spiritual direction

what is spiritual direction?

Spiritual direction is simply the art of listening with love—the practice of holding space for someone to notice where God is moving in their life.

In spiritual direction, we look at how a person actually imagines, experiences, & responds to the presence of God. God is certainly at work before and after spiritual direction, but spiritual direction is a valuable opportunity for reflection & prayer. Spiritual direction can be a way to more fully experience and express love to God with our heart, mind, body and soul.

As a spiritual director, I am honored to simply be a companion, walking with others as they become more fully who God created them to be. It is truly powerful to become more and more aware of the incredible mystery of God's presence and action among us. Spiritual direction is an ancient art practiced across a variety of Christian traditions and many cultures.

  • “Nancy is a breath of fresh air. During the chaos and busyness of the holiday season, her Advent retreat helped me take a step back and focus on the important things- God, our blessings, and the reason for the season. She is truly a blessing to this world and to all who have the opportunity to come into contact with her.” -Kyla

  • “Nancy’s soulful and heart-forward leadership has helped me to journey into newer places of depth and insight - looking into spaces I’d never have thought to explore on my own.” -Marina

What’s it like to experience spiritual direction?

Spiritual direction can be a beautiful place where I’m invited to wonder, question, cry, wrestle with God and be cradled by Christ. This unique sacred space is a loving witness to our hopes and fears. It’s a whisper of the deep sense of community and intimacy of the kind of shalom life in Jesus that God imagines and intends for us.

I asked several of my friends to describe experiences of spiritual direction they’ve had. Here’s what they said:

Spiritual Direction…

• helps me become more aware of God in my life, in the midst of the good, terrible and mundane--all of it. - John

• helps me cultivate a quiet space to set aside the distractions and business of everyday life and orient to the loving presence of God. - Laura

• has given me a safe place to receive empathy and experience Christ's presence in hard seasons. It's also given me confidence to rest better and love myself like God does. - Christina

• is a safe space to regularly bring my most undone, vulnerable self and receive the care and encouragement I need from the Lord in each season with the help of an experienced guide. It means hearing the Lord, right where I need it most. - Jen

• gives me a sense of coming home to God. - David

How does spiritual direction fit into ordinary life?

Typically, sessions (in-person or online) are monthly for 50 minutes. The session is your time. The Holy Spirit is the real director; my role is to be fully present, listen and offer thoughtful questions and observations as you share parts of your season and your story. A good spiritual director will adhere to confidentiality and ongoing supervision. Spiritual direction is not therapy, coaching or mentoring.

Spiritual direction is an incredibly valuable tool for anyone who is

• wanting a deeper sense of God’s presence
• struggling to relate to church, faith, scripture or God in the usual ways
• in the midst of deconstructing/reconstructing faith
• open to exploring creative ways to connect with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit
• interested in trying new ways to pray and deepen your spiritual practices
• desiring space for clarity in significant life decisions
• wanting to cultivate more intentionality & presence in life & your relationships

Interested in finding out more?

I would love to chat with you about spiritual direction.
Please reach out if you’d like a free 30-minute consultation to see if spiritual direction might be a good fit for you in this season.