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August 2022

August 02, 2022

Spiritual Direction Review: SDI Engage Conference 2022

Back in May, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the SDI Engage Conference attendees and hosts...

June 2022

June 28, 2022

Starting a Spiritual Direction Practice in 2022: A Step-by-Step Process by Laura Lies

For today's post, I'm delighted to feature guest Laura Ann Lies for this guide on...

May 2022

May 18, 2022

Divinity in Daily Life: Busy Times as Spiritual Practice

To get better at something we consider challenging, we have to practice. You know what's...

April 2022

April 08, 2022

Discussing ’50 Ways To Pray’ on the ‘Pew and Beyond’ Podcast

I was on with Rev. Canon Lisa Vaughn and Rev. Neil Mancor on their Pew...

January 2022

January 21, 2022

Learning at the Feet of Elders: A Return to Apprenticeships

Learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms. Apprenticing — the ancient practice of learning a trade...

October 2021

October 14, 2021

Discernment Challenge: How Do We Know It’s God?

One of the most prominent questions in spiritual direction and discernment is this: When I...

July 2021

July 20, 2021

Contemplative Practice in UCC: Becoming Still to Encounter the Still-Speaking God

The denomination I am ordained in, United Church of Christ (UCC), has a catchphrase: “God...

November 2020

November 29, 2020

Visualization of Inner Freedom: Releasing Ourselves from Self-Fastened Shackles

Sports psychologists use visualization. So do shamans and spiritual directors. Visualization is a powerful...

August 2020

August 28, 2020

Defining Spiritual Direction: An Interview with Dr. Melissa Hofstetter

What exactly is spiritual direction? Shepherd Heart Ministry Consulting's Executive Director Dr. Melissa Hofstetter sat...

May 2020

May 18, 2020

Mindfulness: Developing Spiritual Awareness Through Meditation and Prayer

It's not always easy to sit down and meditate, but practice makes perfect! If...

April 2020

April 19, 2020

Praying the Ignatian Examen: Video Guided Prayer Exercise

Cultivating a relationship with God can be hard in the midst of our busy lives,...

March 2020

March 14, 2020

Social Distancing and Spiritual Direction in the Age of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is changing how we have meaningful conversations and gatherings — yes,...

February 2020

February 28, 2020

Daily Lent Prayer: Discernment Through Ignation Examen

Put simply, Lent is a Christian season during which we honor the sacrifice Jesus made...

March 2019

March 26, 2019

Making a Living off Spiritual Direction

So often I’m asked, “Can you make a living off spiritual direction?” The answer is...

December 2018

December 19, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 19: A Second Dialogue with Scripture

When Jesus begins a story with “What do you think?” we are invited to share...

December 18, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 18: Journaling As Prayer

Advent is a time of reflection, and one of the best ways to reflect is...

December 16, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 16: Imagination Prayer on Luke Chapter 2

Today, we're praying with three verses from Luke, chapter 2, so it will be up...

December 13, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 13: A Prayer for Others

Want to give a really meaningful gift to someone this Christmas? Pray for them. You...

December 11, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 11: Praying with A Question

Advent invites us to embrace the mystery of incarnation — God’s action of dwelling in...

December 10, 2018

Advent Meditation for Dec. 10: The Daily Examen

This Advent, why not keep your eyes open for evidence of God’s love and action...

December 08, 2018

Advent Meditation For December 8: Prayer of the Heart

Prayer doesn’t have to be all that wordy. Early Christians used to pray, “Come, Lord...

December 06, 2018

An Advent Meditation: Create Your Own Psalm

The Psalms are among the most human expressions found in the Bible. A Psalm can...

December 05, 2018

Advent Meditation Practice: To Read and Dialogue with Scripture

We need not approach biblical texts passively. We can communicate with the stories as we...

December 03, 2018

Advent Meditation Practice – ‘Here I Am’ Prayer

If you find it hard to relax into prayer during Advent, try this contemplative prayer...

December 02, 2018

Praying with Ignatius of Loyola this Advent

Advent is the perfect time for reflection on the past, the present and hope for...

November 2018

November 16, 2018

Slowing Down: How To Find Balance In An Accelerated World

We need to work on slowing down. Everything moves faster than it used to, and...

September 2018

September 17, 2018

Praying for Our Enemies

If we are to love our enemies, as Jesus emphatically taught, we ought to keep...

June 2018

June 15, 2018

Making a Living as a Spiritual Director

When I was in training to become a spiritual director, the class was told not...

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