Pastor and author April Yamasaki on soul care
You’ve published on creativity and journalling. Can writing deepen our faith?
For me, writing is a form of prayer – a way to express my heart, share my thoughts, listen to God. My faith has also been deepened by silence, outdoor walks, reading Scripture, experiencing grief and the everyday circumstances of life. God can – and does – use writing and many other things to deepen our faith.
You’re part of a liturgical worship community. Why is liturgy important?
My church uses a formal liturgy – a booklet that changes every week with different readings and songs, printed and handed out so everyone can participate. Our liturgy leads us through different movements of worship, including confession, intercession, offering, benediction and more. Every church has some kind of liturgy, some kind of public worship, whether formal or informal. That’s why liturgy is important – because it’s the church’s response to God in worship.
Some of your books teach soul care. What is that and why is it needed?
Soul care means caring for the whole person, since what affects us deep in our souls affects us physically, mentally and in every way. Keeping a gratitude journal, getting enough sleep, setting aside time to pray are some examples. We need these and other soul care practices to recover from the demands of daily life, and to be renewed in loving God and loving our neighbours as ourselves.
April Yamasaki is an ordained pastor, resident author with a liturgical worship community, editor of Rejoice! devotional magazine, and the author of Four Gifts, Sacred Pauses and other books on living with faith and hope (AprilYamasaki.com). She lives in Abbotsford, B.C.