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Lesson OneIntroduction to SoulCare: Getting Started on the Journey3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoThe First Task in Learning to Provide SoulCare: Knowing What You're After and What It Takes to Get There3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeA Personal Search: Beginning with an Inside Look3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourThe Concept of Ruling Passions: What Energy Carries You into the Life of Another3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveBrokenness: The Key to Releasing the Power of SoulCare3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixThe Good and the Bad in the Human Soul: Self-Need vs. Soul-Thirst3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SevenEntering the Battle for Another's Soul: The First Step3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson EightWisdom: A Roadmap for Entering the Soul Without Getting Lost3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson NineGetting into the Battle: Moving Below the Waterline from the Presenting Problem to the Story of the Soul3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TenAgents of Growth: What SoulCare Can Do in Our Lives3 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 1
Discussion Questions
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Many people assume that learning the theory and skills of SoulCare is all that is needed to become an effective counselor. Dr. Crabb begins with a very different assumption, that discerning the passions that rule within you as a SoulCarer is essential. What do you perceive to be the dangers of ignoring this assumption? Illustrate your reasoning with examples from your own life or create a scenario that illustrates it.
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26 Replies
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On November 11, 2017 my life changed. My doctor called to share the results of a biopsy I had done in her office a few days earlier. When I heard the words “invasive ductal carcinoma,” I was too shocked and numb to even shed a tear. In the days ahead I felt as if I’d been dropped in a thick forest and couldn’t see my way in any direction. My road was long, bumpy and rough, but I learned and grew to trust God more than ever.
As a result of this journey, I volunteer now and call women who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I thought this process would get easier with time and experience. The truth is, I still feel inadequate to help these troubled women after many calls. I’ve tried offering empathy, advice, asked questions and prayed with almost every woman. I have a passion to reach these women and not only relate to them but ease their struggle and offer a peace in the midst of turmoil.
I can see where knowing the inner person, or going beneath the waterline, is extremely important. I desire to not only be effective, but also allow God to use me in a way that goes beyond the tip of the iceberg.
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As a person that wants to truly care for my friends and others who I don’t know well, I do find myself giving superficial answers to their pain. I’m truly well meaning but I see how that it all above the waterline. Then on top of it, I can be judgmental if they don’t take my well meaning advice or if they are still dealing with the same problem over and over again. I’ve encouraged, given Scripture and offered prayers but frankly, I don’t know how to actually walk with them on the journey. I do, however, try to help them see that a relationship with God that is the center of their life is the only way to get through suffering.
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God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips those whom he has called. I am far from being equipped to being a SoulCare counselor. But I also recall the first disciples were just ordinary people that were called to do extraordinary things. They were not well educated, didn’t have diplomas, large fancy titles. They were lay people with a heart for following Jesus. Every step of your life, you are going into it unequipped. If you are being led by Jesus to become a counselor, he never sets you up to fail.
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I do always feel that I am inadequate to serve as counsellor to fellowship and yet I am put in that position by my pastor and on the request of the members. Being a lay person working in corporate world, I do not think I am equip to do the ‘soul caring’ work. Hence using people management skills and trying to take courses to improve on it are some of my attempts to do better.
It is very interesting to learn from Dr. Crabb that to be effective on soul caring, it’s not a matter of overcoming the inadequacy but rather embracing it. If I ignore the passions and always under the pressure of needing to prepare myself and be the best which is impossible. As I will not know how the conversation with others go and it will sure be stressful. I will miss out the opportunity to rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and journey on with others to become more like Christ.
