Potter's Inn Soul Care Conversations

Each year we hear about New Year's Resolutions – we make plans to lose weight, become more organized, be on time more. All great goals, but how many times have those goals been forgotten in February? (I raised my hand too!)

In today's podcast we discuss "The Great Annual Examen," a simple question and answer exercise to help you reflect on the past year and anticipate the year to come.

There are several different categories given for you to reflect on:

• My Physical Health.

• My Emotional Health.

• My Relational Health.

• My Vocational Health.

• My Spiritual Health.

As you reflect upon this past year, it's our hope that it will give you a clearer GPS—a sort of marker that will help you discern where you are and how you are and where you want to go this next year.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN PODCAST

• The Great Annual Examen - DOWNLOAD this PDF with more details on the exercise.

• The Space Between Us by John O'Donahue

• Moment to Breathe

  For a New Beginning by Stephen W. Smith

  • Text

  • Audio

  SUPPORT THE PODCAST

  Donate Here for an individual contribution or on Patreon to set up monthly support.

  CONTACT US

  [email protected]

  INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES?

  Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats.

Leave a comment below or send our co-host team a message at [email protected]

In this episode we are treated to a special preview of the Potter's Inn Soul Care Institute where Gwen Smith teaches on Sabbath Keeping: God's Design For Our Dilemma. The discussion includes the origin of Sabbath, why we feel so much guilt concerning Sabbath, and why God gave us Sabbath in the first place. Gwen also introduces her 4 Pillars of Sabbath:

1. Rhythm - Sabbath is God's built-in way of giving us rhythm in our lives instead of just running full-steam continuously.

2. Protection - In a sense, Sabbath protects us from ourselves and the violence that we inflict on ourselves, driving ourselves to work harder and harder. Sabbath gives us rest.

3. Joy, Delight, and Celebration - Sabbath is a blessed and holy day, when God rests in His creation and He delights and celebrates in you.

4. Belovedness - Taken altogether, Sabbath is a reminder that we are beloved by a good and gracious God who truly cares for us and our well-being.

Soul Care Institute program information

The 4 Pillars of Sabbath Drawing

"Trough" poem by Judy Sorum Brown View here.

The Sea Accepts All Rivers and Other Poems by Judy Sorum Brown

For more on Judy Sorum Brown, her poems, books and other work, please see https://www.judysorumbrown.com/books

Article by Parker Palmer, The Self inflicted Violence of Over-Work

Free Resource for Download: The Sabbath Reader

Support the Podcast: Donate Here for an individual contribution or on Patreon to set up monthly support.

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In our heads, we know that being is more important than doing. But the reality of our day-to-day life is that we easily drift into a performance-based relationship with God and others. Jesus modeled a different way to live. In today's episode, we learn how Jesus lived a life that began with acceptance by his Heavenly Father and ended by achieving more than any human being ever has. He has shown us the way---living as the beloved of God.

• The Sacred Cycle Summary – Free Download

• Moment to Breathe: Belovedness

• Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen

• Clinical Theology, a Theological And Psychiatric Basis to Clinical Pastoral Care by Frank Lake

• The Cycle of Grace: Living In Sacred Balance by Trevor Hudson and Jerry P Haas

Support the Podcast: Donate Here for an individual contribution or on Patreon to set up monthly support.

Sign up to receive email notifications as future episodes are available: Sign Up Here

This cool breeze by the river bank.

A great blue heron feeding in the shallows.

The pilated woodpecker serenading the forest with its haunting song.

I think I need one hundred days like this!

Slowly, ever so slowly. Here. Now. This!

Bit by bit and little by little, I feel a twinge of what may be life.

A steady erosion has happened in me.

It's taken time to do this damage.

It will take more time to regain what's been lost.

The locust have ravaged much I feel now.

Sad stories, and far too many of them, have layered my heart with deep grief.

I think I need one hundred days like this.

But today, I just may have felt my heart again.

As I let this breeze wash over me, is this a baptism of love?

And as silence does what only the deep quiet does,

I sit here and stay here for a while this beautiful morn.

Soaking. Marinating. Feasting . Healing.

Today's podcast is part two of a discussion between Steve and Spiritual Director Martie McMane. Martie is a retired minister, artist, and spiritual director who used a collage process with Steve & Gwen to help them make some crucial life decisions during a period of repositioning. They continue the conversation today about how the collage process can work in each of our own lives

Thank you for joining us in today's conversation!

Rev. Martie McMane, MA, M.Div, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and was the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church in Boulder from 2000-2016. As a certified Enneagram teacher for 25 years, Martie has reached well over 1,000 people with her in-depth knowledge of the Enneagram and how its understanding can be transformative for our lives. In retirement, she enjoys creating pastels and mixed media, using it as a way to express the connection with the Divine as witnessed in nature and what it means to be human.

• Martie's Website

Mentioned in the Podcast

• SoulCollage Evolving: An Intuitive Collage Process for Self-Discovery and Community by Seena B. Frost

• Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life by Henri Nouwen

• Merton's Prayer: Finding God's Will

This is the Soul Collage that Steve did in the retreat with Marty.

• Music Break at 23:13 - A Gaelic Blessing: Meditation by John Rutter
• Music Break at 39:50 - There will be Rest by Frank Ticheli - performed by Kantorei

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Please consider a gift to support our ministry. We have a few ways to make it easy for you:

• Use our Donation Page on our Website

• Donate using our new App

• Send by mail (Potter's Inn, PO Box 35, Divide, Colorado 80814 - make sure you make note that your gift is for the podcast)

FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Facebook

• Soul Care Conversations Group Page

• Potter's Inn Main FB Page

Instagram

CONTACT US

[email protected]

INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES?

Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats.

Last year Steve and Gwen went through a period of repositioning: changes were on the horizon but any clarity about what to do next was clouded by the realization that they were not on the same page. They reached out to a trusted Spiritual Director for help and the result was what they called a "Discernment Retreat." They needed clarity. They needed discernment.

Today's podcast is a discussion between Steve and the Spiritual Director they called on for help, Martie McMane. A retired minister, artist, and spiritual director, Martie used a collage process that helped Steve & Gwen in making those crucial, life decisions. Today they dive deep into the process.

Thank you for joining us in today's conversation!

Rev. Martie McMane, MA, M.Div, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and was the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church in Boulder from 2000-2016. As a certified Enneagram teacher for 25 years, Martie has reached well over 1,000 people with her in-depth knowledge of the Enneagram and how its understanding can be transformative for our lives. In retirement, she enjoys creating pastels and mixed media, using it as a way to express the connection with the Divine as witnessed in nature and what it means to be human.

• Martie's Website

Mentioned in the Podcast

• SoulCollage Evolving: An Intuitive Collage Process for Self-Discovery and Community by Seena B. Frost

• Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life by Henri Nouwen

• Merton's Prayer: Finding God's Will

• Music Break at 33:22 & 36:32 - Waltz for the Broken Hearted Written and performed by Jeff Wahl.

Please consider a gift to support our ministry. We have a few ways to make it easy for you:

• Use our Donation Page on our Website

• Donate using our new App

• Send by mail (Potter's Inn, PO Box 35, Divide, Colorado 80814 - make sure you make note that your gift is for the podcast)

FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Facebook

• Soul Care Conversations Group Page

• Potter's Inn Main FB Page

Instagram

CONTACT US

[email protected]

INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES?

Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats.

Steve's chats with Conrad Kanagy, the author of coming soon book Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination: A Theological Biography. (releases Oct 24, 2023) Steve and Conrad focus on the book and how it reveals the most complete portrait to date of this remarkable prophet, pastor, preacher, teacher, and friend.

Thank you for joining us in today's conversation!

Conrad L. Kanagy is professor of sociology at Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania. He holds an undergraduate degree from Wheaton College (Illinois) and a PhD from Penn State. He is the author of eight books and numerous scholarly articles. His primary area of expertise is American and global Christianity. He hosts the podcast A Church Dismantled--A Kingdom Restored.

• Books by Conrad

• Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination: A Theological Biography (Releases Oct 24, 2023)

• Conrad's Podcast A Church Dismantled--A Kingdom Restored.

• Music Break at 33:00 - The Feast of St Augustine

• Music Break at 47:28 - Kyrie Eleison with Audrey Snyder

Please consider a gift to support our ministry. We have a few ways to make it easy for you:

• Use our Donation Page on our Website

• Donate using our new App

• Send by mail (Potter's Inn, PO Box 35, Divide, Colorado 80814 - make sure you make note that your gift is for the podcast)

FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Facebook

• Soul Care Conversations Group Page

• Potter's Inn Main FB Page

Instagram

CONTACT US

[email protected]

INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES?

Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats.