Many people want to feel emotionally and spiritually well, but aren’t always sure how to get there. The Plumline blog offers practical guidance that will help you get unstuck, find rest, and experience peace.
The 4 parts of our spiritual anatomy
“We have been designed by God to live, love, and lead with uniquely designed parts.” Instinctively, we know this is true. However, a lot of teaching on this topic – teaching that often centers on the concept of “calling” – leads us into confusion. We’re told that we need to search and pray that God makes our calling clear to us, as if our true identity is somewhere out there. Jesus didn’t talk that way.
What does “spiritual anatomy” mean?
If you’re new to Plumline, you might be wondering what we mean when we talk about your “spiritual anatomy.” That’s a fair question! Last we checked, biology textbooks don’t make any mention of it. In those high school science classes, we learned that our bodies are made of systems: each of us has a respiratory system, and a circulatory system, and a skeletal system, etc. Working together, these systems keep us alive and keep us
Where do relationships go wrong?
As human beings, we naturally hunger for strong, healthy relationships. We’re made to be with other people, which is why it hurts so much when relationships go wrong. You’ve asked why this happens, so Dr. Jake recorded this video to shed some light and tell you how you can strengthen your relationships. In it he explains: If you want to keep your relationships from going wrong, we invite you to check out our online HEART
Codependency is NOT caring
From an outside view, codependency can look like loving, caring behavior. But in this video, Dr. Jake explains how it’s anything but. Watch to learn:
How strong are you?
Before you start to sweat, don’t worry. I’m not asking you to flex your biceps or show me how much you can bench press. I want to talk with you about your strength system. Spiritually speaking, your strength system is your ability to embody and express the beliefs that you hold dear. These beliefs could be theological beliefs and philosophies. They could also be reflected in your mindset and self-discipline. People who live primarily out
Engage your mind without losing your heart
Last week, I wrote about your mind system—the part of your spiritual anatomy that engages your intellect. This week we’ll talk about how to engage your mind system without forgoing your heat. You and I are called—along with all Christ followers—to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). This verse is critical to understanding what true mind system nourishment and integration looks like. The key here is the word “transformation,” which is
Lent 2026: Do you want to be closer to Christ?
Do you ever worry? Do your days sometimes seem empty? Do you worry that you are living on autopilot? When joy seems out of reach, our first impulse is often to do more. “If I just read my Bible and prayed every day,” we say to ourselves, “I wouldn’t feel this way.” As if we’re being punished for not completing an invisible checklist of daily spiritual activities. Reading your Bible is good. Praying every day
Lent 2026: What does it mean to be you?
In two-and-a-half weeks, on February 18th, churches around the world will gather and observe Ash Wednesday. It’ll be the start of the 2026 Lent season. The church has observed this holy day and this season for centuries. Like Advent, Lent is a season of preparation. It’s a time where Christians reflect on the sober reality that led the Son of God to come to earth. We don’t just celebrate Easter in a vacuum. We
Your soul is a Visionary Guide
How well do you know your soul? If you’re like many modern Christians, the word “soul” feels abstract and ethereal. You know you have one, but you’re not quite sure what—let alone where!—it is. But what if I told you that your soul, when healthy, is perhaps the most grounded part of your spiritual makeup? Would you believe me? As a refresher, we’re in the middle of a series about the four parts of our
Your heart is a Loving Companion
Last week, I introduced the characters that describe the 4 parts of our spiritual anatomy. If you need a refresher: In my years of doing this work, I’ve noticed a common tendency: people often tell me, “I don’t have this one or that one.” But that is a false assumption. You have them all, though some may be drowsy or buried deep. The first of these characters is the Loving Companion, a.k.a. your heart. It
Do you know the characters within you?
We spend a lot of time looking for things that will make us feel complete. This search drives us to read widely, to follow gurus on Instagram, to collect experience after experience. Along the way we learn things. Good things, even! And yet, that hunger for meaning doesn’t go away. Just like that U2 song, we still haven’t found what we’re looking for. If any of that resonates, you might believe that you’ll never find
The soil of a divided heart
For the last few weeks, we’ve been exploring the Parable of the Sower, sitting with the question, “What kind of soil is in my heart right now?” As I’ve said before, this parable is not primarily describing the reasons unbelievers refuse to hear the Gospel. Rather, in this little story Jesus is inviting us to a life of constantly paying attention to our own hearts. The truth is that sometimes our hearts are hard and
