Helping people walk with God does not need to be expensive.
A Few Common Questions Answered...
What is Christian Spiritual Direction...why is it helpful...
What is Christian Spiritual Direction...why is it helpful...
What is Christian Spiritual Direction...why is it helpful...
Christian Spiritual direction, also called Spiritual Accompaniment, is seen in the Old and New Testament Scriptures. It was modeled by Jesus, was present in the early church, and, as the teaching of Jesus spread throughout the centuries, it remained a vital ministry, even if some left the practice behind.
Spiritual accompaniment is not counseling. Counseling can be important for promoting mental well-being, resolving relationship issues, personality struggles, or addressing unhealthy behavior patterns, but it generally seeks to resolve something within a particular period of time.
Spiritual direction is not mentoring or life-coaching. The focus is not on improving your work skills or competency levels.
Spiritual accompaniment is focused on helping you discover what God is doing, how He is interacting with you, how you are or are not interacting with God, and how you are or are not aware of or responding to Him.
Spiritual direction is helpful because life often includes times when we are not sure what God is doing or what His will is. At times we ask, "God, are you even there?" or "Why do I feel so distant from you, God?" It provides a place to explore questions and concerns about life with God.
It is a welcoming, confidential space anchored in scriptural truth so you can grow in prayer and discover God's activity in your life.
What to expect...
What is Christian Spiritual Direction...why is it helpful...
What is Christian Spiritual Direction...why is it helpful...
What to expect in a spiritual accompaniment session?
My role as a trained Christian spiritual director is threefold: To create a space where you feel welcome to share your spiritual journey. While you share, I will be carefully and prayerfully listening to you and the Holy Spirit. When appropriate, I ask questions or give guided space to help you discover God's activity, presence, and His invitation for you to respond to what He is doing.
Normally, I open a session by reading a scripture and then praying. Then, when you are ready, you are welcome to bring up what the Holy Spirit has laid on your heart, how things are with your soul. My role is to prayerfully listen to you and the Holy Spirit and, as appropriate, ask a few questions to help you discover how God is at work in what you share.
Each session is different, but during a session, God often uses moments of silence and contemplation to speak and guide.
I believe that God - Father Son Holy Spirit - is active in the session.
Spiritual direction sessions are not counseling, discipleship, or coaching. I promise that if there is ever a time when a subject or issue calls for counseling, discipleship, or coaching, I will suggest it to you. Spiritual direction sessions are about helping you go deeper with God and learning how to live daily in His presence.
Ultimately, the session is guided by you and the Holy Spirit, not me.
How much does it cost...
How much does it cost...
How much does it cost...
As a minister and father of 5, I know finances can be a barrier to spiritual direction, and I do not want money to be a barrier. If you are a minister or missionary, there is no fee. If you are not in full-time ministry, there is still no fee, but if God leads you to make a small donation, you may; it is not required or expected. I do not want finances to be a barrier.
How...
How much does it cost...
How much does it cost...
How to start spiritual accompaniment?
You can email me any questions you have to: affordablespiritualdirection@gmail.com
After your questions are answered, and if you decide to continue with Christian Spiritual accompaniment, then it is important to clarify expectations of what Spiritual Direction is and is not. This is done through an agreement of spiritual direction, otherwise known as a Spiritual Direction covenant.
Let me introduce myself...
A little about me...
I am a Member of two Christian Spiritual Directores Association...
I am a Member of two Christian Spiritual Directores Association...
My name is Daniel. I go by Daniel or Dan. My wife, Robin, and I have been married for 30 years. We have 5 adult children (three sons and two daughters). Two of our sons are married; they chose well, so we have two wonderful daughters-in-law. Each are serving in the Kingdom of God in different ways.
My undergraduate degree is in Bible and General Studies. I have a Master's degree in Ministry and a Master's degree in Practical Theology. I am currently working on my Doctorate of Ministry...an ongoing process. My training in Christian Spiritual Direction is through Kairos University's certificate program: Listening People to Life.
My wife and I are missionaries; we have been in Portugal for 12 years, and before that we ministered in Mozambique for just over 9 years.
I would like to tell you why spiritual direction is important to me, and why I feel God has called me into the ministry of offering spiritual accompaniment.
I became a follower of Jesus in my early 20s, and my call to ministry came soon after that. Over the years of walking with the Lord, I have experienced compassion fatigue, the stress of colleagues who were not handling ministry well, conflict among team members, exhaustion, questioning whether I had heard God correctly, the stress of moving my family to a new country, and the challenge of balancing work and family life.
In 2019, after an intense year, I was bordering on burnout when my stepfather and uncle died unexpectedly on the same day in November. I recognized that my mental and spiritual state was fragile, so I took a month off. I made a plan and began to get my health back. Healing took longer than a month, but that month was important. The next year, I started a master's degree in practical theology, which introduced me to Christian spiritual practices. Through those practices, I discovered spiritual direction.
These two components have built on what God started within me in December 2019, when I took a month to begin getting healthy. They have transformed my relationships: with God, with my family, with those to whom I minister, and how I view myself.
I have discovered that transformation and learning to live as a new creation in Christ have their own pace. It took years before I was in a place where God could say, “Now you are ready to go deeper, now you are ready to look beyond what our relationship is and what ministry is… let me show what I want our relationship to be…let me show you how to live differently…let me show you how to minister differently…” This process continues to this day.
Are you feeling empty in your faith, wondering where the Lord is? Are you ready to explore what God desires your relationship with Him to be? Are you wondering what it means to live differently? To work differently? To minister differently? It would be an honor to walk with you and the Holy Spirit to discover what He is doing.
I am a Member of two Christian Spiritual Directores Association...
I am a Member of two Christian Spiritual Directores Association...
I am a Member of two Christian Spiritual Directores Association...
I am a member of the CSDA (Christ Centered Spiritual Direction Association), which is based in America. You may find my bio page by clicking on this link:
https://www.graftedlife.org/user/daniel/
I am also a member of Spiritual Directors in Europe.
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