Soul Talks With Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

We don’t really know our true selves until we look in Jesus’ eyes of love. This is Bill listening to Kristi’s grief when she loses her cat Charlie. This is the Good Shepherd finding the lost sheep in Luke 15 and Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. This is a grace-based relationship in which we’re empathized with, known, forgiven and eternally loved! You long for this with God and safe people. The people around you need this from you.

When recovering from a major surgery a pastor realizes that he’s been using pain pills to cope with emotional distress. This is one of many unhealthy ways to “calm down” negative emotions. But denying feelings separates us from experiencing the love of God and of friends. In Psalm 55 David uses many feeling words in his prayer and experiences the true comfort that strengthens us to offer care to others.

Kristi and Bill talk about what it was like earlier in their marriage when he wasn’t aware of his emotions. Kristi felt disconnected from him and he felt pressured by her. They share how they grew in emotional differentiation, self-awareness, and true intimacy with one another and God.

A man said he overcame his porn addiction by fishing! How could that be? Bill and Kristi talk about the X-rated advice this man received from a secular therapist, and what really helped him, like his 12 Step recovery group. Pornography and other compulsive behaviors deaden the soul and hurt loved ones. Real life, love, joy and peace come through intimate relationships with God and people.

Bill and Kristi introduce the new Soul Shepherding website which invites people into a closer walk with Jesus. They share with others from their own inward journey with the Lord, a kind of online library that Jesus provides out of an overflow of intimacy with Him.

Praying a psalm or verse of Scripture helps us to embrace Christ. Using Psalm 131 helps us release ambitions and worries while finding delight and peace in drawing close to Jesus and his Father. Kristi ministers to you the “Jesus is Enough For Me” prayer that Bill wrote from Psalm 131. She also shares how God used this to comfort an anxious woman seeking her help.

A pastor and Soul Talks listener asks how to use Soul Shepherding's list of “Electric Scriptures” to renew our minds and turn on God’s power. Bill and Kristi share how we can memorize Bible passages and use them in prayer. Bill has been renewing his mind in 1 Peter 5 in humble leadership and Kristi has been using Romans 8 in the life of the Spirit.

The TLC you desire is available through extended quiet time “To Love Christ”. Our Lord invites us to join his intimacy with his Father and find new joy and power for ministry to others. Bill and Kristi share examples of what happens when pastors and leaders set aside their work for some TLC time.

Maybe you keep trying to offer empathy to someone — to listen, understand, and care but you’re getting exhausted! Sometimes empathy is not enough. Here’s what it looks like to empathize, but also to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) and to ask for the empathy that you need (Matthew 7:7-8).

50% of pastors are discouraged right now. Everyone who cares for others in any capacity at times feels frustrated, tired, and down-hearted about their ministry. “Do not be discouraged,” the Bible says. Should we just shut down our emotions and put on a happy face or try harder? No. “For I am with you,” the Lord says (Joshua 1:9). It’s God’s empathy that encourages us and often it needs to come through people.