Your Authentic Refreshment: Caroline Gavin, Coach and Author

Avid Journal Keeper, Caroline Gavin, Christian Business Coach, speaker, author and radio host and previous special guest of #JournalChat Live, also engages in Authentic Refreshment through several activities that enhance her Quiet Time each day: Prayer, Meditation, Scripture reading, writing poetry, journaling, singing, visualization and communing with nature. Caroline shares how each of these activities helps her to create a refreshing and life-enhancing dimension and spiritual connection with her Creator.


Caroline shares the meaningful elements of her authentic refreshment as well as how and when she discovered them:

My authentic refreshment is my morning quiet time routine in which I pray, meditate, read Scripture, write poetry, journal, sing, visualize goal achievement, recite my mission statement and commune with Nature.

The practice has evolved over time, but I have enjoyed all elements in their separate entities since childhood. God has graciously led me to intertwine these activities into one quiet time routine in order to refresh my soul during the dawn of a new day. Several years ago, when I started my business-ministry Purposeful Pathway, I combined these various activities into one daily morning routine. 

She shares how she engages in them as part of her Quiet Time:

I engage in this quiet time routine every morning, and some elements I practice more than once a day. I pray frequently. I journal often. I commune with Nature as frequently as I can. I sing when I am able. I meditate in still moments. 

Caroline shares her point of view on her "solo" refreshment:

Although I am “alone” in my morning quiet time routine, I am actually never alone. I consider these activities to be direct communion with God. His Living Water is my eternal source of refreshment.

She shares how vital journal writing is as a component for refreshment and reflection:

Journaling is a vital part of my authentic refreshment. I reflect about what God has done in my life, document the visions He has placed in my heart, sort through the challenges I may have, brainstorm the solutions that come to mind, capture the inspirations I feel, and outline the actions to which I commit. Reviewing my journal entries is a powerful tool for revealing life patterns, and it is a launching point for positive transformation.

Caroline expresses how natural her authentic refreshment is to her:

The various activities in my quiet time routine have always felt natural to me. Integrating these activities into one routine has felt like coming home. During my authentic refreshment I feel kissed by God’s presence and filled with His Spirit.  

She shares where her desire to refresh comes from and how she has enhanced it with her specific activities:

The Scriptures encourage believers to pray, read and meditate every day. I have added the poetry writing, journaling, singing, visualization, mission statement recitation and nature-communing over time.

Caroline validates her emotions and feelings, appreciates herself, and nourishes her soul through her quiet time activities:

My morning quiet time routine is a beautiful haven in which my emotions are validated. I freely share my feelings with my Heavenly Daddy. I confide in Him about my challenges. I seek guidance regarding my path. I feel His love for me, and I express my love for Him. I write my feelings in the journaling process and see these feelings clearly on paper. I do not judge my emotions, as even "bad" emotions (such as anger and sadness) are gifts that lead me in the right direction. I embrace my bliss when singing and writing and visualizing. I experience joy when hearing the sounds of the birds, feeling the caress of the breeze, and smiling in the kiss of sunshine. 

I appreciate both my God and my own self all the more during my quiet time routine. I feel in the core of my being that I am meant to love and to be loved. Being fully refreshed by this truth allows me to embrace each day with the purest of heart and the sweetest of joy. 

My morning quiet time routine fills my heart with God's Spirit; my soul is nourished by His Word. “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ' " (Matthew 4:4) I pray to align my will with God’s will; in aligning myself with Him, His love, peace and joy flow to and through me. This is pure nourishment and refreshment.

She shares the greatest benefit of her authentic refreshment activities:

Though the benefits of my authentic refreshment are countless, the greatest benefit would be the eternal fruit it bears. The quiet time routine strengthens my relationship with my eternal Father; His Spirit allows me to live in a way that bears eternal fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

She also shares her anticipation, the joy of engagement and its life-enhancing effect: 

I wholeheartedly look forward to my authentic refreshment each morning when I awake. I savor every second; I sometimes experience joyful tears during prayer and meditation. I feel enriched, encouraged, inspired and blessed after partaking in my quiet time routine. The “glow” continues throughout the day, and it impacts every step of my purposeful pathway. 

Caroline's favorite part of all of her authentic refreshment activities is prayer:

I enjoy all aspects of the quiet time routine. The integration of these various activities is beautiful, special and powerful. If I had to choose just one activity, I would choose prayer. Prayer is my connection to my Daddy, my Source, my Light, my Love, and my Life. He is my Refreshment. “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:38)

A-ha moments have been wonderful life paradoxes for Caroline:

Many an amazing a-ha moment has occurred during my quiet time routine. These moments often come in the forms of precious paradoxes. True victory comes in surrender to God. The torrential rain of tears sows the loveliest blooms of joy. Everlasting life comes in releasing life to Christ. God converts crosses to crowns and trials to triumphs.

Surprising discoveries are happily a part of Caroline's Authentic Refreshment:

Priceless, and often surprising, are the treasures I have discovered during my quiet time. This is one of the reasons I cannot imagine my days without this morning routine. 

Caroline shares how her Quiet Time activities clarify her purpose in life:

My quiet time routine clarifies purpose in life, as prayer, meditation and reading Scripture allow me to hear God's voice. Hearing His voice has provided beautiful clarity regarding my direction. Writing and singing allow me to connect with blissful creativity; this creativity heightens my awareness and aligns me more strongly with God. Journaling allows me to express myself, sort through ideas, discover patterns and define visions. Collectively these activities are immeasurably powerful in propelling me on my purposeful pathway.

The empowerment of refreshment is a great benefit for Caroline:

My authentic refreshment is empowering, as I commune with the Eternal Source of power during this special time. To know that power and love and light are always available to me is both comforting and uplifting. I need only to seek my Refreshment to be filled with God’s Spirit.

Here is a word of encouragement from Caroline for those still looking for their authentic refreshment:

From the depths of my heart, I encourage all who have yet to find their authentic refreshment routines to keep seeking. Yet, in saying that, I believe that your authentic refreshment is closer than you think. It involves those very things that bring you bliss and that feel completely “you.” Still your heart and you will hear God's whispers leading you to the true treasure of real refreshment. 

Caroline Gavin is a Christian Business Coach, Speaker, Author and Radio Host. Having found eternal victory in Christ, she overcame the dark depths of depression and the near-death of an eating disorder. Her joy now is sharing this joy in Jesus. As a Christian Business Coach and the Founder of Purposeful Pathway Business Coaching, she helps faith-based entrepreneurs pave their vocational paths, live with purpose and walk with God’s way. With years of experience in the financial and real estate industries, Caroline blends her passion for God, her financial expertise and her business acumen to create phenomenal results for her clients. She helps them to attract their ideal clients, powerfully package services and systematize efforts so they can enjoy fun, fruitful and profitable businesses. Refresh with her poetry and glean practical wisdom from her Biz Tips at www.PurposefulPathway.com. Connect with Caroline on Google+, Facebook and listen to her shows on Purposeful Pathway Radio. Contact her via caroline@purposefulpathway.com for a free Christian Business Coaching Consultation. You can also enjoy free resources such as the 7-week transformational Journey to Joy and the 21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge on the Purposeful Pathway web site. Caroline delights in her purposeful pathway of helping others to pave pathways of purpose, peace and passion for God's glory!

Your Authentic Refreshment: Kathleen Pooler, Writer and Blogger

I am pleased to feature the Authentic Refreshment Story of Kathleen Pooler, a writer, blogger, and

#JournalChat contributor, who is in the process of writing a memoir and sequel with her hopeful life experience. I appreciate Kathleen's contribution to our #JournalChat Live sessions; she brings a thoughtful, healing vibe to what she shares. Her blog, Memoir Writer's Journey,  represents what comes from her heart and the beneficial purpose of sharing our stories through memoir. Here, Kathleen shares a combination of activities that bring her authentic refreshment: prayer, journaling and positive visualization. 

Kathleen defines what authentically refreshes her: 

The three things that come to mind when I think about what charges my batteries, adds positive energy, inspires and helps me keep a fresh perspective are: Prayer, Journaling and Positive Visualization.

She shares a portion of her memoir, Hope Matters: A Memoir of Faith, revealing her prayer roots and effective positive visualization:

As a "cradle Catholic" I was brought up with all the traditions and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic faith; so prayer has always been a part of my life. My faith slowly matured from a religion to a spiritual journey where I felt God's presence in a personal way. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Stage Four Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1996 that I sought and found an even deeper relationship with God that sustains me in my times of trial. Journaling and positive visualization also added to my authentic refreshment in a meaningful way, especially during this cancer journey. 

"On December 19, 1996, worsening shortness of breath and a dry cough had precipitated an early morning trip to the emergency room. As I was pacing near my stretcher, waiting for the results of the CT scan of my chest, realizing something serious was happening, I cried out in desperation, 

'Dear God, please give me the strength to do whatever it is I need to do for this is the battle of my life and for my life.'

A peace beyond understanding flowed over me and stayed with me throughout my eventual diagnosis of Stage Four Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and my two-year treatment course which included chemotherapy, radiation and a peripheral-stem cell transplant. I allowed myself to be open to accepting help from others--meals, gifts, prayers. God had answered my plea to "do whatever I need to do" to fight the battle.

Throughout my treatment, I journaled my feelings and worked on positive visualization. On March 17, 1998--Ash Wednesday--the night before being admitted to New England Medical Center in Boston for a peripheral stem-cell transplant, I wrote a list of twelve positive visualizations: attend my friend's wedding in May, visit my friends in Wisconsin and Missouri during the summer dance at my niece's wedding with hair in October, etc.  I even leafed through an LL Bean catalogue and ordered out an outfit--denim shorts and a gingham blouse in my normal size--that I visualized wearing in the summer. 

And every single visualization I had written came true!"

Kathleen gives a clear view of her specific process to prepare for effective positive visualization: 

Finding a quiet, distraction-free space and time to think and journal, [playing] soothing background music to get in the mood, taking a hot bath in a darkened bathroom with a lit candle, prayer time and playing the piano. 

She shares more specifically about the list she created and visualized during her illness: 

My anxiety and sense of vulnerability--fear of the unknown--over traveling to Boston to start the process of my peripheral stem-cell transplant [prompted this list]. I wrote these visualizations in my journal while sitting in the hotel room the night before my scheduled appointment at the medical center where I was to discuss the details of the procedure with the transplant RN, see the Oncologist who would do a bone marrow biopsy, see the Cardiologist who would make recommendations since previous chemotherapy had damaged my heart. The visualizations helped me to center my thoughts on the positive rather than the myriad of potential negative outcomes. It worked!

The frequency of her authentic refreshment is revealed: 

Positive visualization, prayer and journaling helped me to tap into positive energy during a time when my prognosis was uncertain. It worked so well that I have made it a part of my daily routine. I try to journal daily, even if it is jotting a few thoughts down, but I usually pick up my journal when I need to reflect on my feelings or reactions to something that has happened.

Kathleen shares her preference for refreshing solitude versus sharing with a group:

Often times positive visualization, prayer and journaling are solitary activities, but any of these can be shared when it feels right. I did have an experience while undergoing chemotherapy that steered me away from sharing temporarily. I had attended one meeting of a cancer support group facilitated by the staff at the cancer treatment center. My expectation was that I might not feel so alone if I talked with other cancer patients. The exact opposite happened. I felt dragged down by the negative energy and pessimism in the group. I wanted to focus my limited energies on the hope of survival not the despair of the diagnosis. I never went back.

She shares her enjoyment and sometimes surprising benefit of her authentic refreshment:

All three authentic refreshment activities I have engaged in have grounded me by offering self-awareness, solace and clarity. Sometimes I have been surprised by an insight or recognition of a pattern. Often it has helped me sort out and frame my thoughts. And we are what we say we are, even if we have to "fake it til we make it" initially!

Here is how her engagement provides her with validation of emotions and feelings:

[My authentic refreshment provides] a safe and sacred place to pour out my deepest feelings and needs. I do not need to worry what others may think or deal with their responses. I can feel free to unload it on the page. Then when I read it back, it may take on a different shape than when it was grinding away inside me. Somehow labeling a feeling feels validating and empowering. When I can identify what I'm feeling, I can decide on actions I may need to take.

Nourishment of the soul is also a benefit for Kathleen:

These activities help me to get in touch with myself. I am taking time out of a busy day to pay attention to what I am thinking and feeling. I am honoring myself as I would honor a best friend or someone I love. This helps me get in touch with what I need to nourish my own soul--reinforcing healthy boundaries, helping me embrace my unique humanness, and helping me stay connected to what matters most.

She offers how her authentic refreshment has personally empowered her: 

By reaffirming my values and beliefs, I can act with more confidence. By being clear on my own feelings and boundaries, I can offer the same to others--allow for differences and respect each other's differences. It reminds me of a quote (author unknown), "You can't meet the needs of others if your own needs aren't met."

A final word from Kathleen on what she recommends for others looking for their authentic refreshment:

Learn to trust your feelings. Stop, listen and take time every day to get in touch with yourself and your needs.  Find a way that works for you to learn about yourself and honor your own story.

Kathleen Pooler’s Bio:

            Kathleen Pooler is a writer and a retired Family Nurse Practitioner who is working on a memoir and a sequel about how the power of hope through her faith in God has helped her to transform, heal and transcend life’s obstacles and disappointments:  domestic abuse, divorce, single parenting, loving and letting go of an alcoholic son, cancer and heart failure to live a life of joy and contentment. She believes that hope matters and that we are all strengthened and enlightened when we share our stories.

            She blogs weekly at her Memoir Writer’s Journey blog: http://krpooler.com and can be found on Twitter @kathypooler and on LinkedIn, Google+, Goodreads and Facebook: Kathleen Pooler

            One of her stories “The Stone on the Shore” is published in the anthology: “The Woman I’ve Become: 37 Women Share Their Journeys From Toxic Relationships to Self-Empowerment” by Pat LaPointe, 2012.

            Another story: “Choices and Chances” is published in the mini-anthology: “My Gutsy Story” by Sonia Marsh, 2012.