Turning Sermons into Soul Care
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”— James 1:22–25 (ESV)
Like many of you, I come away from conferences and sermons with a heart full of truth—and a to-do list of things I want to apply. But once the bustle of everyday life returns, good intentions can easily slip away. I’ve learned that spiritual growth doesn’t usually happen in big bursts, but in slow, steady reflection.
So here’s one practice I’m learning: to not just attend church or conferences, but to also make space afterward to linger with the Lord. Whether it’s thirty minutes after a sermon or a few hours after a conference, that time becomes a personal retreat—a space for prayer, reflection, and response.
In this post, I’ll share some simple ways I process what I hear for soul care, followed by a few personal reflections from a recent conference. Perhaps these ideas will encourage you to slow down too, and let God meet you with the grace you need right where you are.
How to Process a Sermon or Conference for Soul Care
Pray as You Listen
It’s easy to switch into school-mode once the speaker begins speaking. While note-taking is certainly helpful, we’re in information-gathering mode, which I can easily substitute for application. So it’s important to take a moment to begin with prayer for a teachable heart and for eyes to recognize the points the message intersects with my life.
(A quick aside: if you find yourself thinking, “I know someone who needs to hear this!”—pause. File that away for later. First, ask what God has for you.)
Mark What Matters
During the message, highlight or mark quotes, Scriptures, questions, or takeaways that intersect where you’re at while you notes. These become your "reflection points" later. Highlighting these as you note them make it easy to return later to what matters most.
Find the Intersection
When it comes to your reflection time, revisit your notes and ask:
What stood out?
Where did this meet me personally?
What’s hard to believe or live out?
How is the Lord speaking to me through this?
The goal isn’t just to remember but to respond. These pauses of reflection allow the Spirit to connect God’s Word to your real life.
Let It Lead You to Christ
Truth should draw us first to worship, as well as action. Ask:
How does this draw me closer to Christ?
How can I love Him more because of what I heard?
How can I love others more faithfully?
If all you do is love Jesus more this week, that is fruit enough. Sometimes prayer—praise and gratitude as well as lament and petition for help—is the first step. I sometimes overlook this as a legitimate response to a message, thinking I need to go and do something when God may simply want me to grow deeper in my fellowship with Him.
Sort the Takeaways
As I just mentioned, not everything is for now. Some insights are for today, some are seeds for later. These questions allow you to implement with grace. Ask yourself:
What one thing can I practice this week?
What truth should I sit with longer?
How can I share what I learned to benefit another?
What could I share or file for ministry later?
End your retreat in prayer—turning insights into praise, confession, lament, or quiet trust.
My Reflections From A Recent Conference
Last week, OakHaven had the joy of exhibiting at the IBCD conference in Burbank. In the midst of a full schedule, I found myself especially blessed by the pre-conference messages from Paul Tautges on Grieving with Hope. His reflections met me in a tender place, not just as a ministry leader, but as a mother walking through a long, unchanging season of caregiving for our adopted daughter with disabilities.
Grief is often associated with death, but it can also arise in complex, ongoing realities—especially when good gifts come with unexpected sorrow. Adoption, for us, has been both a joy and a deep place of loss. As I followed my own counsel to linger over these messages, three truths met me personally:
1. The Triune God comforts me.
All three Persons of the Godhead are actively present in our grief. The Father draws near when I feel discouraged or unseen. The Son weeps with me as I grieve the milestones Anah may never reach. The Spirit intercedes when I don’t have words and brings Scripture to mind in the midst of exhaustion. These truths remind me that I am never alone in my caregiving.
2. Christ’s resurrection gives me hope today.
The resurrection is not just a future doctrine—it is present, sustaining hope. When I feel like this season may stretch on forever, I remember that Jesus will one day wipe every tear, including mine. Until then, I can enter the death-like places of life with confidence, knowing these days won’t last forever. Resurrection will follow!
3. God—not my performance—is my refuge.
Because much of my caregiving is hidden and unnoticed, I’m often tempted to find refuge in work that feels more important or seen. But that’s not true rest. The message reminded me that refuge isn’t found in productivity, reputation, or visible results. It’s found in the arms of a Savior who sees every act of unseen obedience and meets me in my weakness with grace.
Taking time to reflect wasn’t about adding more to my plate—it was a gentle call to lift my eyes beyond today’s hardships and set my mind on the joy set before me. And as God meets me personally in these truths, He is also equipping me to walk alongside others with empathy and hope. Truth becomes more than words—it becomes testimony.
I hope these reflections offer a gentle nudge to slow down and sit with the truth God is impressing on your heart. Whether from a sermon or a conference, don’t rush past what He’s doing—linger. Let His Word take root, and respond in worship, prayer, or gentle obedience.