A Soul Shepherding Moment By Bill Gaultiere  © 2012 “You make it look easy” a neighbor said as I ran by. “Thanks! I’m having fun,” I replied. “Have a great day!” I was doing a training run for the Boston Marathon, … Continue reading →

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

“It’s no sweat!” we say when something is easy for us. What if we lived life without sweating? Without straining, hurrying, or worrying?

That’s how Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden—till they separated themselves from God. Ever since people have been working by the sweat of their brow. But we misunderstand this and think that work is the curse. No! We were created by God to rule and reign with him (Genesis 1:28). Work is not the curse—sweat work is the curse.

How do you do your Work?

I talk with a lot of pastors and many other kinds of ministry leaders [...]

Continue reading “No Sweat!”

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

There’s one thing you don’t hear on 9-11 and it’s the most important thing. Until you trust these words you’re not in a position of strength to minister God’s comfort to the grieving and his justice to the oppressed and endangered.

“This world is a perfectly safe place to be… as long as you’re in the kingdom of God.”

Huh? If ever there was a day that we’re reminded that we’re not safe it’s 9-11. There are terrorists in our world! There are untold thousands of people in America and around the world who are grieving because a loved one was killed by a [...]

Continue reading The Words we Need to Hear on 9-11

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

What if you never hurried? Could you live that way?

Lots of work to do? No hurry. Late for an appointment? No hurry. Sightseeing on vacation? No hurry. House needs to be clean and company is coming over soon? No hurry. Climbing the corporate ladder? No hurry. Dealing with a difficult person? No hurry. Can’t seem to get into a conversation? No hurry. Seeking help for emotional pain? No hurry. Behind in reading through your One Year Bible? No hurry.

“If you don’t hurry then you’ll miss out.” That’s the fear. It’s half true. You can do more if you hurry. But you won’t enjoy [...]

Continue reading Can You Live without Hurrying?

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

I just returned from four days of backpacking in Yosemite with my son David. What beauty to be surrounded by mountains, walking along streams and wildflowers, listening to birds sing, and enjoying graceful deer prancing nearby.

But perhaps the best gift God gave me came with swarms of mosquitoes!

Mosquitoes? How did God use buzzing, biting mosquitoes to bless me?

Swarmed by Mosquitoes

Let me set the scene. As we hiked 36-miles up and down mountains in the thin air at 9,000 to 11,000 feet, each of us carrying 40 pounds on our backs, we walked through some meadows filled with streams, ponds, and lakes. [...]

Continue reading Content in a Swarm of Mosquitoes

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

We all feel left out at times. We may feel unwanted and alone. Maybe there’s conflict in our family or our friends are busy. What to do?

At times like this it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself. Or to complain. Or to distract yourself by getting busy. I’ve done these things. But it’s so much better for my soul when I pick up my Psalms prayerbook.

One time when I did this my spirits were revived by the Psalmist giving thanks for his spiritual father who helped him to know that he was chosen and treasured by the Lord.

It warms my [...]

Continue reading I Belong in the Trinity’s Family (and So Do You!)

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

Psalm 1 gives us a vibrant picture of what our life with God can be like. Do you know this Psalm that introduces the church’s life of prayer? It begins, “Blessed is the man who…”

The first thing we need to know when we begin the first of the 150 Psalms is that Jesus is the perfect Psalm 1 Man. He fulfilled the righteous life and the prophecies of this Psalm and all of the Psalms. And he offers for us to be his students in his school of prayer. Jesus is our Teacher, the Psalms are our text, and daily life [...]

Continue reading Be Like the Psalm 1 Man

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

When someone criticizes you are you defensive? Or do you get angry? Many people I talk to have a hard time responding to criticism because they take it inside and feel bad or they protect themselves by shutting down emotionally, which leaves them isolated and depressed.

I can relate. For much of my life I felt inadequate whenever someone criticized me. So I put pressure on myself to succeed and to try to get people to think well of me. That created a lot of anxiety!

I have learned another way. It’s expressed in a favorite little prayer of mine [...]

Continue reading Use Your Christ Shield

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

When someone criticizes you are you defensive? Or do you get angry? Many people I talk to have a hard time responding to criticism because they take it inside and feel bad or they shut down emotionally to protect themselves from feeling bad.

I can relate. For much of my life I felt bad whenever someone criticized me. So I put pressure on myself to succeed and to try to get people to think well of me. That created a lot of anxiety!

I have learned another way. It’s expressed in a favorite little prayer of mine from Psalm 3:3:

[...]

Continue reading Use Your Christ-Shield

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

Most every day I talk to someone who is afraid or anxious (which is generalized fear). Maybe you fear what people think of you… Not having enough money… Public speaking, flying, being far from home, or spiders… Failure or rejection… Losing a loved one… Disease or pain… Death…

We all long for more of God’s peace in the midst of the stresses of our lives!

It’s been said that there are 365 “fear nots” in the Bible, one for every day of the year. This is a wonderful thought, but is it true? Most people say no. Indeed, there is not a version of [...]

Continue reading “Fear Not!” 365 days a year