Soul Talks With Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

Our lives are full of distractions— from both the world around us and from our own choices. Seeking to numb out as a medication for worry, fatigue, sadness, or overload robs us of true rest. Jesus invites us to join him in every moment of our day to find true refreshment and life.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks where Bill and Kristi unpack living in a world of distractions versus tuning into God. You’ll learn how to train your soul to live in God’s presence, and combat habits of distraction to redeem each moment as a work of love.Resources for this Episode:Breath Prayer GuidesSoul Shepherding InstituteSoul Shepherding NetworkSr. Spiritual Directors

We may wonder how we find God when our emotions, thoughts, and service are running dry. A season of hitting the Wall might feel like failure, but can actually be God’s means of grace in our lives. We find rest in Jesus’ easy yoke — through practices and sacraments that invite us into renewal with Jesus and his people.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks where Kristi talks with Aaron Damiani, lead pastor of Immanuel Anglican Church in downtown Chicago, and author of Earth Filled With Heaven: Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments, and Other Ancient Practices of the Church. Hearing their discussion of his story and the 3 questions of spiritual formation will help you catch a vision for these ancient church practices that are essential supplies for Jesus’ life-and-death Kingdom rescue mission.Resources for this Episode:Immanuel Anglican ChurchEarth Filled With Heaven: Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments, and Other Ancient Practices of the ChurchIgnatian Meditation GuidesBreath Prayer GuidesLectio Divina GuidesSab

When we combine God’s word, simple breathing, and a specific need, we discover an effective, engaging, and powerful way to pray— forming a habit that will fill small moments throughout our day with meaningful spots of prayer.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share how practicing breath prayers can help you release stress into the Father’s hands.  You will learn techniques you can practice regularly to nourish and strengthen your union with Jesus, and use for intercessory prayer.Resources for this Episode:Breath Prayer GuidesSoul Shepherding NetworkYour Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke

In leadership we experience different kinds of suffering, including loneliness, opposition, and spiritual attacks. Shepherding others involves following Christ into his way of blessing and also his suffering. Yet our Risen Savior walks with us through our trials, comforting us with his empathy, presence, and purpose.Tune in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi unpack some of the challenges of leadership. You will be encouraged to find enduring joy even in painful times of leadership because you are not alone—you serve with Jesus and the God of all grace, and can find support from fellow soul shepherds who understand your suffering.Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteSoul Shepherding NetworkSr. Spiritual DirectorsSr. Coaching

Many of us have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse ourselves, or care for people who have these wounds. The cycle of abuse can be emotionally and relationally trapping, but the good news is that it can be reversed.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks where Bill and Kristi unpack the dynamics of the cycle of abuse. You’ll learn the necessary steps to break this cycle, increase your own awareness of the needs of those around you, put words to experiences of abuse, and help bring healing and freedom to those who are hurting.Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteSoul Shepherding NetworkSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding Coaching

We are blessed by our pastors who faithfully serve—loving us well, visiting hospitals and homes, counseling, teaching, and preaching. It’s a challenging time to represent Christ formally as a pastor. Often pastors carry the weight of expectations and responsibilities that many of us don’t see or understand.Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share encouragement for those in pastoral leadership. You’ll receive insight to understand the challenges pastors face and learn practical suggestions to support and uplift your own pastors.Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding CoachingSabbatical Guide

Trauma can come in many forms, and all of us have experienced soul wounds. Masking our trauma under addictions—to include busyness— denies and delays the healing the Lord can bring us. We can find courage to face our trauma through connectedness with one another, and connectedness with the redemptive heart of God!Tune into this episode of Soul Talks, where Kristi talks with Evan & Jenny Owens, founders of Reboot Recovery, and authors of Healing What’s Hidden. You will find practical and accessible tips for overcoming trauma in your own life and turning your pain into purpose.Resources for this Episode:Reboot RecoveryHealing What’s HiddenJourney of the SoulSoul Shepherding Network

What is your source of motivation? Our culture tells us to focus on self-motivation, but Jesus tells us the ultimate power and purpose for our lives comes from our connection with God.Join us for Best Soul Talks as Soul Shepherding’s Director of Operations and Programs, Jessica Stong, shares one of her favorite episodes—229 EQ: The Energy You Need. Bill and Kristi show how you can increase your emotional intelligence—focusing on the importance of activation and motivation— through greater intimacy and responsiveness to Jesus.Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteEmotional Intelligence: 5 Steps with Jesus to Better Living & Leading

So much of our lives focus on what we do for God. Yet burnout in ministry is common when we depend on our own strengths, natural gifts, and abilities instead of depending on Jesus. While this often leaves us feeling distant from God, there is hope!Join us for Best Soul Talks as Soul Shepherding’s Director of Operations and Programs, Jessica Stong, shares one of her favorite episodes— 207: How to Love and Lead WITH Jesus. Bill and Kristi offer deep personal and biblical insight and practical tools to help you step into life with Jesus, where his love and delight restore your soul.Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding CoachingSabbatical Guide

Workaholism and people-pleasing are well-worn paths that inevitably lead to burnout. Jesus offers a different way! Being overly busy can steal your peace and joy, and it affects those around you. But following Jesus’ way of working brings renewed peace and strength when we set aside time for what is most important instead of just what is most urgent.Join us for Best Soul Talks this week as Sr. Spiritual Director and Coach Jessica Stong shares one of her favorite episodes— 299: The Unbusy Person.Bill & Kristi extend an invitation to live “unbusy” and “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” (Mt. 11:28-30 MSG) Jesus demonstrated in his life and ministry.Resources for this Episode:Sabbatical GuideSr. Spiritual DirectorsAbandonment To Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De CaussadeYour Best Life In Jesus’ Easy Yoke by Bill GaultiereMere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Feelings of failure in ministry and life are far more common than we may realize. Whether we are “feeling” as though we failed, or we have in fact failed at something, in Christ, failure is not fatal! Join us for Best Soul Talks this week as Dave Rimoldi shares one of his favorite episodes— Failure is Not Fatal. Dave supervises the Soul Shepherding Spiritual Direction Training program and is a Sr. Spiritual Director and longtime pastor.In this vulnerable, honest conversation, Bill and Kristi look at what it means to receive empathy from Jesus in our failures and how beautiful the redemption is when we trust him.Resources for this Episode:Sr. Spiritual Director Dave RimoldiSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding CoachingSoul Shepherding Leadership Coaching

We all need time to slow down and re-center in the middle of overly-full lives. When we shift our focus back to Jesus, we can rest in his peace regardless of our circumstances. Come step into the reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens with Jesus, our Good Shepherd!Join us for this episode of our Best of Soul Talks series where Sue Wood, Administrative Lead for the Soul Shepherding Institute and Spiritual Direction Certificate Program, shares her favorite episode: Psalm 23 Meditation to Renew Your Soul. Take a moment to allow Holy Spirit to minister to you in this time of quiet meditation on the powerful Psalm 23, led by Kristi. A spa for your soul!Resources for this Episode:Journey: Visual Devotion Cards in Psalm 23Walk with Good Shepherd in Psalm 23Psalm 23 Outline of Your JourneyA Little Bag for a Big Psalm

Many of us have been taught that if we can only change our thinking, we’ll change our lives. Yet, this often leaves us with a disconnection between our head knowledge and our emotions. Jesus invites us to spiritual authenticity through experiencing both our emotions and our thoughts resulting in lasting life-change.Join us for this episode of our Best of Soul Talks series, where Sr. Spiritual Director and Ministry Relations Advisor Amy Dalke shares the Soul Talk that showed her the power of integrating emotions and thoughts: Episode 79 —When You’re Stuck in Your Head. Like some ministry leaders today, Nicodemus was stuck in his head and emotionally reluctant. As you listen, you’ll be blessed by this insightful look at John 3:1-17, and the way that Jesus engages the heart of Nicodemus and engages your heart as well.Resources for this Episode:Sr. Spiritual Director and Ministry Relations Advisor Amy Dalke Sr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding InstituteSpiritual Direction Training

If you are a survivor of abuse, our Shepherd Jesus sees you. He feels your pain and fear and wants to comfort you and help you experience healing, freedom from shame, and new courage. We want to help you heal and be restored in the care of Jesus.In this episode of Soul Talks, Sr. Spiritual Director and Coach Jessica Stong shares her powerful and personal account of trauma and redemption with Kristi. Her story of healing is an inspiration to bring our painful memories and trauma to a wounded healer who is a conduit of Jesus’ healing grace. As we allow the Lord to minister to our sacred wounds, we can experience his beauty, grace, and goodness.Resources for this Episode:Sr. Spiritual Director and Coach, Jessica StongSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding InstituteSpiritual Direction Training

We all have “implicit memories” of childhood distress that need divine compassion.  The Lord is near to bring his consolation and healing to us. Thankfully, a deep hurt offered to the Lord can become a “sacred wound” that heals others.Join us for the Best of Soul Talks series, where Soul Shepherding Director of Operations and Programs, Sr. Spiritual Director, and Coach Jessica Stong shares the Soul Talk that had a profound influence on her —  Episode 73, Emotional Healing for a Trauma Trigger. In this episode, Kristi shares her “trauma trigger” and how the Lord ministered his shining face of love on her through empathy and words of blessing.  You will be inspired to have the courage to offer your own hurts and traumatic memories to the Lord and soul friends, and receive his empathy and healing. Resources for this Episode:Sr. Spiritual Director and Coach, Jessica StongSr. Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding InstituteSpiritual Direction TrainingJoin the Soul Shepherding NetworkJourney of the Soul

Sometimes we seek to avoid vulnerability and distract ourselves from areas where we may feel dependent. Yet in vulnerability there is a wonderful invitation into a different kind of life! Jesus has a tender way of meeting us in our places of deepest need and bringing us his joy.Listen in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi interview Trevor Hudson, South African pastor, teacher of spiritual formation and spiritual direction, and author of Seeking God: Finding Another Kind of Life with St. Ignatius and Dallas Willard. You will be equipped to meet Jesus in a deeper way and experience his joy through the life of discipleship taught by Ignatius and Willard.Resources for this Episode:Seeking God: Finding Another Kind of Life with St. Ignatius and Dallas WillardSoul Shepherding InstituteIgnatian Meditation GuideSoul Shepherding Spiritual DirectorsSoul Shepherding NetworkYou can find the transcript here. 

Discernment isn’t just learning God’s will for our lives. We may have limited our understanding of discernment in the past, missing the opportunity to walk with and notice God in a deeper way through life and leadership. Take heart — we can grow in our intimacy with Jesus, receiving his love and noticing his presence all around us. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks where Bill and Kristi interview Steve Macchia, author and founder of Leadership Transformations. They discuss his new book, The Discerning Life: An Invitation to Notice God in Everything, and equip you to discern God in new and life-giving ways.Resources for this Episode:Leadership TransformationsThe Discerning Life: An Invitation to Notice God in EverythingSociety of Saint John the EvangelistYou can read the transcript here. 

Sometimes considered weakness or coddling, empathy is often misunderstood. We may not think we need empathy, and we may underestimate its value in our relationships. Yet empathy is a major key to our growth, our intimacy with Christ,  and our ministry with others. In this episode of Soul Talks, Bill and Kristi unpack empathy and the role it plays in relationships. Tune in to see how, as you receive the empathy the Lord has for you, there is healing and grace. Then, you can do the same for others as you respond to them with this same empathy and grace!Resources for this Episode:Soul Shepherding InstituteSpiritual Direction CertificateYou can read the transcript here.