Most of us would say that heaven is good and a place we'll be glad to make our eternal home. But often there's a gap between our beliefs and the emotions we experience in our bodies. Natural survival instincts sometimes make factors like the fear of death or letting go of control keep us from fully embracing the hopeful anticipation of heaven.​

Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi help us take heart from Jesus, our older Brother who went before us to prepare a place in the Father's House. Your heart will long to find its home — both now and for all eternity — in the spacious refuge of acceptance, warmth, and delight alongside Jesus in God's place of residence.

Resources for this Episode:

• Get Your Free Take Heart Devotional
• Attend a Soul Shepherding Retreat
• Donate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks*

*When you donate to Soul Shepherding, you’ll get a Take Heart devotional emailed to your inbox each month.

You’ve likely experienced the messiness that comes with conflict in close relationships. All of us are human — meaning we each have unique hurts, emotions, needs, and perceptions that we bring to difficult conversations. It’s tempting to hide our hearts from each other for the sake of “moving on.” Yet this misguided attempt to protect the relationships that matter most only creates a distance that ultimately weakens our connection.

Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the importance of strengthening relationships through rupture and repair. You’ll get equipped to move toward the “hard” in relationship with emotional honesty, empathy for those who’ve hurt you, and the patience to stay present as you grow in understanding yourself and others.

Resources for this Episode:

• Attend a Soul Shepherding Retreat
• Deeply Loved: Receiving and Reflecting God’s Great Empathy for You
• Meet with a Soul Shepherding Spiritual Director
• Donate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

All of us experience times when the same grace that flows through us to others is hard to grasp for ourselves. Sadly our thoughts often slander us the same way religious bullies insulted Jesus: “You saved others but you can't save yourself” (Matthew 27:42 paraphrased). Thankfully we don't have to drown in shame — we can take heart from Jesus on the cross as he leads us into deeper experiences of grace.

Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi help us become more enthralled with Jesus this Holy Week. You'll experience him more personally and empathetically as you share in his experience of spiritual and emotional anguish on the cross. The Suffering Savior invites you to borrow his faith and trust that God is with you, loving you, and pleased with you as you grow in union with God and mature to become more like him.

Resources for this Episode:

• Attend a Soul Shepherding Retreat
• Unforsaken: Journey with Jesus on the Stations of the Cross
• Donate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks