‭“Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.” Psalms‬ ‭116:7‬ ‭NLT‬

During the Advent season, we may have many reasons for feeling it’s the most wonderful time of the year. A blessing we treasure today or a sweet memory from the past creates gratitude in the heart. And yet, the holidays can also cause us to drift toward overwhelm.

Family drama or finding presents, planning an event or grieving a loss, can lead to the soul needing some extra care. And yet, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, He is the Prince of Peace. Our soul continually needs His touch.

In the pages of Barbara L. Peacock’s new book, Spiritual Practices for Soul Care, 40 Ways to Deepen Your Faith, we find ways to connect with the Lord throughout the year.

The book’s invitation is intriguing: “Embrace the rhythms that lead to true flourishing.” Okay, who doesn’t need that? At the close of each chapter, Barbara provides meditations.

From restoring the soul to reflecting on God’s goodness, here are 3 biblically based principles she shares in her book. Each one has the potential to make this Christmas a little less stressful and a lot more merry. I’ve included a prayer with each focus.

1. “Celebration as a spiritual discipline is good for the soul, and every day we live is another opportunity to celebrate. Like Jesus, we are blessed to celebrate the birthing of new things.” (p. 45)

What new spiritual discipline or biblical truth is causing transformation in your life? A more attentive prayer life or a new embrace of God’s grace can do wonders for the soul.

CELEBRATION (prayer) Dear Lord, even as I prepare to celebrate Christmas, help me to celebrate the new things you are bringing to my life. If it comes through what’s painful, I celebrate Your faithfulness to bring me through it. If the new thing is a welcome change, I celebrate Your goodness for bringing me to it.

I celebrate God’s faithfulness, goodness, and love. The power of His peace helps me release what I can’t control (like a string of lights that won’t hang the same way they did last year). And yet, true flourishing is only possible when we take time to rest.

2. “Sabbath and resting have tremendous benefits, but to experience the God-ordained blessings, time must be made to pause and rest. These disciplines are all about making time for Yahweh and receiving His joy.” (p. 144)

When the pace of life hinders my time with the Giver of life, the pace needs to change. It’s a sure sign my spiritual rhythm is off. My alarm for busyness sounds. A quickened pace or stuffed schedule can be easily dismissed as our response to the pressure for productivity. But what if we took a pause between festivities for quieter moments? In her book, Barbara invites us to discover the beauty of Sabbath rest.

SABBATH REST (prayer) Dear Lord Help me to regularly set aside time with You. (1) To exhale every anxiety or fear. (2) To inhale the peace found in Your presence. (3) To rejoice in the ability to rest.

As we rejoice in the ability to rest, reflection is not far behind.

3. “Healthy reflection on life is part of the process of maturing spiritually. Taking the time to seek understanding about what life brings our way equips us to make better choices and focus more on drawing closer to Him.” (p.187)

HEALTHY REFLECTION (prayer) Dear Lord as I reflect on this year, may I reflect on Your goodness. May I see what I learned and how I grew. In the midst of current challenges, help me to make wise choices. May I focus on drawing closer to You.

As the year ends, our reflections are likely to cause gratitude or challenge us with ways we need to grow. But as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we can also appreciate how He cared for His sinless soul through time alone with the Father. How much more do we need to take our sinful or saved soul to the Lord for His care?

Celebration.

Sabbath and resting.

Healthy reflection.

These are just three of the 40 spiritual practices featured in Barbara L. Peacock’s book. This holiday season, in the midst of being good to others, we can be good to ourselves, too. It’s one of the principles of soul care. If you’re looking to learn more about this discipline, Spiritual Practices for Soul Care, 40 Ways to Deepen Your Faith, gives us plenty of inspiration to “embrace the rhythms that lead to true flourishing.”

Find out more about the author, Barbara L. Peacock, and soul care practices at PeacockSoulCare.com.

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The winner of the book, Can You Just Sit with Me? Healthy Grieving for the Losses of Life, by Natasha Smith is Mitzi Hall!