Welcome to the Soma SoulWorks Podcast! This podcast serves to help people, particularly those who may label themselves as "creatives," to seek wholeness and calling so they are ready to embrace the mission God has for them. Consider this podcast a rogue harmony of professional development and self-care, hosted by John Bergquist and Chris Skaggs.
 
What’s covered in this episode: 

• This episode covers the stronghold of busyness. Chris defines a stronghold as a “habit of thought." This isn’t just having a full schedule -- it’s going from task to task with no margin for self-care, relationships, or time with God.
• The goal for this series is that we learn to recognize unhelpful strongholds, so we can replace them with healthy strongholds. 
• Symptoms of a busyness stronghold: 
  • A need for the calendar to be full
  • Unstructured time feels luxurious
  • A pressure to be productive
  • Guilt in saying “no”
  • No margins to create, breathe, or rest
• The lies that perpetrate this way of thinking: 
  • Margin is wasteful or frivolous
  • The subtle pressure that busyness is holy
• There is a cultural suggestion that busyness equals value. However, taking time to rest is deeply biblical (check out Psalm 37:7, Genesis 2:2, Exodus 14:14, Isaiah 32:17). One of the ten commandments is that we take a day of sabbath. 
• Rest is the antidote to our mindsets of busyness.
  • Make a habit of it
  • Start small
  • Being in nature is especially helpful
  • Recognize transitions in your day
  • Connect with God
• When you’re feeling the familiar tension of busyness, bring it to Christ. As you do this you’ll regain your ability to wait patiently. Over time, your resilience will increase.
• Jesus exemplified this in the gospels. He made it a regular, deliberate habit to get away from everything and be still with God. 

Resources mentioned:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
• One Minute Pause App by Wild At Heart
• Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad by John Eldredge
• Fire Your Boss: Discover Work You Love Without Quitting Your Job by Aaron McHugh
• “The Connector Recharged” by John “JB” Bergquist
• The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
• Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus by John Eldredge
• Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You by John Ortberg
• Sign up for the Tempus Divum newsletter

Email us ideas, questions or suggestions at [email protected]