If I were to ask, what are three foods you love to eat? For almost everyone the answer comes easy. Chocolate, pizza, ribs, grilled salmon or trout, calzone or some other amazing dishes come to mind. When it comes to feeding our bodies, at least in this country, we do not have much difficulty discerning what we love. If I were to ask, who are some people you love to hang out with? The answer usually comes just as easy, because we know how to feed our social lives as well. If I were to ask, where three places are you like to go. Once again those answers are not difficult to come by simply because we know how to spend time with people, eat and feed important parts of our lives.

Often I ask people what feeds your soul. What do you do to make sure your soul is refreshed and healthy? Most people cannot answer this question, even after several minutes of thinking the idea of “soul food” is foreign to them. Yet feeding our soul is key to being healthy spiritually, emotionally and to some degree even physically. What follows is more of a testimony than a “how to” but my hope and prayer is that it will serve as helpful. I have found several ways in which my soul is fed.

I feed my soul through prayer. A specific time set aside for talking to Jesus feeds my soul. This can be corporate or personal, but I find that faithful, heart to heart talks with Christ help my soul be restored.

I feed my soul through the word of God. No brainier so far, but it is interesting that even though we know this, we struggle. I found that the bible gives me several commands about the bible. For example:

I am supposed to memorize scripture
I am supposed to meditate on scripture
I am supposed to obey scripture
I am supposed to share scripture
I am supposed to study scripture
I am supposed to read scripture

Most devotionals are only focused on one aspect of this, possibly two. Yet if I understand the bible right, I must do all of these to keep my soul fresh. Here is what I do that helps me. I will choose a portion of scripture and cut and paste it into a word document. I will print it and then read it every day for about 30 days. This portion of scripture is usually about 4-6 chapters. What I find is that by the end of 30 days I have memorized, meditated, read and even studied these words. I usually pray before and answer this question: “What would it look like if I did something from these verses today? By copying and pasting the scriptures I have something I can take with me everywhere. I can write on it and not mark up my bible with questions or comments. I can underline, highlight and even adjust my translations from time to time. This has been very helpful for me.

I also try to keep a rhythm of scripture in my life. By that I mean I will read a day or two a week, I will meditate on a few verses each week, I will try to memorize some verses each month and I will study a couple days a week too. This rhythm allows me to comply with God’s instructions about His word and not feel guilty because I did not do the traditional 15 minute devotional each day. Finally I listen to scripture. I listen to it at night when I am falling asleep, sometimes when I am driving, some times in my office as I am praying.

I feed my soul by pursuing healthy relationships. The bible instructs me to do my best to live at peace with all people. This means I have a responsibility to pursue peace with others. I find that very few things hurt my soul more than bad relationships.

I feed my soul by keeping short accounts of my sin. I have never been able to free myself from sinning, no matter how hard I try but I do find comfort in the word when I am told that when I sin I have an advocate, Jesus the Righteous One. I must confess, repent and turn to Him quickly if I am to keep my soul healthy.

I feed my soul through worship of God. Over the years worship of God corporately and privately has become essential to feeding my soul. It places the emphasis of life where it should be and aligns my heart with God’s majesty.

I feed my soul through a healthy balance of hobbies and activities. Sometimes I just have to stop. Someone once said, I’d rather burn out than rust out, to which came the wise reply. What’s the difference, your still out.

I feed my soul through healthy faith community relationships. I am in a small group because the small group of people helps care for and feed my soul. I love and pray for these people and am loved and prayed for by these people. I am in church faithfully. (it helps that I am the preacher) I need to be in a larger community where I can serve others, be encouraged by others, pray with and for others and where the mission is bigger than my life.

I feed my soul through designed service. I find that when I do what I was made to do my soul is fed. I was made to serve others; this is one of my gifts. When I do it feeds my soul. I was made to preach and teach; this is how God gifted me. When I do it feeds my soul. I was made to lead; this is one of my gifts from God and when I do it feeds my soul. I was not made to create flyers and organize offices, when I do it drains my soul.

I would love to hear from any of you that have other things that feed your soul.

In the Pen. No not the penitentiary but sheep pen. This blog is about life in the pen, God's sheep pen. Feel free to check back from time to time and you are welcome to comment.

Here are some helpful things in sharing Christ. Check back from time to time as I will add more.

All great ministry begins with 2 key questions.

“What is it like to be…?” For example, what is it like to be 16 and without a dad? What is it like to be 18 and pregnant? What is it like to be a single mother of 4? What is it like to be a 46 year old laborer for minimum wage? What is it like to be a cancer survivor? And so on. I learned to ask this question with every event I do, with nearly every person I meet and in most every situation I face. This gives me the empathy necessary to pray for and serve others.

My second question is; “What would Jesus want me to do for this person?” Based upon my gifts and talents, my time and my calling what would Jesus ask of me at this moment? I cannot do the WWJD but I can certainly do the “What would He want me to do?” These questions, coupled with the working of the Holy Spirit, open the door for the good news about our great God in every kind of situation imaginable.

By the way this approach comes from some of my understanding about Jesus ministry here on earth. John 1:14 says the word became flesh and made its home among us. This concept of God putting on skin and living with people is how Jesus ultimately asked and answered the question of “What is it like to be…?” His death on the cross is the ultimate answer of my second questions. What would Jesus want me to do for this person? His answer was to take on my sin and give me forgiveness and LIFE!

For nearly every situation in my life I have found the following process powerful for opening doors to share Christ with others. I call it PINCH

Pray – Pray for, with and about the people you seek to impact with the love of Christ.

Inquire – Nothing opens the door like a well placed question. See below the 100 plus questions I have used over the past 20 + years.

Notice – Pay attention to body language, patterns of behavior and peoples answers. Pay attention to what they say and what they do not say?

Compassion – My working definition of compassion is when God’s perfect love and righteous anger blend together causing action. Note Jesus sitting, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, crying for their lostness, commenting on their killing of his prophets and wanting to gather them close to himself. He soon went into the city, gave his life and Paid for my sin.

Hugs – Jesus often used touch to communicate love. Mark 1 for example, Jesus touched the leper to heal him. Human touch is essential for healthy lives. It is why we hug our kids, high five our friends and hold hands with our sweethearts.

When I meet with people I will often use this PINCH model as a tool for building healthy relationships with people who need to either meet Christ, grow in Christ or find their calling as a follower of Christ. Here are some of my questions I use to build relationships.
100+ Bridge Building Questions


GENERAL QUESTIONS
Do you like sports?
Do you play any sports?
What teams do you root for?
Have you ever been to a game?
Do you have any hobbies?
What do you do for fun when your not here talking to me?
Where have you traveled?
What is the furthest from home you have been?
How many times have you moved in your life time?
What kind of music do you like?
Who is your favorite band or performer? Why?
Who is your least favorite band or performer? Why?
What song best reflects your life right now?
If you could wrap a part of your life and give it as a gift to someone, what would it be and to whom would you give it?
What one part of your life would you never wish on anyone?
If you could go anywhere in the world free of charge where would you go?
It you could only take 2 people who would you take?
Do you have a job?
What would be a dream job for you?
Who has the toughest job in the world? Easiest?


FEELINGS, THOUGHTS FUTURE…
What is your biggest surprise so far in life? Positive? Negative?
How close to living the life you want are you right now?
What is your number one dream for your future?
What are you doing that will get you there?
What are you doing that will take from that goal?
What is your biggest regret in life?
What is your biggest disappointment?
When you are happy what do you do? Sad? Angry? Worried? Hurt?
Who has taught you the most about life so far?
Who has been the most positive influence on your life to this point? Negative?
What is the best decision you have made recently?
What is the worst decision you have made recently?
What is your greatest fear?
What excites you about your future and why?
What worries you about your future and why?
What parts of your life do you feel like you have control of?
What parts of your life do you feel like you have no control over?
Describe your future in a word or sentence?



FAMILY AND FRIENDS
How does your family influence your view of God? Friends? Politics? Life?...
Do you have any brothers and sisters?
Are you older or younger?
How would you describe your family in one phrase?
What is one thing you really like about your family?
What is one thing that frustrates you about your family?
What is something your dad has passed on to you or taught you? Positive? Negative
What is something your mom has passed on to you or taught you? Positive? Negative?
How does your family get along?
When you fight what is it usually about?
How does it usually get resolved?
What do you like most in a friend?
When you are with your friends do you lead or follow most?
Do your friends help you make better or worse decisions?
Have you ever lost a best friend? How?
Do you ever feel lonely when you are with your friends?
Have you ever felt like there was a relationship you should have but didn't? What do you think it is?
How do your friends shape the way you view family? God? Politics? Authority? Drugs?
What is the most difficult issue you ever had to deal with in your friendships? How did it turn out?
Can you be close friends with someone you cannot trust?


GOD, CHURCH, RELIGION
Do you believe in God?
What do you think he is like?
What do you think makes him happy? Sad? Cry? Angry? Laugh?
Do you believe in heaven?
Who is it for?
How does a person get there?
Do you believe in hell?
Who is it for?
How does a person get there?
Do you pray?