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Hi. I just joined this forum...hope I post this correctly. It looks like I have found a very important resource that I have wanted for about a year now. I have been using Conversations journal for a year or so - I love it. I bought it for 3 friends for Christmas...and they love it too. It has been a good journey, but still not as intentional as I would like to be nor as connected to like-minded sojourners as I desire. I have not found what I need in the local church.
Related to the question about where to find a spiritual director (thanks, I will follow up with the link mentioned) - I have also wondered about how to find other women in my local area (Dallas) that may be interested to journey together with the guidance of a spiritual director for a year or so. To fine tune it more, how do you find a good member fit for a small group such as this? I am a therapist (graduating in May) and have thought it would be especially nice to connect with other professionals who are interested in a small group like this. Any feedback?
Blessings, Lorraine
Thanks Kyle. Finding this forum has been a great first start for me in terms of exploring spiritual formation with a community. What a treasure...thanks to all involved in getting this going.
Thank you for sharing your experience re: getting personal spiritual direction first. It strikes me that it would be better for me to steward this desire in my heart instead of putting myself off any longer while waiting to find group members for now. It's just disappointing to not find more people/women who already know about this and want to do it. I have shared the idea, the journal,etc with a couple of women locally and they have said they are interested, but they don't do anything about it & it doesn't come up in our conversation unless I bring it up. I could keep bringing it up, but I'm not looking to make something happen. It's probably a timing issue and an opportunity for me to surrender to God. You wrote "I trust that God is doing much more than we know" - I'm sure He is. Thanks.
my one and only spiritual director was found based on her life. she got up in the very early hours of the morning and read her bible for about 3 hours. now, i am not saying that this has to be found in your spiritual director, however, i agree that she would never admit to this title. she is completely humble and gives all her glory to jesus, knowing that she can do nothing without him. she is few and far between and since my time with her i have been unable to find this type of devotion. both heartwarming and intensely discouraging at the same time. if someone who doesnt have any 'credentials' is more dedicated and humble than the local pastor, there is a foreseeable problem within the church. since this time, i have not been able to find a mentor. i suppose i was probably spoiled, however, i did join a small group within a local church. i am quick to judge and easily discouraged. for a while i gave up on the church. after reading metamorpha i realize that it is not possible to progress in my spiritual development void of community.
I have never posted here before, so I hope this is done right.
I have never personally had a living-breathing spiritual mentor. I often refer to A.W. Tozer as my spiritual mentor because is was through his writings that I learned the most about God. I don't know if this was the right way to do it, but no one else around me seemed to be able to answer my questions. His writings were what taught me how to listen to God's voice and helped me to dig deeper in to God's word to discover God's truth and form a relationship with Him. His books emboldened me to reach beyond the teachings of the chruch and commune with God myself through the Holy Spirit. This is what I was looking for in a spiritual mentor- someone who challenged me to look beyond what I could see and reach to touch what was just beyond the veil.
I have personally been the spiritual mentor for a few people, mostly teenagers who want to have a real relationship with God, but even then it was not something that I entered into lightly. Much prayer went into the decision of becoming a spiritual mentor. Likewise, much prayer should be done before settling on a person to be your spiritual mentor. There may be people willing, but you want to make sure that they are the person God wants you to learn from. Listen to the Holy Spirit, he will not steer you wrong.