About SoulScape

Deborah has over twenty years experience in biblical based preaching, pastoral supervision, and spiritual life coaching. She has worked across all streams of Christian expression, and with various groups. Her area of expertise is in encouraging and equipping people to regain, or develop, spiritual and emotional awareness. Deborah has a passion for opening up the Scriptures to reveal the heart and character of God.

Deborah holds a PhD in Theology from Otago University. She has spent over five years teaching aspects of Old and New Testament studies at both Bible College (Dunedin Campus), and at Otago University. She moderated the “Introduction to the NT” paper for EIDTS (Ecumenical Institute of Distance Theological Studies). Deborah’s experience also includes being the Interim Minister for the Wakatipu Community Church (Presbyterian) for a period of thirteen months. Deborah is an accredited Strengths Coach with Strengths Network South Pacific. Deborah also worked for the Synod of Otago and Southland as Church Leadership Support Advisor for the region.

At present Deborah is Convenor of the Leadership Sub Committee of PCANZ, and she sits on several national committees for the PCANZ.

Deborah is the founder and Director of SoulScape, which has PCANZ Presbytery recognition. She divides her time between SoulScape and the various commitments to the PCANZ at a national level.

Deborah lives in Queenstown, New Zealand with her husband Gordon, and their two wee dogs, Lily and Poppy. Deborah continues to worship at Wakatipu Community Church, where she is an ordained elder.

My journey to this point …

I have always had a faith in God but never really knew that I could be deeply loved and delighted in by God. That realisation came about after many years of desperation at a heart level. There was nothing terribly wrong, but there was no joy, or hope, in my heart either.

Years of abuse, rejection and shame had plundered my soul’s ability to believe I was worthy of joy in my life. I had developed an allergic reaction to disappointment, so I never put myself in a position to be let down. I thought that the life I was living was all I deserved. Don’t get me wrong, I had great friends, a not so great job; but hey doesn’t everyone? On the outside I looked pretty normal, but at a deep level there was a constant ache.

I resolved to do something about it. Well, if I’m honest something happened that rocked my world to its foundations, and that was the moment I realised I needed help. Thus began a journey that took several years, lots of tears, some real soul-searching, buckets of honesty, and a willingness to acknowledge that my soul-life was as important as my physical life. On the journey I tried many things, but in the end I discovered that for my soul to truly flourish I needed to know that I was totally, unconditionally loved. The discovery that God was not only willing, but longing, to have a deep love relationship with me changed my life.

SoulScape is about sharing what I’ve learned along the way. I recognise that we all have a soul scape that requires our attention. Just like a garden, if left unattended it becomes unkempt. Then if left long enough it’s not a place we want to inhabit. And that’s the problem because our soul is designed to nurture us. It’s where we discover creativity, joy, pain, love, and hope.

I’m passionate about encouraging and equipping people to regain, or develop, a deeper knowledge of God. I want to bring laughter, insight, hope, and vision for the future to individuals. No matter where you’re at, or your age, my message is authentic, powerful, and totally relevant. Not only do I share my own experience, I also bring biblically based teaching, and prophetically inspired ministry, which opens up the scriptures to reveal the heart and character of God in ways that you would not expect.

Come on a journey with me and be prepared to have your life, and expectations of God, turned upside-down. You won’t regret it!

Deborah