, or struggle. After a dark night of the soul we can see this more clearly. (More on that dark night stuff in a future resource. Its hardly Batman related.) During that time it may be hard to fend off discouragement, or even despair. Illuminating stuff

Now, think back to the gem model. When a gem is illuminated, thats when its beauty is best appreciated. Each
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part or facet of us is also critical to the whole. Integral. Light illuminates uslike gemsto our full glory. Light can also reveal flaws or grime on us gems. Soul Care makes room for the Light. It helps us perceive more clearly. Hey, are you pulling some kinda Counselor moves on me? Um. Nope. But since thats been aired, lets speak to the idea of therapy in contrast with Soul Care, okay? Therapy vs. Soul Care Did you know that filmmaker Woody Allen was in psychotherapy for four decades? Thats like the lifetime of two suicidal rock stars. How many children did Woody put through college? I wonder.
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Personally, I dont think he got betterI think he just stopped going. In terms of healing, psychologyeven Christian psychologyhas sometimes come up short. Therapeutic counseling, like a hospital stay, is actually meant to be focused on specific wounds. Its supposed to be short-term. Sustained healing is illusive with typical therapy perhaps because 0 problems and shortcomings are understood as abnormalities rather than part of the human condition. A medical model is followed where cure is the objective. The vantage point of Soul Care views struggle or failings not as fatal flaws or illnesses to be cured. Instead, these things0 0are 0 understood as 0typical in the human experience. Surprisingly, or maybe not, we cant cure a human being of being human. It doesnt stop us from trying though.

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Flawed as we are, we can switch our aim from perfection to ongoing maturation. A fuller look at the creature that is a human being includes the inner, spiritual, and hidden life of the person, 0which includes good and bad. Guidance toward greater health and maintenance of our wellbeing 0is the center foci for Soul Care. If youre still wondering if you truly need Soul Care, I have conveniently prepared this handy list: Ten Signs that You Need the Renewal of Soul Care 1. Fruitlessness. Are there observable deficits in the enacted your Fruit of the Spirit? That means, is there any lack or slack in the areas of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control? (If not, I think E.T. went home without you. Phone again. You might want to text, and retweet as well.)

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2. You find yourself perceiving things others say as personally offensive, or as direct attacks. 3. You are venting more in person or online. 4. You feel unloved. 5. You feel increased frustration, restlessness, or disconsolation. 6. Your fears and anxiety are more prevalent. 7. You have increased tension in relationships. 8. You struggle with one or more of the seven deadly sins:wrath,greed,sloth,pride,lust,envy, andgluttony. 9. You have problems sleeping or bad dreams. 10. Youre in a creative slump.

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These and other signs reveal 0spiritual inconsistencies that make up the human experience. Most of us need Soul Care. The process of Soul Care is meant to be ongoing. Through it we gain integrity. Lets cover that for a moment.

Integrity means Wholeness Integrity is a word I love, because its literal meaning is wholeness. A nautical vessel has integrity when it is sea-worthy. If it has holes, it isnt whole. When we lack integrity...we can get a sinking feeling too. When we are emotionally and spiritually healthy, we are whole as message-bearers. As Communicators and Creators. As people. Then, we lack for nothing. That is, until the next time, which is probably around the bend. If youre sensing that the area of Soul Care involves a learning process, you are so summa cum laude right now, and Im very proud of you.
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Here are 8 ways we learn during our spiritual journey. (There could be more than 8. 8 seemed like a good round number at the time. Turn it sideways and you have infinity, so Im covered either way. Hey, if you can think of some moreGo for it.) 8 Paths to Learning... 1. Through the Holy Spirit 2. Through Scripture 3. In community
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4. Spiritual guides/teachers 5. Through Sacraments 6. Through devotional practices 7. Through Christian History/Tradition 8. Through the created world, a.k.a. nature (This should get unpacked, and I plan to do that in Volume 2 or 3. Oh. my. gosh. Did I just stick a teaser in there? Yes. I. did.)

So, now what? Okay, maybe now we agree. We realize that we need this Soul Care stuff. So, now what?

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Maybe we need Action Steps. Yep. Yepper indeed.

But, first, something else is more important. We need the realization that a New Normal is key. This is the foundation for the more. The growth. The work of maturity and better well-being. Of being in-thezone and on-track, and all those other euphemisms you already know. I can tell youre getting this. But, wait! Its not super simple. Knowing this stuff about being a Soul doesnt happen after an information dump. It gets assimilated into your life. You awake to it. The scales come off bits at a time, until you are living a more integrated life. So, lets absorb the idea that our soul isnt this ghosty thing that haunts houses, or tries to help Demi Moore use a pottery wheel.

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More resources are available to continue the journey. Check and see! Oh, but, before you read them, consider these verses below. Ponder them. Pray with them, and please let me know how its going. Heres the FACEBOOK page for that, or visit lisadelay.com and let me know. This resource is a free use work (Creative Commons). If you attribute it to me (especially the Gem Model), you my distribute it to any one you wish. Please do.
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Verses for reflection: 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10Each time [God] said,My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Thats why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. What experiences or hurts have created broken spots for you? Where has the light shined through in your life?

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Bibliography: David G. Benner, Care of Souls: Revisioning Christian Nurture and Counsel Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998 Dallas Willard, et.al., The Pastors Guide to Effective Ministry, Beacon Hill Press, 2002. ____________, Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ, NavPress, 2002.
Photo Sources:
Cover: Creative Commons. Attributed to indio san <http://www.flickr.com/photos/indio_san/>, Edited by Lisa Coln DeLay Page 5: Illustration from Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ, Dallas Willard Page 5: Illustration of Modern Model of the Human Experience. Creative Commons. Attributed to Lisa Coln DeLay Page 6: Illustration of Gem Model of Soul/Whole Person. Creative Commons. Attributed to Lisa Coln DeLay Page 8: Composite Image Artwork adapted from ancient clay pot display. Attribution to Lisa Coln DeLay Page 9: Creative Commons. Attributed to Zanziber <http://www.flickr.com/photos/zanzibar123/> Page 10: Creative Commons. Wikipedia listing of Woody Allan Page 14: Creative Commons. Wikipedia definition of canoe

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