A Thought Catcher

From the vantage of my lifetime of counseling, I’m occasionally asked what message I’d give women today. Here’s my humbly offered answer:

Be a thought checker, desire not just any thoughts but ones that stir your soul because souls are quite important and they get too little attention today.

If you doubt this, consider when were you last asked, “How’s your soul doing?” When women get together do they chat about dates, or husbands if they’re married, kids, jobs, or what’s spiritually inspired them recently? Do young women know more about latest fashion trends and body supplements than about soul nourishment?

So my advice is to think deep, go deep with God. Make sure you’re thinking your own thoughts. This means taking time to examine ideas you absorb from our culture, being sure you agree and approve. Make sure faith is yours, one that you’ve studied through yourself.

What are your soul goals? We’re only a month into the New Year. How about forming some soul goals?

What might these look like? Maybe memorize one Scripture verse that really speaks to you of God’s love for you. Carry it in your head forever.

Find a favorite passage all your own that comforts you and turn to it often.

Read about a person deeply spiritual who lived before, how did they live out real faith and how might you take a lesson for your own life?

Open your mouth. Ask questions. Speak about the huge romance, the exciting mystery of God with someone with whom you’ve never had the conversation before. 

Leash any passion that’s ungodly – overeating, overspending, overdoing - and release every passion that’s godly. Pretty simple, pretty strong – that’s God’s plan for woman.

Also be your own stylemaker. Set the trend that fulfills your deepest longing and moral yearning for truth and beauty and goodness.

If you have children make sure you teach them to think for themselves, to study ideas, give them quiet times to reflect. My character Quid in the Tommy Smurlee series often speaks a famous quote or makes up a life thought that fits the occasion he’s in. He’s always thinking.

Married gals remember marriage is about stirring more than scrambled eggs or cake batter. Stir the souls of your spouse, become real soul-mates. Talk about cultural questions, unresolved fears. Getting back to Scripture: read a chapter together with your husband and children after dinner, or ONE verse at every meal. Probe the Bible until an applicable idea  pierces you.

Want an exciting, non-boring life packed with joy days? Go deeper with the giver of every good and perfect gift, the God who is the huge I AM and the amazing Always Was.

Speak, ask, listen. S-A-L every day.

The women who charge the home, the work place, the world get charged first with spiritual energy and keep their souls strong.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

A few thoughts, a reminder to me as well.