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Jul./Aug. response: Learning Soul Care ABCs in Texas
by Karen Kaigler-Walker
Can soul care be as simple as ABC? Yes, it can, as we learned at the February meeting of the Hannah Circle at First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth (Horizon Texas Conference, Metro-West District).
Co-Vice President for Programs Sheryl Spencer display their Soul Care journals. Photo: Karen Kaigler-Walker.
We started with a discussion of each letter. A is Active Awareness of God leading to unconscious awareness in our soul. B is Blessings, blessings we receive from God and those we offer to others and ourselves. C is Christ-centered—committing our mind, body, spirit, and soul to living for and like Jesus.
Because you can’t integrate the ABCs only by hearing and discussing them, we used all five senses to create soul care journals so we could keep the ABCs with us daily. Like children learning their ABCs through creating, we used stickers, markers, scissors, scripture cards, pictures, and glue sticks to create the journals. What a mess we made! What a time we had talking, laughing, and sharing supplies! What a tool we made to take home and use!
First, we divided the journal pages into three parts, Awareness, Blessings, and Christ-centered and tabbed them for easy access.
Second, on the first page of each part, we wrote a verse that speaks to us about the word, such as Psalm 119:18-19 for Awareness, Numbers 6:24-26 for Blessings, and Ephesians 5:1, 6-14 for Christ-centered. The verses would prompt us when journaling at home.
Third, we decorated the covers with sayings, pictures, printed verses, words, and drawings (sight, touch, and stinky glue sticks). We were loud and boisterous as members went from table to table searching for the “right” stickers.
Finally, we shared a casserole and salad lunch (with yummy warm brownies!) as we shared our journals.
After lunch we experienced an unexpected blessing. Our members didn’t rush out the door as usual. They stayed, mingled, talked, and laughed. Thanks be to God for Sharpies, scissors, and sisterhood.
Karen Kaigler-Walker is the Spiritual Growth/Soul Care coordinator for the Horizon Texas Conference United Women in Faith. Her home church is First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, Texas.
