Soul Talks With Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

Reading the classics of devotion to Jesus is an incredible source of encouragement for our faith. When a devotional classic highlights lessons and struggles by someone with our Enneagram type, the impact is even more profound.  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore a devotional classic written by an Enneagram Three. Reading classics by Enneagram types you relate to pers...

Cultivating our enthrallment with Jesus is so important because we are shaped by what we love. For all nine Enneagram types, the Gospels show us Jesus as the healthy and holy perfection of our type. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi reveal Jesus as the perfect Enneagram Six. Jesus is the exemplary Loyalist, trusting in God’s authority, and a pragmatic problem solver. As you...

Each Enneagram type has a unique emotional alarm that is an unconscious behavior pattern. This alarm helps us identify the lie from the enemy that we have believed in the area we are most vulnerable. Tune into this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the power of your emotional alarm to reveal your slide into unhealthy parts of your personality. Learning to recognize this alarm will h...

Our personality can charm us when we only focus on its positive aspects and remain unaware of our needs and the unconscious areas where we are broken or dysfunctional. These ways of coping work for a while, but ultimately limit our growth and health in Jesus. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore the blindspots of our Enneagram type through the example of type Nines. Wh...

We each have habitual approaches to securing ourselves that come out of our unhealthy selves. When we learn to recognize these false messages operating in the background of our activities, we grow in awareness of our own needs and emotions.   Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss how to use your  Enneagram map for growth and health. Through the example of Enneagram Twos...

Much of our personalities are unconscious and habitual defense mechanisms and coping patterns for dealing with pain, problems, and sin, causing us to miss God’s love and grace. The power of the Enneagram as a tool is to help us grow in self-awareness so we can receive God’s grace in areas we need it most. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore Your Enneagram Map: Guides...

Our journey of self-awareness is intertwined with our journey of knowing God. Having language to describe our experiences and understand ourselves and others helps us to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This knowledge opens the door for repentance and personal growth. Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi unpack the benefits of the Enneagram for intimacy with Jesus...

Perhaps you have been curious about the Enneagram, but wonder about its origins and symbol. As Christians we ask questions of any tool we use — is this consistent with the teachings and values of the Bible? Is it helping me in my relationship with God? Is this helping me to become a more loving person? God is the source of truth, and all truth is God’s truth. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks...

Our thoughts influence how we feel and act, and some of the thoughts in our heads can keep us from fully embracing God’s life and love for us. Allowing all of these narratives to remain unchecked can hinder our growth, but there is hope for us to quiet the noise and discern the voice of our Lord. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Kristi and Gem Fadling discuss Gem’s newest book, Hold That...

Our stories are powerful. We make sense of our own soul stories as we find ourselves in God and his story becomes our story. Living reflectively, engaging curiosity, and cultivating a calm presence requires slowing down in our ordinary, day to day existence, so our story is woven together with Jesus. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi talk with Rich Villodas about his new bo...

Weariness, compassion fatigue, and burnout are the natural result of statistics like these: 44% of pastors are not taking a regular day off, let alone a sabbath day, 63% are not getting enough exercise based on the recommended minimum, 31% get no exercise at all, and 85% of pastors have never taken a sabbatical. We need the renewal that comes from truly resting in God’s presence.   Tune in to Soul...

Spiritual rest in God’s presence is so important for our mental health. Yet sometimes we avoid true rest because we fear the influx of unprocessed emotional distress that rises up when we create space to slow down.  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi examine the importance of rest for our mental health. Jesus set boundaries to care for his own soul by resting and prioritizin...

How is therapy different from spiritual direction? How do I know which one I need? Understanding the difference is important, especially when there are not enough professionals to meet the growing mental health need.  Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore the distinctives and overlap between therapy and spiritual direction. While mental health disorders require the skil...

We can use spiritual disciplines in ways that are healing and helpful or in ways that are ineffective and toxic for our mental health. If we deny or negate our emotions, disciplines are not helpful because they disconnect our deeper self from God and from other people. Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the mental health benefits of customized spiritual disciplines....

When anxiety grips us, it can feel like the walls are closing in. Anxiety disorders affect 31% of Americans, and all of us will experience anxiety and stress overload at some point in our lives. Even though this feels like an inescapable part of life, it is possible to experience freedom from anxiety!  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore anxiety and panic attacks. Tho...

Many Christians are told their depression is a lack of faith, and if they only think differently and trust God their depression will go away. This sort of shaming holds us back from getting the help we need. Mental health conditions affect our ability to access our insight, intelligence, and brainpower and can disconnect us from God.  Depression is paralyzing, but action is curative. Join us for t...

Suicide is an issue that isn’t often discussed in church. Yet it is the 12th leading cause of death in the US and the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 10-19. As soul shepherds, we have an opportunity to compassionately love those struggling with mental health challenges, and most tenderly, anyone who is suicidal. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss suicide and God’...

When you picture Jesus looking at you, do you see a smile? Many of us find we project a frown or a distant look on the face of God. But Jesus’ shining face is looking at you with a smile of love, and you can learn to see it!  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss the shelter of Jesus’ smiling face against the attacks of the enemy. Reflecting on an older translation of P...

Areas of stress are opportunities for the enemy to drive us down. The father of lies takes something that is true and twists it into a half-truth with a lie embedded in it, hitting us right in the most vulnerable parts of our personality. Yet, with God as our shield, we can refute the lies of the enemy! Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi share personally about recent attacks...

Each day we experience the accusations and lies of the enemy that target our specific areas of weakness and bury us in fear, anxiety, resentment, shame, and isolation. Yet scripture tells us we are safe when we submit to God Almighty, our Creator and Redeemer, and resist the devil. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi unpack the accusations of the enemy and how we can learn to...

You don’t have to be perfect. God often does his best work of grace telling the story of Jesus through our brokenness. As he meets us right where we are, we can learn to move from the cycle of works to the cycle of grace.  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss Spirit-led Ministry from the CHRIST stages. While there isn’t less stress during this stage, there is less stri...

Have you ever wondered if your current experience of spiritual life is all there is? Seasons of feeling distant and dry can be reframed as opportunities for a journey of deeper intimacy with God as you come to understand the stages of spiritual growth. Tune in for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore the pathway for a life-changing spiritual journey. Understanding this roadmap giv...

As Jesus’ apprentices, we have an invitation to live a life that is immersed in God’s presence. But sometimes we default to serving him out of our own strength or trying to earn his love without realizing it. When we focus on our enthrallment with Jesus, we return to live with him as our ultimate mentor! Tune in to this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi explore this immersive life expressed...

We tend to focus our attention and effort on our skills in ministry and the needs of those around us. Yet there is another way to encourage others to draw close to the Lord — through cultivating our own devotion to Jesus. Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi discuss a meditation on Song of Solomon 1:3. “Draw me and we will run after the fragrance of your love,” from The Story...

Shame has many colors, variations, and related emotions. We see in Jesus' cross journey that he is unforsaken by God and we are unforsaken by God in our sin and shame. He invites us to bring all of our needs to him because he is our shame-taker.  Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi walk us through the journey of the cross. As you look at the fifteen stations of Jesus' cross f...