“A man sooner or later discovers that he is
the master gardener of his soul."
—James Allen
It may be only January, but gardeners here in the northern hemisphere have already started planning their summer crops. Many spend winter evenings pouring over seed catalogs, dreaming of juicy tomatoes and fragrant roses. Avid gardeners know it will take hours of work to help these plants flourish, but the effort is worth it when they see their gardens thrive.
This vision of a healthy, fruitful garden inspired my upcoming book, Reclaim Your Soul—an eight-week study designed to cultivate the vitality of your inner life. A flourishing soul serves as a foundation on which to build capacity, not only to achieve your goals and live the life of your dreams, but also to become a person of influence.
Soul care is a lot like tending a garden. To enjoy the beauty of it, you have to get your hands dirty. You must cultivate, prune, and weed it. If you let a garden go unattended, it risks being overgrown by weeds and thistles—worse, underground, hidden from sight, those aggressive plants choke-out everything growing around them.
Don’t neglect your soul!
Many people let the weeds of past experiences, dysfunctional relationships, or current challenges hinder their soul’s growth. Just as weeds eventually overtake an untended garden, neglecting your soul allows unhealthy patterns to spread.
To reclaim your soul, you must learn to trust its voice, to be led by its wisdom, and to harness its power to discern the best direction to take in every situation. When you cultivate your soul, the Spirit of God gives wisdom for living—timeless strategies for living the best life possible.
Whether you think you have a “green thumb” or not, it’s time to become a master gardener. I encourage you to pre-order a copy of Reclaim Your Soul so you can start the study on the first day of Lent, Wednesday March 5th. Better yet, invite a friend or group at your church to read the book with you. Reading the book with others will deepen your learning even more!
..."Many people let the weeds of past experiences, dysfunctional relationships, or current challenges hinder their soul’s growth."...
It happens so easily ... weeds spreading... due to the cares of life until they have choked the passion out of our souls. We have to deal with negative, unhealthy thoughts before they take root by making proactive positive thoughts about ourselves and situations.
