I’ve been brainstorming, polling friends, reading books, and collecting resources from other writers for two months in order to bring you this Soul Feast, a huge list of soul care ideas. And I sure am excited to invite you to the table, friends! Before we dig in, I’d like to outline what I believe to be the four big principles of soul care. In other words, what makes these (and other) activities soul care and not merely self care or a leisure activity?
An activity is soul care if:
- It connects you with the source of life — God.
- It integrates your body, mind, and heart
- It encourages open-handed trust and a release of what you’re not meant to carry
- It allows you to savor beauty and the Giver of all good things
With that understanding, just about anything can become soul care with the right intentions behind it. A friend even suggested to me that canning–the actual process of storing food in air-tight containers–was a soul care ritual for her! She enjoyed working with her hands, seeing God’s provision and then admiring the neat, shiny rows of her finished product. She makes it sound almost lovely enough to try myself. Almost.
And, honestly, you probably don’t need this list. You probably just need to reflect on these questions to discover what your soul needs:
- What do you love to do? You were created to specifically find joy and experience God’s goodness through that.
- How can you do what you enjoy with Jesus, thankful for and attentive to his presence?
- What causes you to look both inward and upward, reflecting on the state of your inner world while bringing it to God?
- What do you always feel internally refreshed after doing?
- What stirs a sense of wonder, delight, or contentment within you?
- What helps you let go of your anxiety and feel the assurance of His nearness?
Your soul is like your spiritual fingerprint, unique to only you, nuanced and grooved in ways that connect you to the Father’s heart unlike anyone else. Jesus is and forever will be the only Way, Truth, and Life; however, the way you experience Him is specific to you. And what drew you near to Him and nourished your soul last year may feel dry or inaccessible today. And that’s okay. Consider it an invitation to connect with God in a new way.
This list of soul care ideas is not a check-list to get through but a resource to pick and choose from. Consider it prayerfully. What piques your interest? Is there an activity you used to enjoy that you’ve stopped doing? What sounds a little bit challenging that might stretch your soul in good ways? Do you have a tried-and-true, can’t-do-without-it practice? What will you try today? Next week? Next month? Put a reminder on your calendar so you’ll come back to it.
Your soul is the undercurrent of every other aspect of your life–caring for the deepest part of you is the greatest gift you can give to those around you.
So, without further ado, the Soul Feast:
(Click image to download the PDF version or continue scrolling to read it all here.)
ACTIVITIES
- Get out in nature
- Journaling
- Gratitude
- Examen: When was I most aware of God’s presence today?
- God, how do you see this part of my story?
- Honest prayer, followed by listening for His truth
- Watching water, like the ripples in a pool or a cascading waterfall
- Worship, corporate or private
- Music
- Dancing
- Hiking
- Baking
- Enjoy an unhurried family meal
- Crafting
- Sewing
- Knitting/crochet/macrame
- Canning or cooking
- Shooting hoops (a nod to my dear husband)
- Incorporate the liturgy of morning, midday, and evening guided prayers
- Create scripture art
- Laughter, try The Skit Guys or Michael Jr.!
- Fresh air walks
- Stillness to just be with the Lord
- Pairing a picture with scripture
- Morning quiet time with a hot drink
- Online sermons or podcasts
- Watch a flickering candle
- Sing around a campfire
- Reading (especially with chocolate in hand!)
- Cleaning house or organizing
- Bible verse coloring
- Pray with a coloring guide
- Photography
- Sketching
- Sex (Yes, I said it. And of course I mean within marriage! Have you ever thought to give thanks while making love?)
- Unplugged/tech free times
- Runs/jogs
- Christian Yoga
- Interact with Scripture
- Word study
- Context study
- Lectio divina
- Memorization
- Imagine yourself in the story
- Pray it over yourself
- Inscribe the Word daily
- Coffee with friends
- Fasting
- Feasting
- Taking communion
- Preaching the gospel to yourself
- Star-gazing
- Gardening
- Confession…out loud…to another human.
- Poetry
- Driving
- Sabbath
- Making cards
- Swimming
- Baths
- Silence and solitude
- Retreats
- Adding scents/essential oils to prayer or reflection times
- Visio divina
- Breath prayers
- Play an instrument
- Share a testimony with a friend
- Bike rides
- Canoeing
- Find beautiful rocks
- Hammocking or swinging
- Walking barefoot in soft sand
- Snuggles with a pet
- Watch old videos or flip through old photos
- Listen to the birds
- Enjoy an art museum
- Attend a classical concert
- Work on a puzzle
- Go fishing at a quiet lake
- Camping
- Sit by a fireplace
Before you read further, a quick disclaimer: I have perused all the suggested articles below, but I have not read every book, listened to every podcast, nor tried every app on this list. These ideas are compiled from friends of mine who come from many different streams of church influence. If something doesn’t jive with your usual mode of Christian practice, I’d encourage you to examine it prayerfully and keep the portions that enrich your life with Christ while simply brushing the rest aside.
BLOGS
“Soul Space: Finding Time to Breathe”
“Does God Really Care About Self-Care?”
PODCASTS
Deep Breath – “Self care vs. Soul care”
BOOKS
Soul Keeping, John Ortberg
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer
Rhythms of Renewal, Rebekah Lyons
Whispers of Rest, Bonnie Gray
Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton
Get Your Life Back, John Eldredge
Try Softer, Aundi Kolber
Invitation to a Journey, M. Robert Mulholland, Jr.
Soul Talk, Larry Crabb
Invitations from God, Adele Calhoun
Renew, Valerie Griffin
An Unhurried Life, Alan Fadling
Soul Care in African American Practice, Dr. Barbara Peacock (YouTube interview here)
Sacred Rest, Saundra Dalton-Smith
Live Wide Awake, Laura DeGroot
Soul Care, Rob Reimer
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Peter Scazzero
Unhurried, Amy Jackson
Hearing God, Dallas Willard
APPS
What did I miss? Please tell me what your unique soul care activity is and how it helps you connect to God.
“Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Psalm 25:12-14
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.”
2 Comments
Hey Corella and family,
I hope all of you are well and enjoying a day of Thanksgiving in Thailand!!!!! A “BIG” thank you for the post, much needed in these trying days! Thank you for the Advent pdf which is such a wonderful present too. Praying for the Lord’s blessings and safety and for His glory to shine bright through you and your family.
Peace and Joy in HIM,
April in El Paso
Thank you, April. We had a very sweet Thanksgiving here with our “family”. And thank you especially for the prayers! May you be filled with all joy and peace and comfort, as well.