24. The Discipline of Loving and Being Loved (with Dr. Barbara Peacock)

What color is God's skin? What color is God's skin? I said it's black, brown, yellow, and it's red, and it's white. Everyone's the same in the Good Lord's sight.

What if our practices of being with God, while distinct and different across the vast landscape of time and cultures, actually held far more in common than we thought? What do we have to learn from our brothers and sisters in the global church? What do we have to learn from our next door neighbors? What does love look like as the first and most important soul care practice which sets the stage for everything else?

Our guest, Dr. Barabara Peacock, is the author of "Spiritual Practices for Soul Care: 40 Ways to Deepen Your Faith," as well as the award-winning book, "Soul Care in African American Practice." She also wrote Psalm 119 Scriptural Journal and Called to Teach (Acronym C.A.L.L.E.D. means Commissioned As Leaders, Learners, Educations and Disciples).

Dr. Peacock is passionate about the disciplines of prayer, spiritual direction (soul care), lectio, and visio divina. In 2013 she founded Barbara L. Peacock Ministries. This ministry is committed to providing safe spaces for encounters with God. More recently, she founded Peacock Soul Care where she offers training in spiritual direction, spiritual formation, and writing your spiritual autobiography.

Dr. Peacock grew up in Whiteville, NC, where she attended elementary school. She graduated from West Columbus High School, Cerro Sordo, NC. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC; her Master of Arts Degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey; and her Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA. Her doctoral focus was Spiritual Formation for Ministry Leaders.

Dr. Barbara Peacock is a trustworthy guide through the landscape of spiritual formation and soul care as she honors a current iteration of a much older movement which has been around for thousands of years. From the time when Jesus woke early in the morning to be alone with his Heavenly Father, through the years of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, through the Middle Passage of slave ships bound for the shores of North America, through the 20th century, and right up until today, Barbara looks back, looks forward, and looks around for signs of faith, hope, and love. She is a much-heralded and much-needed voice for the Church today.

Correction: The author of "Joy Unspeakable" is Barbara Holmes.

Bonus Content: In response to Adam's curious off-air question about the song of her soul, Barbara offered to sing her response. May this conversation stir a song in you. May you hear the Singer, the Voice of Love, singing a song over you to simply be loved. This is the beginning, the center, and the end of all our spiritual practices.

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.