Spiritual Direction
What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is a practice rooted in the Christian tradition where an individual, known as the directee, seeks guidance and support from a trained spiritual director to deepen their relationship with God and discern their spiritual journey. The spiritual director provides a safe and supportive environment for the directee to explore their faith, prayer life, and personal experiences, offering insights, encouragement, and prayerful listening without judgment.
The purpose of our time together is to continually circle back to those places where God is speaking, moving, and at work so you can grow in awareness of His loving presence and respond to His call in faithful obedience. When we discern the voice of God in our lives and respond in faithful obedience to Him, we see the kind of spiritual fruit we’ve been hungering for!
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You might seek spiritual direction if you desire:
Spiritual Growth: To deepen your relationship with God and grow in your faith journey.
Discernment: To seek guidance and clarity in making important life decisions in alignment with your faith.
Accountability: To have someone accompany you in your spiritual practices and hold you accountable in your commitments.
Healing: To process past wounds, struggles, or doubts in a supportive and prayerful environment.
Community: To connect with someone who can journey with you in your spiritual life.
Ultimately, Christian spiritual direction offers a sacred space for individuals to explore, discern, and grow in their relationship with God within the context of Christian faith and tradition.
What Spiritual Direction is Not
Margaret Guenther in her book Holy Listening explains, “Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy nor is it an inexpensive substitute, although the disciplines are compatible and frequently share raw material. Spiritual direction is not pastoral counseling, nor is it to be confused with mutuality of deep friendships, for it is unashamedly hierarchical. Not because the director is somehow ‘better’ or ‘holier’ than the directee, but because, in this covenanted relationship the director has agreed to put himself aside so that his total attention can be focused on the person sitting in the other chair. What a gift to bring to another, the gift of disinterested, loving attention!”
Spiritual Direction is about discerning those places that God is at work in our lives. Should topics arise that a directee would benefit from seeing a counselor, I’d be happy to make a referral.
Still have questions? I’d love to connect with you… click here to schedule a time to talk.
“What, then, does a spiritual director actually do? First and foremost, the director listens. To listen to another person in a way that helps that person hear the grace and truth of God is one of the greatest gifts we can give.”
- Alice Fryling
What to Expect
Spiritual direction sessions are typically monthly meetings that last an hour. Our first session would be more of an orientation aimed at getting to know you and your spiritual history.
The individual under direction (called a directee) either meets with me in person, by phone or by a digital meeting service (zoom or other).
The directee will “bring something specific” to the spiritual direction appointment. They should take some time before each session to prayerfully determine what he or she would like to process. The directee does this by reviewing their life and spiritual journey over recent weeks looking for patterns or issues that need attention.
There is no formula for the sessions. These times involve sharing, listening, and processing as well as times of silence as we listen to the Spirit of God. The goal is to discover what God is saying and doing in the life of the directee.
Cost: $100 a session. Session rates are on a sliding scale that honors the financial situation of the directee and are determined before the first meeting.
What People Are Experiencing
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“Spiritual direction has given me a safe space to talk about my faith without feeling judged. I’ve been able to revisit the foundations of my faith while learning to navigate the challenges of my adult life. It has been a meaningful and freeing experience.”
— Anonymous
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“For years, anxiety made it difficult for me to recognize or hear God clearly. Spiritual direction has helped me move beyond simply making the ‘right’ decision and instead learn to recognize and experience God’s peace. It has been a wonderful gift in my spiritual life.”
— Anonymous
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“I came to spiritual direction seeking God’s direction for a new season of life. Instead, I found myself growing closer to God and becoming more secure in my faith. I’ve learned that I don’t have to know what comes next. I can walk peacefully with God and trust that He will show me in His time.”
— Anonymous
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"This has been a welcome and much-needed reminder of how important it is to slow down, be with Jesus, and listen to his voice. Listen to what he wants to say to me, his child, not to me, the pastor, who feels the weight of communicating to a congregation."
— Anonymous
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“I am grateful beyond words for the ongoing growth, healing, and peace I’ve experienced through spiritual direction. I had always thought spiritual directors were for authors, teachers, and church leaders. I’ve discovered that this kind of sacred space is also for ordinary people like me.”
— Judith R.
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“Spiritual direction has helped me work through questions about who I am and what my relationship with God looks like. Mike is a compassionate and attentive listener who prayerfully helps me notice where God has been at work and what He may be inviting me into. Through the process, I’ve grown deeper in both my faith and my understanding of God.”
— Anonymous