Friday Five – 5 Soul Fillers

I’m linking up today with some friends who are also sharing their 5 Soul Fillers. Be sure to click on the little froggy at the bottom of this post to see what fills them up. We’re all about the fill here at EPFH!

I actually found it a challenge to limit this post to 5. I think that’s a very good thing given that our world is typically more draining than filling. I do find, however, that I have to be very purposeful about the filling up part. The draining part just seems to come way too easily. I’m pretty sure we can trace that back to a certain couple in a beautiful garden. Yep, thanks but no thanks, Adam & Eve…  Seriously, though, they get a bum rap. If it wouldn’t have been them, it would have been me so I can’t be too bitter. God give us all free will. He wants us to choose to love Him. He’s a jealous God but He’s not a forceful God.

Just like we have to choose to love Him, we have to choose to be filled with good. (How’d you like that segue?) The bad comes at us without even asking for it, like the gift you never asked for but it lands in your lap anyway, but we have to make the choice to fill our souls.

Have you ever thought about what the soul is? Multiple times, the scripture refers to the heart, mind and soul separately. The heart, while tied to our emotions is also connected to our brain. The brain and the heart work together. The brain thinks, the heart feels. The heart feels, the brain thinks. The heart’s emotions are more of a physical property and can be seen or touched or described. Our soul is connected to our spirit. The soul’s emotions can’t be seen, touched or really even described. We can’t describe the wind anymore than we can describe the soul. We just know it’s there because we feel it. The connections of our soul are the most intimate of all. The soul feels and fills deeper than the heart.

Here are 5 things (no where close to a comprehensive list) that not only touch my heart but fill my soul:

Helping

My mom is probably reading this and has already started making me a list… but I love to help others – as much as I can. I’ve actually become pretty good at saying no in my older, wiser years but I do love to help when I can. One of my spiritual gifts is discernment. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) which, as is the case in any  gift, is both a blessing and curse. I notice things. All the things. It’s often exhausting because I can’t do it all and can’t fix it all but it is also a soul filler because I get to be a part of seeing and helping in ways that others can’t.

A former pastor/friend of ours, Bro. Robin Butler, used to say (and probably still does), “See the need, feel the need, meet the need.” Bro. Robin is one of my favorite “sticky statement” people of all time. I should write an entire post on all of the quotes we still use of his which are from over 20 years ago now.

Back to the point… Most people are happy to meet the need if someone points it out to them but they don’t always see it. I see needs and feel them deep within me and am therefore compelled to meet it. It kills me when I can’t but it sure does fill my soul when I can.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill

Music

I could not live without music. If I were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing it might be my ipod. Maybe not since I’d need a solar charger too. Oh well, I can sing and God provides so much music in nature that I’d be ok.

I love music. Music is what connects my heart to God’s more than anything. I rarely have the tv on but I almost always have music playing.

My go to music these days seems to be anything by Bethel Music and Elevation Worship. I’m also loving Matt Redman’s newest album, Unbroken Praise. Oh and Jimmy Needham’s newest, Vice & Virtue. I could list so many more. I love music. Did I say that already?? At the time of this post I have 540 albums which amounts to 3532 songs in my iTunes library. Maybe some addictions can be good?? Music gives me life. Sometimes music helps me live. Music fills my soul.

Sunrises

If you spend much time with me you will know how I love a good sunrise. I even love a not so good sunrise. I’m not super picky. I love sunsets too but sunrises are my favorite. The rising sun brings with it so much hope. God never fails to remind me of his artistic creativity in the gift of a new day. A new chance. The offering of new mercies. The promise of redemption.

I love any sunrise but my favorite ones are those I get to see from my back porch. The feeling I get when the colors begin to rise is indescribable. Some days God tells me who the sun is rising for but most days I’m convinced He shows off just for me. This picture is of a sunrise from this morning. The colors only lasted for about two minutes. I could have been doing any number of things and missed it but God had me look outside at just the right time to show HIs love for me. And my soul was filled.

Food

I love food. I love good food. I love cooking good food, eating good food and sharing good food. I mentioned my gift of discernment above but my other main spiritual gift is hospitality. It fills my soul to help people feel welcome in my home and that will usually involve food. Good food.  I’m not one to need much praise but when I know mouths and tummies are happy, that is food for my soul. (Catch what I did there??)

Writing

I love writing words on a page. I’m not a fan of speaking words out loud, like ever, but I love writing words, like always. I’m compelled to write words. I’ve recently learned that writing, for me, is a calling and if I don’t fulfill that calling I’m actually being disobedient. I could think of that as pressure but I see it as freedom. Freedom to write because I get to and I have to! Writing is also a therapy of sorts. The emptying of all the words in my brain is good for me.

At the She Speaks conference I recently attended, Liz Curtis Higgs said, “Whatever story you have is one someone needs to hear.” Oh, how I long to share a story that someone needs to hear. This blog exists to share stories for the very purpose of filling souls. The bonus in this for me is that as your soul is hopefully filled in the reading, mine is filled in the writing.

Do any of my 5 soul fillers resonate with you? What touches you so deeply that you can’t describe it in words? What fills your soul? I’d love for you to share in the comments here or hope over to the EPFH Facebook page if that’s easier for you.

Be filled,
~Andrea

Be sure to click on the little link up froggy below to see more soul-filling options from my blogging friends. Who knows, you may find something amazing to add to your list.