January is always a good time to pause, look, listen and observe life.

• How am I REALLY doing?
• What has changed in me over the last year?
• What needs to change, grow, capture my attention to live with more peace, joy, satisfaction…?
• What can I do now that will impact my life over this coming year?

Likely you have your own list of questions in addition to these, and these are the right questions to ask.

No one drifts into a healthy life and soul. It takes intentional investment with solid practices and rhythms. There are no shortcuts.

So, how are you investing in your soul?

This question is not just for the start of the new year. It is THE question we must ask all the time and this soul-evaluating question is what Altar asks everyday. The souls of leaders, pastors, men, women, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers…matter MORE than anything else.

A couple of quotes and Scriptures highlight this. Read these SLOWLY and take in the depth of their words.

Our soul is like “an inner stream of water, which gives strength, direction, and harmony to every other element of our lives. When that stream is as it should be, we are constantly refreshed and exuberant in all we do, because the soul itself is then profusely rooted in the vastness of God and his kingdom, including nature, and all else within us is enlivened and directed by that stream.” – Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart

[Note: We love the imagery of streams and all fly fishing offers us by way of analogy. Everything teaches if we pay attention.]

“What is wrong with the world today? I am.” –G.K. Chesterton

[Note: We feel the pull that life, the world and even our lives are not as they should be–disconnect, loneliness, pain, struggle, grief–to name a few. Thank God that all WILL be redeemed and restored–there is reason for hope]

“There are three things that last forever–God, God’s word, and the souls of men and women. The extent you invest in these three, you invest in eternity.” –Jerry White, Navigators

[Note: Only you can choose to invest in your own soul and well-being, and when you do, you are impacting eternity for yourself and the ripples you life creates in the lives you touch everyday.]

“What good is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit their very soul. What can a person give in exchange for their soul?” –Matthew 16:26

[Note: Fascinating concept isn’t it? Your soul is dynamic and can grow or shrink, thrive or wither, become healthy or neglect to die. You are becoming something every day.]

So many more quotes and Scriptures could point us to the seriousness and necessity of caring for our souls–for our whole self.

The question is: ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR SOUL?

As we start this new year, pause, look, listen and observe. And then do it again tomorrow, next week, next month…Don’t stop investing in your soul through the things that will enlarge its goodness, life and health. Things like: practices that connect us to God (prayer, Scripture reading/reflection), genuine community, sabbath (are as we say Rhythm=6+1), retreating not just for a day, but for several days (Altar has come to see that retreating may be the most pivotal spiritual practice needed to day to help bring clarity, depth, and focus to your one and only soul), and wrapping all of these around a rule of life (some template to help you stay on track with the most important things that shape and form your life).

So much more can be said, and Altar will do its best to bring you more through our ministry.

We believe in you and your soul. Will you start investing in your soul today?

_{Eric Camfield | January 2026}