Spiritual direction is an ongoing relationship, sometimes referred to as spiritual guidance or spiritual friendship, in which we meet with another person on a regular basis to become more attuned to God’s Presence and respond more fully to that Presence in all of life.
The purpose of spiritual direction is to deepen our relationship with God. More and more we live in a joyous freedom to actually be who God created.
Spiritual direction may look like pastoral counseling or therapy. We may talk about the same life experiences. The stories may be the same. But the focus is different. The focus of spiritual direction is always the relationship with God and the movement of Spirit through those life experiences. We look for the presence of God in the human story.
How does spiritual direction further the Kingdom of Christ on earth?
Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. In spiritual direction we learn how to name and give voice to our experience of God in our lives. We learn to articulate and share our love for Christ in how we love and how we live.
Teach, Nurture and Baptize New Believers. We deepen our relationship with God and grow in prayer. We learn to discern God’s will for our lives. We learn how to respond to God’s leading through the movement in our hearts. Spiritual direction is a journey of deep healing.
Respond to Human Need Through Human Service. We are God’s hands in the world. We discover our spiritual gifts; how we can best serve the world in a way that is authentic to us. Our relationship with God directly sources and informs our service in the world. Listening and responding to God’s guidance is the essence of spiritual direction.
Spiritual direction We deepen our relationship with God and grow in prayer. We learn to discern God’s will for our lives. We learn how to respond to God’s leading through the movement in our hearts. Spiritual direction is a journey of deep healing.
“This process gives me a chance to be quiet and listen to God’s voice in my life. It is an intentional exercise in quiet listening. Through Spiritual Direction I have been able to take the time necessary to make good decisions in my ministry.” – The Rev. Maria Sanzo
“I see a spiritual director because she helps me discern whether I am really listening to God and on track. This is a challenging time for the church and as a campus chaplain I am constantly searching for ways to open students to God’s presence in their lives, regardless of how and whether they call the spirit God or truth or love. Because my ministry is so adaptive I am diligent in constantly questioning whether I am doing God’s will or not. My spiritual director grounds me; she is a sounding board and a prayer partner in a changing world.” – The Rev. Lisa Caton
The resources section provides a list of spiritual directors available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Also included is a list of spiritual centers, some of them offering spiritual direction training programs. It is our prayer and hope that you find this resource helpful in locating a spiritual director to walk with you as you deepen your ongoing relationship with God.
You are welcome to contact Karla with any questions about finding a spiritual director.
Karla Droste, Spiritual Director
Email
510.590.2963
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