If you are curious about or looking for a spiritual director, I am now practicing spiritual direction. To get a sense of who I am and what I am offering, please look around my website here.
God often invites us to silence for deep work. Thomas Keating has said “Silence is the language of God.” From this attentive space that sifts and shifts, transformation and renewal pours forth so that we can re-enter the hubbub of life in our new self.
This summer has been a silent place for me as we’ve made our way through the surprise of a summer changed by COVID, as I’ve had a break from my Master’s program, and as I’ve wrestled with God about the timing of things.
In some ways it’s been deeply refreshing and delightful surprises have come to the surface, in other ways it’s been incredibly challenging. Personally, the constraint that COVID has placed on our interpersonal interactions has highlighted the lively place of interacting with God through it all. In this place, he moved unexpectedly in my heart, with a twinkle in his eye, a freedom in my heart, and a promise of adventure.
I love adventure, but I’m especially gifted at preparing for an adventure. Just ask my family—I’m often the impetus to go somewhere, but I’m even more the person who figures out what clothing or equipment we need, the best prices for the places to stay or favorite activities, hours and seasons of opportunity, etc. I “Plan,” with a capital P, so that when we go, we can get on with enjoying it and not have to solve too many problems along the way, or be rudely surprised by full hotels or torturous layovers.
Our greatest strengths can also be our greatest weaknesses.
When it comes to things deeply important to me, I want to make sure I prepare perfectly. I don’t trifle with it, I work hard and look at all the angles, praying incessantly. Early this summer, I made a decision that felt safe in the chaos of the times, and in the weeks following felt a numb desolation, like a layer of hard rock, in my heart. It became so depressing that I finally sought out my friend (who is a spiritual director too) to talk about it. That conversation broke through, like an oil rig drilling to the depths, and out gushed action and hope and love and becoming and value and understanding. The Lord had graciously given me a picture weeks before that I didn’t fully understand, and in that conversation he gave me understanding.
He is inviting me into an adventure now, before my plan is completed! He wants to move, and I was staying in the safer shallows because of the turmoil of this season. I had forgotten that God is the one who invited me on the adventure, and that he is the one who purposes and plans our adventure. I follow. (Psalm 33:11, Prov. 16:1-3, 19:21)
So, God and I have been doing a thing together, crafting and co-laboring on your behalf. We now invite you to join us in our venture!
If you are curious about or looking for a spiritual director, I am now practicing spiritual direction. To get a sense of who I am and what I am offering, please look around my website here.
I have been working toward this for years, and have completed three quarters of my Master’s degree in Spiritual Formation over the last two years as part of my equipping. I am currently finishing the last few courses and getting my spiritual direction certificate from Portland Seminary. I am so excited to be at this point where I can offer my service to you to tend the life of your soul!
I still have my blog and will continue to write, but have enlarged my tent (Isaiah 54:2) to primarily host space in direction to tend the soul of your life. As you will see, I am offering spiritual direction and spiritual formation resources, and my writing is a part of this. Spiritual direction is new to many people, so if you have questions, please reach out to me. I will also be writing a series of blog posts on direction, so be on the lookout for those in the coming weeks.
I pray that what I offer you “roots and establishes you in the love of Christ,” (Eph. 3:16) grounding you in these turbulent times, and brings you into connection with the lover of your soul.
With love,
Kimberley