Soul Talks With Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

It’s common to think life with Jesus should be centered only around activities perceived as “spiritual”—devotions, prayer, going to church, etc. But healthy and whole apprenticeship to Jesus is an integrated life in Christ! This includes engaging and caring for our physical bodies to love God, ourselves, and others like Jesus does.Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi teach the importance of valuing your body—God’s dwelling place—in spiritual formation. You will learn how to bring your whole soul into harmony with God’s kingdom through intentional stewardship of your body and incorporating spiritual disciplines into your physical life.  Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatBreath Prayer GuidesDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

The idea of abandoning ourselves to God can feel scary. Our broken and wounded parts unconsciously hesitate to surrender, unsure how safe it is to trust the Lord with everything. Thankfully, Abba leads the way! He sacrificially abandoned himself to us in love by giving his One and Only Son.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi help you get caught up in the thrill of God’s affectionate abandonment. Abba doesn’t force you to surrender—he woos you! You will slowly but confidently come to trust him in every area as you allow yourself to be impacted by his courtship of your heart. Resources for this Episode:Healing Prayer: For Emotional & Physical WholenessMeet with a Soul Shepherding Sr. Spiritual DirectorDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

It’s easy to sink deeper into negative feelings until a bad mood becomes a lousy day or depressing season. Plus, our melancholy moods can drag others into the quicksand with us! Thankfully, Jesus extends his strong and gentle hand to pull us out of this destructive downward spiral.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share how they take heart from Jesus and each other to keep from losing themselves in the traps of self-pity and mood-matching. You will be equipped with tools to help you care for yourself and others when a bad mood strikes and remain present in God’s kingdom of grace.Resources for this Episode:Talk with a Spiritual DirectorEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionHealthy Feelings, Thriving Faith: Growing Emotionally and Spiritually Through the EnneagramDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

Jesus told powerful stories! He invites us, also, to draw closer to God through the practice of storytelling. It can feel scary to uncover past wounds and questions as we attempt to make sense of our journey. But our Redeemer desires to restore us by helping us see God’s story in our story.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Kristi interviews Dr. Barbara Peacock—spiritual director, teacher, and author of Spiritual Practices for Soul Care: 40 Ways to Deepen Your Faith. You will be encouraged to embrace your whole story as you are empowered with spiritual disciplines to help you see it through God’s eyes.  Resources for this Episode:Spiritual Practices for Soul Care: 40 Ways to Deepen Your FaithSouls on Fire: Black Heroes Who Inspire Devotion to JesusJourney of the Soul: A Practical Guide to Emotional and Spiritual GrowthIgnatian Meditation GuidesBarbara L. Peacock MinistriesDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul TalksReceive a Certificate in Spiritual Direction

We all know the harm our imaginations can do when we live into stories that fall short of God’s best for our lives. But creative thinking can also be a powerful tool in your apprenticeship to Christ.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi teach you how to set your imagination on Jesus and flourish in the reality of his invisible kingdom. Engaging your imagination during prayer and Bible meditation will help you encounter Christ in more personal and fresh ways.Resources for this Episode:Ignatian Meditation GuidesLectio Divina GuidesUnforsaken: Journey With Jesus on the Stations of the CrossVisual Devotion CardsDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

God is reaching out to us in innumerable ways, but the greatest demonstration of his love is through the Incarnation. We often reflect on Jesus’ suffering on the cross but may overlook the suffering he also endured while taking on human flesh and living among us.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss how God’s perfect empathy is revealed in his Incarnation. Meditating on Hebrews 4:15 and focusing on his experiences of suffering will help you find confidence in Jesus’ empathy for you in your trials. As you grow in this grace through community, your wounds can bring healing to others.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionEarn a Certificate in CoachingUnforsaken: Journey with Jesus on the Stations of the CrossDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

Type A and Type B leaders can be on different wavelengths with opposing priorities and needs. While this may often result in conflict, there is also deeply important work to be done to learn and grow from these differences.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi unpack their experiences as a couple with different values, drives, and personalities. We need relationships that refine us like iron sharpens iron. Even in painful times, you can come to see these differences as a gift of love from the Lord to shape you to love and serve like Jesus. You’ll also learn ways to talk about these issues with your loved one.Resources for this Episode:Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith: Growing Emotionally and Spiritually Through the EnneagramAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatUpcoming Retreat Dates and LocationsEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionEarn a Certificate in CoachingDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

We all face difficult circumstances at some point in our lives. Even though they may not be what we would choose, they provide us the opportunity for deeper formation in Christlikeness.Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss enduring discipline. While we may struggle in hard times, we can learn to see God loving us in them and willing good for us. Reflecting on Jesus’ example of suffering helps us practice submission and trust and recognize the hidden blessings in our own sufferings.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Spiritual Direction Training CertificateDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

Real community is critical for the care of our souls. When you press into Jesus with your needs and join with others doing the same, your intimacy with Jesus grows and you find space for your soul to rest. Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the benefits of a retreat community. You’ll catch a vision for the ways this powerful form of soul care creates opportunities for necessary growth and healing and equips you for more fruitful ministry and life.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionDonate to Support Soul Shepherding

Suffering is hard. When we face an unexpected stretch of illness or other difficult circumstances, we may feel disoriented and lost. Yet in the pause from our normal rhythm of life, God is doing a deep work. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss a recent experience of suffering. Even in the trial, there is intimacy and sweet companionship to be found in a greater understanding of Christ’s sufferings for you and his presence with you.Resources for this Episode:Earn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionEarn a Certificate in CoachingAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatDonate to Support Soul Shepherding

How can the Enneagram help your marriage? The Enneagram is a beautiful tool for growth when it’s used in the right way. Increasing your understanding of yourself and your spouse strengthens your relationship so you can grow together.Tune in to Soul Talks as Kristi interviews author, Enneagram coach, podcast host, and experiential specialist Jackie Brewster as they discuss her new book, The Enneagram and Your Marriage. When you understand behavior patterns in your relationship, you can take responsibility for your own challenges and grow in empathy and compassion for each other.Resources for this Episode:Become a Spiritual DirectorThe Enneagram and Your Marriage: A 7-Week Guide to Better Understanding and Loving Your SpouseThoughts to Ponder- Download by Jackie BrewsterHealthy Feelings, Thriving Faith: Growing Emotionally and Spiritually Through the EnneagramDonate to Support Soul Shepherding

Older devotional classics enliven our hunger for God and help us recognize our desperation for Jesus.  Reading stories of average people powerfully transformed and used by God encourages our faith and deepens our intimacy with Jesus.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share insights gleaned from a Russian spiritual director in Poustinia: Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer. This expression of spiritual direction will inspire you to view your soul as a private prayer space for the Lord (a poustinia) where you receive others with hospitality and love.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Spiritual Direction Training CertificateDonate to Soul ShepherdingPoustinia: Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer

Are you longing to go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership? Joyful, anointed by God, overflow ministry goes beyond techniques. It’s a rhythm of life and a way of being with God and others in relationship.Tune in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi talk about their journey of growth through spiritual direction and answer common questions about Soul Shepherding’s certificate in spiritual direction. No matter what your background or life stage, whether this is for your own formation or to pursue working as a spiritual director, this accessible and practical training will equip you to joyfully follow Holy Spirit’s leading in all of your relationships and ministry.Resources for this Episode:Journey of the Soul CHRIST Stages AssessmentAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionDonate to Soul ShepherdingHealthy Feelings, Thriving Faith: Growing Emotionally and Spiritually Through the EnneagramEarn a Certificate in Coaching

Do you long for more in your relationship with God and from your relationships in ministry? Spiritual direction can foster your formation in intimacy with Jesus, and out of the overflow of your own growth, help others experience the same thing.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi talk about earning a certificate in spiritual direction. If you long for time to focus on your own discipleship to Jesus, meet with a spiritual director, process with soul friends, be guided by Holy Spirit, and train in soul care and spiritual disciplines, consider entering our spiritual direction training program. It is a powerful time of growth for your own journey that will bless others as well.Resources for this Episode:Earn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionFAQ for Certificate in Spiritual DirectionAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatMeet with a Soul Shepherding Sr. Spiritual DirectorJourney of the Soul CHRIST Stages AssessmentDonate to Support Soul Shepherding 

In life, the journey is as important as the destination. While goals and resolutions are important, focusing so much on outcomes can cause us to lose sight of God’s work around us.Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the joy of living in perpetual wonder. Remembering what God has done in the past feeds our hope and faith as we adventure with Holy Spirit and leave the outcomes to him.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatJourney of the Soul CHRIST Stages AssessmentYour Best Life in Jesus’ Easy YokeJoin our devotional email listDonate to Support Soul Shepherding 

In a culture full of wishes for a better life, true hope is much more than wishful thinking. Robust, Biblical hope is the anticipation of the goodness and truth of God in our lives.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore the impact of living with real hope. This honest exploration of hope, reflection, circumstances, trials, and transformation will encourage your heart as you look to the year ahead. Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatJourney of the Soul CHRIST Stages AssessmentEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionEarn a Certificate in CoachingHealthy Feelings, Thriving Faith: Growing Emotionally and Spiritually Through the EnneagramDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

God entrusts us with an eternal soul and we need to strengthen our souls in the Lord. To serve out of the overflow of God’s grace to us rather than our own strength, we need to cultivate our intimacy with God and pursue cycles of spiritual renewal.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi unpack how to care for your soul as a leader. Through practical and specific guidance, you’ll understand the components needed to steward your soul for God’s glory and fruitfulness in ministry.Resources for this Episode:Meet with a Soul Shepherding Sr. Spiritual Director or CoachAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionExplore Soul Shepherding Enneagram ResourcesTake the CHRIST Stages AssessmentDonate to Soul Shepherding

Advent is a time of looking back at Jesus’ first coming and ahead to his second coming. But some aspects of the end times may feel frightening when we consider possible future suffering or lack of control. How do we draw on Jesus’ empathy and hope?Tune in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi help us understand how to manage our emotions during a potentially traumatic time and keep our perspective on heavenly things. Rather than feeling consumed with worry for the future, we can train with Jesus now to find sufficiency and sweetness in God’s presence even in injustice and difficulty. Resources for this Episode:Share a Question or Idea for the Soul Talks PodcastAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatDonate to Support Soul Shepherding

Seasons of unanswered prayers, difficulty, and confusion can feel like walking through the mist of an unknown future. But joy, peace, love, meaning, and purposefulness are possible even when our future is unclear if we center our confidence in Jesus.Tune in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share a devotional reading — In a Great Mist, Follow-on Right Behind Jesus — from Amy Carmichael, an Irish missionary who gave her life to help children in India. Her story of learning to follow Jesus while bedridden after a serious accident will strengthen your heart to trust in Jesus and encourage others during days of uncertainty.Resources for this Episode:Attend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatDonate to Support Soul Shepherding

The pace of our modern world is constant hurry and excitement. But rhythms of both high stimulation in joy and returning to quieter times of peace, safety, and rest are crucial for shalom. We get more joy from doing less.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi reflect on the balance between joy and peace in the middle of holiday stress. You’ll find ways to cultivate intentional rhythms to flow in the fruit of the Spirit, receive the blessings of the moment, and get the most from this holiday season.Resources for this Episode:Donate to Support Soul ShepherdingAttend a Soul Shepherding Institute RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual Direction