About Soul Magazine

Richard and Patrica Dascher started Soul Magazine to share God’s Word with You. 

We started out just serving the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri but we are now happy to bring you our Online Version on Soul Magazine. Let me tell you more about Soul Magazine.  

Soul Magazine was developed by Brenda Dunkley in the Ozarks of Missouri in 2003.   When my husband Richard and I moved to the Ozarks in 2005 she called me saying, “I feel God is telling me to turn Soul Magazine over to you and Richard.”  I jumped at the opportunity.  We began publishing Soul Magazine with a circulation 10,000 to 12,000 copies.  It was a free magazine filled with inspirations, heroes of the faith, recipes and fun pages that made our readers laugh.  My dream today is that people from all over the country and world will be able to read Soul Magazine.  This became possible when my daughter Kimberly Love began designing Web Sites. 

Dr. Richard Dascher is a retired as a Chemical Engineer.   Today he teaches science classes at the West Lake Christian Academy.  He publishes Soul Magazine and is the Business Manager for the Pregnancy Help Center Serving the Lake of the Ozarks.   Patricia Partney Dascher is a Social Worker and the writer, editor and publisher of Soul Magazine and the Executive Director of the Pregnancy Help Centers Serving the Lake of the Ozarks.  Kimberly Love is the Web Designer for Soul Magazine. 

 

Richard and Patricia were married on July 7, 2001.  Their mission statement for their marriage has comes from Isaiah 61.  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.  The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  To heal the brokenhearted, set the captive free and comfort all who mourn.  To give beauty for ashes and the oil of gladness instead of mourning.  And the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair.”

 

“When we make a decision about what we are to do we look at our mission statement and ask ourselves, ‘If we do this will it fulfill our mission?’.   In this way we have direction on what we are to do and what is most important,” said Patricia

 

In the past 12 years of marriage their mission has called them to conduct Shepard Groups in their home.  It took them on a mission trip to Uganda where they have supported several children and young adults through school, seminary, teaching and nursing college over the years.  To the Ozarks where they began publishing Soul Magazine and took leadership positions with the Pregnancy Help Centers and became involved with the Ministerial Alliance.  

 

Although married at the age of 51 and 63, God has used them in many ways to bring hope to those around them.   Together they have eleven grandchildren, three sons, two daughters,  three daughter in laws and two son in laws.   

 

Forty years ago while sick, weak and in bed pregnant with my youngest daughter, God called me to be a writer.  “If you could be anything, what would you want to be?” He asked. 

“I would want to be a preacher,” I told God.  “But being sick, pregnant and a woman that does not seem possible.”

“A writer can reach more people,” He said.

“Are you sure?  I am not very smart and don’t read well.  I only type 10 words a minute and can’t spell.  Are you sure you want me to write?” I asked.

I was 23 years old and had given my life to Christ that year.  I had barely gotten through high school because of my inability to read and understand what I was reading.  But after God spoke to me, poems began going through my mind and until I wrote them down I had no peace.  “I walked through the black forest of deep despair. I couldn’t see Jesus anywhere.  I cried, ‘Lord, do you even care?” 

By the time I was 25 I had a weekly column in local newspapers called, “Inspiration Point.”    The owner of Express Publications wrote, “Pat has written “Inspiration Point for our newspapers for over ten year and we can honestly say that her column has made many friends for us.  Her unique style of writing, which appeals to both men and women, combines a rare quality of sharing her innermost feeling with the reader.  This candor of expression allows the reader to see a caring, sharing writer whose column offers not only understanding of today’s problems but faith and hope for tomorrow.  Pat’s column has been the most popular attraction of our publications drawing weekly fan mail and numerous phone calls.”  

I remember sitting with a huge dictionary on my lap pounding out weekly columns on an old electric typewriter.  For almost 20 years I wrote Inspiration Point.   I sought to buy one of the papers I wrote for when they were selling it.  The cost was much more than we could afford, but the dream of publishing my own paper stayed in my heart until 2005,   

Richard and I being of the older generation and having multiple life experiences have much to share.  As you read Soul Magazine you will see how Richard overcame the grief of the death of his wife June and how we got together 12 years ago fulfilling God’s promise to give us a future and a hope.   Discover how God doesn’t waste a tear even in our greatest failures and losses. Learn about what is going on in the world today and how it could affect our future.  The fun pages are filled with jokes that will make you laugh out loud.  See how to overcome great difficulties through faith in a great God as you read about men like Nick Stutesman who didn’t give up hope when his wife suffered a fatal aneurism.  I believe there is a hero in all of us.  I love sharing how God brings out the best in us through His grace and power.  Soul Magazine actually began 40 years ago in my heart when God called me to write.   How blessed I am today that I have spelling check on my word processor and don’t have to hold a dictionary on my lap.   It is wonderful that through the internet I can talk to you and pray for you as you write to me.  I rejoice in this opportunity to share with you.      Patricia Partney Dascher