Living Water Comm Church, Rogers Park, 0Chicago, IL
Training
Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Center for Spiritual Direction at North Park Seminary, 2012
Active Practice
2012 to present
Description of Practice
God's deep desire is to be with us, right where we are, before we fix or change the things we don't like or think we should have already done. So in Spiritual Direction, we listen. Your task is noticing with loving attention what you're thinking, feeling, hoping, worrying about, focusing on as you move through your days. And noticing with that same gentleness and loving attention how it is with you and God. Don't worry about expectations for yourself or judging your "performance". That noticing is at the heart of Spiritual Direction.
What we are seeking together in Spiritual Direction is a direct experience between you and God. Although my presence, questions, silence, and input are important, the most vital part of direction is you hearing from and experiencing God directly.
My style as a director is focused on grace and gentleness. I've had one of my directees describe her time with me as "guided meditation," and another as a place to process - but my style adjusts to each person I sit with. Jesus’s words from Matthew 11 fit what I’ve experienced in Spiritual Direction:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (msg)
I'm interested in and have experienced God in work with the Enneagram, body-spirit connection, focusing prayer, cross-cultural experiences and relationships, dark night, grief work, creativity, arts, Lectio Divina, Igantian Prayer, spiritual disciplines and much more.
Retreats
I encourage retreats and can recommend personal silent retreat spaces or guided retreat options, but don't lead retreats myself at this time.
I attend a Mennonite Church in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, where a majority of our members are foreign-born. I have been a part of an eclectic array of denominations and I value the strength and charism each brings to the body of Christ. I worked with refugees in the US for more than 13 years and I love cross cultural relationships. I studied Spiritual Direction at North Park Seminary’s Center for Spiritual Direction and have been offering Spiritual Direction since 2011. I am open to new direectees.
My husband and I have been married since 2008 and we have two young children.
