Mark is my guest for episodes 74 and 75 of The Courage, Coaching and Counseling Podcast.
Listen on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast app.
You can watch the episode here on YouTube.
Mark Pollock is a retired Mental Health Therapist and Pastor recently transitioning from Oregon to South Carolina where he lives with his wife Robyn and near his two sons and their families.
His primary areas of experience have centered around the support of at-risk youth and helping the local church grow in its healthy spiritual development.
He is currently receiving training through the Soul Shepherding Institute to serve as a Spiritual Director with a focus on care for pastors and other church leaders, inner healing, and congregational unity and maturation.
Here is the Peace Plan he has come up with. We discuss it on the podcast.
Peace Plan
- Be Saturated in the Love and Goodness of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Ex. 33:18-23; Joshua 3:5; Ps. 23:6; 27: 13-14; Matt 28: 19; Gal 6:9), New Covenant (Jer. 31:31ff; 2 Cor. 3: 7-18; 2 Pet.1:3-11; 1 John 2:20,27) and Kingdom of God (Matt 6:33).
Breath Prayer: “Immerse me in Your Love and Goodness.”
- Continually Build Secure Attachment with God. Seek Healing of Formative Attachment Wounds (Ex. 34:6; Isaiah 46:3-4; 49:15-16; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; 4:9).
Breath Prayer: “You are my Father. I am Your Son.”
- Develop and Practice a “Rule of Life” which includes but is not limited to Sabbath, Prayer, Fasting, Silence/Solitude, Scripture, Community, Service, Generosity and Witness (2 Tim. 1:7; See: Practicing the Way).
Breath Prayer: “Rekindle ‘the Gift’, Power, Love and Sound Mind.”
- Silence, Stillness and Solitude Daily, Weekly, and Quarterly – “Do” Nothing. (Ps. 46:10; Ps. 131; Habakkuk 2:20).
Breath Prayer: “Cease Striving (Sink Down, Drop the Hand) and Know Me.”
- Do What You See and Hear the Father Doing and Saying. Be Attentive and Responsive to the Experienced Power and Voice of God “Today” – the “Secret of Contentment”. (Mark 4:24; John 5:19-21; 12:49-50; 14:20; Eph 1:17-23; Phil 4:11-12; Heb. 3:15).
Breath Prayer: “Give me eyes to see and ears to hear!”
- Practice Meekness/Composure. Develop a Non-Anxious Presence. Individuating. Cast Anxiety on God and Soul Friends (Ps.55:22; 131; 139:23-24; Is. 26:3; Matt. 5:5; 11:28-30; James 5:16; 1 Peter 5:7).
Breath Prayer: “Take My Yoke and Learn From Me.”
- Do One Thing at a Time. Be Present in the Moment. Be Single-Minded. When Distracted Be Quick to Get Back on Track (Eccl. 3:1-8; Is. 43:19; Mark 2:5; Luke 9:47; 18:24; John 19:26; 1 Cor. 16:13). Breath Prayer: “Do a New Thing. Help Me See It.”
- Be Attuned to All Emotions and Underlying Motivations. Seek Integration and Integrity. (Ps. 51:6 (CSB); Prov. 11:3; Phil 4:6; Col. 3:23).
Breath Prayer: “Let Integrity Guide Me.”
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anxiety. Be Self-Aware, Especially in Regard to Nervous Habits Used to Avoid Responsibility, Pain and Boredom – food, sexual temptation, technology, “entertainment”, mindlessness, etc.
(Prov 15:32; Eph 4:26; 1 Peter 5:8).
Breath Prayer: “Be Alert. Be Sober Minded.”
- Enjoy the Small Things. Absorb the Big Things. Choose to Seek Gratitude, Joy and Peace in All Things (Phil.4:4-10; Col. 3:15). Breath Prayer: “Enjoy. Absorb. Choose.”
- See Beauty (Ps.19:1-6). Create Beauty. Practice Awe/Worship (Exodus 31:3-5; Ps. 96:9; Habakkuk 3:2; 1 Cor. 12:1ff; Heb 12:28-29).
Breath Prayer: “See and Create Gifts of Beauty.”
- Intentionally Build and Maintain a Few Deep and Authentic Relationships. (1 Sam 18:1; Prov 17:17; 18:24; Eccl. 4:9-10, 12; Matt 26:36-46; Rom 12:10; Eph 5:21ff; Col. 2:2-3; 1 Peter 4:8).
Breath Prayer: “Submit to ‘Knitting.’”
- Listening to Others (and the Spirit) for the Purpose of Understanding. Listening as a Spiritual Gift and Prerequisite to the Prophetic.
(Matt 13:9; Luke 8:18; 1 Cor. 14:1ff; Jam 1: 19).
Breath Prayer: “Be Slow to Speak and Quick to Listen.”
- Do Not Be Self-Seeking or Controlling. It’s Not “All About Me”
(1 Cor. 13:5; Gal.6:8-10; Phil. 2:3-5).
Breath Prayer: “In Humility Value Others.”
- Accept the Things I Can’t Control. Abandon Outcomes.
(Jer 10:23; Job 14:5; Luke 12:26; Romans 8:28; James 4:13-16; 1 Peter 4:19).
Breath Prayer: “Not Even an Hour? Why Worry?”
- Align Body and Spirit with the Spirit of God – Breathing, Diet, Exercise, Rest, Fasting (1 Cor 6: 19-20; 9:24-27; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1; 3 Jn 1:2).
Breath Prayer: “My Body. Your Temple.”
- “Finally, Be Strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power… Put on the Full Armor… Stand.”
(Isaiah 54:17; John 10:10; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 4: 8-20; 6:10-18; 1 John 2:15-17).
Breath Prayer: “Take a Stand and Live.”
