What words shine light into your soul?

Dear friend,

Men used to walk around with nothing but a wallet in their pocket.
Women went nowhere without their purse.

Now we all cling to a skinny little machine
as if it is life itself.

Our little techie wonder streams words.

We read these words all day.
If we don’t, we get anxious.

Then we go home and sit down
with our other techie wonders
- our tablets and laptops - 
and read more words.

But let’s ask ourselves:
Are any of these words shining light into our soul?

Can we tear ourselves away from our machines
long enough to ask:

What light does my soul need to receive?

What words will actually shine light into me
that will strengthen me to live?

Where will I find those words?

Among the many places we can look

We can look
in a holy book of faith

in sermons

in song lyrics

in poetry

in novels

in short stories

in autobiographies

in essays

in political addresses

in psychological analyses

in substacks and their comments

in letters written to us

in teaching we receive from our parents, children, and other family

in teaching we receive at school

in thoughts our friends share with us

in thoughts our partner expresses to us

in ideas a therapist conveys to us

in thoughts and ideas we come up with ourselves

So…which of these sources of light reach YOU?

Your answer will reveal a great deal about who you are.

Whose words are connecting with you?

Whose words are serving as a catalyst
for you to grow into the person you aspire to be?

If you are identifying with the words
of a particular singer, writer, or political leader
perhaps you feel you share their vision of life.

But have you asked yourself:

What is that vision?
What values and actions am I being pulled toward
as I read or listen to their words?
Are those actions aligned with my moral values?

Perhaps you are feeling inspired and strengthened
by particular spiritual verses
and feel you want to live up to the ideal
those words describe.

But have you asked yourself:

What is that ideal?
What kind of person am I being shaped to become?
What am I being asked to do?
Do those actions align with my moral values?

Words not only reach us, they lead us

The words we allow into our souls
have a powerful impact.

They shape how we perceive reality.

They construct our concept of who we are.

They shape our future footsteps.

This is why we must choose wisely
the words we allow in.

This is why we must read all words with care.

Especially…
we must take care to recognize those words
that attempt to control our mind and our actions.

We must reject all words that incite fear and anger
and move us to channel blame in a destructive way.

When we surrender to such words we are being used.

To remain free and constructive citizens
we must welcome into our soul
only those words that shine genuine light.

Each one of us is unique
in which words we choose
that do this for us.

Some words I have chosen

I want to share with you some of the words I live by.

I offer them only as illustration,
not as a guide for you.

You will find your own words.

Here are mine:

Jesus said to them,
The light is with you for a little longer.
Walk while you have the light,
lest the darkness overtake you;
he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
While you have the light, believe in the light,
that you may become sons of light.
John 12:35-36

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison
to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1

Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night,
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice;

With the farming of a verse
Make a vineyard of the curse,
Sing of human unsuccess
In a rapture of distress;

In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountain start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.

from In Memory of W. B. Yeats by W. H. Auden

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
May you stay forever young

from Forever Young by Bob Dylan

These words reach and inspire me.

They liberate and strengthen me.

I would find life far more difficult
if I did not have these words
shining light into my soul.

I hope you will seek out the words
that reach you.

The words that strengthen and liberate you
and lead you to more abundant life!

Whether you are finding those words now
or have treasured them for many years
I hope you will share some of them with us today.

We would love to experience
the words that shine light into your soul!

Blessings,

Dr. Hall