Are You Still Resilient?
When I was younger, I could shrug things off easily. Then I hit my forties and fifties and couldn't bounce back as easily. The combination of bigger problems, unaddressed hurts from the past, and menopause exacerbated my anxiety and decreased my ability to be resilient. I had to learn a new way of taking care of my soul. Here's a few things I did:
I got honest with myself, a few select others, and God
I stopped telling myself I was ok when I wasn't
I learned how to care for my soul differently
Soul-care is different than Self-care
Self-care is a hot bath, time with friends, a good meal, or a vacation.
Soul-care is taking the time to offload your cares onto God through, prayer, meditation, and power encounters with God that actually help you let go of stress and trauma. These encounters are different in that you connect with God in intimate experiential ways. Not only did I recapture the ability to be resilient again, but I also found that I could remain calmer in the face of life's stresses and difficulties. The icing on the cake was that I began to experience the intimacy I craved. You know what I mean. It's the intimacy we can have with our heavenly father that often feels elusive or fleeting.
We live in a fast-paced, microwave society that actually forces us to sacrifice intimacy. Intimacy can include being known, seen, and understood. It can also include, love and belonging. Yes, we can have those kinds of connections with a few select people in our lives. But, there's no comparison to being known, loved, and valued by God.
Did I touch on a deep longing? That's okay because inconsolable longings are meant to be filled by God alone.
You may have a few questions rising up in your heart by now.
Questions like:
Is there more than what I know to do? Yes!
Can I really maintain peace for longer periods of time? Yes!
How do I incorporate this type of intimacy into my existing faith practice? You cultivate it like anything else that's worthwhile.
I hate emails that tease you, only to get you to buy something from them. So, let me give you a flyover of how God led me. I had to deal with false, negative, core beliefs that were contrary to God's word and ways. One big one was "all I need is God"
John 1:1-3 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.
That means we can receive from researchers, medical professionals, and medicine when necessary. So, I incorporated coaching questions, self-awareness, principles from psychology, that allowed me to have my emotional needs met by God. I know it seems simple enough, right? Truth be told it's not at first. We can't see our own blind spots, false beliefs, or know how to deeply connect in specific ways that will actually be life-giving and restorative.
As much as I hate to say it, self-care, emotional care, and soul-care come at a cost. In order to embark on this spiritual journey, it will be a small investment. I do not charge as much as other coaches. I charge according to my conscience. I wouldn't pay high prices so, I don't charge high prices.
Please don't let deny yourself the privilege of soul-care and resiliency. It's essential for living an abundant life. At least look into it more by having a brief chat. That way, you can see if coaching your heart is something you really want to do.
Reach out to me at pinneyl@pittsburghtransformationcenter.com
Mega Blessings
Lisa Pinney is a certified encounter coach and the founder of Pittsburgh Transformation Center. She is an expert in working with hurting people to help them experience healing and emotional wholeness through deep personal encounters with God. She trains others to become resiliency coaches. She is the author of the book DEEPER, Living the Christian Life in the Deep Down. Lisa is the developer of CUT CARDS. A groundbreaking, faith-filled, therapeutic deck cards based on scriptural principles and cognitive behavior therapy. She is a speaker and conducts DEEPER STILL CONTEMPLATIVE RETREATS.
Her mission and call are to see the message of emotional healing through Christ become as much a part of the regular Christian experience as reading, worship, and prayer are.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-pinney-98215a90/