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Hey there, friend! I’m so glad you’re here as we begin Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge!
Today marks the beginning of a journey toward finding rest and restoration for our weary souls. Does the thought of finding rest ease some of the tension in your body? It does for me! I’m so ready for some fresh perspective in my life, and I’m guessing you are too.
As I write this, I’m sitting with an ice pack on my back and will switch it out for a heating pad in a few minutes. I’ve been stopped — well, immobilized is a better description — by a back injury, and I’m not happy about it. I’ve got too many things to do and no time for interruptions. I could get up and carry on like everything’s fine and force myself to push through, but that would bring some pretty harsh consequences.
So it is with our souls, too.
Do you ever feel like you’re telling your soul to keep pushing through? I’m definitely guilty of that. In the introduction to his book, John describes his soul using words like bleary, seared, smeared, exhausted and numb. Those words feel so true!
Thankfully, he also introduces us to "simple practices" or "graces," as he calls them in the book. What are simple practices? I’m so glad you asked.
Simple practices are small habits done daily, not out of duty or obligation but out of seeking soul rest and restoration the way God intended. Each week of this study, we will read about two or three simple practices that invite us to slow down, be more intentional and enter into the presence of God in a way the fast-paced society we live in can’t offer.
This week we will read the introduction to Get Your Life Back, then begin learning about the first two simple practices:
- THE ONE-MINUTE PAUSE
- Our minds are often filled with lists and so many other things that keep us from slowing down. Chapter 1 will lead us in practicing a moment away from everything swirling around us in the world.
- BENEVOLENT DETACHMENT
- Do you feel like you have to be responsible for everything and everyone? Me too! In Chapter 2, we will practice disentanglement from what weighs down our hearts, minds and souls.
Hopefully those brief introductions give you a little taste that invites you into the week ahead! John Eldredge is here to tell us more in this week’s video about these first two simple practices, so take a look!
I hope the video got you excited for this week and what God is inviting you into during our time together! Let’s ease into these simple practices and find out why we don’t have to just keep pushing through.
I’ll be back to check in with you on Friday!
Erin
P.S. If you’re still waiting for your book, we have the chapters for the first week right here!
Let’s Chat!
Bible Study LIVE at the Table kicks off this Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET, and for the first time ever, we'll be live on BOTH Facebook and YouTube! For this event, we want to know what questions we can answer from YOU about this week’s simple practices or about the study in general! You can ask questions like, "How can I give the one-minute pause a try when I have small children?" Or, "Does benevolent detachment mean I’m avoiding problems?" Let us know in the comments below, and then tune in Thursday night, either on our Facebook page or right here on YouTube, to see if your question is answered!