1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 2: Hi friend, welcome to Breathe the Stress Blessed Podcast. I'm 3 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: Bonnie Gray, your soul care guide for this time, designed 4 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 2: just for you to rest and refresh your soul. You're 5 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: going to pick up a practical soul care tip that 6 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 2: you can do to restore calm to your emotions and 7 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 2: your body based on science inspired by scripture, and you'll 8 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: pick up a loving word of affirmation from God's word. 9 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: I'm so glad you're here with me. Today is a 10 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: fresh new year, Happy new Year. I'm your host. I 11 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 2: am a soul care mentor, I'm the founder of Soul 12 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: Care School, and I'm the best selling author of Breathe 13 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: twenty one days to stress Less and transform cass to Calm. 14 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 2: As we step into new year, let's just slow right down. 15 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: You only need enough light for the next step. And 16 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: I am just curious, friend, as the new year begins, 17 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 2: are you carrying worries that feel heavier than you expect it? 18 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 2: Maybe nothing is wrong, but your mind feels full, your 19 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:41,839 Speaker 2: heart feels responsible, and you want peace, But maybe your 20 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: thoughts aren't quite letting you rest. Do you ever find 21 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: yourself holding everyone else up while quietly you're carrying your 22 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: own worries alone. If so, you're not alone. We're stepping 23 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 2: into the new year and we want to just breathe 24 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: in god love and breathe out the worries you've been 25 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 2: holding inside. That's today's episode. I want to help you 26 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 2: to do something simple but powerful, learn how to breathe 27 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 2: in God's love and breathe out those worries. I'm going 28 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: to share a childhood story where God met me in 29 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: the dark with his care, a scripture that has anchored 30 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: my heart for years I would say decades, but especially 31 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: during the rough times, and now I just really cherish it. 32 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: And I'm going to give you a sole care practice 33 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: you can return to any time to calm anxiety as 34 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: we step into the new year. So if your heart 35 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: longs to feel calmer, held, and less overwhelmed as we 36 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: seventeen new year, this episode is for you. Friend. If 37 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: you have been feeling responsible for holding things up together 38 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 2: and carrying those worries, I want to remind you that 39 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: you are worth taking care of. I want you to 40 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 2: take my sole care quot Just go to soulcarequiz dot com. 41 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: This is really important because in order for us to 42 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 2: sometimes just really know that we need the care. It 43 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: helps us to get an assessment. I actually like going 44 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: to the doctors for my annual because a lot of 45 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: times my fears are way more than what's happening. And 46 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 2: then I get those annual blood tests and I'm like, okay, phew, okay, 47 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 2: I'm okay in this area. Here's another area that maybe 48 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 2: I need to really watch out. And so actually it 49 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: helps me. It helps us to see exactly which area 50 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: of care we need the most. Is very calming because 51 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: we realize, Okay, I just need to pay more attention 52 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: to one area my greatest need of wellness. There's emotional wellness, 53 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: physical wellness, spiritual wellness, and social wellness. Which area you'll 54 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,839 Speaker 2: find out? Just go to solcarequiz dot com and you'll 55 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: be able to get this free wellness assessment. Just go 56 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: to soulcare quiz dot com and we'll be right back. Well, 57 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: let's begin with a breath prayer for the new year. 58 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 2: Our breath prayer is based on a promise in scripture, 59 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 2: and we're setting out the new year with one of 60 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: my favorites to begin the new year, Psalm one nineteen 61 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: one oh five. Your word is a lamp to my 62 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: feet and a light on my path. Beautiful, beautiful promise 63 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: in scripture. Gently place one hand on your heart. Inhale 64 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 2: slowly and pray. Your word is a lamp to my feet. 65 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 2: Exhale slowly and okay, a light on my path again, 66 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: just really gentle in hell, your word is a lamp 67 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 2: to my feet. Exhale, a light on my path, and 68 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 2: just let yourself received this one light for this moment, 69 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: right where you're listening. God has his love and peace 70 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: for you. Well. I grew up in an eight hundred 71 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 2: square foot duplex at a very busy intersection, one of 72 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 2: the busiest in California's Silicon Valley. I was the oldest 73 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: child in a divorced family, and yep, I grew up 74 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 2: the responsible one, the one who didn't want to cause trouble, 75 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 2: the one who made sure everyone else was okay. If 76 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: I felt everybody's okay, then I was okay. But because 77 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: I was so busy caring for others, focusing on others' needs, 78 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: it was just natural and easy to ignore my own heart. 79 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: I often felt invisible. I did have worries, but I 80 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 2: didn't have anyone to share them with. Maybe you know 81 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: this feeling too. Studies showed that women experienced burnout at 82 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 2: higher rates than men, partly because we carry so much 83 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: responsibility and emotional labor. Over responsibility quietly wears us down. 84 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: But in fifth grade, God gave me an unexpected experience 85 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: and it became a gift, a lifelong gift that I 86 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 2: returned to That showed me he cared about my worries too. 87 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 2: So in fifth grade we have science camp. Did you 88 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 2: have fifth grade science Camp? It took us to the 89 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: mountains and I took my first hike among the redwood trees. 90 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 2: Stepping off the bus, I looked up and I just 91 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 2: felt something so peaceful. Even the air smelled different. I 92 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 2: could breathe. Then came the night hike. It was so exciting. 93 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 2: We all gathered at the trailhead after sunset, so excited 94 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 2: until we heard we were going to be hiking alone 95 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: five minutes apart in that dark. The counselors explained that 96 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: if we felt afraid, all we needed to do was 97 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 2: to call out and someone would be there. Then something 98 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 2: beautiful happened that night. I'll never forget it. As I 99 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: walked quietly beneath the stars, the darkness did not overwhelm me. 100 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 2: My eyes adjusted and I began to see in the dark, 101 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: and I realized that knowing someone was there changed everything. Later, 102 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: it would remind me of Psalone thirty nine. If I 103 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: make my bed in the depths, you were there. Your 104 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: right hand will hold me fast. Even the darkness will 105 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: not be dark to you. That night, Hike, that night 106 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 2: in darkness taught me something I've carried ever since. When 107 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 2: we know we're not alone, fear loosens its grip. God's 108 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: love becomes light in the dark. So Friend, when the 109 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 2: path a head feels unclear, God doesn't ask us to 110 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: figure everything out. God invites us to listen for his 111 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 2: loving voice, to lean in, to trust that his voice 112 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 2: can guide us one step at a time. So Friend, 113 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: I wanted to share this story because as we begin 114 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: a new year, I want to invite you to something gentle. 115 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: Instead of focusing on our worries, we can breathe out 116 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: our worries. We can practice focusing on listening for God's love. 117 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 2: We can focus on God's promises because when we fix 118 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 2: our eyes only on the darkness around us, will miss 119 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 2: the light that's meant for just our next step on 120 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 2: our path. Right, there's so many unlimited number of worries 121 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 2: that can surround us. But God gives us just enough 122 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: light for one step on our path. So I just 123 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 2: invite you to listen for God's loving voice this year 124 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 2: through his promises. This is the promise that I want 125 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: to share with you today. In John one five, the 126 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not 127 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 2: overcome it. That's in John one five. The darkness just 128 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 2: can't absorb the light. Fear cannot extinguish love and uncertainty 129 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 2: no matter how much we have of it, it cannot 130 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: cancel God's promise to you, God's presence to you. You 131 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 2: have the light of Christ within you. And when we 132 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 2: come back, I'm going to share the science behind the 133 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 2: wellness practice I'm going to give to you this week, 134 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: and we'll be right back. Well friends. From a wellness perspective, 135 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 2: there's something very powerful about finding the light. When we 136 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: feel overwhelmed by the darkness. You see, our nervous system 137 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: goes into threat mode when we look at the darkness 138 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 2: quote unquote all our worries. Our nervous system goes into 139 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 2: the stress response. But here's the good news. When we 140 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: inchor ourselves in meaning in beauty and gentle focus on 141 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: something good and peaceful, our brain will turn on the 142 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: rest response and our nervous system will start to slowly settle. 143 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 2: Neural science shows us one way to help our bodies 144 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:17,479 Speaker 2: settle and turn on the rest response is reading, especially reflective, 145 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 2: meaningful reading. That will activate the calming neural pathways and 146 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 2: it will lower the stress hormones. And this is why 147 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 2: God's word and thoughtful reading can restore peace. That's one 148 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 2: of the practices I want to comment to you this week, 149 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 2: So that's your soulcate practice for this week. I want 150 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 2: you to choose a book to read slowly. Maybe there's 151 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: a book you've been curious about, but you know, just 152 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 2: never had time for it because of busyness again being 153 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 2: over responsible, caring for everybody else. Maybe even picking books 154 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 2: for your kids if your kids are still young. Right 155 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: as parents, we do that, but you forgot yourself. Or 156 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 2: maybe it's something comforting. Is there a book that's comforting 157 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: or faith filled. Maybe a book that invites wonder instead 158 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 2: of urgency. Okay, not reading books to solve problems, but 159 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 2: something that just invites reflection, peace and wonder. Well. Last week, 160 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 2: on our last episode, I shared how reading the screw 161 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: Tape letters helped me to rest in unexpected ways. And 162 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 2: if you're looking for something gentle, I want you to 163 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 2: consider picking up Whispers of Rest. That's my book. It's 164 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 2: a forty day devotional. It's the soul care. Every chapter 165 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 2: will give you soul care, loving whispers of God's loving 166 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 2: word of affirmation scripture. You'll get a practical soul care tip. 167 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 2: I use this myself during my journey of healing from 168 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 2: anxiety and world read to just breathe in God's love. 169 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 2: So I commend this to you Whispers of Us Forty 170 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 2: Days of Soul Care. The second book is my best 171 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: selling book, Breathe twenty one Days to stress Less and 172 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: Transform Chaos to Calm. This is the bestseller. It just 173 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 2: talks about four different areas of wellness that I told 174 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: you connects to that soul care quiz. So this book 175 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 2: will help you to dive into four areas of wellness. 176 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: Emotional wellness, physical wellness, spiritual wellness, and social wellness. Those 177 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 2: are the four areas I had to learn how to 178 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 2: take better care of myself using scripture and science. So 179 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 2: both of those books have the scripture in science reading 180 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 2: slowly before bed and during quiet moments will help your 181 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: body to relax and your soul to breathe again. Okay, 182 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 2: so this week, just look for that book, whatever that 183 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 2: may be. You might say to yourself when I have time, Well, 184 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 2: time for you is now, because you're worth it, You're 185 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 2: worth taking care of. Well, let's pray Jesus, thank you 186 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 2: for walking with me even in the dark. Give me 187 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: eyes to see you now. Help me to breathe in 188 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: your loving peace today in your name, Amen, And as 189 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: you go into your week, I commend this breast prayer. 190 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 2: Use this breast prayer. Whenever worries rise, I cast my 191 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 2: anxiety on you because you care for me. You don't 192 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 2: have to see the whole path ahead. You are held. 193 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 2: You're guided by our loving savior or shepherd, Jesus, and 194 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 2: his light is already with you. Well, if this episode 195 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: touched your heart, will you share this with a friend 196 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 2: and encourage her as we all step into the new year, 197 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: and I invite you to take my free soilcare quiz. 198 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: You can just take it with your friends, see what 199 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 2: kind of scores you get wellness assessment and share it 200 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: with each other. It just helps so much when you're 201 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 2: doing it together, doing soul care and wellness. You can 202 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 2: even maybe start the book club with Whispers of Rest 203 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 2: or with Breathe and really focus on soul care once 204 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 2: a week together. It's a loving way to just reflect. 205 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 2: Go to take the soulcare quiz m soulcarequiz dot com. 206 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 2: Easy to remember, there's four types of soul care. Just 207 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 2: go to soulcarequiz dot com. Remember that you're loved and 208 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 2: you are cherished. Just rest and I'll see you next time. 209 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: Breathe. 210 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 2: The stress Less Podcast is a production of Live Audio 211 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 2: and Salem Media. If you like what you heard today, 212 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 2: please take a second to rate and review this podcast 213 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 2: in your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like 214 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 2: you can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 215 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 2: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.