Who are your informal theologians? Who leads you to the heart of God? Who uses actions instead of words, though words might be present, too. How do they make you feel? What do/did they teach you? How do they encourage you/inspire you? Perhaps a pet, a grandchild, a neighbor, your mailman or woman? Allow the Spirit to open up your heart.

My cousin’s recent separation

The other one

Who was let go from her job

Dad’s upcoming birthday…

These thoughts, I consider them my prayers

A piece of toast emerges from the toaster

A little bite before buttering

Many of us in the contemplative faith circles met Ruben through his work at Perkins School of Theology at SMU where he served as head of the spiritual formation program for seminary students as well as director of their spiritual direction program. He has impacted many of us with his loving and gentle wisdom reminding us all that we are indeed beloved. As a spiritual director, author and teacher, Ruben has shared his love of God through many channels. One aspect that makes his life particularly inspiring is his ability to combine Eastern religious teachings with his Christian tradition. Did you know he was a Jesuit priest before meeting his wife? This is a story he shares in this episode.

Ruben is not an either or person, but a both and. Wisdom we can learn from and share especially in the divided world in which we currently find ourselves.  

Ruben invites himself and those around him to remember their breath, their holy breath – a practice he incorporates regularly. Our prayer and hope is this conversation reminds you that you are beloved as well as giving you a moment to check in with the holy breath within you.

This time we welcomed their Presence

Made easier to bear because everything felt like it belonged

Normal nuisances and unfulfilled to do's

Even grief felt far away

This day….

A poem written in response to total solar eclipse

Instead of going straight to a diagnosis like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or anxiety, or labeling ourselves as too uptight, or too this or too that, the IFS model invites us to turn towards the parts of ourselves that are causing disruption in our behavior, to dialogue with the part and to ask them what need wasn’t met in the past.

What might they need to let go of? What do they want brought to the light? What needs to be said? What are they afraid would happen if they didn’t work so hard doing this particular thing in the system?

“We are all internally at our core dealing with our own little storms, and prison was a huge educator for me. Whatever the outside looks like - businessman, stay-at-home mom, gang member, you name it, we are all more alike than we like to admit.”

— Seneca Alma

I recently talked to Alma who works as a business and social entrepreneur providing mental and physical fitness opportunities to others. If you’re inclined to check out his social media profiles, you’ll find his inspired hashtag #prisonchangedmylife.

And now he’s using his experience to bring transformation and change to others’ lives.

Located in Red River County, Texas, a local Dallas family and fellow spiritual director Arva Tatman offers a day and overnight retreat to those seeking temporary leave from the noise of city life. Visiting pilgrims can enjoy the local produce grown on he land.

Since 2020, I have resurrected the lighting of my Advent candle tradition. I now gather items from my home to create and Advent altar of sorts. Peace comes to me easily during this process as I reflect on God’s faithfulness in my life and spend time meditating and praying through and with the Christmas story as it relates to my own journey.

I invite you to join me in this life-giving spiritual practice.

Who knew my younger brother had such wisdom!? I actually did. He is much sweeter than me, quietly sharing little nuggets of truth along the way. I share this, because it touched my heart, as it serves as such a good reminder.

Whatever and however you are this Christmas season, and for those who don’t celebrate Christmas, I still offer these words and story, because it is grounding.

My heart tells me he might have been saying:

All we need is love. All we need is each other. All we need is God.

We have all we need.

What beauty and aliveness might be even more bright and radiant because of my limitation? Also, I think of the dancers and painters and other artists who sang with and escorted Bocelli on and off stage, making the artistic expression even more full through their mutuality. Who in my life might co-create with me and I with them, making the experience even more full and more lovely?

An interview with a fellow spiritual director who has discovered her call within a call - the gift and healing power of labyrinths in urban areas.

Retreat House Spirituality Center is a non-profit in the Dallas area - a place for spiritual directors and other pilgrims to nurture their true selves and grow in their knowledge of God and themselves.

We sat cross-legged across from each other on the astroturf of my parent’s backyard. Her face seemed a bit drawn, less bright than usual. She was normally talkative or silly or inquisitive. Something told me to let the silence connect us.

~ An excerpt from an essay on a day with my niece and a loving kindness meditation towards self

The Experience Circle is a tool and way of thinking that encourages us to widen our perspective, looking for the ways we hear, feel, see, taste, touch and notice the Divine in all areas of our life. Enjoy this meditation as a solo prayer practice or in 1:1 or group spiritual directions sessions.

This is a poem written about the bittersweet nature of loving and leaving a home. New beginnings also bring goodbyes.

This is a meditation that can be used in small groups, in worship service, 1:1 or alone in prayer. Allow 15 - 20 minutes to read, pause and reflect. Notice root causes to physical symptoms keeping you in negative cycles of living.

Writing poetry about grandparents has been a way to understand my generational history and in turn better understand myself and my ministry. I love you, too, is a poem about my paternal grandfather.

Emily visits with fellow trained spiritual director Aaron Manes in this podcast interview - “What is Spiritual Direction?”

Our bodies

Hearts

Souls

Mind

It all belongs

We all belong.