soul – Jerry Lout ⚬ Writer ⚬ Speaker ⚬ Mobilizer

May 16, 2024May 15, 2024

An Allegory

Jeremy and Nguyen first connected at English Corner. The E.C. term grew out of a phenomenon long ago in urban China. When locals discovered spots either in a city center or on a school campus where the English language could be heard and practiced without formality. The Winfreys (Ken and Karen) launched English Corner at our local university. They stewarded it year after year, Wednesday nights, seeing droves of students (mostly new and mostly shy on their first visits) flourish in both English skills and cultural relationships.

“Could I introduce you to a collection of popular readings? A lot of people in our culture have grown to enjoy them through the years. A British professor who taught at both Cambridge and Oxford Universities produced the series.

“They are fantasy stories and the writings pull a lot of narratives together in a seven-volume adventure series.”

With this, Jeremy, a gentle soul and committed volunteer, set the stage for conversational practice for Nguyen for months to come. Nguyen, a family man (wife and young son), though inundated with doctoral studies, was keen for staying engaged.

In due time through the course of their readings, the alluring draw of a centerpiece figure in the readings – a fierce but benevolent lion presented in allegory – captured the student’s imagination. Discussions linking meaningful principles featured in the fictional narratives with a range of Biblical truths gave rise to further heart stirrings. Nguyen soon yielded over – heart and soul, body and mind. Embracing a sure faith issuing out of the life and work of Jesus Nguyen crossed the threshold of belief and never looked back.

Shortly his wife followed suit. The glow of salvation beamed bright over their young lives. The Nguyen household were enveloped and nurtured in a community of love comprised of local area Jesus-followers of varied denominational stripes.

These were times of growing, of anchoring the soul secure – ahead of gathering storms.

September 21, 2023

Readers Heads-up. Thresholds!

To my wonderful Blog readers, a happy Heads-up on a fresh direction at this site!

Beginning next Thursday our focus shifts a little, from the ‘Inside-Out’ theme to what we’re labeling THRESHOLDS.

In my earlier book, Giants In The Rough, an adrenaline-charged moment sees me stepping into a rough-hewn canoe in the Africa Outback in hopes of traversing a deep and turbulent river. The chapter – suitably titled ‘Measured Risk’ – shines a spotlight on the term, Threshold. A term which can mean starting point – brink – outset, (on the) verge. . .

My pledge to you by God’s grace is to offer up more of what you have come to look forward to (I wait for a reader to employ the term ‘drool after’ 🙂

The Thresholds series will feature memoir-like narratives, offering the reader unique highlights of our post-Africa years. The modest-sized entries should prove stimulating and enriching, hopefully inspiring and encouraging, as well.

So. The nature of the blog pieces shift now, from being fairly “instructional and insight-based” to offering up a parade of nonfiction human-interest stories. Still, the stories themselves conspire to form one overarching story. Linked one behind the next – like a line of trunk-to-tail circus elephants – these narratives supply the reader with nuggets here and there of (yes) insights, as we all journey forward in the adventure called life.

May you, my reader-friend, whether new to the blog scene or a veteran, find yourself, more than anything else, being simply lifted – heart and soul.

Finally, I WELCOME, as always, the occasional (or frequent) entry my readers leave for me in the ‘comment’ box. Nothing rallies a writer’s inspirational juices more than learning their words have touched a life in some heartening – yes, uplifting – way.

ENJOY a grand weekend ahead,

Jerry Lout

July 14, 2023July 20, 2023

Additives

Petroleum Scholar Zhang went to work hammering out his PhD dissertation. Its premise centered on the task of increasing smoother, more efficient liquid flow through the interior chambers of miles and miles of pipeline.

Tackling bothersome culprits that stifle free flow of a thing seems generally worthwhile. Like reducing buildup of sludge along the interior surface of oil pipes.

Hinderances – Blockages – Sludge. Such terms don’t call to mind the most endearing images. As my plumber-dad’s gofer long ago, I was sometimes assigned the task of guiding a long flat metal ‘snake’ into and along the Log Cabin Restaurant’s stopped-up waste line. It was there I began coming to terms with two things:

#1 Sludgy, stinky blockages in any form are not my cup of tea

#2 A professional future following the career path of my father’s own carried slim likelihood of getting realized.

But, stewarding a vessel’s inner workings well – whether cardio arteries or water pumps or fuel lines – calls for wise and careful attention. The more so when the well-being of a person’s heart and soul is the aim.

A main element in oil pipeline care involves additives. I am told that feeding the just-right blend of purifying elements into a line, can serve as a remarkable game-changer. This action results in the free, unimpeded movement of a product that may afterward propel numberless ‘people-ferrying birds’ across the friendly skies.

So what additives might be called for in your soul and mine? What Spirit-fueled practices does God prescribe in the very middle of our daily routines of eating and sleeping and working and playing and resting? What can we do to keep the pipes open, our minds and hearts purer – freer – Better?

The eternal creator (our cosmic Chemist if you will) sets before us, for the mere receiving, one of his own tested-and-proven additives. This ‘additive’ cuts through the choking fog of a toxic world and its many contaminants swirling about us. It is at various times labeled, the Bible – the Word – the Sacred Scripture. Wonderfully supplied among its holy elements are ingredients to ensure a new kind of life – a good and pure and honorable life – well lived.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you*

October 20, 2022October 20, 2022

Longings

“Grant me the courage to change the things I can”.*

I had been a rebel and my stubborn self had grown weary of the struggle. I was finally ready to give up.

For me, giving up meant coming to my senses. It meant the scary but good decision to yield over my will. The road ahead could likely see its own bumpy stretches but I sensed the journey might go much better if I trusted my life (gave myself over) to Jesus Christ. For this to happen, though, I would need to keep wanting him. I found myself wanting to want him.

“Cause me to desire you, Lord”. I offered this cry through the next several years.

Change of character takes time and it begins with turning. Turning a new direction. Desire plays a big role here. The prayer was voiced again and again, “Increase my desire. Grow my desire, please, Lord”.

Wanting God to help change us is akin to growing an appetite.

.The time was the mid-90s. The setting, Tulsa University

“Delicious smell!”, I thought as I tilted my head and let my nostrils draw in the aroma. Few things stir a person’s appetite like catching the whiff of a hot meal in the making, especially following hours on a near-empty stomach.

My volunteer work had brought me to the college apartment complex in hopes of getting in a short visit with some international student friends. I had tried timing my arrival to avoid disturbing their evening meal. The sweet smell of chicken curry floated in the air. Taste buds stirred and my lips moistened.

Desire for a changed life, an entirely changed life, is a little like that.

We all know that natural desire comes through simply being human. We sensed it from our earliest moments, within mere seconds of birth. We craved air right away. You. Me. Each of us fought for our first breath.

Thankfully, we do not remember those stressful entry moments into life. But being human is this way, desires pulling at the whole person. In time we detect somehow that our stirrings are not limited to desires of our body. Our soul, our spirit – those nonphysical interior features of us – hunger as well.

At the top of the appetite list, lies our most meaningful kind of hunger. Our heart hungers. We hunger for something (for someone) beyond the tangible material world. We are made to belong to God. What’s more, we are (astonishingly) designed for routine, joyful interaction with him. His earliest intention for us is that we may grow into the fully human people we were meant to become. The Scripture invites,

“Taste and see. . the Lord is good.”*