For the past year, I have been writing. Actually, let me preface that - I have been writing since I learned to write! Recently, I found my first book which was bound by yarn, created in the shape of a panda bear's head (I collected stuffed panda bears as a kid and this book was ALL about pandas). I also uncovered boxes and boxes of journals in that purge, filled with pages and pages of thoughts, words, and even some poems. So, you could say writing has been part of my life for a very long time. It is one way I connect with God. And writing a published book that draws others closer to God has been a dream for many of those years (hint, hint!).
To the point of this post! For the past year, I have been writing a 40-day devotional for body and spirit. The seeds for this book idea were planted during my 500-Hour yoga teacher training with Holy Yoga Ministries. The idea kept growing to the point that I wrote the entire book before I ever shared it (although if you've been in any of my yoga classes in the past year, you've probably gotten a sneak peek without realizing it as I've shared some of the themes, scripture passages, yoga postures, and reflection questions with you!). Then last summer while attending a writer's workshop at SoulFeast (a spiritual retreat hosted by Upper Room), I was nudged to submit a proposal for this project. Since summer is nearly here again, you can guess that this book has been many many months in the making. For the last couple of months, I have known we were moving forward yet certain details had to be in place in order to finalize and share. In that timeframe, I also submitted devotionals for the Disciplines 2017 publication. And finally, I can share with you that my 40-day devotional (title and details coming soon) will be published in 2017 by Upper Room Books! Honestly, my heart beats fast as I share this news with you. One reason for this is that when I submitted the proposal for the devotional, the publisher specifically asked me to include more about me - my stroke and brain surgery story and how that led me toward work fostering care of both body and spirit. It's vulnerable to tell your story. But I believe it is important. I will tell parts of (because all those journals would never fit in one book!) my own story to escort you on the journey of body and spirit and to encourage you to embrace your story, after all.......these are God's stories! Another reason my heart beats fast is because our son has been sick for weeks with sinus problems - which usually seems simple to heal - yet he has had many allergic reactions to medicines and it has simply been a very slow journey toward wellness. His body is tired and worn out. My body is tired as his caregiver (my awesome Fitbit helps me see how well I've rested and when I've moved, lately both have been lacking) and yet it proves I am ecstatic and full of energy at the same time (elevated heart rate!). Recently, my grandmother (who is almost 95 and slightly frustrated with her body - as she broke a shoulder and hip last month) told me she always wanted to be a writer and that she could not imagine anything more important to write about than the spiritual life with God. My heart beats fast as I honor my grandmother and lean in to writing a book that I hope will help you draw closer to God with the gift of your own body! My heart beats fast because God uses the gift of our bodies to help us listen and embrace our journeys (no matter your stage of life). If you've made it this far in the post, surely you have questions because this is a unique approach to a devotional and emphasizes holy listening with your body. It will include yoga postures, breath prayers, aromatherapy, scripture passages for lectio divina, and of course journaling questions (tools we often use in spiritual direction and yoga)! I truly look forward to sharing more details with you soon! In the meantime, I'll be putting finishing touches on the book, finalizing lots of tiny details that most do not realize take place in publishing (I surely didn't), and gaining hands on experience caring for our son - in body and spirit. Thanks for allowing my heart to beat fast as I share the news that #IAmWriting with you today! If you want to stay in the loop on details of the book (and I hope you will - there will be freebies along the way), sign up for my monthly(ish) newsletter below. The Upper Room has been a formational part of my faith journey, I'm ecstatic to be part of the Upper Room family of writers and look forward to what is to come. Hope you'll join me on the journey. Peace, Whitney "The most powerful weapon on earth, is the human soul on fire.” The world we live in challenges us now more than ever to discover and embrace Soul Care. After my own health crisis and burnout, I quickly discovered that while my life had been quite full, my soul was actually quite empty. I knew God but I had a new longing to be with God. That longing for a life with God took over and I began training as a spiritual director and later as a yoga and meditation instructor. Both offer individuals an opportunity to practice being in the presence of God. Unfortunately, we can easily be so busy planning or "doing" ministry that the needs of our own soul become distant and lost. This is true for most individuals in ministry, whatever the ministry may look like. Without a real concentrated effort on care of the soul, we can easily lose sight of our calling and face discouragement and burnout. As a spiritual director, I meet with overworked pastors, stay-at-home parents, searching students, and exhausted care givers. Something that often stands out in our listening is this, God longs for to spend more time with us, caring for more for our souls and less about what we accomplish. God longs to care for the person you were created to be, no matter the demands of your daily life. Quite often I hear that soul care seems selfish or overrated and is the first to fall away when the demands of everyone else top our lists. But, put simply soul care is a mandatory part of being a servant of God. When your soul is on fire, you can not help but live a life with God. So, how do you kindle the fire in your soul? Dallas Willard says, "the secret for caring for our souls is Practicing the Presence” of God. So how do we not only teach practicing presence but fully live into it? How do we ignite this fire within us and keep it burning? How do we not let the stressors and realities of every day life extinguish the flame? Soul Care:
Soul Care does not mean we cease from activity and withdraw from life. It means we care for the very person God created so that we can continue to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world. It means that we find greater joy in the tasks of our ministry. It means we know God even more intimately and ourselves more deeply. It means we find both our fulfillment and our rest in our Creator. It means we truly are passionate servants of God. Is your soul on fire? If you've known me for more than a few minutes, you likely know that in 2005 I had a stroke followed by brain surgery. When you lose function of an entire side of your body, it impacts your life...drastically. Through that story, I've been called to share, encourage, and give hope to others amidst health crisis. And, I can't help but be thankful and in awe of how God has allowed me to get back on my feet. However, I must be clear. It was no accident that I got back on my feet. It was hard work and (not surprisingly) I tried to quit more than once. There were some hard and dark times for my mind, body, and spirit. And yet, God has led me and guided me out of that darkness. Yes, my body is not perfect, I do still have limitations. But friends, NONE of our bodies are perfect. We all have limitations. And yet, I have found so much healing on my yoga mat and continue to grow in this process, surprising even myself. I've been asked a lot lately, "can I do yoga?" The question is quickly followed with "because I'm too uncoordinated" or I'm "too fat" or I'm "too old" or I'm "too young" or I'm "too............" You fill in the blank. I keep saying "YES!" but my gaze is often met with another that still isn't sure and doesn't believe me or maybe it is themselves they don't believe. A "no" would be so much easier to believe. Then a friend sent me this transformation that was too powerful not to share. Arthur's story is inspirinig beyond words. I don't know Arthur, I don't know his teacher, I don't know any more to this story than the 9 minutes I'm told in this video. But, I believe that this man was transformed in more than one way. He set his mind to something he was told was impossible and he believed it was indeed possible. Ready? Can't stand on your own? Can't touch your toes? Here you go. Take 10 minutes and grab a sturdy chair. Breathe and believe in yourself. I believe in you. May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together - spirit, soul, and body - and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.
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