First things first! Let’s get prepared for Session 1.

• After completing this section (Part 1: Prepare) you’ll be fully prepped to meet with your (in person or virtual) Wholehearted University small group.

• I (Joel) highly recommend engaging with Part 2: Reflect. Here, I highlight the most important information from each chapter of The Wholehearted Journey book. (Additionally, I understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise during the next 9 weeks. If you don't complete all the reading/listening for your upcoming class, it would helpful to watch/listen to the short video in this section prior to class.)

• If you’re journeying solo, after you’ve completed this section, feel free to venture into Part 2 & 3 now or later on this week. (Pro Tip: Schedule it in your calendar now, include date and time (60min.))

• Let’s Go!

Read/Listen: Introduction & Chapter 1 (The Wholehearted Journey) (29 min.)

• Download Session 1 Reading (below):

• Audio Book: Intro & Chapter 1

Now that you’ve read/listened... it’s time to engage in the following exercise. You’ll be so glad you did!

YOUR WHOLEHEARTED JOURNEY EXERCISE: (5 min.)

Understanding your Story

The stories of our life often flow like this:

1. Shalom (Peace) - During this season we experienced a sense of joy, safety and innocence.

2. Shattering - Something or someone wounds us deeply and shatters this season of shalom.

3. Self-satisfy - We attempt to satisfy what was lost on our own—alleviate the pain of our wound and seek to restore our lost sense of shalom. (We may employ self-satisfying tactics knowingly, but, much of the time, we do so unknowingly.) Our own attempts to self-satisfy are always temporary. While they may momentarily help us get by—cope—or numb the pain, they do not heal the wound, nor fully restore our peace. When we discover that we cannot successfully accomplish these things on our own, we are more likely to search for help (a book, a counselor, a Savior and, in the best case, all of the above). If this occurs, entering the forth stage then becomes possible.

4. Salvation - Our wound is healed, shalom is restored and a “better life” is reclaimed.

The Wholehearted Journey is designed to guide you deeper into this 4th stage—"Salvation"—or, as Jesus described it, the “better life.”

The first step in this process toward a “better life”, will necessitate that you choose a story from your past. (In a future chapter, you’ll have the opportunity to express your story through written word, but, for now, all that’s required is that you think about which episode of your life may need revisiting.) This story will, courageously, need to be one of shattering (stage 2). This shattering may have transpired 4 weeks ago or 40 (or more) years ago, but—as you decide, please keep this in mind—the younger you were were when the shattering story occurred, the greatest power (and potential) it has to heal your past, restore your peace and thrust you into that "better life" Jesus prepared for you.

Though many of us may already have an idea of a story we might need to recall, the very best way to go about deciding, is to ask Jesus—the healer of shattered hearts—what story he would like you to return to. Why don’t we do that now.

Jesus, which story would you like me to write about on my wholehearted journey? Please make it clear, which episode of my life you would like to guide me into.

In addition, please don’t feel the pressure to have to make your story selection right now. You’ll have plenty of time to think and pray about it over the next two chapters. In them, I will vulnerably share a few shattering episodes from my own story. I’ve done this in part, to provide an example of how to go about choosing (and, eventually, writing about) your own.

If you’re journeying with a Wholehearted University class, you’re now prepared to meet with your group.

• You’ll journey through Part 2 & 3 when you meet with your colleagues, but—for those who like to be extra prepared—you’re more than welcome to venture into Part 2 & 3 prior.

The soul is living art, composed of mind, will, and heart. This mixed-medium masterwork is filled with emotions, memories and a resilience that exceeds physical limitation. Your soul is a masterpiece and it’s the most priceless possession in the universe. So incredibly valuable, Jesus paid for its liberation with his own life. It's through your heart and soul that everything you love about life is experienced—joy, adventure, wonder, dreams, romance and relationship. The only way to enter the "better life" is for your heart and soul to become one—united—whole.

READ

"I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." — Jesus (John 10:10 MSG)

What is the life you have dreamt about, but haven’t yet explored or maybe even put words to? What if everything you need to transition from your current “environment” into a whole new way of living was already inside of you, predestined, yet untapped? What if all you had to do was take a breath, and enter in? The path from one way of living to a more expansive one is always scary, wonderful, and wild. But if you’re going to soar into something new, you’ll have to leap off the branch into the void. If you’re going to experience the vast beauty and wonder of the new life lying before you now, you’ll have to jump in yourself and seek the unknown that waits in your soul. Your soul and heart are not metaphorical poetry. They are fact. Almost everyone has experienced a moment of heartbreak—endured a betrayal, a bad break-up or lost a loved one—you don't need me to tell you the wearying effects a broken heart can have on your mind, will, and body. When your heart and soul are wounded, the rest of your life limps. Indeed, there are splits and cracks in all of our inner lives, and until these are fully restored, united and matured, we will not be able to fully realize a life, Jesus described as, "better life than they ever dreamed of." The truth is that God is pouring out more than enough life to abundantly overflow our lives, but like a bucket with holes, our lives rarely have the chance to fill up. As David connected in Psalm 23, the Lord must first “restoreth my soul” before “my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:3, 5 KJV). Much of the abundant life God extravagantly pours out slips through the holes in our heart and soul. I’ve felt it and so have you. If you want to enter the life you have dreamt about—soar into something new—you'll have to leap in yourself and seek the unknown that waits in your heart and soul. Let's get started!

If you're like me, you learn best when you get an opportunity to actually apply what you've learned. That's what Part 3 is all about!

RESPOND

1. When you were a child, who did you want to be or what did you want to do when you became an adult?

2. 54% of practicing Christians say they have at least one emotional/mental health issue that impacts their relationships. What are your thoughts concerning this statistic?

3. We are made of a spirit, soul and body (I Thessalonians 5:23). Which one of these areas do you spend the most time attending to or developing. Rank them from highest to lowest. How might your life change if you tended to each area more intentionally—especially, in the areas you ranked lowest?

"You can't care for something you don't understand..."

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart (3) and with all your soul (6) and with all your strength (4) and with all your mind (1 & 2)’; and, ‘Love your neighbor (5) as yourself.’” — Jesus (Luke 1:27)

6 Fundamentals of the Human System (See the Diagram: click here )

1. Thoughts - make up part of your "mind"

2. Feelings - make up part of your "mind"

3. Choice - "heart" is spirit (not physical) and empowers you to will

4. Body - physical "strength"

5. Social Structures - your relationships with others—your "neighbors"

6. Soul - integrates all the above so they work together (e.g. it's like the processor of a computer).

APPLY

1. Our thoughts influence our feelings (and vice versa). How might being aware of this, positively affect your life? How might this change what you choose to think about or what types of content you expose yourself to?

2. Philippians 2:13 says, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose", or as the New Living Translation has it, "God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases him." How might inviting Jesus (God) into your heart (spirit/will/executive decision making portion of you) empower you to enter a much more abundant, satisfying, purposeful life? How might that decision affect your thoughts, feelings, actions and relationships?

3. How might having God—who helps to change your "desires" and gives you the "power" to "will and to act"—help you take better care of yourself and your loved ones?