Writing My Promises
Stack of Journals. 2022.
It was good to review 2022: I’ve learned from the losses I experienced and am hoping to carry forward moments of growth and awareness, both personally and professionally. I am so grateful to have completed my first year of providing spiritual care and support to you, the Soulcare MKE community. Whether it has been through these reflections, through one on one Soul Presence (aka: spiritual direction), a staff retreat at your school, or a presentation in your class or community, I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to walk with you.
Part of what I’ve realized over the past year is how much I enjoy prayerful writing. I have previously shared some of my writing journey with you, as related to the spiritual care practice of journaling. I’ve also noticed how much I enjoy writing these reflections for the Soulcare MKE community and for other organizations that have invited me to serve as a guest writer. The process of prayerful writing helps me clarify my experience of Spirit. Similar to the process of spiritual direction, wherein a person learns how to articulate some approximation of their inner experience of God and the world around them, the process of prayerful writing challenges me to put words to an experience that might truly be beyond language. But somehow, the very act of searching for just the right word can actually deepen and embed an experience of spiritual insight within me… and hopefully be helpful for you, the reader, as well.
I was recently invited to serve as a guest writer for Wisdom’s Dwelling, an organization which centers the voices of Catholic women and women seeking faith. For this assignment I was asked to write brief reflections on two sets of Sunday readings from the lectionary. My two Sundays include this weekend, known as The Epiphany of the Lord. As I began my preparation, I thought I would center my reflection upon one question, “Which star is yours to follow?”
Image of Star, by Casey Horner
The reflection that emerged, however, was surprising and unexpected… kind of like the Epiphany itself. If you’d like to read this short reflection, please visit Wisdom’s Dwelling this Sunday, or keep an eye out for a social media post from me on Sunday.
As I reviewed my journals from 2022, I came across my promises to serve the community of God, as pledged during the “Sending Forth” Missioning Mass from the Midwest Province of Jesuits. This celebration occurred as my cohort and I completed our formation to serve as spiritual directors and facilitators of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Some of you may have seen these promises in a social media post back in June. I’d like to share them here as well. In fact, I may make a practice of reviewing, updating (if needed), and sharing these promises every year. As a provider of spiritual care to you, the Soulcare MKE community, these are my promises to you:
I promise, with God’s grace, to ~
receive people, in all their beauty, fullness, and complexity. And to
listen to, accept, and believe the truth of each person’s experience of God, as they describe it, in that moment. And to
reverence God and stand in awe at the particularity of God’s relationship with each person ~~~
forming and calling each person,
on purpose,
in and for Love.
Thinking of the Jesuits, you might have seen the 6 weeks series of reflections I wrote for Jesuit Prayer last year, on Wednesdays, starting on February 16th. If you missed them, you can find them here or on the new “Guest Writing” tab on the Soulcare MKE website. It is my hope to continue writing reflections for different organizations that resonate with the yearnings of people’s souls. If you know of someone who might be interested, please have them be in touch.
Finally, and as always, it truly is a delight to think of you as I prayerfully write these reflections. If you enjoy them, and think someone else might enjoy them too, please forward this along with a suggestion that they also subscribe. And, if you’d like to learn even more about my spiritual care practice of journaling as well as hear some tips and suggestions for starting your own practice, please join my workshop being held THIS TUESDAY (January 10th) at 6:30pm CST through Spiritualize! You can learn more and register at Spiritualize.co/community-gatherings.
Friends, this has been fun! I hope your New Year is off to an inspiring and soul-fulfilling start. Please take good care, and stay connected!
Gratefully,
Laura
