The Oaks Blog

October 17, 2025 by Anne Pharr

What is Soul Care? An Introduction

by Anne Pharr, Soul Care and Spiritual Formation Provider at The Oaks

When I was a girl, our family travelled to the lake each summer for a week of water-skiing, card-playing, and meal-sharing with family friends. Though our home life included constant undercurrents of tension, stress, and harshness, I recall these trips as joy-filled intervals of play, laughter, and fellowship in a beautiful setting.

It was during one of these vacations that my dad taught me to listen for the mourning dove’s call–a gentle song that’s constantly being sung but can be hard to hear, especially during lake-day activities. One morning, I woke before the rest of the family, and Dad invited me to learn how to recognize the dove’s singing. In the dawn’s hush, he imitated the sound so that I could recognize it. Then, we listened together. When I thought I’d heard the dove’s gentle call, I looked at Dad to see if he’d heard it, too. His warm smile told me all I needed to know. As we listened together to the bird’s beautiful singing, we enjoyed a rare moment of connection.

One biblical writer describes God’s presence in a way that reminds me of the mourning dove. In Acts, Paul observes that the Father is “not far from us,” so that each moment of our lives–whether or not we discern his nearness–occurs within his presence: “In him we live and move and have our being” (17:28b, 29).

In many ways, a Soul Care conversation is like that morning with my dad. Even though our lives exist continually in God, the “noise” and busy-ness of daily activities can pull our attention away from that reality. Our schedules are often full. Our bodies and minds are constantly moving. Even during a moment alone, it can be difficult to slow down and be still. But Soul Care offers a welcoming space where, together, we practice watching for and celebrating ways God continues to abide with us.

Noticing the Father’s nearness isn’t a prerequisite to his abiding. But honing our awareness can transform the quality of our lives. When we practice giving our attention to God’s loving presence, gentle promptings, and generous provision, we can grow in our ability to recognize it—and to rest more deeply in it.

Would you like to learn more about Soul Care? Reach out to Anne Pharr at 865-300-7778 for information.