Attending a silent retreat is an opportunity to slow down and be with God. I find too often I rush into this time away dragging the world's craziness and noise with me. I am learning to pause for planning for a retreat ahead of time – even if just briefly to enter the silence with more intention and depth. As you read this blog post today, I have just returned from a silent retreat. For more info, get the book I wrote about retreats - you can check it out in the blog's side column. I thought it may be useful to share with you 5 W’s to consider before going on a retreat. WhatWhereWhenWhyWhat to bring and what to ask What is a Retreat? A retreat is simply a time away with God. A break from routine. Getting out of your normal rut and finding a quiet interlude and place to slow down with God. You create space in your calendar, your surroundings, and in your heart for God. Jesus frequently took the time for prayer with his father. Jesus models for us this powerful spiritual … [Read more...]
Lamplighters
I heard the term Lamplighters from wisdom teacher mystic Cynthia Bourgeault who described the spiritual teachers in her life – both ancient and contemporary – as lamplighters, those lighting the way for her path. I love this word and have learned like electric wires bringing light into my soul, I too have lamplighters, even a few high-tension ones that boost my spirit beyond the ordinary. Highly charged lamplighters for me are Henri Nouwen, Teresa of Avilla, and Barbara Brown Taylor. In 2003 in my first class to become a spiritual director, they encouraged us to choose (or did that person choose us?) one person to “walk” with for the next three years. We would read about that person, their story, and their spiritual journey. How did faith shape their life? How did they discern which way to go? What worked and what didn’t? We read what others wrote about that person and if they left writings, dug deep into their words. We presented, discussed, and wrote reflection … [Read more...]
Name Your Season
What season are you in right now? Depending on how you define the word “season” will influence your answer. Is it winter leaning into spring? Is there a change in life/job/role? Is it quiet/growth/turmoil/change? Is it a new decade of life or significant birthday/anniversary? What a good question though to ponder and explore to help know what is impacting and shaping you currently on your spiritual journey! In looking at the calendar year I am in the season of spring. Yes I know, I know, the official date of spring is a few weeks from now but if you listen closely to the meteorologists, they will tell you March 1 is the first day of metrological spring. Yah! Take a moment and consider the next three months – the months of spring. March. April. May. What gifts will these three months bring? What will I learn by paying attention to them? Where is God inviting me closer now and into the near future? The season - I decided to name it and proclaim … [Read more...]
All In
“All” is my word of the year, and I am exploring, listening, and watching for its wisdom and lessons. I am still in the get-to-know phase of my new friendship with my word. I so enjoy the One Word Community founded by Lisa Burgess where I shared my words and experiences with others who also do this practice each year. Thanks to @lynnmorrisey who suggested in the comments there to read Mark Batterson’s book All In to add insight to my word. Reading what others write about your word of the year is a great way to start. Discovering the words to define and clarify whatever we are experiencing in our spiritual journey often lights the way forward. This simple but powerful practice grounds us if we are upset, in transition, or uncertain. Naming and describing our feelings, our thoughts, our reflections and even our word of the year settles our souls and aligns us with God. “All” is defined as the whole. The total. Nothing held back. Batterson explains that this word … [Read more...]
Lent – Threshold towards Easter
Ash Wednesday is in two weeks. Two weeks!! Then the season of Lent shapes us as we walk towards Easter. Easter this year is April 17 – the day we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection and life-giving conquering of death for all of us, loving us with grace and forgiveness. We journey with Jesus remembering we are baptized into his life, his service, and his death, then, we rise in hope to life transformed. The immensity of this gift – this time of year – wakes me up and motivates me to pause and ponder the miracle and mystery of this church season. I hold with open palms my heart to this sacred rhythm of the church year. One practice this year for me it the adoption of this prayer from Henri Nouwen to start each day. “Borrowed” prayers can be powerful starting point for our own articulation of deeper longing to connect with God. How often have I lived through these weeks without paying much attention to penance, fasting, and prayer? How often have I missed the spiritual fruits of … [Read more...]
What was the Best Job You’ve ever Had?
What was the best job you’ve ever had? This was the question sent to me this past week from Storyworth. My daughter gave me a subscription to Storyworth for Christmas. This package includes weekly story prompts for the recipient to respond and share a story from their life. At the years end we will receive a hardcover book with all the stories collected in a legacy, keepsake compilation. Each Monday a thought provoking, memory-stirring question pops into my email. What was your dad like when you were a child? What was your first big trip? Write about one of your best days you remember. You have the option each week to choose a different question but so far, I haven’t gone that route. But last week’s question almost became the first switch. What was the best job you’ve ever had? Surprisingly I found this a difficult question to answer. It would have been easier to find a new question but one thing I have learned on my spiritual journey is when something stirs or jars my spirit, … [Read more...]
Enough
When you hear this word – enough – what comes to mind? Two phrases arising in my heart in response to this word are being enough and doing enough. I know others may ponder having enough. One word producing powerful gut reactions. “Enough” becomes a measuring stick of worthiness, competency, or contentment. This word often takes root in our worries, ego, and doubts. The truth is with God we are enough, we do enough, and we have enough. My head knows this truth but my heart still questions. When I think or hear myself use this word I am learning to pause and pay attention. Is this true or an old misbelief? Am using this word as an excuse or stick to beat myself up due to guilt, mistakes, or doubt? Being an Enneagram 3, I know shame and failure trigger me into a spiral of false and murky discouragement. Enough can be enough – just the right amount at the right time. My expectations – usually based dreamy perfection - is that life should be fair and should all work out. I … [Read more...]
Does Category Matter for Our Word of the Year?
What category or part of speech is your word of the year? Does it even matter? Every word can be categorized as a part of speech based on its function. Does this affect our relationship with our words? My word for 2022 is ALL. This word draws me into deeper surrender with God as he is my all in all and I want to give him my all. All in all ways always. All is a quiet word. A gentle word. A sense of yielding. Last year’s word – GO – meant action, movement, energy. Go is a verb. All is a noun, pronoun, or adverb. I really liked GO and all that I learned from its lively vitality. What a great word category. I never realized before how the part of speech of my annual word impacts how it feels to my heart. How words play with our mind and our perspectives. I confess that I miss the excitement, zest, and zip that Go brought into my life. But perhaps my heart is yearning for a different adventure in this season of my life. Less do and more be. Less me and more … [Read more...]