Psalms of the Soul

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~The Art of Being Unmistakable~

~The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People~

~How to Win Friends and Influence People~

~Choose Yourself!~

~Hollywood Beauty Secrets~

Popular culture is very involved in fixing, supporting and feeding the ‘self’. These best selling books target the ‘outer person’- behavior, appearance, conduct and habits.

I agree that reading can be very helpful. But I don’t think these selections offer the way to total happiness or lasting change. Problems with what I look like or what I do are really symptoms, not the actual disease.
For example, I need to exercise more. I should lose some weight too. There are plenty of books waiting to tell me how to reach these goals. But if I only look at removing the symptoms of fitness or weight, the disease itself will not be treated. The weight will return, I’ll stop exercising. I’ll be right back where I started.

I need to address the real problem. There is a disconnect between my goal and my will. And I am creating too much noise to be able to hear the truth.

I’ll argue with myself about my habits. “Can I skip exercise today? Have a snack?” Hmm… “Sure! Why not?” I’ll come up with all kinds of reasons why that’s ok. Filled with the noise of my own ideas, I completely drown out the voice of reason.
The healing truth is in my soul. No amount of arguing, research, or bribery can change the eternal wisdom that lives inside of me. My soul speaks only the truth. It cannot lie because it is the throne of grace and wisdom.
God waits to speak through my soul. Am I willing to hear him? I’ll have to drop the lawyer gig, and stop defending my willfulness. Turning down the volume, I will hear the little psalms of love, calling out from my deepest, inmost self.

And the songs are always about love. Loving myself, I won’t fill my body with food I don’t need. I won’t try to squirm away from exercise because that’s what keeps me healthy and alert. The voice of love shows me that neglecting myself is not debatable. I am to love myself, and love my Father as I love myself. And I want to love him well.

It’s not just hearts that ache when they are ignored. If I reject my soul’s truth, I will ache there too. The soul vents its pain by spilling over into overindulgence, disrespecting others, even ignoring God. Books about make-up and cheerleading won’t repair that.

Repair the rift inside, and then there’s hope. The outward symptoms will evaporate if the break between my will and my goal is healed. It all starts in my inmost self.



Unless I am in touch with my inner songs, all the ‘fix-it’ books in the world won’t help. But if I know what God wants (and it’s always love), then nothing should stop me from living in that love, which clarifies and illuminates my path.


A little less noise. A little more silence. And the songs of the soul will well up, healing me in its music.

Linking today with: Wednesday’s Prayer Girls

40 thoughts on “ Psalms of the Soul ”

    • Hi Jackie! Thank you, I am so happy that you were touched by this post. If God spoke to you through these words, that is such a wonderful gift.

      Thank you for your strong support of this blog, Jackie. You have no idea how lovely it is to know that you enjoy the writing here. And I am so thankful to God that he inspires the words. We have an awesome God!

      Have a wonderful day :)
      Ceil

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  2. Hi Ceil, another great post and food for thought. I just love the Psalms. I think they are the favourite of so many people.

    I think about all the money made by the authors of the different “fix it” books. I for one don’t spend any more money on these kinds of books. Though I do love to read books of all kinds, the “fix it” genre is no longer on my “to read” list. Now some nice music to scripture would be a very nice way to cure most of what ails us.

    Have a wonderful week ahead.

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    • Hi Joyful! I love the Psalms too. They cover every emotion, and you really get a sense of King David’s faith, don’t you?

      I like the idea of ‘nice music and Scripture’! I think fix-it books have a place, but they’re not going to help anything unless I am in touch with the right motivation. And that does come from God.

      So nice to see you, Joyful! I pray you’ll have a good week too.
      Ceil

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  3. Dear Ceil
    I know what you say about self-help books. I think these books feeds on the lies so deeply ingrained in our minds; we are the captains of our own souls and destiny. That is the lie of humanism. We are spiritual derivative creatures and only God can fill our hearts with so much love that we truly want to love and care for ourselves and others!
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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    • Hi Mia! You put that very well, Mia. I guess the self-help is on the humanism level. I don’t mean that they are inherently bad, just incomplete. As you said so well, we have a place in us that only God can fill. All the books in the world won’t cure us until we are ‘right’ with that.

      You made the point very well. Thank you!
      Hope this is a good day for you, and that you are feeling well,
      Ceil

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    • Hi Kathleen! Thank you for your kind words today.

      I hope it’s wonderful. I’m taking my 95 year old aunt to the doctor, which always makes me nervous. I’m so afraid she’ll fall. Please pray for our safe trip today.
      Blessings!
      Ceil

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  7. I ALWAYS hear the songs comes out from my soul and sometimes I need to be quiet and listen and following it. I know when my heart is close to my Father’s heart and the songs comes out!
    How beautiful what you wrote here Ceil. As always!
    How are you? I hope you’re doing well. I’m praying so hard that the package comes to you soon hehe. Sometimes I just worried :) but I will listen to the psalms of my soul that set my heart in joy and hope to Him.
    Love to you,
    Delvalina

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    • Hi Delvalina! It’s great that you know when you are close to the Father…then the songs will pour out!

      I am doing well, thank you. I’ll let you know when the package comes. I’m excited to get it! Thank you for your generosity in having a contest on your blog :)
      Have a blessed day, my friend. I’ll be praying for you!
      Ceil

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    • Hi Wanda! Thank you for your kind words, Wanda. I am so glad that you were moved by the post today.

      I think I forget sometimes how powerfully we can be led by the Spirit. I spend too much time on the surface, and forget to allow my soul to sing in what I do.
      Have a wonderful day Wanda!
      Ceil

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  9. Oh my sweet Ceil, what precious words of wisdom! “The healing truth is in my soul.” Amen, Sister :) The first things you mentioned are just surface things, but it all comes down to the heart and allowing God to do the work.

    Have a beautiful Wednesday. Hugs to you, friend!

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Stephanie! It really does come down to settling down enough to hear. And then listen too. I am so much more happy when I am doing the right things for myself. Life goes on a lot happier.

      Thank you for visiting me today. I am always so glad to see you!
      Ceil

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  10. Ceil, as always, this post is right on target. These words jumped out at me…”The soul vents its pain by spilling over into overindulgence, disrespecting others, even ignoring God.” There’s a whole lot of that going around these days. I agree, there’s only One who can heal our souls. Great post!

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Angel! I think I am a lot more reactive when I’m not happy with myself. Balance is always the goal, but it’s hard to maintain…at least for me.

      Thank you for your kind words today. I really appreciate your support.
      Hope you had a good Wednesday!
      Ceil

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  11. You know..dear friend..I do believe your speaking to me when you write your posts..I struggle with pretty much everything you write about, prob. we are kindered spirits of some sort ;). No..just regular people, with regular issues/problems. Thank you dear friend..you always manage to put a smile on my face. Blessings

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Linda! What kind words for me to hear. Thank you so much Linda. I am SO happy that you can relate to the struggles that I have. I like how you say that we are ‘regular people, with issues’. I think that is true. No one is perfect!

      I’m glad this makes you smile too. Hopefully the music in our souls can tell us about being happy, and we can both smile more :)
      Let’s keep our blog-relationship going, ok?
      Blessings to you, I hope you had a good day.
      Ceil

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  13. Fix-It and How-To books were summed up for me one day in the Clearance aisle at a crafts store… The book was titled something like: HOW TO SCRAPBOOK ON A TIGHT BUDGET… the “clearance” price was $29.95!
    ~Pamelyn

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  14. He makes all the difference – in how we see ourselves and how we take care of ourselves. I agree – all the self-help books in the world cannot fix me without him.

    BTW – I think we would have been best friends, too!

    Maryleigh

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    • Hi Maryleigh! Yay! I know your name now :)

      Good point about him showing us what we are, I guess the self-help comes in when we don’t believe him. He knows us the best, so I think we can rely on his word and promises!

      Thanks for stopping by, my friend!
      Ceil

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  15. OH, Ceil! We all get so trapped, don’t we?! Yah doesn’t look on the outward, but the inward! We’d have less time for comparisons, as well! And less power struggles with what He doesn’t want us to ‘handle’, lol! My soul is singing this morning, dear! Joy in Messiah, Kelly

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    • Hi Kelly! I do think comparisons do not help much, do they? We are all so unique, fearfully and wonderfully made. Listening and understanding the song inside will set me free to be the person he wants and planned for me to be.

      I will join in your song today, and make some music for The Lord!
      Bless you, my friend!
      Ceil

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  16. Such wonderful and wise words Ceil. We often forget that “we” can’t “fix” ourselves. There is only one who can “fix” us and the only way that will happen is if we lean in closer to Him and let Him guide our way.

    Thank you once again Ceil for reminding me of this simple truth.

    Wishing you a blessed day.
    xoxo

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    • Hi Jennifer! Thank you for your wonderful comments! It is so true that God has to be in the mix, and if we listen to him, then he will direct our way.

      I think these types of books are good, but only after we know what we really need. If I listen to the song, and know what I have to do, and am really unable to do it…then I need help. But like you said, it’s God first, he can light the way. And how blessed we are that he wants us to know his plan!

      Thank you for your visit today, it’s always fun to see your smiling face :). Have a wonderful Thursday!
      Ceil

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  17. Good Morning Ceil!
    It’s just such a joy to come visit you. You always have an uplifting message for the day. You know, I have never liked those “fix-it” kind of books. They always make me feel inadequate about myself and that I’m not doing something right. Kind of like dieting, you try so hard to stay on a strict diet and then you gain weight. Seriously?! I don’t diet now either, if the weight is meant to come off it will in it’s own timing. Ha Ha!
    I love the thought of the music for the soul. We are suppose to be rejoicing in the Lord and all that he does for his children. I don’t ever want to wallow in the self pities of life. Life’s too short to listen to bad music! :)

    Have a blessed day!
    Amy

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    • Hi Amy! Thank you for your coming here and lifting me with your encouraging comment! I love the part where you said “Life is too short for bad music.” That is great! Thank you for that!

      Sometimes those books do make you feel like a failure. If we can’t make it work with what they say, then it must be our fault, right? Let’s decide today that God will tell us what we need, and we’ll listen. It’s a lot easier that way!

      Thank you for coming over today, Amy. I always enjoy what you have to say :)
      Ceil

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  20. Hi Ceil,
    This is such a good post and one I could very much relate to. I’m good at making excuses as to why I SHOULD eat that hot fudge sundae when it would really be better if I didn’t. (If you accidentally get two comments from me on this post just ignore one…lol. I didn’t think the first one went through.)

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Mary! Oh brother, I make excuses all the time. I’m trying to get better, but it is a process for sure. God knows I am not perfect, and just wants me to try. I can do that!

      I didn’t get two comments, so thank you for leaving another one that I could see. Thank you again for reading and commenting on so many posts!
      Blessings,
      Ceil

      Reply ↓

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