MENTORS & SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS

March 17, 2024

MENTORS & SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS

It's good to have someone in your life to walk through the ups and downs - someone with wisdom, someone who will listen and encourage and someone who will be in your corner - coaching you, praying for you, offering you light on your path.
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I had a nice conversation with my son-in-law Gerald Griffin (Pastor of Gatherings & Prayer at Bridgetown Church and Connecting Staff at Practicing The Way) and he explained that there are two kinds of spiritual relationships to consider and what the difference is.
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A Spiritual Director - is someone who talks to you about your relationship with God. They don't talk about God - because that would be theology. They don't talk to you about you - because that would be therapy. They talk to you about how you relate to God - what are you experiencing in your life with God, what are the questions you are holding around your growth and formation, what are you struggling - where have you seen breakthrough - what's your prayer life with God like right now, how do you pray to God, how's that going, have you considered this kind of prayer. For example, have you considered trying Lectio de Vina, or Centering Prayer?
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A Spiritual Director asks how you connection with God is and then perhaps offering you some suggestions or paradigms like there are seasons of life with God for example Seasons of Consolation, where God is near and Seasons of Desolation where is seems as if God is far. Here are some ways to walk with Jesus when you're in that time of life - a season of desolation.
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Spiritual Mentorship is a bit more relationship directed like my story here where as Spiritual Direction is a bit more formal.  Read here about a few moms and their mentor Mary Beth.