Kristi Pennington

A few days ago, while sitting in the patient chair waiting to see my ophthalmologist, I was intrigued by the beautiful calming scene from a digital screen. It pictured a stream winding through a lush grove of trees clothed in vibrant shades of green. Words gently surfaced into this scene, one by one: Relax, Release, Renew. Then replacing these words with:  Clarity, Calm, Reflect. These are Soul Care words that I needed to be reminded of that morning.

Although cataract surgery is considered a very simple surgery, it is still a procedure that requires incredible precision from a top-flight surgeon. And in my opinion, my surgeon is the best in Tennessee.

This was my post op visit. I was hoping everything indicated the outcome was as good as possible, and it was. But, the after-care that was provided by “me” would determine the continued healing of my eye. This meant no yoga for a week, no lifting weights for a week, no bending down for a few days, no eye makeup for a week, and a strict eye drops regimen for a month.

Was following the doctor’s orders a big deal? Absolutely! The results: My vision is great! I can even now read texts and email on my phone with no readers. What a blessing!

Five weeks leading up to my cataract surgery had been some of the most intense weeks of my life because of an illness that ravaged my father’s body and took his life quickly. His death and the circumstances that surrounded it, held many complications. It took a toll on me and my husband. Were the words Relax, Release, Renew that appeared on that digital wall art display on that appointment day significant to me? Absolutely!

So many unanticipated circumstances of those weeks brought upheaval to our souls emotionally, physically, and even spiritually. We were depleted. Was relaxing, renewing, and releasing important? It most definitely was. Did we know how to move into a place of replenishing? We certainly did because of the soul care work that began seven years ago on a five-day Soul Care Experience retreat at the Potter’s Inn in Colorado.

At that retreat we were told by our leader that the most spiritual thing we might need to do during that retreat was to take a nap every afternoon. We took him up on that.

At that time in our lives, our souls were diminished. Deaths in my family as well as other situations that were sucking the life out of us, had us reeling. Not only did we nap, but we took long walks on the prayer trail situated on the North Slope of Pikes Peak. The mountain air, the breath-taking beauty, the naps, the walking helped us enter a place where our soul could begin to shed some of the built up tension.

We cried in the presence of God appointed individuals who heard our stories of pain without judgment. They listened and loved. Our physical bodies relaxed.  Our souls were held and loved on through the presence of Jesus. He met us where we were with compassion and understanding. We were in a place to experience how to relax and rest in the arms of Jesus and others.

Not too long ago, I read some words that pierced my soul. They were words written by Steve Smith on Substack who actually led that retreat. He wrote, “The abundant life includes many deaths.” How true this is. Loved ones whom I love so dearly died within the last 10 years. The losses were deep. The pain is deep. These were physical deaths. But, there are other types of painful deaths.

These are the deaths that come with the willingness to live the crucified life that Jesus calls us to. These are deaths where we voluntarily release material things, people, situations, difficulties, or desires that we can so easily attach ourselves to. It doesn’t take much effort to hook up with these types of attachments that have the potential to become unhealthy. Many times we are blinded to the fact that they have moved into a place of toxicity.  The reason this can happen is believing those things will bring us real happiness.

The truth of the matter is that when we release these unhealthy attachments a gift awaits us. The gift is called “freedom”. In this releasing or surrendering, true joy and peace are found. This is where renewal is found. Its renewal every time it happens because it’s an opportunity to become more and more attached to Jesus. This is part of the mystery that is found in the maturing process of becoming more and more like Him. A deeper intimacy is there, He in us, and us in Him.

This journey is not easy, but it is worth it. And one day we will wake up with more clarity, calmness, and without any effort on our part, we will be reflecting more of Christ in us the hope of glory.