SERVICES
One of my favorite things is helping people live into the fullness of who God created them to be. Over the years, I've come to realize that a huge part of that is understanding your faith journey. This can be a tricky endeavor because part of our human nature is to compare. We compare ourselves to others and their faith journey, and/or we wrestle with feeling like we aren't where we "should" be or take pride in believing we are further along than others. My goal is not to foster a spirit of comparison or judgment, but to bring awareness. So often we struggle with understanding why we feel stuck, wonder why the relationship we have with God seems different than what others have, or we are wrestling with what we believe about God. It can leave us feeling isolated and alone in our faith journey. For others, you may want to know how to grow in your faith, but you're not sure how to do that, or suggestions others have made weren't as helpful as you had hoped.
Understanding your faith journey
Following where God led me in my formal education, I spent 4 years working on a research study of faith development. Working on that study began to reveal answers to questions I'd had since the beginning of my faith journey. Training to become a Spiritual Director unearthed additional resources specific to the Christian faith journey. Since then, I have spent an additional four years studying other theories of faith development, searching and wrestling through Scripture, and struggling through my own faith journey. Through God's guidance, I have identified a pattern of stages in Scripture that outline the Christian faith journey. That said, the pattern is just a pattern. How that pattern is filled in is as different and unique as every person. The stages aren't linear. They're more cyclical in nature, but we can go backward, forward, and simultaneously be experiencing more than one stage at the same time. And it can also feel like this:
Having awareness of where you are in the stages of the faith journey can help you know what might be most helpful for you in this particular season of life. For the most part, church life and following Jesus (which is usually referred to as discipleship) are structured as a one-size-fits-all approach. But every stage of the journey transitions us to a new way of engaging with God and others. What was helpful in one stage may not be helpful in another. In fact, it might even cause us to feel further from God. Often, churches can rush us through a stage and into another before we are ready, without even realizing they are doing it. As we mature in our faith, it's also common for our growth to be hindered or limited because we start asking a lot of questions, have doubts, and our understanding of God begins to feel a lot more complicated to wrap our heads around. Sometimes we are dismissed or given Christian platitudes that do not satisfy. The intentions and hearts of those leading us are usually not bad or malicious; it's simply due to a lack of understanding of how we grow in our faith over time and what's most helpful at each stage.
Understanding your faith journey consists of an online assessment, a virtual interview to dig a little deeper into your story, and the results. I'll explain where you appear to be in the stages of faith and make recommendations for what might be helpful for you in deepening your relationship with God in your current stage. Suggested contribution is $200. That said, I believe strongly that the Lord has asked me to offer this to people at whatever amount they can truly afford, so pay what you can. I know what it's like to be in a season where what you can afford is nothing. I'm here for you too. No explanations are needed. Simply send me a message, and I'll get things set up for you at no cost.
Soul Care for Women
Soul Care can mean different things depending on where we are in the faith journey and the season in which the Lord has us. Unfortunately, the church typically only provides a one-size-fits-all approach to spiritual growth that doesn't actually fit everyone. Often, there's no consideration for where someone is in their faith journey, and everyone is expected to be on the same path, with seemingly no other destination than endless Bible studies or encouragement to attend a small group (please don't hear me say those are bad; they're just not all there is). Many people have questions, doubts, and spiritual needs for strength and encouragement that aren't being met, because life is HARD!
My desire is to provide you with a safe space where you can feel free to be honest about your faith and relationship with God. Your questions, doubts, fears, and desires are welcome. That said, if you do not have a willing heart, then I would not be a good fit for you. The narrow path is not for the faint of heart or those unwilling to put in the work. Work that sometimes looks more like surrender. I am compassionate and empathetic, and my goal is always to strengthen you by pointing you to Jesus, encourage you in faith, and help you learn how to endure hardships as you forge ahead to the Kingdom of God. A session could consist of me offering Spiritual Direction (which I like to think of as Holy Listening), teaching and guiding you through spiritual disciplines, discerning with you, wrestling through Scripture, discipleship, or sharing my experiences and/or what God has taught me.
With Soul Care, it is important to determine if we are a good fit and ensure we both sense God guiding us to journey together. Before we begin the discernment for that, you will need to go through the process of understanding your faith journey. This will help provide a sense of what you might need in your current season and will help us to lay some groundwork as we pray and discern together about whether to proceed with Soul Care. If we mutually decide to move forward, the suggested contribution for a one-hour session is $100. That said, I believe strongly that the Lord has asked me to offer this to women at whatever amount they can truly afford, so pay what you can. I know what it's like to be in a season where what you can afford is nothing. I will not turn anyone away simply because they are unable to pay. There may be other reasons that the Lord might not be leading us to journey together, but it won't be because of money. All sessions are virtual and can be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on preference and need. At this time, my Soul Care sessions are strictly being offered to women.
I truly believe pastors have the hardest job in the world. This is particularly true for women! Many women are not even allowed to hold the title of "pastor," but that doesn't mean they aren't carrying the weight of pastoring. God has given me a heart burdened for women in ministry and helping them navigate the complex world of being in ministry while simultaneously trying to maintain healthy relationships, especially with God.
There are an unbelievable number of expectations placed on women in ministry, and a good majority of them are simply impossible to accomplish. Yet, that doesn't stop women in ministry from feeling the responsibility to try. A Bible college or Seminary education may have provided knowledge and information, but often they do not adequately prepare anyone for the experiences of life in ministry or how to care for their mental and spiritual well-being. People tend to think everyone in ministry is immune to the realities of being a human in a fallen world, and that's simply not true. Women in ministry often carry an even greater burden for a wide variety of reasons, including the fact that they may be doing the work of a pastor, but not be allowed to hold the title, or being restricted from stepping into the work they know God has been speaking to their heart.
Soul Care for women in ministry
My focus in Soul Care for women in ministry is on helping you discern where you are in the stages of faith to help determine what would be most beneficial for your soul in this season. From there, some sessions might consist of spiritual direction, discipleship, discerning with you, accountability, offering you a safe space for confession, and/or leading you through spiritual disciplines. It will depend entirely on what you need that day. The dynamics of ministry are complex, and difficulties abound in every aspect. There are seasons that we need to be seen and heard before we can move forward. My goal is to lead you to true rest in the Lord, where you genuinely feel peace and joy overflowing from your relationship with God. That said, I know it will likely be a bumpy, often unpleasant, and brutal road of suffering.
I desire to guide you in how to stay the course with Jesus when everything seems like it's falling apart. My strengths come from my weaknesses, and I have many. I have walked a very lonely journey to stay on the narrow path. When you've completely dedicated your life in service to the Kingdom, you might as well have a giant target on your back pointing Satan in your direction. Following Jesus is the most life-giving and beautiful thing you could ever choose, but it can also be the most painfully excruciating commitment you will ever make.
It can be difficult to feel like you can trust almost anyone when you are in ministry. I want to offer you a safe, confidential, judgment-free space where you are free to explore all your thoughts, feelings, doubts, fears, anger, frustrations, difficult relationships, and confess your sins. I am not a licensed mental health professional, and I do not offer mental health counseling. I do, however, have sufficient training in the field to know when to refer you to a licensed mental health professional if necessary.
If you are interested in finding out if we would be a good fit to journey together, soul care for women in ministry begins with a free 30-minute virtual consultation. If you decide to proceed, then we will go through understanding your faith journey. From there, we would both pray and discern whether God is leading us to continue to journey together. If we mutually agree, then soul care sessions would be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on your situation. The suggested contribution for a one-hour session is $100. That said, I believe strongly that the Lord has asked me to offer this to women in ministry at whatever amount they can truly afford, so pay what you can. I know what it's like to be in a season where what you can afford is nothing. I will not turn anyone away simply because they are unable to pay. There may be other reasons that the Lord might not be leading us to journey together, but it won't be because of money.
© 1422 Soul Care. All rights reserved.
Photos by Patrick Fore, Priscilla Du Preez, Aaron Burden, Miriam G, Ries Bosch, Yoal Desurmont, Rod Long, Rodolfo Barretto, Kelly Sikkema, on Unsplash