Jesus’ Grand Invitation of Grace

How is it with your soul?

• Joyful

• Overwhelmed

• Agitated

• Free

• Heavy

• Anxious

• Hungry

• Longing

• Numb

• Wounded

• Open

• Discouraged

• Hopeful

• Unsettled

• Burdened

• Fragile

• Peaceful

• Neglected

• Distracted

• Rested

• OR: “Say what? How on earth would I know? I don’t have a clue about the state of my soul. Can't you see I'm busy?”

A lot of hurting souls out there for many reasons. People are hitting the wall left, right, and center. Many are still dealing with the aftereffects of the last several years. Many who have never struggled much with anxiety or depression are feeling burdened by both. Some feel like they are stuck in a desert. Some are just weary. Several people this week told me they are “tapped out”. Life is crazy. We keep thinking things will slow down next month, but they just keep speeding up.

Other people are growing and flourishing and hungry for more. For solid feeding, genuine connection, authentic community, life-giving friendships, good input, spiritual nurturing. For a closer, deeper, more intimate walk with Jesus. They are not satisfied with “good enough Christianity”. They want a vibrant relationship with the living God.

Richard Foster loves to teach on “Jesus’ Grand Invitation of Grace”. I treasure so many memories of him standing in front of the congregation with his arms open wide and smiling as only Richard can smile, extending a gentle invitation to take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, and lean into our Lord’s guidance, care, and renewal.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28)

“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31)

Come home, come home, you who are weary come home.

I treasure God’s prescription for the healing of our soul in Isaiah 30:15…

"In repentance and rest you will be saved,

In quietness and trust is your strength."

Sigh. Wow, what a release and blessing. Sounds like exactly what I need.

But the next line haunts me: “but you were not willing”. Thud.

Why wouldn't we be willing?

Because I'm busy. Because I have more important things to do. Because it seems like a waste of my valuable time. Because it takes focus and energy to feed my soul. Because I don't think it makes any difference.  Because I don't know what to do. Because I have no idea how to experience repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. Did I mention that I'm busy?

Yet my incredibly patient God still stands with His arms open wide in a grand invitation of grace.

“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,

And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

How blessed are all those who long for Him.”

(Isaiah 30:18)

He waits for me to realign my priorities.

"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have no money come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And delight yourself in abundance.”

(Isaiah 55:1-2)

When I’m hungry enough, I come. When I move an inch toward Him, He meets me where I am, leads me to the Rock that is higher than I, and begins to clear the fog.

“O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

(Isaiah 30:19-21)

Come home, come home, you who are weary come home. Tend your soul. Accept the gentle invitation. Keep your soul alive toward God.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Grace and peace,

Linda

Psalm One opportunities to feed your soul:

• How I love the Refocus and Refuel Retreat. A semi-silent getaway for Men and Women. September 22-24 or November 17-19 in Cincinnati. (Spoiler alert for the Aussies and Kiwis: Lord willing, Down Under in 2024.) Your own room plus acres of beautiful creation to roam. Time, space, silence, teaching, spiritual direction, and rest as we respond to Jesus 's grand invitation of grace. Spending time at Jesus’ feet individually and together. Don't be intimidated if you've never done anything like this before. You will have materials, direction, and the encouragement of others who are seeking God with you. My prayer is always, “Lord meet us where we are and take us where we need to be.” For more information and to register: https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

“I remember on my first Refocus and Refuel Retreat when we went into silence, I was surprised at how noisy it still seemed to be…It was my racing mind. I didn’t realize how much I desperately needed this time to just lay down everything else, all the interruptions of day-to-day life, and just draw near to God and truly put Him first. No matter what state I’m in when I arrive at these retreats, whether mountain top or desert moments, God meets me there as I quiet my mind and have extended uninterrupted time with my Lord. When I let go of all expectations and just abide in HIM he always shows up and sometimes in the least expected ways. It’s a wonderful time to REST in HIM….and sometimes that actually includes a good nap. These retreats are the perfect balance of good Bible-based teaching, extended quiet time with God, and laughter over meals. The Refocus and Refuel Retreats are priceless!”

• Every Tuesday at 7:30pm ET: The Psalm One Bible Study. For Men and Women. We gather with friends from anywhere for Bible study, and the locals meet for dinner and fellowship. We are currently in Matthew, and you are always welcome to drop in. To stay in the loop to receive links and resources: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study

• Thursday night “Sisterhood of the Fishbowl” just for Pastors’ Wives. This group has been a joyful lifeline for so many. An oasis in the week where we can gather with friends, share our roller coaster lives, laugh quite a bit, and receive a spiritual boost. Thursdays, 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time. To stay in the loop for these online gatherings, resources, and encouragement, sign up at the top of this page: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives 

• Soul Care Retreats just for Pastors’ Wives: There’s no such thing as a “typical pastor’s wife”. You may be a pastor, accountant, stay-at-home mom, worship leader, butcher, baker, or candlestick maker. But you are invited to a fun and encouraging community of friends with others who understand life on the front lines of ministry. Mark your calendars now to join us our next getaway.

• Cincinnati, Ohio: February 9-11, 2024

• Green Lake, Wisconsin: April 19-21, 2024

For more information and to register: Scroll down on https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives 

The Power of Beauty

I love Spring. New life springing up where death has been. A celebration of dormant creation awakening.

"Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you."

(Ephesians 5:14)

I'm also completely allergic to Spring. I sneeze, my eyes water and hurt, and I can't breathe. But I still love the cool sunny days and cold nights. I want to grab my camera every day and go out in search of beauty.

“For since the creation of the world

His invisible attributes,

eternal power and

divine nature, have been clearly seen,

being understood through what has been made”

(Romans 1:20)

Photography has become a powerful spiritual practice for me. With my camera in hand, I experience:

• Stillness

• Silence

• Awe

• Joy

• Attentiveness

• Patience

• Focus

• Celebration

• Beauty

• Miracles

• Self-control

• Perspective

• Sovereignty

• Renewal

• Humor

• Worship

Everything in creation points me to the Lord. “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

For me photography is more than pretty pictures. It helps me regain my perspective in the midst of the muchness and manyness of life. It reminds me that no matter how the world shakes, rattles, and rolls, the eternal Creator remains on his throne. When it all gets a bit too much, I go out and talk to the One who made me.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears,

All nature sings, and round me rings

The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white,

Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;

He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me never forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done;

Jesus who died shall be satisfied,

And earth and heaven be one.

This is my Father's world:

Why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let earth be glad!

(Maltbie D. Babcock)

https://youtu.be/NwqTvmpnKeE

“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”

(1 Peter 1:8)

May you see Him somewhere out there today.

Grace and peace,

Linda

• Need to regain some perspective? Have a matter to bring before the Lord? Are you trying to sort out the next step in a transition? Does your soul crave rest? Join me for the Psalm One Refocus and Refuel Retreat May 19-21.  https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

• Who’s invited? Men and women, anyone hungry for a deeper connection to Jesus. This is especially wonderful for those in full-time ministry. Take a break from pouring out. Come and receive in a setting where no one is asking anything of you.

• What do we do? The weekend begins with time in the Word, state of the soul, and heart preparation. We end with time in the Word, considering what God has been whispering, and prayer as we return home. In between these gatherings, we are in complete silence except for meals and meeting with me for spiritual direction if desired.

• When: May 19-21, Friday until Sunday. 48 hours to let the whirlwind cease, to let the noise subside, to let the dust settle, to be able to discern the important from the urgent, to keep what is valuable, to let the chaff blow away.

• Where: Cincinnati, Ohio. Your own private room and bathroom. A beautiful quiet campus with gorgeous chapel, scenic neighborhood to walk, wander, pray, process, and be refreshed.

• How much? $225 (until May 4), which covers housing, meals, and materials. Early Bird ends May 4, so register now at: https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

Click for a sample of my Father’s world, through the lens of worship.

Weary Souls and Crazy Laughter

“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

I am coming off three truly wonderful Psalm One Soul Care retreats. I am blown away by how the Lord shows up to encourage, challenge, and strengthen us.  People came eager to seek God as well as come alongside one another. Jesus met each of us exactly where we were, and gently replenished weary souls through the Word, prayer, friendship, beauty, rest, a few tears, and quite a bit of laughter.

Everyone is processing the fallout of the last several years. Grief and conflict. The whack-a-mole. The “should-have-beens”. We have all lost something or someone. We are not built to handle that much relentless bad news, disappointment, conflict, change, and heartache all at the same time.

HALT is an acronym that stands for pausing to assess the damaging stressors of becoming too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. And yowza, are people ever hungry, angry, lonely, and tired! Can you relate to any of these?

• Hungry: Unsatisfied, yearning for something, but nothing fills the void. Maybe you’ve tried to quiet the longing with less than healthy things. Or you’ve totally lost all hunger. You are running on empty and stuck out in a spiritual desert. Your “give a ____” is broken. You’ve lost your vision, passion, and interest in the things that once brought joy. You may be incredibly hungry to experience genuine connection with God, but you feel miles away.

Where do your mind and heart go when you don’t feel loved? Where do your feet go? How do you fill the emptiness?

• Angry: Resentful, irritable, bitter, prickly, depressed. We sometimes don’t notice or acknowledge the anger hidden right beneath the surface until it comes out at inappropriate moments often aimed at undeserving targets. I was shocked to experience how people were driving when I returned to the US last year. So much anger coming at us from every direction. Conflicting opinions and perspectives. Seething frustration with so many issues. Us vs. Them. And obviously, we are right and they are wrong.

• Lonely: Isolated, disconnected, unmoored. Broken relationships. Distance. Lack of intimacy. We may feel intimidated or that we don't measure up to others. We are desperate for genuine connection, but our trust level is quite low. You may miss the closeness you once felt in your church or circle of friends. Community isn't being with lots of bodies in the same space. It's having vital companionship and friendship with other human beings. It's experiencing authentic fellowship and love in the “one anothers” and “one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6) of Scripture.

Satan’s main strategy to take us down is “Divide and Conquer”. There's a huge difference between life-giving solitude (which is savoring quiet, rest, and peace with God) and life-draining isolation (which is separating the vulnerable one from the herd).

• Tired: The #1 description I hear nowadays when people assess their life is exhausted. Weary, drained, worn out. Not sleepy tired, the good kind of tired--when you’ve worked or played hard and look forward to a good night’s rest, but the kind of weariness that sleep does not cure. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically depleted. “Ridden hard and put away wet”, as we say in Kentucky.

What do we need? What do people want?

• Time away

• Peace

• Space to breathe

• Being fed from the Word

• Deep, Rich friendships

• Laughter

• Deeper conversations

• Hugs

• Quiet

• Renewal

• Joy

• Healing

• Connection

• A place to serve

• Community

• Friendship

• Encouragement

• Authenticity

• Jesus

My question for the last year has been, “What is my voice?” What can I possibly bring to the table that will help to heal and replenish weary souls? There is a well-known meme (attributed to many people): “Be the person you needed when you were younger.” I do the ministry that I myself need, and that I have needed in the past. I pray that God would use my teaching, discipleship, writing, speaking, counseling, preaching, and consulting—but also that He might use the beauty, humor, travel, photography, adventures, and constant divine appointments with two-legged and four-legged friends (maybe even friends with fur, feathers, flippers, fins and fangs?)

God seems to be confirming that He can use any and all of these. One retreat response from last week:

“For me, being at the Refocus and Refuel Retreat was like stepping out of the jungle into an oasis! It was a place where I was nourished, refreshed, lovingly challenged, and encouraged by God as I quietly meditated on His Word, prayed and worshiped through nature walks with Him. God has uniquely gifted Linda Kline with the ability to greet pilgrims right where they are and provide an atmosphere that shepherds weary pilgrims towards increased faith in God, through well studied biblical teaching, powerful photography, and crazy laughter! “

Could God possibly use “crazy laughter” to heal, encourage, strengthen, and mold us? I certainly hope so.

O magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

Ps 34:3

Much love,

Linda

Opportunities for Bible studies, retreats, soul care, encouragement, and community—some online, some in person. “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

• The Psalm One Tuesday Night Bible Study--for Men and Women. We just celebrated our 23rd Anniversary! We are currently learning from Jesus in Matthew and anyone is welcome to join us online at 7:30pm Eastern Time. To stay in the loop, sign up: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study 

The Bible study locals will be gathering occasionally in person for dinner, so let me know if you want to stay in that loop!

• Registration is open for the next Refocus and Refuel Retreat for Men and Women.  Join us as we pull away for a weekend to reboot, reprioritize, rest, reevaluate, receive, rejoice, release, remember, return, and recover. This semi-silent retreat in Cincinnati is open to anyone, but it’s an especially good place for men and women on the front lines of ministry to pull away and let the dust settle. To register: https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

• May 19-21, 2023

• September 22-24, 2023

• November 17-19, 2023

I may also be doing some Refocus and Refuel Retreats in other locations, so pay attention. One never knows where I might pop up.

• Thursday night “Sisterhood of the Fishbowl” just for Pastors’ Wives. This group has been a joyful lifeline for so many. An oasis in the week where we can gather with friends, share our roller coaster lives, laugh quite a bit, and receive a spiritual boost. Thursdays, 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time. To stay in the loop for these online gatherings, resources, and encouragement, sign up at the top of this page: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives 

• If you would like to join the Psalm One Ministries Prayer Team, please reply with “Prayer Team”. I need a community of people who will pray for the ministry and for me--especially when I wander away from home to minister and explore. Did I mention that some of my adventures include friends with fangs?