Articles & Posts
Embracing the Gray
Like many women my age, the COVID 19 pandemic has exposed not only false comforters in my life and heart, but the roots of my hair. Unearthing the roots of unhealthy patterns in my life for the purposes of healing and freedom is a most welcome move of God. The revealing of my expansive gray previously hidden underneath the skill of a marvelous beauty salon technician is another matter. I’m 60 years old. Am I ready to be gray? I always imagined myself as an older woman with long gray hair ignoring my mother’s exhortations to cut it once I turned 45. But that is years away, isn’t it? Last week, I had the privilege of laying on the bed with my daughter (in-law) who had given birth the day before to her and my son’s first son. We had all quarantined in such a way so that my husband and I could be there, be helpful, offer care for them and our other precious granddaughter. Anyway, there we were lying on the bed and she lifted up her nightgown exposing her motherly belly and began to speak aloud blessings to her body. “I bless you my organs as you shift back into place.” “I bless you my stretch marks.” “I bless you my post-partum body.” She went on. It was powerful. It was stunning. It was needed. And it IS rare. Her body had carried, then labored and delivered an 8 pound human being! How miraculous! What a wonder! It now is entering the recovery stage. It won’t be the same body she knew prior to becoming pregnant with her son regardless of what tabloid articles suggest. I bless her and I bless God that she both knows that and embraces it. Embracing the move of God in her body as it changes and functions and matures is a beautiful thing. Embracing the move of God in any part of our lives is a beautiful thing. He moves within us and around us. He moves for us and through us. The more we say “Yes’ to his moves and cooperate with him – the more beautiful we are. There are areas in my life that I feel his invitation to say “Yes” to that aren’t easy yet my heart’s deepest desire it to follow him wherever he leads. He is faithful and he is worthy of my trust. He has my ultimate “Yes” over my life. I don’t feel though, that he is overly concerned with the color of my hair. He wants me to like it - to feel good about it regardless of what color I choose it to be. But here and now, I am learning from my daughter and I am blessing my changing and aging body and the shifting shade of my hair. The old has gone, the new has come! I am 60 years old. I have long gray hair. I bless it.
Stasi Eldredge
Morgan's Book, Becoming A King
Though we are still in the midst of the pandemic, I think the healthiest thing we can do is not always talk about the pandemic! What I’d much rather do this month—what I am so excited to share with you—is an excerpt from our teammate Morgan Snyder’s first book, Becoming a King, which comes out May 26! Here’s why I think this is really fitting… We are all hoping to come out of this hard, shared, global trial stronger, more mature, and more rooted in Jesus. Becoming a King is a book all about that, about the process God takes us through in order to shape us into the kind of people he can entrust with his kingdom. Morgan begins with a tough time in his life, which I think we can all relate to: “More than a decade ago, I found myself in a personal wilderness—lost, alone, disoriented, and very afraid. In a bitter place. I had a beautiful wife, two healthy and happy kids, meaningful work, and the beginning of a little nest egg for the future. What more could a man ask for? But when I was finally honest with myself, the steady waves of discouragement and anxiety were undeniable. Looking at my life as an iceberg, the 10 percent above the waterline looked impressive. But the 90 percent below told another story: I was not well; I was submerged in pain and confusion. My inner life was not what I’d envisioned. Perhaps better said, I had not become who I’d envisioned. I’d made what I thought were good, honorable decisions to get where I was. But where I was wasn’t good, at least not on the inside. And so, as every good story goes, I left the comfortable and set my soul on a quest. It began with a single letter. I found the oldest man I knew and respected, and I put pen to paper the questions in my heart. In time I formed a list of all the older men who, in one way or another, had a place in my story. I sent letters to them, asking for their counsel. I asked those in faraway states or countries for a letter in return or a phone call. Responses from those closer by came in conversations over a pint or with a cigar by a campfire. As the experiences grew, so did the list. I kept adding to the ranks more and more guides, men in front of me on the masculine journey. Over two years’ time, the number grew to nearly seventy-five sages, with whom came a treasure chest of clues to an ancient path. As I sat in their counsel with a stack of notes, I started to notice the themes of their responses, and with those in hand, I began to add to their advice the counsel of the great heroes of our faith down through the ages. The Father’s affection and assurance began to break through to my lost and weary soul. Son, you’re not behind. You are on time. And you’re going to be okay. The lives of these elders represented a variety of vocations, socioeconomic thresholds, faith practices, and journeys. Yet through the diverse experiences of these men, a common path emerged: each man had been entrusted with power and had to navigate a process of restoration to become the kind of man who could handle it. There were consistent themes, spoken in many different terms but all with the same heartbeat. Men reclaiming their identity, their strength, their integrity, and their purpose through becoming a student, becoming a son, and consenting to the slow and steady process of inner transformation.” I (John here) want to pause the excerpt for a moment to highlight a few things. First, the path of the transformation we all long for is something we simply have to accept takes place over time, in a “slow and steady process.” It’s important we name that, because our world of smartphones, Amazon, and Netflix taught us we can have anything, everything, really quickly. It’s just not true; especially in the life of the soul. But there is a process we can discover, there is an “ancient path” of life with God. This is what Becoming a King is all about... “As the years transpired, a map took shape around signposts rendered from the joy and suffering I witnessed in the lives of these men. After a decade, through the urging of trusted friends and growing out of my work rescuing and restoring the hearts of men, I began to realize this map was not for me alone. It was meant to be shared. This message is my effort to share that map.” We’ve put together a fabulous package of resources available for all those who place an order for Becoming a King this month, including a special podcast with Morgan’s wife Cherie and the wives of men who have consented to the path and process of Becoming a King for more than a decade! Preorders also come with immediate access to the first three sessions of the Becoming a King Video Series and the first three chapters of the Becoming a King Study Guide. You can order now at www.becomingaking.com. Over these really rough months we’re living through, I’ve been saying to everyone I can, “Let’s make the enemy regret this! Let’s come out of it deeper in God, stronger in spirit!” That’s our prayer for you this month! May you find yourself rooted even more deeply in God, stronger in spirit, embracing the ancient path of walking with God through hard times towards wonderful breakthroughs. In love, John Download the Wild at Heart May 2020 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Let's Seize This Moment!
Well, the world has certainly been shaken. And if we’re honest, we’ve all been shaken a bit, too. Ever since the pandemic broke out (probably the most significant event of our era), the world has been reaching for solid ground—medically, economically, politically, socially. And it has evaded us. We don’t know what recovery will look like, or when it will come. We don’t know about the potential for another “wave” of the virus, or the timing of vaccines. We don’t know what the economy will really do. Uncertainty has been the consistent factor in all of this. It’s almost as if God has kept things veiled, for his own purposes. I wonder what he is up to. Many years ago I was thrown by a horse, and broke both wrists. Both arms in casts. For almost three months, my “normal” was completely taken from me. Opening a door, tying my shoes, feeding myself, driving—it all vanished, in a moment. I couldn't wash my hair, cut my steak, couldn't even open the refrigerator door. It was an upheaval; I was dependent on Stasi in ways I had never been, and the “constraints” I found myself living with were very, very revealing. God used it to expose my radical independence. Oh, I would have told you that I was “dependent on God for everything,” like a good Christian should. But in fact, I was a very self-reliant, insulated, self-determined man, living from independence and calling it maturity. My accident proved to be far less about my wrists, and nearly all about the condition of my soul. Any therapist will tell you, there is nothing like crisis to get people to look at their life and face reality in ways they did not when everything was good. They see how fragile their house of cards really is. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Ps 119:67). Before I broke my wrists I was profoundly independent, more than a little proud of it, insensitive to those with less independence, and doing years of damage to my marriage. My independence shouted to Stasi “I don’t need you.” What a horrible message to send my dear wife. God didn’t throw me off that horse, but I can sure tell you he used it. And I needed him to. Whatever else Jesus is up to right now, this pandemic and all of the political, economic and social upheaval is a “shaking” the world very much needed. And it presents to us an incredible Gospel opportunity...for a window of time. Friends, we in the developed world have enjoyed for years now an unprecedented level of comfort, convenience, and control. Pleasure on demand. With only the effort of a few clicks we could order anything we wanted in the world, and have it delivered to our door. We became connoisseurs of coffee, chocolate, cupcakes. Life on our terms. That little computer in our hands has given us an experience of convenience and control unimaginable to our grandparents. Seriously, when you have an economy that could support specialty stores selling only cupcakes, you have a very comfy culture. That kind of world does not cause people to turn to God; not when they are the masters of their happiness. And so that culture needed to be rocked, thrown from its high horse. People are suddenly aware how fragile life is, how fragile culture, stability and things like jobs, healthcare and retirement accounts are. For this unique moment, millions are searching for solid ground. I'm told that Bible sales have skyrocketed. Online churches are seeing phenomenal attendance. The place on our website seeing the most action has been the prayer to receive Jesus Christ! Isn’t that wonderful?! This is a very exciting moment, so far as Jesus is concerned! And it won’t last. You know human nature. You know that as soon as people are back to their cupcakes, Netflix, and yoga class, they will no longer be wondering about their house of cards. Let’s not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, folks. The most important thing we can do, THE opportunity before the church right now is this Gospel moment. It’s not the “reset” of a slower pace of life; it’s not a change in political leadership. That’s not the main thing in God’s mind. It is the eternal destiny of human souls. I’m embarrassed to admit what the events of the past five weeks have revealed in me. I find myself thinking more about getting back to my normal life than I am praying for the salvation of my neighbors. Honestly, I’m embarrassed how much my thoughts turn to, “Will we lose summer vacation?” Then they turn to, “How is the single woman up the street doing?” Friends of Jesus, let’s seize this moment! Join me in two things: Pray for an outpouring of the revelation of Jesus in the world. Pray for it every day! Pick three people in your world, and begin to pray for them daily, that they come to know Jesus. Maybe an aunt, a neighbor, someone from work. Make this the main thing you are doing with your shelter-at-home period. Because we know this window will not last. The world will probably recover, and people will forget about their need for God. I have so much more to say, but it won’t fit here. Do tune into my April 20th podcast on the pandemic, and what I think Jesus is saying to us! This is our hour, friends! We were made for this very moment! Love, John Download the Wild at Heart April 2020 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Caregivers
One of my beloved daughters-in-law is a nurse. She’d been working one day a week and was going to leave her position as a charge nurse to be home full time with her and my son’s children at the end of March. Instead, in early March, she went from part time to full time—working on whichever floor she is needed most. She was made for this. To serve. To offer. To sacrifice. In the midst of her beautiful and skilled offering, though they live close to us, we don’t get to see her, our son, or our two beloved grandchildren. They expect to get the coronavirus. She is taking Herculean steps to prevent that from happening, but still, they expect it. Even after this calms down and she leaves her position, she and their family will remain quarantined for another two weeks. We don’t know when that will be, and oh, we miss them. We miss them and we diligently pray for them and we regularly stand against the temptation to fear for their lives. I’ve heard from many of you who are in the medical field or whose loved ones are. I’ve heard from one nurse whose fellow nurses circled up at the beginning of this unfolding pandemic, took hands and prayed—saying together, like battle commanders say—with a holy sobriety, “for such a time as this.” This is why I became a nurse. This is why I became a doctor. This. Is. It. Friends, can we pray together for them here? Holy and blessed Trinity, You who never sleep or slumber, you who never tire or fret, you who see all, know all and love all—we lift up to you the caregivers. We lift up to you [name them] and we ask for your protection over their life. We ask for you to strengthen them by your grace. We pray you give them great wisdom, patience, and guidance in their every decision and interaction. Jesus, would you be so very close to them? Breathe on them your breath of Life. May they become even more your intimate friend by walking this road with you. You are their Champion, the one they follow; champion them, Lord, as they fight for the lives of others. Holy Spirit, Comforter, fill them and enable them to accomplish all that you have set before them to do in union with you. May they know to the very core of their being that they are never alone. You are the very source of their life. Fill them to overflowing with every good fruit. May they bring Jesus to those they care for by their very presence. Father, we fervently ask that you place a hedge of protection to surround them and their families that no illness or attack could pass through. We trust you to hold them close. Jesus, we also thank you for your angels. We summon them in the name of Jesus Christ and instruct them to destroy all that is raised against our dear ones, to establish your Kingdom over them, to guard them day and night. We ask you to send forth your Spirit to raise up prayer and intercession for them. We now call forth the Kingdom of God throughout their home, their household, their work and the domain you have given them in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving all glory and honor and thanks to him. In Jesus’ name, amen. God bless you, friends.
Stasi Eldredge
Certainty
Certainty “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Psalm 46 Though the news changes from day to day and I am concerned for the safety of those I love, Though I have no idea how long the world will feel threatened, and the toilet paper is running out, Though I am steadfast against hoarding, and still feel the pull to gather all I can, Yet, I know… My security rests in you God. Health is not my savior. My bank account is not my rock. Knowing what is coming next is not my safety. Death itself is no longer a threat. For You oh God are my refuge. You are my Life everlasting. You are my promise of provision. You are the source of my security, my hope, my peace. You are faithful. And though I waver, You never do. Though I am shaken, You never are. Though I may fear, You have conquered fear. I can breathe. I breathe in You. I let go of worry. You are my Peace. I am not unsettled. You are settled and have settled me. You Lord are my certainty in uncertain times. You are the bedrock of my life. “But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131:12 "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
Stasi Eldredge
A Tree Planted by Streams of Water
I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately on a question that seems critical to friends of Jesus in this hour: How does a person live—and thrive—at the end of the age? Every dear follower of Jesus I know, including mature saints, is experiencing a “perfect storm” of busyness, crisis, demand, and dark warfare. They are—I believe we all are—very hard-pressed in this hour. It’s draining; it’s rough on the soul. How do we respond? How do we live in such a unique moment as ours, the folks who very well may see the curtain come down on this age? It’s worth some prayerful reflection, don’t you think? At the same time, I’ve been lingering in, and somewhat captivated by, Psalm 1: Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. (Psalm 1:1-4) Two types of people are being contrasted here, two types of human experience. The first is rooted and substantive, flourishing and life-giving. I read about those “trees,” whose lives are evergreen, and I long to be that person whose leaf never withers, whose life is fruitful even in scorching times, and whatever they set themselves to do prospers. Isn’t this the life we all want? Then there is the “chaff” person—so lacking in substance, so shallow and ephemeral, their reality is compared to dandelion puffs that a breath of wind can sweep away. The next crisis, the next piece of bad news simply takes them out. And I kid you not: As I was writing that sentence, my phone rang; a dear ally was calling to reschedule a meeting because he is a financial advisor by profession, and the swirling chaos around the new coronavirus, the stock markets, and world trade has all his clients in total frenzy. This is what I mean. We live in a chaotic moment, and it’s hard on the soul. It’s trying to dry us all into chaff and then blow us away. Psalm 1 got my attention because while I long to be the tree rooted by a river of living water, I find myself pretty “spun-up” at the end of most days. More and more dried out as the “World” sucks me dry. So I looked for the key that separates these two types of human experiences, and I saw that it has to do with our attention. The tree-rooted-by-the-river person is able to meditate—give sustained attention to—their God. Not swipe; not multitask. Lingering focus. The writer Steven Crawford asked, “As our mental lives become more fragmented, what is at stake often seems to be nothing less than the question of whether one can maintain a coherent self...a self that is able to act according to settled purposes and ongoing projects, rather than flitting about.” God’s playful sovereignty dropped in to embellish this letter further in a conversation I had this morning. A Wild at Heart ally was telling me that he has logged 800 minutes on the One Minute Pause App (!). I know, no shame here; I haven’t even logged that myself. What I loved was the story he had to tell. He felt Jesus asking him this year to give Him his attention, simply linger in His presence. He also knew that his busy life and natural drivenness wouldn't make it possible, so he looked here and there for some help and found the One Minute Pause app we created. Now he is that person Psalm 1 describes as rooted by the river, the tree always flourishing. How do we live—and flourish—at the end of the age? We fight for our souls! We push back against the constant assault on our attention! We make deliberate choices to linger in the presence of God. We send our roots down into the river of God! If you haven't downloaded the One Minute Pause app, or if you haven't used it in a while, please do so! It will help you out of the chaos, help you linger in your union with Jesus. It is so healing. Also, I wanted to give a shout-out for the audiobook version of Get Your Life Back. I recorded it myself, so you and I can have a genuine “conversation” around flourishing. I also recorded a good bit of new content only contained in the audiobook. Even my colleagues here at Wild at Heart are saying they are enjoying it more than reading the book itself. It’s another lifeline, another chance to rescue your soul in this trying hour. I pray you will become a tree deeply rooted in the riverbank of the very River of Life itself! Much love, John P.S. One more playful sovereign moment: I was about to send this letter when I got a note from a reader who said, “I heard about your new book but thought it wasn’t for me. Even after Homecoming I thought, ‘I got it.’ Boy, was I wrong! The book has been transformational. I’m freer, lighter, happier. I know what I’m experiencing is how I was designed. Thank you!” Download the Wild at Heart March 2020 newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Peace in the midst of the storm.
We sent this email last Friday to those on our email list. Many of our allies found it immensely helpful, so we are posting it here for further reach. Dear Friends, We are keenly aware that many of you are wondering what the future holds now in this world currently gripped by fears surrounding the coronavirus and the global economic implications. So much to be in prayer about. Stasi and I are going into the studio with Morgan and Cherie today to record a special podcast for our allies in this chaotic moment; it will air next Monday, March 16. Meanwhile, I simply want to remind you of a few basic truths you know in your heart, and have staked your life on: God remains immensely good. The same Jesus who won your trust, and has proven faithful all these years, is still with you now. Your life is in his hands. He has your future, too. God is still in control. Not a sparrow can fall but under the Father's watchful care. He remains the Sovereign Lord, ruler of the heavens and earth. None of this caught him by surprise. Ground yourself in Jesus. The world is reeling; it wants to pull you down with it. Fear and anxiety are more contagious than any virus. This is our chance to shine. Peter tells us to be ready to offer the reason for the hope we have to anyone who asks us (1 Peter 3:15). He's assuming that in times of crisis, the friends of Jesus will be so rooted in him, so grounded in his goodness, that they will have a visibly different reaction to those in the world around them. This is our time to offer hope! Let's pray for peace. Peace over the world; peace over our communities; peace into the chaos. Only in peace will people react well, make good decisions, find their faith. Peace. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) As for grounding ourselves in God, we are marveling at the timing Jesus had in having us create and release the One Minute Pause App, which many people are reporting is a rescue in this mad hour. It is a beautiful, simple, daily way to bring your attention - and your emotions - back to Jesus. People are wondering how to help children and families with anxiety and fear. There is no help greater than grounding ourselves in the presence of God! In fact, just today, I got this note from an ally of ours... "Thank you, thank you, thank you! The One Minute Pause app has been a rescue. I work in health care with a vulnerable population who is at high risk of the COVID-19. The One Minute Pause app has allowed me to reset, re-center and give it all to God. What a relief. Spread love, not germs." I love that. Let's spread love—and peace—not germs! Use the Pause App to continually re-center yourself in Jesus and his provision. His goodness. It's available free in the app store. And share the One Minute Pause App with everyone you know! Spread the love and peace of Jesus! Love you all. Jesus is still Lord. John PS. Join me each Tuesday in March at 6:00pm Mountain Time for a Facebook live update on living well, rooted in God, during these days.
John Eldredge
We simply must take care of our souls.
Dear Friends,January was such a whirlwind, and so much information is always rushing at us, I thought it would be kinder to send a “January/February” newsletter. (The world has grown absurdly complicated, most people's lives are jammed already, so I want these letters to be oases, not more noise.)Really—this world we live in is constantly assaulting our souls. The pace of life, the complexity, the lack of any real margin, the tsunami of information and technology bombarding our attention, the heartbreak of the world. (And all the little chirps, beeps and vibrations that announce something new has come in.) The soul was never meant to process, navigate, or carry this much.I’ve said it before but it needs repeating: This mad world requires a soul that is strong, resilient, rooted in God. And yet, this mad world is perfectly designed to prevent your soul from being strong, resilient, rooted in God.That’s called a double-bind. It’s what we’re all struggling with.We need more of God. We want a soulful life. But we can’t find it, because of the chaos swirling around us, and in us.About a year and a half ago I suddenly woke to the facts: I was asking my soul to live at the speed of a smartphone. And that’s really unkind, because the soul is not a smartphone, and was never meant to live like one. I began to seek Jesus for some practical changes to my life—simple changes I could sustain—which would help me recover my soul, my humanity, recover my life in God.And I’m very glad to report that it’s working; it’s helping. As I began to share some of the things I was learning, I noticed how quickly it helped my friends, too.I had a beautiful conversation with a man just last week, whose role is to provide care for a number of missionaries in the South Pacific and Asia. He wanted to report that he and his wife had been learning what I call “Benevolent Detachment,” the grace of truly giving everything over to God. "This has been a rescue for us," he explained. "We've been carrying everyone, and it has been crushing us. Your teaching has changed our lives and rescued our mission. Really."Not two days later I received an email from another beautiful soul who is deeply involved in missions in a dangerous country I can’t name here. There was an accident; people were killed. He was writing to say that the practices I had been sharing were pulling him out of the trauma and back to God. I wept for joy and gratitude.And so it is with enormous happiness and excitement I can announce to you that I put everything I learned in a book, and that book comes out in about a week! It’s called Get Your Life Back - everyday practices for a world gone mad. A step-by-step report on the graces God taught me to recover my own soul in this crazy hour, and how to embrace these helps for yourself.Benevolent Detachment is chapter two; it's also the centerpiece of the One Minute Pause app we created to help folks with the practice. Learning to take simple pauses in your day to catch your breath, give it all back to Jesus and restore your union with him. (You can download it for free in the app store!) And there is so much more!God saturated our world with oxygen because we need it, every moment of our lives. He’s done the same with water—no one can live without it, so our planet is filled with water. Then I realized God did the same thing with Beauty—our world is absolutely saturated with Beauty, intimate and epic. From morning sunlight to drops of water on a windowpane, the song of birds, the laughter of a child, the intricate lace pattern of leaves. Beauty heals the soul; beauty especially addresses trauma. But so few people take it in. We might see it if we’re not rushing; but we merely observe, and think to ourselves, That’s lovely, and get on with our day. I want to teach you how to receive it into your soul for healing.I also want to share the grace of Transitions—learning to allow your soul some room between things. We cram our soul through a number of gear changes every day (every hour). We go from a tender conversation with our child scared about school, to a business meeting, to a call about our parent’s memory care unit, to the news about a friend’s passing, to a phone call haggling with our insurance agency. No wonder we don't know what to say when someone asks us, “How are you?” We don’t know. We’re blowing through life so fast our soul was lost long ago.There is a better way.I think Get Your Life Back could have the impact of Wild at Heart, one of those game-changing books so healing and refreshing people talk about for a long time. That’s my hope anyways!There’s an audiobook, which I recorded because I know many people don't have the time to read but love to use audiobooks as they exercise or commute. There’s a small group curriculum and guide too so that you can gather with friends and explore the recovery of your souls together.This is a brutal hour to live in, friends. We simply must take care of our souls. I hope you’ll pick up a copy or two of the book–one for you, and one for someone you love.Offered in love,JohnPS. Our current podcast series is focusing on some of the practices from the book. I think you’ll love listening in!Download the Wild at Heart January/February 2020 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
The Invasion Worked
December 2019 Dear Friends and Allies, A very Merry Christmastide to you all! This letter comes with love and blessings from our whole team! Now, I know this is a ridiculously busy time of year for most of us. We take our already hurried lives, with so much going on, so much pulling at us, and we pile on the various pressures and obligations of the holidays. Like a camel, already carrying a maximum load, asked to bear a few more packages and pick up its pace for the last few miles. Mercy. So I’m going to be kind, and keep this letter brief. Because what you need is solace, and a moment’s sanity—not more media coming your way. Pause, and let it all go. What’s yet to be done, the news you just received, the disappointment you already feel creeping in, the fact that you’re behind on nearly everything. Just pause, and let it go. And now, ask God for a greater measure of his love in you, a greater measure of his life in you. For the supernatural grace you need for the holidays...and afterwards. All I want to do today is to remind you that it worked. The invasion worked. The Incarnation worked. The entire plan worked. Jesus came. He overthrew the kingdom of darkness. He rescued you from sin and evil and this mad world. He has restored you to your Father. He is healing your humanity. Your future is utterly secure now...and breathtaking. We celebrate our rescue. We celebrate our homecoming. We celebrate the fact that the Second Coming is just around the corner, and he will come, just as surely as he did the first time when nobody thought it would happen. O, it will happen...and soon. The best news in any story, ever. So, Merry Christmas dear ones! We look forward to walking with you in 2020. Love, John PS. I hope you get a chance to listen to our Christmas podcasts the weeks of December 16 and 23. There’s a special blessing for you during Christmas week I think you’ll enjoy. And it’s a short one, like this letter. Download the Wild at Heart December 2019.
John Eldredge
Wild at Heart Turns 20!
A very happy beginning of the holiday season to you! I pray it’s filled with love and goodness from your God who adores you. Hey guess what—Wild at Heart turns 20 in December! Holy Cow! On the one hand, it’s hard to believe—where did the time go? On the other hand, it is completely believable; we’ve spent a lot of years at the “front” and we’ve seen SO MUCH redemption in the lives of...well...probably millions to be honest. Which is a really holy thing to think about. It all began with The Sacred Romance—the revelation that your heart matters to God, that we live in a Love Story set in a world at War. That your story matters to God. It has been a massive paradigm shift for many. Wild at Heart and Captivating soon followed—the revelation that gender matters, that God loves your feminine heart, your masculine heart, and he is restoring us as men and women. Which has brought such deep healing to millions all around the world. And so we are giving thanks for the favor of God on this beautiful work. Giving thanks for you, our friends, for partnering with us to rescue so many lives. What an incredible story this is! Speaking of giving, we have a really cool gift for you. Over the past eighteen months many of these letters have been devoted to counsel and encouragement on how to take care of your heart and soul in this mad world. (Not an easy thing to do, as you well know.) The pace of life has everyone spinning. The inundation of information and technology is assaulting our attention every moment of every day. And then there's the heartache of those we love and the world at large which we must gently navigate. If you've been listening to the podcast you’ve heard my new opening recently: “This is a gnarly time to be a human being. And God cares about your humanity…” So here's what we've done—we've developed an app called the One Minute Pause, a sanctuary in the chaos, a lifeline in the stormy seas, allowing us to pause and re-center in Jesus wherever we are in our day. Our team has been practicing this for about a year. It’s been so incredibly restorative that we want to share it with as many people as possible The Pause is built around three simple practices: Benevolent Detachment, by which we practice 1 Peter 5:7. “Cast all your cares upon Him, because he cares for you.” Learning to let it all go. Learning a loving release of everyone and everything to Jesus. So that our hearts can come up for air. Union with God, which is the deepest and greatest thing our human nature was created for. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we would be one with him in the same way that he is one with his Father. “One as We Are One” (vs 22). The mad world assaults our union with God on a regular basis, and so we need help restoring it daily. Union with God is what enables us to receive all of the resources of his strength and life in us. Being Filled, as Ephesians 3:19 promises, “that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Asking for more of God, to fill more of us. The app is now available for iPhone and Android. You can get it for FREE in the App Store and on Google Play. Look for the One Minute Pause by Wild at Heart. Then share it with everyone you know! Your soul will thank you every day. The world has changed so much even in the twenty years since we began this mission. 1999 was a time of profound gender confusion. By 2019 we have seen a complete gender collapse in the culture. Trauma is on the rise; the need to heal human hearts is greater than ever. And so we are planning for the next twenty years. God is moving us to bring our message to a new generation, and to push even further into every country on this broken planet. We have some exciting plans… We are working to get Basic and Core—our Wild at Heart and Captivating retreats by video—into a dozen foreign languages. We are planning a major campaign to grow our podcast audience. Jesus is moving us to “represent” our core messages to a new generation with some new creative film projects. And lots more! We are a supporter-funded mission, as you know. We don’t beg or borrow; we don’t create “crises” every month to move folks to help us. We simply reach out to you, our friends, and let you know we have a need. We need to raise 50% of our budget here at the end of the year. Which sounds to me like a lot of money, until I remember how faithful God has been every single year for the last two decades. Every year he provides exactly what we need. We have never gone into debt. You have always come through! We are very excited about our future. We feel as though God has been discipling us, maturing us, teaching us, so that we might be ready for the “more” he has...expanding the already stunning influence of Wild at Heart. He has our “yes!” We are planning for a brilliant future. But we do need your help. We need your prayers. Really. We want you to partner with us in projects like Basic and Core, bringing healing to men and women in your communities. And we need your financial support. Would you pray, and ask Jesus what he’d have you do? I completely trust him with what he says. Thank you friends. We are so profoundly thankful for you! Love, John Download the Wild at Heart November Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
A Shield Against Hatred
September/October 2019 Dear Friends, You did not miss my September newsletter, in case you were wondering. Life remains insanely busy—for all of us—and I simply didn’t have the time to write something meaningful. To tell the tale more accurately, I had no margin left after all of September's demands, and I chose not to force myself to do what we all typically do: find a slim piece of sacred space reserved for something else, and use it to cram more work in. Choosing not to is called kindness or wisdom or soul care or survival in a mad hour. Slowly, surely, I am learning. So here we are in October, and we’ll call this our September/October letter, for I do have something I want to share with you, something I think will prove immensely helpful in this moment we call our time, our hour upon the earth. It comes from the first epistle of the Apostle John. I was drawn to the letter for many reasons, but mostly by this verse: “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16) I know I need a deeper life in God; I certainly need more of God in me. Because of this mad hour. I want to live, abide, make my home in God, and I want him to thoroughly saturate me. So this verse got my attention, because John is showing us the actual path into that life. As I got into the letter, reading it through several times, I realized John was writing at a time very much like our own. The theme of the letter is regarding the battle between death and life, darkness and light, hatred and love, foul spirits, untrustworthy people—and how lovers of Jesus navigate such a situation. (Sound familiar?) John was writing at a time which he and the other apostles (including Paul) believed was very near the end of the age: Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. (2:18) Let me quickly point out that these authors wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can assume they were not mistaken or deluded. I realize that nearly 2,000 years have gone by, and it is easy to dismiss John’s assessment by thinking, “Well...he wasn’t exactly right; I mean, it wasn't the last hour because so much time has transpired since then.” There is another, humbler, way to consider it: If the closest disciples of Jesus and the leaders of the church believed it was the “last hour” or the “end of the age,” then perhaps we are living in the last few seconds, the last fleeting moments. Which I believe we are. However you slice it, John was writing to those who follow Jesus and find themselves living in a very dark time. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (5:8) He focuses the spiritual battle around his disciples as the contest between love and hatred: For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (3:11-15) I have written in the past that I believe Hatred is a major force rampaging on the earth today. Not just human hatred, though that is enough to wreak destruction. I am speaking of demonic hatred, foul spirits of hatred that do find cooperative human beings and get them to carry out things like bombings and such. But you don’t have to be in the direct or indirect path of terrorists to be under the wrath of Hatred. Jesus himself told us, “You will be hated by all nations because of me” (Matthew 24:9). What I want to put into your hands is an awareness of how real Hatred’s presence is on the earth—especially against the saints. The evil one hates you, hates your love of Jesus, and hates and envies your position of favor and blessing. Jesus has given us a shield, a power, and a way of disarming this in our lives. That power is the Love of God. The secret weapon is Love. “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” (4:16). Here at Wild at Heart we have found that praying—commanding—the Love of God as a shield against all Hatred in this hour is a wonderful, wonderful provision of God for getting out from under this darkness. What I mean is something very direct and deliberate, like this: I bring the Love of God the Father, the Love of Jesus Christ, the Love of the Holy Spirit over my heart and over my life today, over my home and family [name them], over my household and domain. I command the Love of God to fill and shield my household and domain. I command the Love of God against all Hatred set against us—Love as our shield against Hatred in this hour. I command this in the name of Jesus Christ. Try it for a few days...you’ll see. The effects are wonderful. I simply wanted to extend that relief to you. Love, John Download the Wild at Heart September/October Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
The Gift of Memory
Well, summer is nearly past, though I hate to admit it. The neighborhood kids are all back to school. Our team here has returned from their family vacations. The local pool closes on Labor Day. Our grocer no longer has watermelon. But I’m eating peaches every day, ripe summer peaches, because I know that soon they too will vanish for a whole year. I love summer peaches. Summer passes way too soon, before we’ve really had a chance to relish the gifts of it. I didn’t get the time with my grandchildren I hoped for; Stasi and I didn’t get to our beloved Tetons, either. I always enter summer with higher hopes than can possibly be met. Lest we despair, God has given us a grace to rescue our hearts when lovely moments pass too quickly, or when we haven’t had the chance to get the Sabbath we need. This grace is found in a surprising practice. But before I name it, we need to be honest about this common occurrence of loss so near to us, so constant we’ve grown completely numb to it. It is our inability to make time stand still. And we can’t do it, not even for a moment. No sooner have we stepped into some wonderful life experience—a birthday, a wedding, that Christmas morning when you were six years old and the pond had frozen and you got your first pair of skates—but in the next breath it is completely swept away in the unceasing river of time, swept far downstream and out of reach. Every precious moment will suddenly be last week, last month, last year before you can blink. Few of us remember the taste of our first ice cream (what flavor was it?), the first book we read ourselves, our first kiss. We can barely recall that vacation we planned for so many years; it was over in mere weeks. I name this loss because it is loss—tragic, sweeping, and expansive. Your entire life, every dear moment, is currently being swept downstream from you even as you read this sentence. It does such harm to the soul, and our life with God. “All good things come to an end.” I hate that phrase, hate it like the sound of sirens, or dirt falling on a casket. To rescue us from despair, God has given us “a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). To be specific, it includes the restoration of every precious day of our lives. But I wrote more fully about that in a book called All Things New, so I will only mention it here. All good things do NOT come to an end. Not even close. In the meantime, God in his mercy has also given us a grace for this recurrent, incessant, unavoidable, daily experience of loss, and that gift is memory. Through which—if we make use of it—we can go back and drink more deeply, savor, take in the full gift of wonderful moments great and small. (For the full gift can never be taken in during the moment.) I was in-between errands yesterday, between picking up some groceries and getting a tire replaced. The temptation was to grab my phone (this is what we all do now, without even thinking) and scroll through news, posts, messages, my inbox. But that wasn’t what my soul needed, and I knew it. My soul needed summer; it needed joy and happiness. I needed to choose not to just surrender to the mad pace of life, but to go back and drink more deeply of a sweet gift of summer that passed too quickly. I set my phone down, and let my heart go back to a day on a creek I loved. It was high in the mountains, in an evergreen forest. The stream was cascading down in fall after fall, filling the canyon with the wonderful rushing sounds of roiling waters. There were small pools now and then where trout lived, and I snuck up on them and caught a few. But mostly I just hiked, and drank it all in, sat by the waters and dunked my sore feet in their bracing iciness. As soon as I began to remember this day, this gift, my heart settled down. I let out a deep sigh. I was aware of the goodness of God again. Thank you for this day, I whispered in prayer. Thank you for this sweet gift. I was seeing again so much goodness in it—the butterflies, the smell of damp moss, the contrast of hot day and cool forest by the stream. I remembered how tired I was—not stress tired, but that healthy been-in-nature-all-day tired. What a wonderful gift it was. And the beautiful thing is, more of the gift came to me through this intentional practice of memory. I could go back, linger, enjoy it again. Memory allows us to savor the many gifts God has given. I suggest you establish a practice of it. (Here’s a redemptive use of your phone—it’s a library of memories in photos. Pull out your phone during a break, but instead of checking the newsfeed, browse your photos, let them take you back into precious moments. Linger there, savor the gift.) Hope this brings you a kind of rescue as we say goodbye to summer. Love, John PS. By the way, this letter is more fully unpacked in a new book I have coming out in February called Get Your Life Back – everyday practices for a world gone mad. I think you’re going to love it! Download the Wild at Heart August 2019 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Paul Lavelle: A Hero for the Kingdom
So much of what is cool about Wild at Heart is the ministry that spins off of what Wild at Heart does. In the spirit of that, I want to tell a story about Paul Lavelle, who attended a Wild at Heart Boot Camp some 15 years ago—as an unbeliever, skeptical of Christianity. (As a matter of fact, Paul showed bias against believers in his career in the Air Force.) He only came to make good on a promise to a friend, and he committed to stay for just half of the event. As he was literally getting up to leave, the film clip being played on stage stopped Paul in his tracks—it was an echo of his personal story. The remainder of the boot camp brought Christ into Paul’s life, and his transformation began. Paul had just retired from a disciplined and successful career in the USAF that ended at the Pentagon. Because Paul had moved to Colorado Springs, we were able to get acquainted, and we at Wild at Heart were so intrigued by the transformation of his heart that we asked him to come and help fulfill resources at our Outpost. Paul’s transformation was at such a fast pace that he became part of our team and came to boot camps as part of the team. I recall one boot camp where I partnered with Paul to pray for men stuck in their seats following the wound session. That’s where we discovered that Paul has an anointed gift of intercessory prayer and hearing the Holy Spirit. I vividly remember how, as we approached men—many weeping, but our not knowing anything about them—Paul would hear from the Holy Spirit and make a very specific statement about their story that would astound not only the man we were praying for but me as well. This happened time and time again. Over the various boot camps we did here in the U.S. and overseas, Paul’s presence began to attract military veterans as well as those currently serving. I remember a group of former Navy SEALs who had lost several of their peer SEALs on a mission in South America years before and were still dealing with the trauma. They came seeking healing. In addition to what they received at boot camp, Paul spoke deeply into these men, praying for them one-on-one, bringing Jesus in the place of their need. As Paul continued to interact with veterans and military men, word began to spread among this group about our boot camps and Paul’s connection with these men because of his own military background. For two years, Paul served with Wild at Heart in our resource department. But what became obvious was his giftedness in relating to men who are serving or have served in the military. We all saw that Paul’s staying at Wild at Heart would impose a limitation on his gifting, and so we urged him to step into what he was called to do. In obedience to God, he did just that, birthing what has grown into the most effective ministry dealing with PTSD in all branches of the service. Operation Restored Warrior (ORW) has rescued thousands of men who otherwise would likely have ended their lives from the deep depression of PTSD. Tannah and I recently attended the tenth anniversary of ORW, where I met many of the men rescued by Jesus through Paul and his team. Every man I spoke with would say they owe their life to Paul, as suicide was their next and final remedy in search of relief. Paul and his team do an intensive every month where they pour into the stories of six attendees for five days. ORW has engaged over 1600 men, either veterans or active military, through their Drop Zone. As we have all heard from various sources, between 20 and 25 of these PTSD veterans are ending their lives every day; Paul has labored tirelessly to rescue these men from the darkness of suicide. The urgency is similar to watching a burning building full of men, and you can only save a handful. Paul is a true hero of the Kingdom, and we are honored to have played a part in Paul’s spiritual journey. This is one of the great stories of Wild at Heart! [Paul and ORW were featured in a documentary called Holy Ghost Reborn.]
Bart Hansen
The Care of Our Hearts
Warm summer greetings to you! (Maybe a bit too warm in some places!) I hope this letter finds you well, enjoying some of the glories of summer. Evenings on the porch. A walk in the park or woods. Popsicles. Fireflies. Pool time. What’s on my heart this month…is the care of our hearts. You know we regularly circle back around to the heart. That’s because nothing in this world encourages you to care for your heart. The world has gone mad, and so someone has to be that voice in the wilderness. I’m happy to. But more importantly, I feel God’s heart for you, his deep concern for your wholeheartedness. I’m just hearing too many stories of solid lovers of God who suddenly seem to unravel. Divorces in mature couples, anxiety disorders popping up out of nowhere, heartache, and way too many suicides. I lost a dear friend to that darkness last week. A terrible reminder that it is dangerous to leave unhealed places in your soul unattended, especially in this hour. I think this is one of the reasons we were given the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. The story is told in Matthew and Luke, but let me remind you of the basics: Following his baptism, at the start of his three-year public mission, Jesus is led into the wilderness for forty days of fasting. Satan comes looking for an angle on him, some vulnerability, some point of access. Given what he tries, he seems to have some idea of what might work with this man Jesus—Do miracles; reveal yourself; rule the world. Things Jesus is poised to do, but only in the Father’s timing and way. So the testing doesn't work, but I think we miss a critical piece of the story at the end. It reports that afterwards, angels came and ministered to Jesus: “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” (Matthew 4:11) Jesus needed ministering to. Now, this is the Son of the Living God. The Prince of Life. Majestic. Powerful beyond description. He created all angelic beings. Satan is no match for him. But being tested by the enemy was so awful, Jesus needed help afterwards. Wow. It helps us realize—to be tested by the enemy is a really awful thing. Jesus passed the test, because as he later says in John, the enemy has “no hold on me,” or in another translation, "he has nothing in me" (John 14:30 NIV, NASB). Jesus is wholehearted, and therefore the enemy can’t find any access to trap, snare, deceive, or take him out. The rest of us, however, are broken people, at various points in our healing journey. Our humanity has many rifts in it, sometimes very deep rifts, and those provide the enemy with access. Through testing, and cunning observation of us, he finds those chinks, those cracks, and he strikes there. Now remember—to be tested is awful without the rift in the soul. With the rift, it's brutal and often results in some serious collapse. This explains the high-level ministry scandals we are all familiar with. It also helps to explain the breakdown of otherwise very good people. Jesus insists we take our restoration and wholeheartedness seriously because we are all unfinished men and women; we each have rifts in the soul, and those areas are where the enemy aims his most brutal attacks. We want to get to the place, through the healing ministry of Jesus in us and our ongoing discipleship to him, that we are strong and well whatever comes our way. “Like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3). I long to be that flourishing tree. I know you do, too, so let me ask… What are you currently doing to pursue wholeheartedness, your internal restoration? If you don’t have a fresh answer, ask Jesus what he has for you this summer in the direction of wholeheartedness. Personally, he told Stasi and me to use our vacation time for very simple soul care—daily walks, quiet rest, prayer, good books, and beauty. Still waters and quiet meadows, so he may restore our souls (Psalm 23:2-3). We have to participate in the process. Just about everything we do at Wild at Heart is designed to help you, God’s dear friends, towards wholeheartedness—through intimacy with Jesus and life in his Kingdom. (I hope you had a chance to hear our recent podcasts—the Warfare series in May; Rest, Suffering, and Play in June; and now Hearing God in July!) Thousands upon thousands of people around the globe are reporting stories of breathtaking rescue. Despite the dark hour, lives are being healed, saved, restored. I’m hoping you might be able to help us carry on with this glorious mission. A few times a year, I reach out and remind you that we are a nonprofit, and it is your gifts that help us bring the ministry of Jesus to so many precious souls. Our reach continues to expand across the world because of your love and generosity. Would you be able to make a gift this month? Large or small, every measure of support helps! You can give online at www.ransomedheart.com, or use the enclosed envelope. There just aren’t that many voices in this mad world guiding people gently into intimacy with Jesus, reminding them how much their hearts matter, showing the way towards wholeheartedness and lives of restored resilience. Thank you for being our allies and partners, for helping us carry on! And do take care of the treasure of your heart this summer. Follow Jesus into what he has specifically for you. Love, John Download the Wild at Heart July 2019 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
The Value of Our Lives
I love summer; it’s my favorite time of year. The world is so brimming with life. It’s warm and beautiful, the flowers are blooming, all the earth seems washed with color and radiance. The grass is green, the trees are leafed out, our hummingbirds are back from their winter in Costa Rica! Summer is when nature seems happiest. And there’s something so reassuring about beauty in abundance, life abounding, all nature at play. I need to be reminded that life and goodness win. If you watch any news at all, if you are involved in the lives of even a handful of people, you know that brokenness and struggle are always trying to have the last word. Hardship and heartache are always trying to steal the show, rewrite the story. They are real, no question. But they are not the major theme. They are the minor theme. The major theme is life, beauty, redemption, and the goodness of God. And we need to be reminded of that. Often. Which is one of the reasons God sends us summer in its glory. I talked to three different people today, who were all trying to sort out something in their story. Two people yesterday. And two the day before. And none of these were clients; they were just regular folks in my world. It reminded me how often we are looking for understanding, interpretation, for some clarity or redemption in our stories. We need reminding that our life has meaning, that our story makes sense. That we are not an accident, we are not forgotten. We need reassuring that our story is not out of God’s keeping. If you’ll look around, you can see the desperate search for meaning in people’s lives. Mostly by trying to make small stories seem like big stories. If you watch any sports at all, you’ll recall the anthems and graphics used at the top of the show. Dramatic music plays while epic footage montage unfolds, followed by the monumental graphics making it seem like this is one of the most profound things taking place in the world. And yet, all it really is, is a group of adults chasing a ball around a field. I think you also see the search in the tattoo craze. They used to be something only sailors came back with from overseas. Now they’re as common as flip-flops. But they are permanent, stained into your skin for the rest of your life. The tattoo is not like going out and buying a new pair of shoes. I think we see here a glimpse of the search for permanence, stability, identity. Meaning. Human beings crave meaning. When we lose the meaning of our lives, we lose our way. Our footing. Our perspective and orientation. We may not be able to interpret what’s happening in our stories right now; often, interpretation takes some time. But we can hang onto the truth that our lives are filled with meaning, and that meaning is secure because there is God. And he is good. And we belong to him. So let’s return to a few of the scriptures that remind us of the value of our lives in the eyes of God. Scriptures that speak of the deep and profound meaning we have in him: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16) The very hairs on your head are all numbered. (Luke 12:7) For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10) What do these scriptures make clear? First that you are not here by accident. You were planned on. Wanted. Needed, even. You are intimately known, and have been all your life. You were carefully and very intentionally crafted. There isn’t a detail of your life that escapes the attention of your loving God and Father. You are, in fact, a masterpiece. Yes—there is brokenness and struggle. But you are being renewed in Christ in order for you to fulfill the things he has for you to do. So that you can rejoice in the purposes of your life. Which means, your life has exquisite meaning. Reread these passages again, out loud. But put your name in them. “You created my inmost being; you knit me—David, Anne, Sue—together in my mother’s womb….I —David, Anne, Sue—am God’s masterpiece. He has created me anew in Christ Jesus, so I—David, Anne, Sue—can do the good things he planned for me long ago.” I think this will do your heart great good. Offered in love, John Download the Wild at Heart June 2019 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Summer Sabbath
Dear Friends, I hope I’m not too late. This is my annual “sabbath” letter, more commonly remembered as my “What are you going to do for your soul this summer?” letter. I’m guessing you’re making plans for the next several months, even if they are plans that you can’t make plans this year. And I’d like to step in as an advocate for your soul—which probably needs some advocating, if you’re like most adults. The pace of life, the constant demands, the drone of media coming our way make any kind of soul kindness hard to come by. Our lives are so full we lost track of our souls long ago. Thus, my letter. You have a soul. It is a lovely gift from God. Your soul is what enables you to enjoy your life. When you find yourself laughing at something in a carefree way, that’s your soul feeling happy. When you are moved deeply by someone else’s story, that’s your soul too. When beauty makes you worship, when stillness allows you to exhale deeply, that’s your soul doing well. Your soul is an extraordinary gift from God. And it needs some care. As Jesus said, “What does a man have if he gets all the world and loses his own soul? What can a man give to buy back his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). You can lose your soul long before you die, by the way. It’s lost quite easily in the mad rush of life, the unrelenting pressure, hurry, worry, fear and lack of any real space to simply be human. So—what will you do this summer to be kind to your soul? Where is your sabbath this summer? To clarify, family “visits” do not count as sabbath or soul care. I understand the need for family visits; they play an important role in our relational networks. But they are not sabbath, not even vacation, for the simple reason that they require from us. Often they require a great deal. When we enter into the gravitational field of family visits, we encounter all the dynamics of family ecosystems—everyone’s brokenness, their demands, their disappointments, and their warfare. It’s just the way it is in a broken world. I’m not disparaging family visits; I’m simply trying to point out that they do not qualify for sabbath in any form or fashion. Notice—what’s the condition of your soul when you return from a week with the inlaws? Don’t you typically say to yourself, “I need a vacation?” And if you could choose between the obligatory family visit or two weeks in Tahiti, which does your heart leap at? Well...there ya go. Banzai weekends also do not count for sabbath, vacation, or soul care. Rushing out the door to get to some destination where you go-go-go all weekend can be loads of fun, but again—notice the condition you’re in Monday morning when you return to work. You’re exhausted; you need caffeine to even keep going. You shall know them by their fruits. Allow me a personal story. Last summer Jesus invited me to take a road trip with him. No agenda, no deadlines, no one to take care of, or come through for. I brought my fishing gear because I thought I would spend my days fly fishing and my evenings in leisurely time with God. As my soul began to enter rest, I realized that the adrenaline rush so central to fishing was not what I needed. My soul needed care, which meant it needed quiet. Ease. A very slow pace. I ended up hardly fishing at all, which at first was a disappointment, but by day three was a rescue. This is very simple really—sabbath makes you feel rested. It makes you feel renewed. It restores your soul, to quote the famous Psalm. Sabbath reconnects you to the God you love, and allows you time to linger with him unhurried. It also reconnects you with your own soul, allows you to feel, to think about stuff you normally don’t get to think about. By its nature, sabbath is not an adrenaline experience. So—as you make your summer plans, when is your sabbath? It doesn’t have to be that gorgeous cottage in Hawaii, or villa in Tuscany (which is good news). Sabbath is so much more available, attainable. It can be a choice to simply set aside evenings every week this summer, where all you do is sit on the porch and enjoy the sunset, let the breeze caress your face, do absolutely nothing at all. A friend has a hammock on her porch; she said to her husband, “I’m going to lie in the hammock and do nothing; I get to be human again.” Sabbath can be long walks in your neighborhood, the park, or “open spaces” common now to most urban areas. (Notice I didn’t say a run or mountain bike ride, because sabbath has a nonchalant nature to it. It’s slow, kind, easy, simple. Sabbath walks let you notice flowers, birds, a stream—all the things we normally rush by.) Nothing in this mad world is going to encourage you to plan, and protect sabbath. It’s something you’ll have to choose, and fight for. But it’s utterly worth it, I promise. So—before you set this letter down and go on with the ten other things currently demanding your attention, stay with the question for sixty seconds—What will you do for sabbath this summer? Block it out on your calendar. Offered in love, John Download the Wild at Heart May 2019 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge