Upfront

With Me on My Journey

By Jo Newell Spiritual Director, Train – Develop – Care God walked so faithfully and kindly with me in the year following our only son Nathaniel’s death. He met me often through people, almost daily in nature, and usually through His Word. As I was approaching the first anniversary, I

The Light of Christ

By Amanda Torres Collegiate, University of Arkansas As she struck a match to light the candle for our spiritual direction session, I heard my director say the familiar words she opens with time and time again, “The Light of Christ—who is with us, for us, and in us.” I needed

Safe Spaces of Silence in Spiritual Direction

By Luke Kleveland Staff Care Specialist, Train – Develop – Care “Let’s sit in silence for ten minutes. We can hold this space for you to listen to the Lord,” Steven, my spiritual director, said to me.  Steven is very intentional to listen to God in prayer. Our spaces of

Mile Markers of Spiritual Formation

Glenn Balsis Leader Development, TDC Trained Spiritual Director Often I gauge my highway travel by mile markers to help me understand where I am as I drive. For my spiritual journey, I’ve realized that I need a spiritual director to help me assess those mile markers in my walk with

How Spiritual Direction Has Changed Me and My Ministry

By Jin Rood Care Partner for Japan, Spiritual Director, Asia Pacific Leader Development Team As my husband, Mark, and I were completing our final year overseas, discerning where God was leading us next, I felt drawn toward a ministry of care. A mentor suggested I explore spiritual direction, and I

Dangit, Jo!

By Lyndi Lee Markus “Dangit, Jo!” I exclaimed to my spiritual director. Except I did not use the word dangit. I had come to our session discouraged to the point of tears, stuck in anxious thinking that left me hopeless and powerless. Her question had both lovingly and uncomfortably dislodged

Building Below the Waterline

When surveying the landscape and mining the data around what is happening to people in positions of mission and ministry leadership, several trends become apparent. Among them are:  While social science research gives us a laundry list of heed-worthy reasons why there is such a crisis in leadership happening today,

Black and White to Color: Rewiring My Brain for Intimacy 

“I just wish you could connect with me better, and relate to me at a deeper level,” my wife said. It didn’t sound mad this time—but it was with heartbreaking sadness. After decades of marriage, we were once again having this weighty conversation. My dismissive attachment style wanted to run

The Voice of Belovedness and Freedom

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with your head held high” (Leviticus 26:13). As a young child, my Sunday school teacher

The Beauty of the Gospel in the Matters of the Heart

We see evidence all throughout Scripture that Jesus was deeply concerned with the matters of the heart. When we take a look at the life and ministry of Christ, we discover a man who saw people in their circumstances—stepping not only into their physical realities, but also their spiritual ones.