Spiritual Formation The Pilgrim Life

When Transformational Change Doesn’t Happen

Why is change so hard? Creatures of habit, creatures of comfort. We all know and resonate with those phrases. It’s comforting to predict the general outcome of our day. If we can anticipate an upcoming change and plan ahead so as not to upset the rhythm of our lives, then that means we have everything under control. Life is good, right? Practically speaking, habits make life easier, run smoothly, and give us that sense of…

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Ignatian Spirituality & Practices Prayer Life Spiritual Formation

Noticing God in Your Story: An Ignatian Examen

Like Jesus, who went to the cross not for pain in itself but ‘for the joys that were set before him’, so we are to make this journey through the memories of pain and darkness, not to stay with these things but to redeem them and move beyond them. […] We, who build so many hells on earth, need to know that there is no place so dark, no situation so seemingly hopeless, that cannot…

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Ignatian Spirituality & Practices Spiritual Formation

Noticing Life within Your Story

Life is a story. Perhaps yours reads like a drama, or a historical account, maybe it feels like a self help or a how-to book, it may even be a great love story or a tale of adventure. Maybe you feel like you’re living a tragedy or divine comedy, perhaps a great escape. Stories reveal the environment that’s shaped us, our perspective of the world, and where God’s been present all along. In many ways, they…

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Lent & Eastertide Spiritual Formation

Lenten Living in the Midst of Fatigue

I spent time talking to an old friend and former China teammate last week. As we reminisced and caught up, I asked her if she had plans for Lent this season with her family. Before she answered, she immediately went back to her experience of Lent in China describing how hard it felt to lean into Lent with intention when daily life overseas already felt like and ongoing season of Lent.  I immediately understood her…

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Advent & Christmas-tide Prayer Life Seasonal Devotions Waiting

Lectio Divina during Advent

Fellow pilgrims– below are two links to ministries I’ve been invited to participate with this Advent. The first ministry is, Global Trellis, a soul care and skill support organization for cross-cultural workers, who invited me to write a four-part Lectio Divina practice for reflection during the Advent season. The second is, Teach Beyond, a ministry that sends teachers abroad, who invited me to share about Advent and Lectio Divina on their podcast. https://www2.teachbeyond.org/article/lectio-divina-and-advent-with-elizabeth-forshee Advent is…

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